John Maclean is a Scottish film director, screenwriter, artist and musician. He is best known for writing and directing the films Slow West (2015) and Tornado (2025) and for his work with Scottish musical group the Beta Band.
Early life and career
Maclean was born in 1972 in Perth, Scotland and was brought up in Tayport, near Dundee. He obtained his bachelor's degree (BA) in drawing and painting from Edinburgh College of Art, and his master's degree (MA) from the Royal College of Art in London. After college, he delivered cars by driving them to their new owners around the United States; seeing so much of the country later inspired his interest to make a Western.
Maclean is a founding member of the Scottish indie-rock groups the Beta Band and the Aliens. He has directed music videos for both, as well as for Django Django and KT Tunstall. The Beta Band's videos came to the attention of actor Michael Fassbender, who agreed to a part in Maclean's 2009 short film Man on a Motorcycle; Fassbender would later appear in Maclean's debut feature film, Slow West (2015). The Guardian described the partnership between Maclean and Fassbender as "not quite up there with Scorsese/De Niro yet, but a good start".
Maclean is the son of Scottish artists Marian Leven and Will Maclean. His brother, David Maclean, is the drummer of art rock band Django Django.
Discography
The Beta Band
Studio albums The Beta Band (1999) Hot Shots II (2001) Heroes to Zeros (2004)
Compilation albums The Three E.P.'s (1998) The Best of The Beta Band (CD, 2005) The Regal Years (1997–2004) (2013)
Extended plays Champion Versions (1997) The Patty Patty Sound (1998) Los Amigos del Beta Bandidos (1998)
Singles "To You Alone"/"Sequinsizer" (2000) "Broke"/"Won" (2001) "Human Being" (2001) "Squares" (2002) "Assessment" (2004) "Out-Side" (2004)
Video The Best of The Beta Band (DVD, 2005)
The Aliens
Studio albums Astronomy for Dogs (2007) Luna (2008) Doorway Amnesia (2021)
Live albums Live on the Moon (2019)
Extended plays Alienoid Starmonica (2006) The Sunlamp Show EP (2009) Electronville (2020) Back to Beyond (2021) Singles "The Happy Song" (2006) "Setting Sun" (2007) "Robot Man" (2007) "Magic Man" (2008)
Filmography Short films Year Title Director Writer 2009 Man on a Motorcycle 2011 Pitch Black Heist
Feature films Year Title Director Writer 2015 Slow West 2025 Tornado
Music videos Year Title Artist2004 "Trouble" The Beta Band2007 "Rox" The Aliens2007 "Robot Man" The Aliens2007 "Magic Man" The Aliens2007 "Setting Sun" The Aliens2013 "Hand of Man" Django Django2013 "Come On Get In" KT Tunstall2017 "Tic Tac Toe" Django Django
Reception Reviewing Slow West, the Village Voice deemed Maclean a "supremely promising talent."
Maclean won a Best Short Film BAFTA award in 2012 for Pitch Black Heist, which starred Michael Fassbender and Liam Cunningham. His debut feature film was the 2015 western-drama Slow West. He won the "World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic" at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. The same year, BAFTA named him as a "Brit to Watch".
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