From his humble beginnings as an office boy at age 19, Alan Parker worked his way up in the advertising business and began his career in earnest when he and partner Alan Marshall founded a production company to make industrial films and commercials. Between 1969 and 1978, Parker churned out over 500 television commercials, winning every major industry award, while also being cited as an important influence on both fashion and film style of that time. He adeptly used lighting, and his sense of drama as a feature film director has seemed to come as much from his early need to convey a message in
First worked as office boy for HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
1963
After graduating from high school, joined advertising agency as an office boy at age 19 (date approximate)
After working at various agencies and progressing to writing copy, landed at Collet, Dickinson and Pearce; while there met David Puttnam and Alan Marshall; also worked with Ridley Scott and Adrian Lyne
1966
At urging of Puttnam, went to work on first feature film script; eventually made as "Melody" (1972), Puttnam's producing debut
