Clare Sturges [email protected] Writer | Director 07761 558028 claresturges.co.uk @claresturges

October 2018

FUNDED WORK

• Writer | Director: The Arborist – Ffilm Cymru Wales, BBC and BFI.Network- funded short film: ‘When she discovers the tree she planted in memory of her lost twin is dying, Laura returns to her childhood home – where she must overcome profound grief and the guilt she shares with her estranged brother Joe, before she can let go of her sister.’ With mentoring support from director Euros Lyn. Shooting Spring 2019.

• Director: Age Cymru cARTrefi project commission – short documentary exploring the transformative power of art in a care home environment. Shooting autumn 2018.

• Director: Mencap ‘Our Social Networks’ project commission – short documentary film exploring what friendships + relationships mean to people with learning disabilities. Shooting Spring 2019.

AWARDS

• Recipient of Diverse Cymru, Screen Skills and High-end TV Levy Fund bursary to support Clare’s development as a director of scripted work, October 2018.

• WINNER: Brian Hibbard Award for best Welsh Short Cardiff Independent Film Festival 2017. My Brief Eternity: Ar Awyr Le.

• Longlisted EE BAFTA Best British Short 2017. My Brief Eternity: Ar Awyr Le.

• WINNER: BAFTA Cymru Short Film Award 2016. My Brief Eternity: Ar Awyr Le.

• Longlisted BIFA Best British Short 2016. My Brief Eternity: Ar Awyr Le.

• WINNER: BAFTA Cymru Breakthrough Award 2015. Clare Sturges / Sexwork, Love & Mr Right.

• Recipient of grant for industry training from Creative Skillset and the Digital Talent Fund 2014.

• Recipient of Wales Broadcasting Fund grant to attend Los Angeles Women’s Independent Film Festival 2014.

• WINNER: Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Award of Merit, Women’s Independent Film Festival Los Angeles 2012. Sexwork & Me: Red Light Conversations. • WINNER Best Welsh Short at Carmarthern Bay Film Festival 2011. ‘The Audition’ short film.

CREDITS + WORK

• Development Producer: Ie Ie Productions, Cardiff, broadcast factual project development, February 2018.

• Director: ‘Chips’ theatre short play written and performed by Ashna Rabheru, Chippy Lane Theatre Company, Theatre503, London, February 2018.

• Director: ‘Last Christmas’ theatre short play by Joe Fairweather, Spilt Milk Theatre Company, Cardiff, December 2017.

• Associate Producer, Popkorn TV, Channel 4 Cutting Edge documentary single about the June 2015 Tunisia beach terrorist attack, based on original idea, access and research originated and developed by Clare Sturges, London: April – May 2016.

• Development Producer, Avanti Media, Cardiff: Developing and researching factual ideas for UK and international broadcasters, securing three BBC Wales commissions, October 2015 – March 2016.

• Producer | Director: My Brief Eternity: Ar Awyr Le (12’30”, 2015) Brightest Films. In association with Maggie’s Centres and University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Nominated Best Short Doc: London Short Film Festival 2016. Official selection: Wales International Documentary Festival 2016. Official selection: East End Film Festival 2016. In competition: UK Film Festival 2016. Representing Wales in Commonwealth Stories for Screen at the Commonwealth Games 2018, Australia.

• Creative Director: documentary-style corporate film, 4’30”, for Intel’s diversity initiative encouraging young women into science and technical careers. March 2015. Budget £20k.

• Producer | Director: creative development and project management for University of Glasgow 1’30” research project launch animation. October 2014. Budget: £11k.

• Producer | Director: 3 x 1’30” peer-to-peer marketing films targeted at AXA Wealth’s independent financial adviser community. August 2013. Budget: £15k.

• Producer | Director: Sexwork, Love & Mr Right (54’, 2013) TCF Film Amsterdam. Pre-buy acquisition ABC2 Australia tx 9.30pm Friday / DVD / iTunes. Nominated: Foyle Film Festival Light in Motion Award 2014. Official selection: Los Angeles Independent Women’s Film Festival 2013.

• Producer | Director: Butterfly Project 8’ employee inspiration film promoting a new person-centred approach to dementia care. Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Borough Council. For Ethos Group. March 2013. Budget: £10k. • AV Scriptwriter: employee inspiration film to launch brand repositioning of Saint Gobain – multinational plastics manufacturer. For Oakwood Media Group. January 2013.

• 1st AD: Moments in Life, short film, screened at London Independent Film Festival, September 2012.

• Producer | Director: Best Bar None Awards 2012 4’00” corporate event DVD and 40” online video, RCT Council, for Ethos Group, June–September 2012. Budget: £3.5k.

• Producer | Director | Writer: 2’45” employee inspiration film for QinetiQ – FTSE 250 defence supplier, shot across six UK locations on Red Epic with 6ft slider, Matador dolly and jib. For Ethos Group creative agency, May–June 2012. Budget: £25k.

• Producer | Director | VO Scriptwriter: Your Opportunity to Care 14’00” fostering promo for RCT Council foster care team. For Ethos Group creative agency, April–May 2012. Budget: £10k.

• Director: Sexwork & Me: Red Light Conversations (58’, 2012) TCF Film Amsterdam. Acquisition ABC2 Australia tx 9.30pm Friday / DVD / iTunes release.

• Writer | Director: My Accounts video guide, Legal&General insurance. For Bray Leino, May 2011.

• AV Scriptwriter: employee inspiration video for global petroleum giant Schlumberger. For One Brand Group creative agency, March 2011.

