Biography of 'LOW, David'
Films associated with 'LOW, David'
Cameraman
Raised in Blairgowrie, the son of confectioner, Low became an apprentice engineer. He was called up into the army in 1941 and served in the Wessex regiment (Desert Rats). He saw active service during the D Day landings on the Normandy beaches and was in the first British units to enter Berlin. After Low was de-mobbed he joined Jack Elder on an exchange trip to Denmark to visit Danish film studios. He spent a year as general assistant in Nordisk Studios (1948-49).
On his return to Scotland in 1949, with Robert Riddell-Black he established Templar Films in Glasgow. The company initially survived on newsreel work for Gaumont and Movietone. Low did the camera work and Riddell-Black organised the financial and business activities. In the late 1950's and early 1960's Low shot news for BBC Scotland Television Newsreel. The company provided the editing facilities for John Grierson during production of 'This Wonderful World'. Low filmed the Coronation in 1953 for NBC. He also filmed the Knockshinnock mining disaster and scooped John Cobb's fatal crash during his attempt at a speed record on Loch Ness.
Templar was commissioned by Scottish Educational Films Association to make educational films and by Films of Scotland to make sponsored titles. It also had a contract for filming for General Motors. Low was the principal cameraman on Seawards the Great Ships (1960) the Oscar winning film of shipbuilding on the Clyde. When Templar's production essentially shut down in the mid 1970's Low worked as a freelance cameraman until his retirement a few years later.
Researcher: Janet McBain