Danny directed for the first time when studying TV Production. With everyone focused on camera or sound, this freed Danny to direct all their student projects culminating in him winning his first award for Beans at the SMEDIA's [National Student Media Awards]. The short was screened at the Galway Film Festival later that year.
After his study's, he quickly discovered that there was no clear path to becoming a director. Impossible to get work without a proven track record, he opted to become an Assistant Director. This offered him a chance to work closely with and study numerous directors firsthand, arguing that he learned as many valuable lessons in 'how not to' form some directors as he did 'how to' from others.
After several years of frustration from a lack of creativity, Danny walked away to concentrate on his other passion, writing and embarked on an MA in Screenwriting at the Huston Film School. Confident he now knew what kind of story's he wanted to tell, and armed with the tools from his AD days, Danny wrote and directed his first short OLD FIRM DAY, which won Best Story and Drama at the Inaugural Shot by the Sea Short Film Festival.