Lewis Arnold (director)

Last updated

Lewis Arnold is an English director working in television. He is best known for the shows Time, Sherwood and Des.

Contents

Arnold studied at the University of Gloucestershire and graduated in 2007 with a 1st Class Honours degree in Video Production. He later studied an MA in Directing Fiction at the National Film and Television School, graduating in 2013.

Television

On graduating from the National Film and Television School in March 2013, Arnold embarked on his first TV project, directing two episodes of the final series of BAFTA-winning channel 4 show, Misfits . He then directed the first four episodes of Russell T Davies’s new E4 show, Banana , and was named a Broadcast Magazine Hot Shot 2014 for his work on both shows.

In 2015, he directed two episodes of C4/AMC series Humans , which has become Channel 4's most successful original drama in over twenty years. [1] A second series was recommissioned [2] and a year later he returned to direct the opening block. He followed this up by directing an episode of British crime drama Broadchurch for Sister Pictures.

In 2019/20, Arnold co-created and directed the ITV miniseries Des . [3] The series was well received by critics and described as a "sensitive, finely worked drama showing the unrelentingly bleak reality of the monstrous narcissist". David Tennant's performance was considered "one of his best in an impeccable career" [4] earning him a National Television Award [5] for Best Dramatic Performance and an International Emmy for Best Performance by an Actor in 2021. [6] [ failed verification ] The premiere episode had consolidated viewing figures of 11.4 million viewers, a benchmark previously hit in 2019 with Cleaning Up , [7] a project Arnold developed with writer Mark Marlow and Sister Pictures. [8]

In 2020/21, Arnold directed Jimmy McGovern's Time , [9] a three-part prison drama for BBC One. The drama starred Sean Bean and Stephen Graham and was aired June 2021. The show was widely praised for its authenticity and central performances. Lucy Mangan wrote for The Guardian: "The performances of Bean and Graham are, even though we have come to expect brilliance from them both, astonishing. So, too, are those from everyone in smaller roles, none of which is underwritten or sketchy, and who thicken the drama into something more profoundly moving and enraging at every turn." [10] Billie Schwab Dunn, writing for Metro , praised the show saying, "Time is a necessary lesson on the British prison system and a masterclass in acting." [11] The show was nommiated for six BAFTA Craft and Television 2022 Awards. The show went onto to win Best Mini Series and Best Actor for Sean Bean. [12]

In 2021, Arnold directed James Graham's Sherwood for BBC One. The show starred Lesley Manville, David Morrissey and Adeel Akhtar who won the 2023 BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Andy Fisher. [13] Sherwood was described as "an adeptly executed crime drama, driven by tight, deliberate plotting, genuinely unforeseen turns, and a palpable friction between its two detective protagonists.” [14]

In 2022/23, Arnold is set to direct all seven episodes of George Kay's The Long Shadow for ITV. [15]

Short films

On graduating from university in 2007, Arnold was awarded two consecutive digital short commissions through the UKFC and Screen WM. His film Stained, written by Ronnie Thompson and starring Ricci Harnet, Frank Harper and Craig Conway was selected for numerous film festivals, leading to nominations at the Midland Royal Television Society Awards for Best New Talent, Best Short Film and Best Director.

Whilst at the National Film and Television School, Arnold's short film Echo written by James Walker and starring Lauren Carse and Oliver Woolford screened at a host of international film festivals including Rotterdam International Film Festival, picking up awards including a National Film Award for Best Short in 2015. The film "centres on an outstanding performance from young lead Lauren Carse and a subtle, yet powerful story." [16]

His NFTS graduation film Charlie Says, written by Frances Poletti and produced by Rob Darnell, premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2013. Based on an incident Arnold had on a childhood holiday, the film centres around themes of deceit and masculinity. [17] It stars Elliott Tittensor and Christine Bottomley, as well as a thirteen-year-old Conner Chapman in his debut performance.

Directors Now

In 2020, Arnold created and wrote Directors Now, a free online resource and downloadable book. [18] The document contains the breakout stories of over a hundred, working directors, across a variety of disciplines including TV, film, animation, documentary and commercials. Created for aspiring filmmakers during the 2022 pandemic, the book has been download by 2,000 individuals, whilst the site itself has been visited by 32,000 unique users.

