claresturges.co.uk +44 (0) 7761 558028 [email protected]

Award-winning writer and director seeking to develop, direct and deliver character-driven, emotionally rich drama and documentaries.

Film + TV representation: Amy Sparks at United Agents [email protected] Clare is mentored by Rebecca Johnson through the Directors UK Inspire programme 2021/22

Film and documentary. • Director: ‘Question Constellations’ series (8x60”, 2020) exhibition content for Bristol science centre We The Curious. Non-scripted, testimony-driven films exploring perceptions of happiness and illness. • Writer | Director: The Arborist (14’30”, 2019) narrative short. BFI Network / Ffilm Cymru Wales / BBC Wales. Laura faces an impossible choice when she discovers her twin’s memorial tree is dying. Starring Catrin Stewart and Rhodri Meilir. With mentoring from director Euros Lyn. Nominated: BAFTA Cymru 2020. • Producer | Director: ‘Our Social Networks’ project film (8’20”, 2019) for MENCAP: Six people with learning disabilities or neurodiversity talk about their experiences of friendships and love. • Producer | Director: ‘cARTrefu’ project film for Age Cymru (7’, 2018): An artist, a careworker and a resident explore how the arts positively impact quality of life for older people in residential care. • Producer | Director: My Brief Eternity: Ar Awyr Le (12’30”, 2015): Artist Osi Rhys Osmond narrates the making of his last artwork – a ‘psychogeography’ – in the final months before his death. In association with Maggie’s Cancer Centres and UWTSD. Represented Wales at Commonwealth Stories for Screen, Commonwealth Games 2018, Australia. WINNER: BAFTA Cymru Short Film Award 2016. Longlisted: BIFA Best British Short 2016. Longlisted: EE BAFTA British Short Award 2017. 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. WINNER: Brian Hibbard Award for Best Welsh Short Cardiff Independent Film Festival 2017. • Producer | Director: Sexwork, Love & Mr Right (54’, 2013): Bulgarian sexworker Lina is looking for love – could Texan cruise ship inspector Sean be Mr Right or is he just another Mr Right Now? Pre-buy acquisition ABC2 Australia tx 9.30pm Friday / DVD / iTunes. WINNER: BAFTA Cymru Breakthrough Award 2015. Nominated: Foyle Film Festival Light in Motion Award 2014. Official selection: Los Angeles Independent Women’s Film Festival 2013. • Director: Sexwork & Me: Red Light Conversations (58’, 2012) TCF Film Amsterdam: Step inside the windows of Amsterdam’s red-light district and meet the women affected by surprisingly conservative Dutch attitudes and calls for closure. Acquisition ABC2 Australia tx 9.30pm Friday / DVD / iTunes release. WINNER: Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Award of Merit, Women’s Independent Film Festival, Hollywood 2012.

Theatre + workshops. • Director: Chips written/performed by Ashna Rabheru (15’) Chippy Lane, Theatre 503, Battersea, London. Feb 2018. • Director: Last Christmas by Joe Fairweather (10’) SPILTMilk Theatre Company, Cardiff. Dec 2017. • Facilitator: ‘Acting for screen’ x 10 workshops with neurodiverse actors, 104 Films/Hijinx Theatre. Cardiff, April – May 2018. ‘Launchpad Access’ x 2 inclusive theatre workshops. Ffilm Cymru Wales/Hijinx, May 2017.

Training. HETV shadowing. • Euros Lyn on Dream Horse, 5 days, Mar 2019 – May 2019. Film4/Raw/Cornerstone. DP Erik Wilson. • Euros Lyn on His Dark Materials S1/ep.6, 5 days, Sep–Nov 2018. BBC/Bad Wolf. DP Ole Birkeland. • DP Adriano Goldman (series DP) on The Crown. S2, Ep3, Aberfan, 1 day, August 2018. Netflix/Leftbank. • Euros Lyn on 4-part drama Kiri, 5 days, Aug–Dec 2017. Channel4/The Forge. DP Matt Gray. • Philip John on Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, 2 days, November 2017. Sky/Carnival. DP Tim Palmer.

Clare Sturges Ltd. Registered in England and Wales. Company No. 08478497. Registered office: Cardiff Bay Business Centre, Unit M317, Titan Road, Cardiff CF24 5EJ.

Narrative directing. • NFTS: ‘Narrative Directing’ and ‘Story Structure’ with Toby Fell Holden, online workshops, May + June 2020. With grant support from Welsh Broadcasting Trust and Film + TV Charity. • NFTS: ‘Visually Expressive Directing’ with Toby Fell Holden, 2 days, February 2020. With grant support from the Welsh Broadcasting Trust and Film + TV Charity. • NFTS: ‘Acting for Director’s course with theatre director Marieke Audsley, 2 days, December 2019. • The Actor’s Centre: ‘Directing Actors’ course with Tim Fywel, 2 days, London, February 2018. • Film Directing for Women: ‘5 Steps to Directing’, 1 day, Ruth Torjussen, Cardiff, March 2011.

Scriptwriting. • Oxford University: ‘Writing Drama’, online course, with Sean McCarthy. September – December 2017. • The Script Factory: ‘Screenwriting UK’, 2-day course, London, Jan 2011. • Film Fyn Writers’ Retreat: ‘Screenwriting for Writers’ residential course, 3 days with writer | director Brendan Foley and producer Lars Hermann, Film Fyn, Copenhagen, Denmark, Nov 2010. • NUJ: Screenwriting Introduction, 1 day with writer | director Brendan Foley, London, June 2010.

Documentary. • 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; Factual Production Management, London, January 2014; and 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.

Working history. Development Producer (factual), Ie Ie Productions, Cardiff, gender series research + development, February 2018. Associate Producer (documentary), Popkorn TV, London, Ch4 Cutting Edge funded development: April – May 2016. Development Producer (factual), Avanti Media, Cardiff: October 2015 – March 2016. Freelance Writer | Director – for brands, advertising agencies and charity/public sector clients – since 2009. - Animation scriptwriter for clients including Met Police, Dyson, Financial Times and the NHS. - Director: non-scripted corporate film, 4’30”, for Intel’s diversity initiative encouraging young women into science and technical careers. March 2015. Budget £20k. - Creative Director: scripted launch animation for University of Glasgow 1’30” end of life care research project. October 2014. Budget: £11k. - Producer | Director: 3 x 1’30” non-scripted peer-to-peer marketing films targeting AXA Wealth’s independent financial adviser community. August 2013. Budget: £15k. - Producer | Director: Butterfly Project 8’00” non-scripted employee inspiration film promoting a person- centred approach to dementia care. Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council. For Ethos Group. March 2013. Budget: £10k. - Producer | Director | Writer: scripted 2’45” employee inspiration film, with non-actors, for QinetiQ defence supplier. 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. Marketing Communications Executive, AXA Sun Life, Bristol: Jan 2008 – Nov 2009. Editor and Writer. Monthly titles including Your Environment, BBC Sky at Night, Opto + Laser Europe, Your Hair and Hair Ideas. Trucking, Retro Cars, GoMini and Total Vauxhall. Bristol: Jan 2004 – Dec 2007. TESOL Teacher (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), Spain, Italy and UK 2001 – 2003

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

Clare Sturges Ltd. Registered in England and Wales. Company No. 08478497. Registered office: Cardiff Bay Business Centre, Unit M317, Titan Road, Cardiff CF24 5EJ.