WRITER, DIRECTOR & PRODUCER CREDITS


2013


SILENT VOICES OF HOLLYWOOD, 1x60', RDF West for BBC FOUR

Currently writing, producing & directing a film about Hollywood musicals for the BBC's upcoming season on film & music.



I, CLAUDIA: WOMEN, POWER & ROME, Hotsaucetv for BBC FOUR

Brought in by BBC history to rewrite and supervise re-edit of programme 3 in an upcoming series presented by Prof Catherine Edwards.



2012/2013

LA BOHEME, Royal Opera House

Produced & directed three short films shown as part of the House's live cinema screening of its current production of Puccini's opera La Boheme. Screened around Britain and internationally in January 2013.

"You've made three tremendous films for us, perfect for the cinema audiences... Look forward to working with you again soon." 
Tony Followell, Head of Media, Royal Opera House

Click here to see The Genius of La Boheme
Click here to see The Music of La Boheme



THE RICHEST SONGS IN THE WORLD, 1x90', RDF West for BBC FOUR

Scripted, produced & directed DJ and broadcaster Mark Radcliffe's first documentary project, a look at the top ten songs in the history of popular culture that have earned the most money in royalties.

Ratings grew throughout and peaked at 1.2m.  It was BBC FOUR's highest rating programme of Christmas period and 11th highest of 2012. 
 
"Quite simply the best factual documentary of the festive season...Get ready to be surprised, shocked and entertained...  Outstanding."
The Observer



THE GREAT BRITISH STORY: A PEOPLE'S HISTORY, Maya Vision International for BBC2

Brought in at BBC's suggestion to edit produce two films on Michael Wood's new history series. One covers Britain from the Black Death to the end of feudalism, via the Peasants' Revolt; the other the Reformation and the roots of capitalism



2011-12

ANCIENT X-FILES, Wag TV for National Geographic

Wrote scripts and directed the edits on three films for the 2012 season: The Scottish Rosetta Stone (1x25'), Crown of Thorns (1x25') and a one hour special, Gates of Hell



2011

PLANET WORD, 5 x 60', BBC2 Arts

Brought in at request of BBC Arts as edit producer to polish a series on language presented by Stephen Fry. 



2010

ANCIENT WORLDS, 6 x 50', BBC Factual For BBC Worldwide

Produced, directed & narrated the presenter-less version of the landmark BBC2 series tracing the roots of civilisation in the ancient and classical world. Cast and conducted 50 interviews on 3 continents. 2 helicopter shoots and self-shooting on EX-3 and Canon 5-D with tilt shift lenses. Series producer: Tim Kirby



2009

HERTA MULLER:  WRITING AGAINST TERROR, 1 x 30', October Films for Nobel Media, Stockholm

Produced, directed & narrated - and self-shot a large portion of the visuals - an exclusive access film about the life and work of Herta Muller, the 2009 Nobel literature laureate.  The film was shown by More4 before Christmas and has been sold worldwide by Nobel Media.  



JOHN BALDESSARI:  PURE BEAUTY, tate media

A 15' short film shot in California with the American artist John Baldessari.  Shown at tate modern during last year's retrospective, Pure Beauty, and on the tate website here



THE CULTURE SHOW, BBC Vision for  BBC2

Directed two items for the run of programmes from the Manchester International Festival:  one following the artist Jeremy Deller as he prepared his public Procession along Deansgate;  and another with the band Durutti Column and their musical tribute to Tony Wilson



2008

DAVID OGILVY: ORIGINAL MAD MAN, 1 x 60', World of Wonder for BBC4

Portrait of the maverick British advertising legend David Ogilvy, founder of Ogilvy & Mather. Made with unprecedented access to the Ogily company archives. Intimate interviews with family and closest friends and associates. Broadcast as part of a season accompanying the US drama Mad Men

Pick of the Day (with picture) in Sunday Times Culture, Observer, Guardian, Daily Mail, Independent, Telegraph, Time Out


