One of his first jobs was as floor manager at the BBC in the 1950s.
He shot his first feature film The Harder They Come (1972) in brief bursts and at weekends over a three year period, with financial assistance from friends and relatives, and also Island records founder Chris Blackwell.
During the 1960s he set up his own production company, Vista Productions, where he honed his directing skills making hundreds of television commercials. The company's facilities were also used by other directors, including Ridley Scott.