After graduating from Cambridge University in 1983 he worked inn Manchester as an assistant producer for 18 months and was subsequently offered a place at the National Film and Television School in 1985, He wrote and produced his graduation film The Unkindest Cut which was nominated for Best Short Film at BAFT in 1989 and won the Golden Plaque at the Chicago Film Festival, Soon after The Unkindest Cut was broadcast on BBC2 Eric Idle commissioned him and Michael Normand to write and produce Leon the Pig Farmer after which he and Vadim Jean wrote and produced Proof Positive then Gary on his own wrote the romantic comedy The Tender Trap. he served on the BAFtA Best Short Film Committee in 1990 and on the Edinburgh Festival Steering Committee in 1990