Lewis Arnold (director)

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Lewis Arnold is an English director working in television. He is best known for the shows Time, Humans, Broadchurch and Des.

Arnold studied at the University of Gloucestershire and graduated in 2007 with a 1st Class Honours degree in Video Production. He later studied an MA in Directing Fiction at the National Film and Television School, graduating in 2013.

Television[]

On graduating from the National Film and Television School in March 2013, Arnold embarked on his first TV project, directing two episodes of the final series of BAFTA-winning channel 4 show, Misfits. He then directed the first four episodes of Russell T Davies’s new E4 show, Banana, and was named a Broadcast Magazine Hot Shot 2014 for his work on both shows.

In 2015, he directed two episodes of C4/AMC series Humans, which has become Channel 4's most successful original drama in over 20 years.[1] A second series was recommissioned[2] and a year later he returned to direct the opening block. He followed this up by directing an episode of British crime drama Broadchurch for Sister Pictures.

In 2017/18 Arnold directed Cleaning Up[3] for ITV and Sister Pictures, having developed the project with writer and creator Mark Marlow. The six part drama show stars Sheridan Smith as Sam, a cleaning lady and devoted mother who struggles to keep her family together after becoming addicted to online gambling.

In 2020 Arnold co-created and directed the ITV miniseries Des.[4] The series was well received by critics and described as a "sensitive, finely worked drama showing the unrelentingly bleak reality of the monstrous narcissist". Tennant's performance was considered "one of his best in an impeccable career"[5] earning him a National Television Award for Best Dramatic Performance in 2021.[6] The premiere episode had consolidated viewing figures of 11.4 million viewers, a benchmark previously hit in 2019 with Cleaning Up.[7]

In 2020, Arnold directed Jimmy McGovern's Time,[8] a three part prison drama for BBC One. The drama starred Sean Bean and Stephen Graham and was aired June 2021. The show was widely praised for its authenticity and central performances. Lucy Mangan wrote for The Guardian: "The performances of Bean and Graham are, even though we have come to expect brilliance from them both, astonishing. So, too, are those from everyone in smaller roles, none of which is underwritten or sketchy, and who thicken the drama into something more profoundly moving and enraging at every turn."[9] Billie Schwab Dunn, writing for Metro, praised the show saying, "Time is a necessary lesson on the British prison system and a masterclass in acting."[10]

Short films[]

On graduating from university in 2007, Arnold was awarded two consecutive digital short commissions through the UKFC and Screen WM. His film Stained, written by Ronnie Thompson and starring Ricci Harnet, Frank Harper and Craig Conway was selected for numerous film festivals, leading to nominations at the Midland Royal Television Society Awards for Best New Talent, Best Short Film and Best Director.

Whilst at the National Film and Television School, Arnold's short film Echo written by James Walker and starring Lauren Carse and Oliver Woolford screened at a host of international film festivals including Rotterdam International Film Festival, picking up awards including a National Film Award for Best Short in 2015. The film "centres on an outstanding performance from young lead Lauren Carse and a subtle, yet powerful story."[11]

His NFTS graduation film Charlie Says written by Frances Poletti and produced by Rob Darnell, premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2013. Based on an incident Arnold had on a childhood holiday, the film centres around themes of deceit and masculinity.[12] Starring Elliott Tittensor and Christine Bottomley the film focus on a debut performance from a thirteen-year-old Conner Chapman.

Filmography[]

Television[]

Short films[]

  • Sunday, Sunday (2017)
  • Charlie Says (2013)
  • Echo (2013)
  • Stained (2010)
  • Spirited (2009)
  • Leave of Absence (2007)

References[]

  1. ^ Plunkett, John (2015-06-22). "Humans becomes Channel 4's biggest drama hit in 20 years". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  2. ^ Barraclough, Leo (2015-07-31). "AMC, Channel 4 Renew Sci-Fi Drama 'Humans' for Season 2". Variety. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  3. ^ "ITV commissions new series, Clean Break, starring Sheridan Smith". "ITV Press Centre". Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  4. ^ "ITV commissions three part drama, Des - with David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen". ITV Press Center. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Des review: David Tennant is superb in ITV series with killer flaw". Radio Times. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  6. ^ "David Tennant beats Line of Duty stars to win NTA for best drama performance". Radio Times. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  7. ^ Warner, Sam (2020-09-15). "David Tennant's Des becomes ITV's biggest drama launch of 2020". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  8. ^ "Sean Bean and Stephen Graham to star in new Jimmy McGovern drama Time for BBC One". bbc.com. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  9. ^ "Time review – Sean Bean and Stephen Graham astound in enraging prison drama". the Guardian. 2021-06-06. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  10. ^ Dunn, Billie Schwab (2021-06-06). "Time review: Hard to watch but it's worth every minute". Metro. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  11. ^ "Echo by Lewis Arnold | Short Film". Short of the Week. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  12. ^ "Charlie Says by Lewis Arnold | Short Film". Short of the Week. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
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