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SPOTLIGHT: DOUGIE BRIMSON
- D.G. Torrens
- Aug 13
- 13 min read
FILMMAKER
SCREENWRITER
AUTHOR
BIO
Perhaps best known for penning the multi-award winning 2005 feature, Green Street, former serviceman Dougie Brimson has forged a reputation as one of the UK’s most diverse writers.
Having enjoyed publishing success with both non-fiction and fiction as well as on the big screen, his writing career began in 1996 when after 18 years of service with the RAF, he co-authored the best-selling non-fiction work, Everywhere We Go. A book that remains essential reading for anyone with an interest in the culture of English football.
A further 17 books have followed including the best-selling thriller, The Crew - which has topped the Amazon sports book download charts for over fourteen years following its publication in eBook format- and the critically acclaimed football comedies, Billy’s Log and
Wings of a Sparrow.
He remains one of a select group of writers who have enjoyed success in non-fiction, fiction comedy, fiction thrillers and as a screenwriter.
In March 2021, Dougie formed his own film production company, Red Bus Movies, to write and produce films aimed at a more mature cinema going audience. He has numerous projects in development with three features scheduled to shoot in 2026 including The Lion Of London Bridge. A biopic based on the true life story of Roy Larner, the hero of the 2017 Borough Market terror attacks.
Aside from writing and producing, Dougie is an avid supporter of the veteran and armed forces community and works tirelessly to support individuals from that community looking to transition into the world of film and television.
FILM SUMMARY:
In 2003 Dougie made the move into screenwriting first with the short movie It’s a Casual
Life produced and directed by Jon S Baird (Filth, Tetris) which was followed by his first full length feature, the Hollywood funded and multi-award winning Green Street starring Elijah Wood.
May 2014 saw the release of his second feature, an adaptation of his own novel Top Dog.
Directed by Martin Kemp (The Krays, Eastenders) the film took the Best Feature award at the British Independent Film Festival as well as the Best Actor (Leo Gregory), Best Supporting Actor (Ricci Harnett) and Best Supporting Actress (Lorraine Stanley) awards. It was also nominated in the Best Action Film category at the National Film Awards 2015.
A third feature, the urban revenge thriller We Still Kill The Old Way starring Ian Ogilvy, James Cosmo, Steven Berkhoff and Danni Dyer, was released on 16th December 2014. It was nominated in numerous categories, including Best Action Film at the 2015 Action Elite Awards.
Q&A
DG Q: Your latest film, The Lion of London Bridge, is rooted in a harrowing true story that deeply impacted the nation in 2017. What drew you to this particular event, and what inspired you to bring it to the screen?
Dougie: I was asked, as simple as that. In truth, I’d actually been asked a few years previously but I didn’t take it on for two reasons. Firstly, I wasn’t certain that Roy was ready to really let loose on the story and secondly, I didn’t think I’d be able to do it justice. It is after all, a hugely important story which a lot of people are invested in and that’s a huge responsibility to take on.
When they came back to me about a year ago, I’d already read his book and I knew Dean Rinaldi who helped him write it, of old and so I thought if I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it. So I arranged to meet Roy and Dean, as well as some others who feature in the story and when he suggested we meet in the Black & Blue Bar where it all happened, I knew that Roy was ready. The rest as they say, is history.
I have to say, I’m really pleased with the script and have been humbled by the positive feedback from some proper movie heavyweights. Leo Gregory is attached to play Roy and he’s also producing so it’s all down to finding a home and the money for it.
DG Q: Writing true stories, especially those that have touched so many lives, can be an emotionally intense experience, often exposing a writer’s own vulnerability. How has The Lion of London Bridge affected you on a personal and emotional level.
DOUGIE: It may shock you to hear that I actually suffer really badly with both imposter syndrome and confidence in my writing ability so with something like this, even approaching it was intense. To be honest, at times working on it was excruciating primarily because of the responsibility to do justice to both the story and, more importantly, to Roy. However, when I actually sat with him and listened to him talking through the story arc, not just of that night but everything that’s happened to him since, it was such a humbling experience that I quickly became consumed by a determination to get it done and out into the public domain. Primarily because I genuinely believe that this is a story that HAS to be told.
