HOT


OT SHOTSOT 2011 HELEN ARNTSEN, 29


Animation director, Blue-Zoo Productions Since joining Blue-Zoo seven years ago, Helen has progressed from a junior animator to taking on large projects herself – producing and directing teams of animators for the BBC, Nickelodeon and Red Bee Media. In 2007, she directed a short animation that formed part of the Newsround special The Wrong Train- ers, which won a Bafta for Best Chil- dren’s Factual Programme. “Her flexibility of style, relentless


effort and passion for creating beauti- fully crafted animations is renowned among both colleagues and clients,” says Blue-Zoo co-founder Tom Box. Helen is currently busy working


on her biggest project to date: 52 x 5-minute pre-school TV series Olive The Ostrich, conceptualised by company co-founder Oli Hyatt, which will air on Nick Jr UK in the autumn.


TIM LAWTON, 29


Assistant producer, True Vision “Tim possesses two great skills that are rare enough in themselves but like hen’s teeth in combination,” says True Vision managing director Brian Woods. “He is really good with people and he is a very good and self-suffi- cient DV director, able to go out on his own and come back with beautifully shot, well composed and well sound- recorded sequences and interviews.” Tim’s sensitivity when dealing


with vulnerable contributors has been invaluable for True Vision. He found and filmed two of the main characters in Channel 4’s Mum Loves Drugs, Not Me and two of the families in BBC1’s Jobless, and maintained relations with three children from the powerful and acclaimed BBC1 docu- mentary Poor Kids. His work has been recognised with


Bafta and RTS nominations, and he has just had his first piece broadcast for Channel 4 News.


LIVIA SIMOKA, 29


Producer/director, Renegade Pictures “Livia is really hard-working, fun to work with, carries her ambition lightly and is a great team player,” says Alan Hayling, editorial director of Rene- gade Pictures. Last year, Livia came up with the


idea for The Lion Man series for National Geographic Wild. She then developed it, pitched it and co-pro- duced and co-directed the series on location in various parts of Africa. Livia is now in talks about a recom- mission for 2012. Two more of her ideas have since been commissioned, including one


18 | Broadcast Hot Shots | August 2011


groundbreaking live series for a major US cable channel. She is currently halfway through directing 3D Safari, a highly ambitious 10-part wildlife series that she was also responsible for developing. “Although wildlife and exploration


are her passions, Livia also embraces good documentary story telling,” says Hayling, pointing to her work on a film about breastfeeding for BBC3 as part of the Growing Up Britain season.


DAVID BRINDLEY, 29


Director, Dragonfly “David is an exceptionally talented director,” says Channel 4 documen- taries commissioning editor Aysha Rafaele. Even before he came to direct a First Cut film, David had worked alongside some of the best documen- tary makers in the business, including Morgan Matthews, for whom he was associate producer on The Fallen and Beautiful Young Minds. David’s own directorial debut was


with Ashes To Diamonds, a documen- tary exploring cremation, which Rafaele describes as “accomplished, moving, witty and sensitive”, and which went on to become a ‘Pick of the Week’ across the press. David has since worked his way


up from directing episodes of One Born Every Minute to series director for the next series, where he will be responsible for 14 episodes and a 50-strong crew.


JAMES JONES, 28 (NOT PICTURED)


Producer/director, Quicksilver Media In just five years, James has made a name for himself in uncovering the secrets people don’t want the public to hear. His first Dispatches uncovered Fashion’s Dirty Secret, and he recently lifted the lid on the thousands of people living in illegal sheds in London in Landlords From Hell. The Observer has hailed his work


as “fine journalism and a call for immediate action”. James also produced Bafta-


shortlisted BBC series Secret Iraq – one of three nominations in his career to date. It was praised by the Sunday Times as “proper documen- tary television”. This year, James directed his first


Unreported World for C4 – Sex, Lies And Black Magic – and is due to make another film for the strand in August. “An exceptional journalist with a strong sense of narrative,” says George Waldrum, series editor of Unreported World. “His camerawork was first-rate and, as a producer on location, he demonstrated tenacity and skill in gaining access to this clandestine world.”


Left to right: Helen Arntsen, Tim Lawton, Livia Simoka, David Brindley


www.broadcastnow.co.uk


Directors


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