Filmography

Television

Short films

Related Research Articles

Kudos is a British film and television production company. It has produced television series for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, Amazon and Netflix and its productions include Tin Star, Humans, Broadchurch, The Tunnel, Grantchester, Apple Tree Yard, Utopia,Spooks (US:MI5), Hustle and Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes. In 2007 it was voted Best Independent Production Company by Broadcast magazine. Formed in 1992, since 2007 it has been part of the Shine Group. In 2007 it also set up the film unit, Kudos Pictures. In 2011, the Shine Group was 100% acquired by News Corporation and was part of the 50-50 joint-venture Endemol Shine Group. On 3 July 2020, France-based Banijay bought the studio through former's acquisition of Endemol Shine Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Tate</span> British actress, comedian and writer (born 1969)

Catherine Jane Ford, known professionally as Catherine Tate, is an English actress, comedian and writer. She has won numerous awards for her work on the BBC sketch comedy series The Catherine Tate Show (2004–2007), as well as being nominated for an International Emmy Award and seven BAFTAs. Tate played Donna Noble in the 2006 Christmas special of the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, and later reprised her role for the fourth series in 2008, and the 60th anniversary episodes in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Tennant</span> Scottish actor (born 1971)

David John Tennant is a Scottish actor. He is best known for portraying the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in the sci-fi series Doctor Who. He returned to the show as the fourteenth incarnation of the character from 2022 to 2023. His other notable screen roles include DI Alec Hardy in the crime drama series Broadchurch (2013–2017) and its 2014 remake, Kilgrave in the superhero series Jessica Jones (2015–2019), Crowley in the fantasy series Good Omens (2019–present) and various fictionalised versions of himself in the comedy series Staged (2020–2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivia Colman</span> English actress (born 1974)

Sarah Caroline Sinclair, known professionally as Olivia Colman, is an English actress. She has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, four BAFTA Awards, two Emmy Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euros Lyn</span> Welsh film and television director (born 1971)

Euros Lyn is a Welsh film and television director, best known for his work in Doctor Who, Sherlock, Black Mirror, Daredevil, His Dark Materials and Heartstopper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Chibnall</span> English television writer

Christopher Antony Chibnall is an English television writer and producer, best known as the creator and writer of the award-winning ITV mystery-crime drama Broadchurch (2013-17) and as the third showrunner of the 2005 revival of the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who (2018–22). Chibnall wrote five episodes of the series under previous showrunners Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat, and he was also the head writer for the first two series of the spinoff Torchwood (2006-08).

The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards, are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955.

James Hawes is a British television director. He has worked in British television drama since the mid-1990s, and has also produced documentaries for British and American television networks. His work has ranged across high-end period pieces and prime-time adventure drama, including the re-launch of Doctor Who and Enid, a biopic starring Helena Bonham Carter about the celebrated children's author Enid Blyton, which won Hawes a BAFTA nomination as Best Director at the 2010 ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicola Walker</span> British actress (born 1970)

Nicola Jane Walker is an English actress, known for her starring roles in various British television programmes from the 1990s onwards, including that of Ruth Evershed in the spy drama Spooks and DCI Cassie Stuart in Unforgotten (2015–2021). She has also worked in theatre, radio and film. She won the 2013 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for the play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and was twice nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress for the BBC drama Last Tango in Halifax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Mangan</span> English actor (born 1968)

Stephen James Mangan is an English actor, comedian, presenter and writer. He has played Guy Secretan in Green Wing, Dan Moody in I'm Alan Partridge, Seán Lincoln in Episodes, Bigwig in Watership Down, Postman Pat in Postman Pat: The Movie, Richard Pitt in Hang Ups, Andrew in Bliss (2018), and Nathan Stern in The Split (2018–2022).

James Strong is a British television and film director and writer, best known for his work on Broadchurch for which he was BAFTA-nominated for Best Director Fiction 2015. He trained at Granada TV and has directed episodes of the shows Holby City and Doctors, as well as seven episodes of Doctor Who and two episodes of its spin-off series Torchwood. His work on the Doctor Who episode "Voyage of the Damned" won him a BAFTA Cymru award for Best Director in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jodie Whittaker</span> English actress (born 1982)

Jodie Auckland Whittaker is an English actress, best known for her roles in television as the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who (2017–2022) and Beth Latimer in Broadchurch (2013–2017).

<i>Broadchurch</i> British crime drama TV series, 2013-2017

Broadchurch is a British crime drama television series broadcast on ITV for three series between 2013 and 2017. It was created by Chris Chibnall, who acted as an executive producer and wrote all 24 episodes and produced by Kudos in association with Imaginary Friends Productions Ltd. The series is set in Broadchurch, a fictional English town on the coast of Dorset and focuses on Detective Inspector Alec Hardy and Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller. Other members of the ensemble cast appearing in all three seasons are Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan, Arthur Darvill, Carolyn Pickles, Jonathan Bailey, Matthew Gravelle, Charlotte Beaumont and Adam Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Sims (actor)</span> British actor

Joe Sims is a British actor known primarily for his role in ITV's drama Broadchurch where he played plumber Nige Carter.