Key to it all was working out exactly how to tell it in a way that would keep the audience invested because not only is the narrative quite linear, the key significant incident is what starts it all off! Thankfully, the idea came to me quite quickly and after writing a few draft scenes and showing them to Leo and my We Still Kill co-writer, Gary Lawrence, I went for it.
It took much longer than I hoped it would (the confidence thing) but eventually, I was able to hit send and then the waiting began. This, as any writer will know, is the worst bit and when you’re writing about real people, you have no idea how they’re going to react when they’re reading about themselves and have intimate knowledge of the subject matter. Thankfully, not only did they all respond quickly, they all loved it. A huge relief.
DG Q: One of your ongoing passions is creating opportunities for service leavers transitioning from military life into the film and television industry, a mission that’s both inspiring and deeply needed. My grandfathers both served in the RAF during World War II, so I understand through their own telling how challenging that shift to civilian life can be. What was the turning point that encouraged you to champion this cause?
DOUGIE: It’s just something I’d always had in my head because when you break it down, it’s a no brainer. One that benefits everyone. The film industry is a perfect fit for servicemen not just because of the many... and varied trade skills involved but because of the work ethic required. Making a film isn’t a 9-5 job and requires hard graft and adaptability, often in challenging conditions. That’s pretty much the job description for the military.
To be fair, there are already plenty of people recruiting from amongst veterans but there’s not really a clear pipeline between the two worlds and so we set out to create one. But on top of that, we also want to encourage military personnel to be more creative and to start that process, we’ve recently announced the Creative Forces UK Film Festival to showcase short movies made by members of the serving and veteran community. That’ll start proper in 2026.
DG Q: You spent 18 years serving in the Royal Air Force, a journey that must’ve come with its share of highs and lows. Can you share what that experience was like overall, and is there one personal moment that’s stayed with you ever since?
DOUGIE: It would be understating things to say that I didn’t just enjoy my time in uniform, I loved it. The odd thing was that aside from family who did National Service, I had no links with the military prior to joining up at 16 and hadn’t even been in the RAF Cadets. I just joined on a whim!
I was lucky in that I didn’t really experience any real low points during my 18 years in uniform other than the usual things one associates with military life. Then again, I was in the RAF so there was not too much of that wallowing around in the mud nonsense associated with the Army.
As for highs, there were so many it’d be impossible to pick one out. Spending two and a half years in Germany on the Harrier Force at the height of the Cold War was a fantastic experience because it was very much a work hard, play hard way of life and being part of the Black Buck Vulcan operations from Ascension Island during the Falklands War was obviously unforgettable.
The RAF also allowed me to indulge my love of motorsport and I was lucky enough to compete in various forms both at home and in Germany.It was a fantastic time of my life and I’d recommend the military to anyone looking for adventure.
DG Q: You've enjoyed remarkable success as an author, with Green Street making the leap from page to silver screen, a milestone many writers dream of. What sparked the transition from novel to film? Did the producers honour your original vision? And looking back, how did you find the whole experience, the good/bad/ugly?
DOUGIE: Well I didn’t set out to be a writer, it just happened by accident and like most good things, sprang out of a random idea. Ironically, an idea my brother and I had whilst working as extra’s on a film set! I actually found writing our first book remarkably easy because neither of us had any experience of what we were actually getting into.
As a consequence, we weren’t too concerned with the world of commissioning and editors, we just focussed on writing the book that we wanted to read. That was why we were always confident that our first book, Everywhere We Go, would find an audience because that audience was essentially us, and no one else was writing anything for us.
We took this further by developing a style which we knew would appeal to the average working class football fan and it worked! Of course, we thought it worked like that for everyone but as we learned much later on, it really doesn’t!
I think I’d done five or six books by the time Jon S Baird contacted me about writing a short movie for him and
Green Street happened at about the same time. There is a misconception that Green Street was a book before it was a film but it wasn’t. I wasn’t even asked to get involved, it was more a case of me conning my way into the role. I explain why and how it all happened in a video which is linked elsewhere. In truth, Green Street turned out to be a difficult experience for all kinds of reasons but those are tales for another time. I certainly learnt a lot though, mostly about how not to do things.
