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David Skynner - Director
Writer - Director - Producer - Editor - Author - Artist
Film - TV - Commercial - Branded Video - Promos
  • Home
  • About
  • Moving Image
    • Essential Viewing
    • Film
      • Dark Glass
      • Tea Shop Asylum
      • 2 Chairs
    • TV
    • Commercials
    • Branded
      • Property Films
      • Promo
  • Writing
    • Scripts
    • Books
  • Blog
  • Work with me
  • Contact

About

I am writer and director and latterly also producer and editor and have made prime time television across all genres and dramatic programme types. I am inventive and relentlessly creative with a strong desire to push boundaries and advance the form.

A graduate of The London International Film School, I started my career as a runner and third assistant director on feature films including ‘Monty Pythons Meaning of Life’, ‘A Fish Called Wanda’ and James Cameron’s ‘Aliens’, where I also worked in the creature shop, painting and operating the animatronic aliens after Stan Winston saw one of my paintings.   Thereafter I quickly moved into producing, seeing an opportunity and optioning the ‘Book of Mini Sagas’. Four short films were developed from these stories with name directors and cast. Supported by British Screen and Telemunchen, the resulting films were distributed by UIP in support of ‘Bladerunner’ and other features.

Turning to directing and writing, my 30-minute short ‘The Euphoric Scale’ starred Robert Bathurst and gave Helen Baxendale her first screen role. It also secured me representation by a major agent and led to a career in high-end prime time TV drama. I have directed over eighty hours of TV drama and comedy programming. Including the 1987 production of ‘Wuthering Heights’ for ITV and WGBH Boston, multiple episodes of long running series, ‘Staying Alive’ and ‘A&E’, comedy series ‘Dr Willoughby’ starring Joanna Lumley and two series of The Giblets Boys’, a highly rated comedy series for CiTV, to which I also contributed episodes as a writer and which went on to win the Best Drama BAFTA in 2006. My work directing ‘The Queens Nose and ‘Tracy Beaker has also received further nominations from BAFTA, The Royal Television Society and the Indy Awards.

I am currently directing commercials and branded promotional films while developing a range of feature, theatre, television drama and factual projects. Key amongst these was my script for Tea Shop Asylum, which though currently unproduced, has been supported by the UK Film Council in the production of a pilot. Currently attached talent include, John Hannah, Joanna Lumley and Sarah Smart.  My latest film venture is ‘Dark Glass’ a horror with John Hannah attached.

Brand Work

Commercials

Campaign: 5 a Day – 4 x 30” spots for COI

Campaign: Food Standards – 2 x 1′ spots for COI

Identity Theft – 1 x 1′ spot for COI

Campaign – Starburst – 2 x 30” spots for Grey

TV bumpers: Ambi Pur – 5′ x 15″ & 5” sec spots for Joshua UK

Test commercials:  Kelloggs Special K – Organics Shampoo – Crunchy Nut Cornflakes – Smirnoff Ice

Branded Content

I am regularly commissioned to write, produce, direct and edit video’s by brands of all sizes, from quite small outfits to Blue Chip Corporations.  Budgets range from as little as £1k up to £75k.

Some come direct, some come through agencies such as RPM and the Circle Agency.

Clients include:

Royal Ordnance,        Nat West Bank,        Tanqueray,        Coca Cola,        Sky,         McVities,        Talisker,        Taylor Woodrow,        Cow & Gate, Johnny Walker,        Top Shop,        M&S,        Fashion Retail Academy,        EA Games,       Met Police,       Brother

Film

Dark Glass

Dark Glass is a horror project.  The script is fully developed and we have shot a pitch trailer based on it.  Starring John Hannah in the lead role I am currently seeking sales representation and beginning the funding process.

I have also written a novel based on the script which will be published early in 2015.

dark glass

Tea Shop Asylum

Pilot for feature romantic comedy funded by UK Film Council Premiere Fund.    Starring John Hannah, Joanna Lumley, Sarah Smart, Rad Lazar, Velibor Topic.

Full film not currently produced.

 Tea Shop Flyer b_Layout 1

2 Chairs

Short supernatural film, starring Juliette Howland and Nick Lumley.

TV

New Street Law – Series 1 & II

Red productions for BBC1

5 x 1 hour episodes of barrister’s precinct drama.  Starring John Hannah, John Thompson, Lisa Faulkner, Paul Freeman.  Produced by Matthew Bird

The Giblet Boys – Series I & II

Film & General Prods for CITV

8 episodes of 13 of original comedy series.Produced by Davina Belling and Clive Parsons

Winner Best Drama BAFTA 2006

The Queens Nose

Film & General Prods for CBBC

12 episodes over two series of comedy drama.  Produced by Davina Belling and Clive Parsons.

Nominated Best Children’s Drama RTS Awards  2002

Nominated Best Children’s Drama Indy Awards  2002

The Story of Tracy Beaker

CBBC

13 episodes of children’s comedy drama.    Produced by Jane Dauncey

Nominated Best Children’s Drama, BAFTA awards 2002

Nominated Best Drama, Broadcast Awards 2003

Nominated Best Drama, RTE Awards 2003

A&E

Granada/ITV

Medical drama Starring Michael Kitchen and Martin Shaw.  Written by Eanna O’Lochlain – Produced by Pamela Wilson

Streetlife

BBC1

Pilot of comedy detective drama.  Starring Jack Dee and John Thomson.  Written by Matthew Hall – Produced by Beverley Dartnell

Dr Willoughby

Pearson/ITV

Comedy series starring Joanna Lumley and Brian Protheroe.  Written by Laurie Rowley – Produced by Tony Charles

Wing & a Prayer

Channel 5

4 episodes of legal drama.  Starring Maureen Beattie and Kate Buffery.  Written by Matthew Hall – Produced by Matthew Kuipers

Wuthering Heights

LWT & WGBH Boston for ITV

Film based on Emily Bronte’s novel.  Starring Robert Cavanah, Matthew Macfadyan, Orla Brady, Peter Davison, Sarah Smart.  Written by Neil Mackay

Staying Alive

LWT for ITV

6 episodes over two series of medical drama.  Starring Sophie Okenedo, Ayub Khan Din, Jessica Stevenson.  Written by Neil Mackay

London Bridge

Carlton for ITV

22 episodes of soap.  Starring Mandana Jones, Simone Lhabib, Dawn McDaniel.  Produced by Matthew Bird

The Bill

Thames  for ITV

4 episodesProduced by Pat Sandys

The Euphoric Scale

Skywalk Pictures

30 minute Short Film.  Starring Helen Baxendale, Anita Dobson, Robert Bathurst.  Produced by Jane Walker

Under Heaven

Channel 4

Short for Channel 4

Recent Posts

  • Bafta Films 2017 – The Viewing Experience
  • How much preparation is needed to successfully launch a film?
  • It’s an English Thing…

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  • February 2017
  • June 2015
  • February 2015

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© 2015 David Skynner

  • Home
  • About
  • Moving Image
    • Essential Viewing
    • Film
      • Dark Glass
      • Tea Shop Asylum
      • 2 Chairs
    • TV
    • Commercials
    • Branded
      • Property Films
      • Promo
  • Writing
    • Scripts
    • Books
  • Blog
  • Work with me
  • Contact