<i>Broadchurch</i> series 2 Season of television series

The second series of the British crime drama Broadchurch began airing on the ITV broadcast network in the United Kingdom on 5 January 2015. The eight-episode series focused on the continuing fallout of the murder of 11-year-old Danny Latimer in the fictional, close-knit coastal town of Broadchurch in Dorset, England. The series focuses on the effect of Joe Miller's trial on his wife, former DS Ellie Miller ; the Latimer family's struggle to achieve a normal life during Joe's trial; and new revelations that former DI Alec Hardy is protecting a witness in the failed Sandbrook child murder case.

<i>Broadchurch</i> series 1 Season of television series

The first series of the British crime drama Broadchurch originally aired on the ITV broadcast network in the United Kingdom from 4 March 2013 to 22 April 2013. The eight-episode series began with the murder of an 11-year-old boy in the fictional, close-knit coastal town of Broadchurch in Dorset, United Kingdom. The series depicted the impact that suspicion and media attention have on the community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgina Campbell</span> English actress

Georgina Alice Campbell is an English actress and model. She won the 2015 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for Murdered by My Boyfriend (2014). Her other television credits include Flowers (2016), Broadchurch (2017), the Black Mirror episode "Hang the DJ" (2017), and Krypton (2018). She starred in the films Barbarian (2022) and Bird Box Barcelona (2023).

<i>Broadchurch</i> series 3 Season of television series

The third and final series of the British crime drama Broadchurch began airing on the ITV broadcast network in the United Kingdom on 27 February 2017 and is set three years after the events of series two. The eight-episode series follows the rape of a local woman in the fictional, close-knit coastal town of Broadchurch in Dorset, England. The return features series stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman and many other actors from the first two series.

Kate O'Flynn is a British actress. She is known for her performance in National Theatre's production of Port for which she received a Critics' Circle Theatre Award in 2013, as well as starring roles in plays A Taste of Honey in 2014, and The Glass Menagerie for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2017.

<i>Des</i> (TV series) British TV series

Des is a British three-part television drama miniseries, based on the 1983 arrest of Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen, after the discovery of human remains causing the blockage of a drain near his home. The series premiered on 14 September 2020.

References

  1. Plunkett, John (2015-06-22). "Humans becomes Channel 4's biggest drama hit in 20 years". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  2. Barraclough, Leo (2015-07-31). "AMC, Channel 4 Renew Sci-Fi Drama 'Humans' for Season 2". Variety. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  3. "ITV commissions three part drama, Des - with David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen". ITV Press Center. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  4. "Des review: David Tennant is superb in ITV series with killer flaw". Radio Times. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  5. "David Tennant beats Line of Duty stars to win NTA for best drama performance". Radio Times. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  6. Levine, Nick (2021-11-23). "David Tennant Wins International Emmy Award for His Chilling Performance in 'Des' | Anglophenia | BBC America". www.bbcamerica.com. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  7. Warner, Sam (2020-09-15). "David Tennant's Des becomes ITV's biggest drama launch of 2020". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  8. "Cleaning Up (TV Series)". SISTER. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  9. "Sean Bean and Stephen Graham to star in new Jimmy McGovern drama Time for BBC One". bbc.com. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  10. "Time review – Sean Bean and Stephen Graham astound in enraging prison drama". the Guardian. 2021-06-06. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  11. "Time review: Hard to watch but it's worth every minute". Metro. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  12. Hall, Rachel (2022-05-08). "TV Baftas 2022: Time wins best miniseries as social issues take spotlight". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  13. Goldbart, Max (2023-05-14). "'Sherwood' Star Adeel Akhtar Wins Best Supporting Actor – BAFTA TV Awards". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  14. Einav, Dan (2022-06-13). "Sherwood, BBC1 review — a homicidal archer is on the loose in James Graham's new drama". Financial Times. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  15. "The Long Shadow". www.bbfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  16. "Echo by Lewis Arnold | Short Film". Short of the Week. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  17. "Charlie Says by Lewis Arnold | Short Film". Short of the Week. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  18. Bacon, Redmond (2020-09-15). "Lewis Arnold on Filmmaker Development Initiative Directors Now". Directors Notes. Retrieved 2023-07-31.