DG Q: In 2024,you and actor Leo Gregory announced that you have written a script together for a genuine sequel to the 2005 movie, Green Street. Explain more about this and why?
DOUGIE: All I can say about it at the moment is that it’s happening. You’ll have to wait and see!
DG Q: You adapted one of your own books into a feature film, Top Dog, and it hit the big screen in 2014, starring Leo Gregory and directed by Martin Kemp—icon of film, The Krays and Spandau Ballet. The film tore through the British Independent Film Festival, bagging Best Feature and a haul of acting awards. What drove you to write this raw football-influenced story?
DOUGIE: Top Dog is actually the second book in a trilogy and we’d got close to shooting the first book, The Crew, some years before but it never came together. So when the chance came to do Top Dog, I jumped at it. I can tell you right now, adapting your own novel is tougher than you’d think, mostly because of what you have to cut out! But thankfully, Martin Kemp was amazing to work with and I think the finished result really does the book credit. Of course it’s helped by some stellar performances from the likes of Ricci Harnett, Vincent Regan, Lorraine Stanley and of course, Mr Gregory.
DG Q: Football features prominently in several of your books. How has the game shaped your life, both growing up and as an adult? Was there a particular moment or experience that inspired you to weave football, and everything that comes with it, into your storytelling?
DOUGIE: The simple answer to this question is that often quoted adage, ‘write what you know’. I was quite clear from the outset that I was never a hard core hooligan but I spent a lot of time around that world, and even more studying it which gave me a lot of research to
call upon. That authenticity, coupled with my style of writing, is why all of the books I’ve written have struck a chord with my readership. They know that I’m just like them, a bloke who goes to football, and that I’ve written whatever they’re reading or watching, just for them. The same thing applies to my comedy work. My dad was a working class comedian so that sarcastic, self-deprecating style of humour has always influenced my comedy writing as anyone who’s read Billy’s Log or Wings Of A Sparrow will hopefully appreciate.
And that audience recognition is key. After all, ultimately as writers we create for the reader and/or the viewer and so they are the most important person in the entire process. A fact far too many people seem to forget. Keep them in mind and give them what they want and you won’t go far wrong.
DG Q: Your writing and films have a raw, unfiltered edge—which I personally love. Would you say you're the kind of storyteller who calls it like it is—no frills, no BS, just honest and unapologetically real?
DOUGIE: That’s very kind of you to say because it’s a style I cultivated from very early on. Mostly because of the reaction to my early non-fiction work which in truth, were mostly being brought by people who generally didn’t, and don’t, read books. The reaction to those first offerings taught me quite quickly that one of the reasons why so many ‘non-readers’ were buying into my work, and those by others in the ‘hoolie-lit’ genre was the relatability factor.
So when it came to turn my hand to fiction, I knew that if I was going to keep them interested, aside from a solid story, I needed characters that they recognised (often in themselves) and above all, I needed to keep things moving. So there’s no real flowery nonsense to pad pages out, just plot progression.
If you read some of the reviews of my fiction, you’ll often see people say that they couldn’t put it down. That’s gold, because it means I did my job as an author. Something the sales
figures confirm.The sad thing for me was that so few other’s followed my lead although a lot of that is down to the industry who were, and remain, incredibly resistant to approaches from working class male authors.
It still astonishes me that despite all the frequent high profile calls to boost working class creativity, both in print and in film, so little is actually being done to facilitate that actually happening.
With regard to film, I always take the same approach by thinking about the potential audience from the moment I open that first blank page because to me, the goal is to give them something that I know they would want to see as opposed to one that I hope they might like. That’s obviously not a unique approach to me and if you look at the Rise Of The Footsoldier franchise for example, it’s exactly how and why they are so successful.
The problem of course, is that any idea has to overcome numerous hurdles before it reaches a screen and all too often, those hurdles involve decisions being made by people who are barely qualified to make them. But that’s the game that is filmmaking I guess.
