Clare Sturges 					clare@claresturges.co.uk
Writer | Director					07761 558028
claresturges.co.uk					@claresturges

June 2019

Award-winning Wales-based writer and director of narrative film and documentary for independent release, broadcast, brands, causes and creative agencies

WORK IN PROGRESS

•	Writer | Director: The Arborist – BFI.Network / Ffilm Cymru Wales / BBC narrative short film. Starring Catrin Stewart and Rhodri Meilir. With mentoring support from director Euros Lyn. In post production.

•	Director: Mencap ‘Our Social Networks’ project film – short documentary exploring friendships + relationships for people with learning disabilities. In post production.

COMPLETED WORK + CREDITS

•	Producer | Director: Age Cymru cARTrefi promo – short documentary exploring the transformative power of art in a care home environment. December 2018.

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

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

•	Theatre 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, broadcast factual development, October 2015 – March 2016.

•	Producer | Director: My Brief Eternity: Ar Awyr Le (12’30”, 2015) Brightest Films with DP Ryan Eddleston. 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: corporate film, 4’30”, Intel’s diversity initiative encouraging young women into science and technical careers. March 2015. Budget £20k.

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

•	Producer | Director: 3 x 1’30” peer-to-peer marketing films targeting AXA Wealth independent financial adviser community with DP Luke Jacobs. 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 person-centred dementia care. Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Borough Council. For Ethos Group. March 2013. Budget: £10k.

•	AV Scriptwriter: employee inspiration / brand repositioning film for 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 film, RCT Council, for Ethos Group, June–September 2012. Budget: £3.5k.

•	Producer | Director | Writer: 2’45” employee inspiration film for QinetiQ with DP Phil Wood – FTSE 250 defence supplier, shot across six UK locations on Red Epic. 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 film for global petroleum giant Schlumberger. For One Brand Group creative agency, March 2011.

•	AV Scriptwriter: Day in the Life for Connaught Group PLC. For One Brand Group creative agency, April 2010. 

•	Writer | director: ‘The Audition’ independent short film with DP Craig Dean Devine, April 2010.

AWARDS + NOMINATIONS 

•	Bursary recipient: Diverse Cymru, Screen Skills and High-end TV Levy Fund to support development as a director of scripted work, 2018.

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

•	Longlisted EE BAFTA Best British Short 2017. My Brief Eternity.

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

•	Longlisted BIFA Best British Short 2016. My Brief Eternity.

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

•	Grant recipient: industry training – Creative Skillset Digital Talent Fund 2014.

•	Grant recipient: Wales Broadcasting Fund – USA visit 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 for ‘The Audition’ short film.

TRAINING + SPEAKING

•	Film4/Raw/Cornerstone: shadowing director Euros Lyn on independent feature film Dream Horse, DP Erik Wilson, 5 days, Mar 2019 – present.

•	Guest speaker – ‘Making Your Talent Your Livelihood’ – Cardiff University School of Journalism (JOMEC) – March 2019.

•	BBC/Bad Wolf: shadowing director Euros Lyn on BBC His Dark Materials, DP Ole Birkeland 5 days, September – November 2018.

•	Netflix/Left Bank Pictures: shadowing DP Adriano Goldman on Netflix flagship drama The Crown, 1 day September 2018.

•	Director training – Lights.Camera.Action. lighting and lens training workshop at Panavision Greenford, London, 1 day, June 2018.

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

•	Director training – 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: shadowing director Euros Lyn on Ch4 drama Kiri, DP Matt Gray, 5 days, August – December 2017.

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

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

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

•	Workshop facilitator: 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.

•	Camera training – 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.

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

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

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

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

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

•	Director training – Indie Training Fund: Creating Innovative Content with Nicola Lees, Bristol, Sept 2013.

•	Director training – Sheffield Doc/Fest: Engine Room Factual Pitch Development workshop, 2 days, Cardiff, March 2012.

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

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

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

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

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

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

MARKET + FESTIVAL ATTENDANCE

•	BFI London Film Festival: delegate October 2017.

•	Sheffield Doc/Fest: delegate June 2017.

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

•	Sheffield Doc/Fest: delegate June 2015.

•	Sheffield Doc/Fest: presented at The Wellcome Pitch – The Soul Midwives development project, June 2014.

•	International Documentary Festival Amsterdam: delegate 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: delegate May 2011.

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

CAREER EXPERIENCE

•	Freelance senior copywriter, advertising, marketing and film: 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