Film

I have grown up watching Pixar animated films such as Toy Story, and have only recently begun to truly appreciate both their design and their stories. I think films like Up and Ratatouille have better stories and stronger messages than many other films. I also love documentary-style films, and recommend Life in a Day. Being a bit of an adrenaline junkie, I loved watching The Art of Flight, and the adventurer in me loved Into the Wild, directed by Sean Penn. I also watch a lot of videos and short films on Vimeo, the video-sharing website. My recent favourites include Make It Count, Yosemite HD, The Bus and A Journey Across India.

Music

As a drummer I naturally like a wide variety of music, from relaxing acoustic sessions to more upbeat music when I’m cycling. I do a lot of video production and enjoy looking for good instrumental music from the likes of Foals and The xx. I’m interested in local bands - you should check out Fire In Effect, from Dunfermline, and my friend Keiran Gallacher. I find Enter Shikari (pictured) a really interesting band - they’re quite heavy, but have important themes.

Books

I’m a fan of Dan Brown, and first read Digital Fortress when I was 12. I’m inspired by Mark Beaumont’s book, The Man Who Cycled the World, and I’m beginning to read the biography of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. I once watched a video of Steve Jobs speaking at Stanford University, and I think the biography will be equally inspiring.

TVRadio

I listen to Radio 1‘s Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens while I’m working. I don’t watch much TV, but in the past I have followed FlashForward and The Event. I also like to watch The Apprentice.