Norman Hull Writer / Director
Agency Film Industry Talent + 44 (0)208 530 8791 [email protected]
About
Norman Hull graduated from the National Film and Television School in 1978, and for the next 10 years he directed many documentaries for Central Television and Granada Television. He then co- wrote and directed the short drama OUT OF TOWN, which was nominated for Best Short at the Cannes Film Festival in 1988. He went onto co-write and direct the feature film LADDER OF SWORDS, which was released to some critical acclaim in 1990 and played at film festivals around the world.
Since then he has enjoyed an accomplished career as a much sought after writer and director; making both award winning documentary and drama films for television whilst continuing to develop future feature film projects.
Norman is based in the UK and works worldwide.
Links
Norman Hull
Awards
• 2009 The Antiques Rogue Show - Nominated for BEST DRAMA/DOC GRIERSON AWARDS • 2005 Armed Robbery Orgasm - Nominated for BEST DRAMA/DOC GRIERSON AWARDS • 2004 The F***ing Fulfords - BAFTA Nominated for BEST DOCUMENTARY • 2001 Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster - BAFTA Nominated for BEST DOCUMENTARY • 1995 Airplanski! – Golden Spire Award Winner for BEST DOCUMENTARY SAN FRANCOSCO • 1994 Intolerance - BAFTA Nominated for BEST DOCUMENTARY • 1988 Out Of Town - Nominated for Palme d'Or SHORT DRAMA, CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
Norman Hull Page 1 [email protected]
Available writing estates
Production Details Middleton Top Four one-hour episodes or two hour feature script completed.
SYNOPSIS: In a lonely moorland landscape a married politician is having sex with his married mistress in the back seat of his car. Their coitus is rudely interrupted when the car is hi-jacked and their clothes are stolen, leaving them both stranded naked in the wilderness. Now they have to find their way back to their homes and partners without their affair being discovered. This four-episode story takes place over the course of one night - and mostly in real time - except for the coda, which plays out in merciful daylight. The night is Christmas Eve.
Under Mount Pleasant Feature script completed. SYNOPSIS: A story of a loving working class couple who come into a huge inheritance and slowly by no fault of their own descend into a mire of misfortune, as they encounter all the vices of life and more in an idyllic hamlet called mount pleasant.
Death Duty Feature script completed.. SYNOPSIS: A story of one mans obsession with inheritance, family linage and class. Esmond Buffow destroys all sense of morality and family values in his sole pursuit to keep his family name alive for another 500 hundred years.
The Mother of all Beatles Treatment for a feature or three one-hour episodes. SYNOPSIS: This is the untold story of Mona Best and her role in the Beatles’ early years, her relationship with Beatles roadie Neil Aspinall and her devotion to her son Pete. Without Mona and the hard work she did on behalf of “Pete’s Band” there might never have been a musical phenomenon called The Beatles. Pete and Neil were best friends. His mother was 38 and Neil was 19 when she gave birth to his child. Three weeks after the baby was born Pete was sacked by the band, leaving Neil to make a terrible choice: The Beatles or the Bests? He chose The Beatles.
Television Drama (selected)
Date Production Details Loc 2012 The Kidnap Diaries Writer/Director, BBC, 60 minutes. UK/JO
CAST: Douglas Henshall, Jimi Mistry, Ramon Tikaram, Kate Ashfield REVIEWS: “A thrilling and strange adventure.” GUARDIAN “Terrifying and blackly humorous.” TELEGRAPH “Compelling and suspenseful.” MAIL 2010 Canoe Man Writer/Director, BBC, 60 minutes. UK
CAST: Bernard Hill, Saskia Reeves, Jeremy Swift REVIEWS: "An excellent plotline and a terrific cast.” INDEPENDENT “Had a good deal going for it. What it had most of all was a tremendous performances.” SUNDAY TELEGRAPH "Another BBC Four biographical drama to outshine its main channel rivals." TIMES
Norman Hull Page 2 [email protected]
2009 The Antiques Rogue Show Writer/Director, BBC, 60 minutes. UK
CAST: Peter Vaughan, Liz Smith, Jeremy Swift, Johnny Harris, Mary Roscoe REVIEWS: “Norman Hull’s splendid beautifully acted drama… frankly brilliant.” GUARDIAN “Unbelievable… Prepare to be astounded.” TIMES “An extraordinary drama documentary.” OBSERVER 2006 The Thieving Headmistress Writer/Director, BBC, 60 minutes. UK
CAST: Pauline Quirk, Denis Lawson. Peter Cellier, Mary Roscoe REVIEWS: “Well scripted, well-acted, beautifully and cleverly filmed.” OBSERVER “Highly entertaining film.” SUNDAY TIMES 2005 Armed Robbery Orgasm Writer/Director, Channel Four, 60 minutes.