"The quality of the documentaries supporting Mad Men on BBC4 has been very high. This is no exception"
The Mail
"Revelatory, fascinating, illuminating and inspirational" - Market Research Monthly
"A perfect companion to the brilliant US drama Mad Men" - Radio Times



2007

DIRTY DALI: A PRIVATE VIEW, 1x50', October Films for Channel 4

Brian Sewell's first film for C4, a mix of art citicism and personal recollections of four summers spent with Dali in Spain. Made in a similar, but more experimental, style to Paul Burrell In His Own Words (below).
Broadcast as a tie in with Tate Modern's June '07 Dali and Film exhibition
Own original idea

Click  here to see the first of 6 parts on youtube

SELECTED AS ONE OF THE DAILY TELEGRAPH'S TOP 5 TV HIGHLIGHTS OF 2007

"A beautiful,fascinating film, filled with wonderful images" - Radio Times Online
"The first set piece was a comic masterpiece..." - Pete Clark, Evening Standard
"Unmissable" - The Observer
"A riveting account" - Sunday Times
"A unique insight... a fascinating portrait.. **** " Mail on Sunday



2004

PAUL BURRELL IN HIS OWN WORDS, 1x50' October Films for C4

An exploration of Burrell's life as the Queen's footman, Diana's Rock and the man who nearly brought down the monarchy. The film is entirely in Burrell's own recorded words over a collage of archive, specially shot, photomontage and after-FX
Own original idea

"Sure to provoke extensive tabloid and water-cooler comment.. a fascinating and somewhat sinister glimpse of a strange, sealed world" - Time Out
"Thrilling, fascinating stuff" - The Guardian
"Extraordinary viewing" - The Express
"So serious it's funny" - Heat


2004

PROFILES: POP AND POLITICS - 2x30' October Films for BBC4

Two films for a series presented by Paul Morley, repeated on BBC2 April 2005.
Chrissie Hynde, the punk princess with the Pretenders, explains how and why she became poster girl and militant activist for the extreme animal rights movement.
Chuck D, founder of rap group Public Enemy and father of politicized hip-hop on his continuing mission to fight the powers-that-be: racism in the USA, gangsta rap, and George W Bush

"Excellent" - The Guardian
"Provocative and typically wry" - The Daily Telegraph
"Intelligently put together and all-too-brief" - The Times



2003

BRITS GO TO HOLLYWOOD: CATHERINE ZETA-JONES, 1x50' October Films for C4

An unauthorised biography revealing how the actress known as "The Welsh Spitfire" conquered Hollywood and became the highest paid British actress in the world
Own original idea

"Lovely.. breaks out of the opinions-and-photos mould to examine the relationship between celebrities and the media" - Evening Standard


2003
BRITS GO TO HOLLYWOOD: DAVID NIVEN, 1x50' October Films for Channel 4

An intimate biography of the writer, actor, raconteur and archetypal Englishman

"Near perfect" - The Guardian


2002

KING OF CAPITALISM: THOMAS WATSON SR AND THE BUILDING OF IBM, 1x60' October Films for BBC4

A film for the BBC4 launch on the brilliant and controversial salesman who forged Big Blue into the world's most successful corporation, but also supported Hitler and traded technology to the Nazis during World War II. Secured access to IBM's visual archives and family footage

"An engrossing portrait.. an extraordinary, edifying tale" - The Observer


2001

THE REAL TOMMY COOPER, 1x50' Paladin-Invision Ltd for Channel 4

A profile of the comedy legend and the 'Curse of Cooper'

"This must-see documentary goes a long way to getting beneath the fez... a very special treat. Magic, even" - TV Times


2000

THE SECRET WORLD OF RICHARD NIXON, Invision for BBC/A & E

Controversial, Emmy-nominated, 2 x 50' Reputations special on Richard Nixon

"An astonishing piece of demythologising.. proves TV biographies can reach parts the written word cannot" - The Guardian
"It may be a slag-job, but it's a meticulously researched slag job" - Houston Chronicle

1986 - 89
BALLIOL COLLEGE, OXFORD
2:1 in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)


1979-86
CARDIFF HIGH SCHOOL, CARDIFF