Colin Vaines

Colin Vaines is a film producer whose credits include Gangs of New York, Coriolanus, The Young Victoria, and The Rum Diary.

He began his career in the film industry in 1977 as a journalist with the trade paper Screen International, which he went on to edit. In 1984, he left journalism to run the UK's National Film Development Fund, and act as consultant to parent body British Screen Finance.

In 1987, he oversaw UK development for Columbia Pictures during David Puttnam's tenure at the studio, subsequently becoming head of development for Puttnam's own production company, Enigma, working on films including Memphis Belle.

He made his debut as a producer in 1992 with the Emmy-winning TV film A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia, which introduced Ralph Fiennes in the title role.

During this time, in addition to developing projects as an independent producer, Vaines was artistic director of both the Performing Arts Screenwriting Lab in the UK, and the writers' lab SCRAWL in South Africa. Among the writers he handpicked to develop their projects at these workshops were Simon Beaufoy, who went on to write The Full Monty, John Hodge, who went on to write Trainspotting, Lee Hall, who went on to write Billy Elliot, Paul Laverty, who went on to write many films for Ken Loach including Cannes Palme d'Or winner "The Wind That Shakes The Barley", and John Michael McDonagh, who went on to write and direct The Guard.

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