CAST: Mark Redfield. Donna Panzer 1991 Work! Writer/Director, Channel 4, 60 minutes. UK
CAST: Jim Broadbent, Frances Tomelty, Kenny Ireland REVIEW: “Artful dodging and weaving.” GUARDIAN And many more films for Channel Four, ITV and BBC
Television Documentary (selected)
Date Production Details Loc 2016 Lady Colin and Her Castle Producer/ Director, ITV Studios UK 2014 I Married The Waiter Producer/ Director, ITV Shiver North World 2012 The Girl Who Became Three Boys Channel Four, True Stories, 60 minutes. UK The story of Gemma Barker. 2010 Black Widow Granny BBC One, 50 minutes. UK The story of a Grandmother accused of murdering each of her five husbands. 2007 Bernard Manning: From Beyond the Channel Four. 50 minutes. The much- UK Grave reviled comedian delivers his own epitaph.
REVIEWS: “…brilliant and inventive film was best watched mouth agape.” TIMES “Possibly the most surreal piece of TV you’ll see this year.” EVENING STANDARD 2007 Benidorm Unpacked ITV 3 x 30 minutes. A behind the scenes ES look at the popular “Spanish” resort.
REVIEW: “Norman Hull’s series about the Spanish resort was a treat, beadily observant without being sneering or superior.” THE INDEPENDENT. 2006 Strictly Lady Sumo Channel Four. 50 minutes Documentary UK about the first British woman Sumo team.
REVIEWS: “Unusually charming and life affirming. I was sitting on the edge of my seat with a lump in my throat. Glorious.” GUARDIAN
Norman Hull Page 3 [email protected]
“Made with an unusual sense of warmth, the result was both charming and touching. To my surprise, I had to wipe away a tear at the end” TELEGRAPH 2005 Bernard’s Bombay Dream Channel Four. 50 minutes. Bernard IN Manning does stand-up comedy in Bombay.
REVIEWS: “A toe-curling piece of car-crash television.” INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY “Spectacular… some kind of a comic revelation.” TIMES 2004 The F***ing Fulfords Channel Four. 50 minutes. Documentary UK about a foul-mouthed aristocratic family.
REVIEWS: “This has to be seen to be believed… wonderful car-crash TV.” HEAT “Fascinating insight into aristocratic eccentricity. A wonderful film.” GUARDIAN “Riveting… jaw-dropping film. Pure television gold.” DAILY MAIL 2004 Robot Whores Channel Four. 50 minutes. Documentary UK about mechanized sex machines and robots.
REVIEWS: “Beyond weird.” TIME OUT “Pure filth.” DAILY MAIL 2002 Dwarves In Showbiz Channel Five 50 minutes. Documentary UK about the little folk who eke out a living in entertainment, starring Kenny Baker, and the legendary Bridget the Midget.
REVIEWS: “The funniest documentary this year.” Jonathan Ross R2 “Jaw-dropping.” Ricky Gervaise R4 UK 2001 Poison Pen BBC1 50 minutes. Documentary about a UK hate mail campaign in a Yorkshire village. REVIEW: “Riveting real-life whodunit” TIMES. 2001 Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster Channel Four. 50 minutes. Freddie Starr UK has a television breakdown.
REVIEW: Number 40 in The 100 GREATEST TV MOMENTS. 2000 Pets From Hell ITV 50 minutes. People from Hell rather UK than their pets.
REVIEW: “David Cronenberg, John Waters and Wes Craven in a room together couldn't come up with more twisted scenarios. Hats off to the producers for exposing the dark underbelly of society while cleverly passing it off as family entertainment. It'll haunt my dreams forever.” SUNDAY EXPRESS 1997 Sex, Lies And Aliens Channel Four. 50 minutes. Documentary UK about the Sunday Sport newspaper (sic).
REVIEWS: “The best thing on television this week by a mile.” SUNDAY TIMES
Norman Hull Page 4 [email protected]
“Hilarious... utterly compulsive” MAIL “Unmissable.” INDEPENDENT 1997 The Bed Channel Four. 50 minutes. A year in the UK life of one hospital bed.
REVIEW: “…Hull’s wonderful style and brilliant eye… a stylish impressionistic film” TIME OUT 1996 The Chain Channel Four. 50 minutes. Tracking one UK house chain from bed-sit to 4 bed detatched.
REVIEW: “…beautifully paced, outstanding film.” EVENING STANDARD 1995 Airplanski! Channel Four. 75 minutes. Documentary about aviation in Russia.
REVIEWS: “Documentary of the year.” TELEGRAPH “A poetic and romantic film.” TIME OUT 1994 Intolerance Channel Four. 50 minutes. Feuding UK neighbours, the first ever programme in that genre.
REVIEWS: “Brilliant study of neighbourhood claustrophobias and wars.” THE TIMES “Consistently enthralling.” GUARDIAN And many more docs for Channel Four, ITV and BBC
Cinema (Director & Co-Writer)
Date Production Details Loc 1990 Ladder of Swords Film Four. 94 minutes. 35mm Feature. UK
CAST: Juliet Stevenson, Martin Shaw, Eleanor David REVIEWS: “First class feature debut by Norman Hull that achieves a poetic quality rare in British cinema.” SUNDAY TELEGRAPH “Catches the audience in its web of fear, fantasy, romance and suspicion.” SCREEN INTERNATIONAL “Flawlessly constructed... exquisitely shot…with atmosphere to burn.” CITY LIMITS 1988 Out of Town Film Four. 11 minutes. 35mm film. UK
CAST: David Morrissey, Richard Ridings, Major Wiley
Norman Hull Page 5 [email protected]