• AV Scriptwriter: A Day in the Life of national public service company Connaught Group PLC. For One Brand Group creative agency, April 2010.

• Writer / director / producer: ‘The Audition’ independent short film, April 2010.

TRAINING / SPEAKING

• BBC/Bad Wolf: work shadowing director Euros Lyn on BBC adaptation of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, 5 days, September and ongoing.

• Netflix/Left Bank Pictures: work shadowing director of photography Adriano Goldman on Netflix flagship drama The Crown, 1 day September 2018 and ongoing.

• Director: Lights.Camera.Action. lighting and lens training workshop with DP Adriano Goldman (The Crown) at Panavision Greenford, London, 1 day, June 2018.

• Director: delivering neurodiverse actor training workshops with Hijinx Theatre, 8 x 1/2 days, April and May 2018.

• Working On Film: The Director/Actor Collaboration – with director Tim Fywel and London Film School, The Actors Centre, London, February 2018. • Guest Speaker – Into The Story (storytelling masterclass) – Copper Coast Film Festival, UWTSD, Swansea – January 2018.

• Channel4/The Forge: work shadowing director Euros Lyn on Ch4 drama Kiri, 5 days, August – December 2017.

• University of Oxford: Writing Drama course with writer Sean McCarthy, 10 weeks, September – December 2017.

• Sky/Carnival: work shadowing director Philip John on Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, 2 days, November 2017.

• Director: delivering neurodiverse actor improv workshops with Hijinx Theatre and producer Alex Usborne, 104 Films, 2 days, Sept 2017.

• Director: delivering Launchpad Access workshops for neurodiverse actors, Hijinx Theatre / Ffilm Cymru Wales, 2 days, May 2017.

• Selected to interview for national BBC Documentaries New Director Initiative – one of 15 interviewees from 946 applicants. December 2016.

• Guest Lecturer – delivering a Documentary Masterclass – University of Wales Trinity Saint David, November 2016.

• Guest Lecturer – delivering a Creative Entrepreneurship Masterclass – University of South Wales, October 2016.

• Indie Training Fund: Sony PMW200 self-shooting skills, 2 days, Jeremy Humphries, London, July 2016.

• Guest Lecturer – delivering a Creative Entrepreneurship talk – University of South Wales, October 2015.

• S4C/BBC Academy: Documentary skills, 2 days with Nick Fraser, Frank Ash + Patrick Uden, Oct 2015.

• BBC Academy: Longform Factual Storytelling, 2-day course with Hazel Marshall, London, July 2014.

• The Accelerator: Creative producer training and mentoring programme, Digital Talent Fund/Creative Skillset nine-month course with Alex Usborne (Notes On Blindness, 2014) and Colin Pons, 2013–2014.

• Indie Training Fund: Managing People, London, March 2014.

• Indie Training Fund: Factual Production Management, London, January 2014.

• Indie Training Fund: Creating Innovative Content with Nicola Lees, Bristol, Sept 2013. • Sheffield Doc/Fest: Engine Room Factual Pitch Development workshop, 2 days, Cardiff, March 2012.

• DV Talent: The Ideas Factory Factual Story and Pitching workshop, 2 days, Cardiff, Nov 2011.

• Film Directing for Women: 5 Steps to Directing, 1 day with Ruth Torjussen, Cardiff, March 2011.

• The Script Factory: Screenwriting UK, 2-day course, London, Jan 2011.

• Film Fyn: Screenwriting for Writers residential course, 3 days with writer | director Brendan Foley and producer Lars Hermann, Copenhagen, Denmark, Nov 2010.

• Red & Black Films: Inside Edge producer seminar, 1 day with John Giwa- Amu, Newport, Nov 2010.

• NUJ: Screenwriting Introduction, 1 day with writer | director Brendan Foley, London, June 2010.

MARKET / FESTIVAL ATTENDANCE

• BFI London Film Festival: delegate attendance October 2017.

• Sheffield Doc/Fest attendance: seminars, masterclasses, talks, panels, June 2017.

• Sheffield Doc/Fest: attendance with BAFTA bursary, June 2016.

• Sheffield Doc/Fest attendance: June 2015.

• Sheffield Doc/Fest: Wellcome Pitch selection and attendance – The Soul Midwives development project, June 2014.

• International Documentary Festival Amsterdam: documentary masterclasses, Nov 2013.

• Cannes International Film Festival: attended to promote Sexwork & Me: Red Light Conversations at Marche de Film, Doc Corner seminars and Doc Brunch, May 2012.

• Cannes International Film Festival: attended May 2011.

• Berlinale International Film Festival: assistant producer attendance to raise finance for ‘Transit Girl’ short dir. Miriam Thiel, funding of €18,000 secured, 2011.

Other career experience • Freelance Senior Copywriter and Scriptwriter, advertising and marketing agencies: December 2009 – present.

• Financial Services Marketing Communications Executive: AXA Sun Life, Bristol: Jan 2008 – Nov 2009.

• Magazine Writer and Editor: Environment Agency, Corporate Affairs, Bristol: Mar 2007 – Dec 2007.

• Production Editor and Reporter: BBC Worldwide (BBC Sky at Night magazine); Origin Publishing (consumer specialist); A&S Publishing (motoring); and IOP Publishing (physics). Bristol: January 2004 – March 2007.

• TESOL Teacher (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages): Barcelona, Spain (2001); South Central Italy (2002); Oxford (summer 2002) and Bristol, UK (2003).

BA Hons English Literature and History of Ideas, Cardiff University 1997–2000