DG Q: Beyond your film work, you've had a dynamic career in broadcasting—co-hosting a late-night comedy show on Liberty Radio, presenting The Stock Car Show and Madder Max on Granada Men & Motors, with Madder Max diving into the vibrant world of British motorsport and airing for thirteen consecutive weeks starting July 24, 2000. You’ve also produced shows for Channel 5 in the UK. Looking back on this impressive and varied journey, what would you say has been the driving force behind your incredible and continued success over the years?
DOUGIE: The short answer is money. The slightly longer answer is money and fun.
I’ve worked on plenty of projects I didn’t enjoy and so I eventually decided that I would only work on projects that excited me and only work with people who aren’t a’holes. In fact we have a strict no a’hole policy at my company, Red Bus Movies which means that if we’re recruiting anyone and a single member of the team things that person is an a’hole, we don’t hire them. It’s brutal I know, but by not importing potential problems, we can focus on the most important thing, giving our collective best to the project whilst having fun doing it.Besides, who want’s to work with a’holes? Not me, that’s for sure.
DG Q: Which directors/films/authors from the past influenced you the most?
DOUGIE: Oh god, I hate this question because my answers change all the time. I suppose director wise, I’ve always been a huge fan of Charles Frend who directed some of my favourite all time films including The Cruel Sea, and Mel Brookes for fairly obvious reason. Both very different in pretty much every respect, but both were/are able to create incredibly entertaining movies and that’s what it’s all about.
My choice of influential films follows on from that. When I tell you that my favourite all time movie is Singin’ in the Rain, you’ll understand that for me, great movies are the ones that I never tire of watching. Not just because I love them, but because of the little things that make them special.
The dream for me as a writer, is to give that same love of a movie to someone else. I think it’s fair to say that Green Street did that for a lot of people.Author wise, JRR Tolkien who to me, was the ultimate storyteller. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve read The Hobbit but I’ve consumed Lord of the Rings over 20 times over the years. It has everything you’d ever want in a book.
DG Q: What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from your filmmaking journey thus far?
DOUGIE: Nothing spells commitment like cold hard cash so until the money hits the bank, never assume something is real.
DG Q: How do you see AI affecting/changing the film industry (good/bad/ugly)?
DOUGIE: As a writer who has feet in both publishing and film, I think that the impact AI is going to have on both industries is actually pretty terrifying. Primarily because if left unchecked, it has the potential to effectively stifle opportunity in the creative arts across the board. Quite how that issue is going to be addressed is a challenge that the various unions and industry bodies are going to have to address and fast. Sadly, I don’t think any of them are up to that particular task which means that life is going to get much tougher for writers generally.
DG Q: What advice would you give to someone starting a similar journey in the filmmaking world?
DOUGIE: Get a good accountant and an even better lawyer. Remember that this is your career and how you’ll pay your mortgage and feed your children so take nothing at face value unless you have a positive history with that person or company (and even then, treat warily) or until the money hits the bank.
DG Q: What’s one ‘no-BS’ truth you wish someone had told you when you were just starting out as a filmmaker/author/creative?
DOUGIE: It’s a brutal truth, but it is nevertheless a fact that the creative arts has always been a welcoming world for thieves and charlatans and that rings true to this day.
Therefore, treat everyone as you’d want to be treated and above all, be honest. Not everyone you meet will be, but if you remain true to yourself, your reputation will precede you and you’ll be ok.
DG Q: Let’s finish strong: what’s one quote that hits you right in the soul and says, “This is me”?
DOUGIE: “Dream big, work hard, stay humble”.
LINKS:
It’s a Casual Life - https://www.youtu be.com/watch?v=BKstVQxJVNsHow I got the gig on Green Street - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_r2iS_pyWc
Interviews:
In The Fox’s Den - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBZbafBSuhY
Spotlight on Dougie Brimson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOr8nDfoFAA
Dougie Brimson - Veteran - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHa2r15QW9Y
Sky News - The Lion Of London Bridge Roy Larner and Dougie Brimson - SkyNews 21 Oct 2024
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