The Lancet Spotlight series

I was commissioned to produce six films to mark 200 years of The Lancet medical journal. It was a huge project as we worked hard to tell 30 different stories of people, institutions and organisations across the world tackling the big global health issues of the future. We had more than 500,000 views on Youtube alone, and the climate change film was selected to show io Scottish members of Parliament.

Climate change and health

Mental health

Universal health coverage

Child and adolescent health

Research for health

The Puzzle of the B******T Cells

For this one we shot remote interviews in America and Australia with great characters. I collaborated with excellent science communicator and animator Lily Shepherd and we made this short film about the discovery of B and T cells. It was a fun project to work on. You have to be happy when a 91 year old scientist swears (gently) in your film.

Inequality and Health

With big medical publications there is a worry their important findings will miss a broader audience. I produced several short films to go alongside landmark reports for The Lancet medical journal. This animated/live action film about unequal cancer outcomes for disabled people received 125,000 views.

This film based on a report detailing a new vision for death and dying, received 52,000 views. I am proud of the signifcant audience we reached with these two vitally important topics.

I shot one interview in person London, one remotely in Boston and one in Kerala India. It’s a way of working that I never thought possible, but I have since filmed remotely in Nigeria, and Australia, it’s been a revelation that you can build great rapport in a remote interview. I would love to visit Kerala one day though.

When I was a T-rex: a film for future me

It was a real privilege to attempt to tell Lucy’s inspiring and complicated story for the BBC.

iPlayer description:

Lucy Evans' personality changed overnight. She faced months of delusions & psychosis before the shocking truth emerged.

It’s a story no one else can forget, but Lucy can’t remember. To everyone watching she was a different person, she became extremely loud, singing, manically colouring in until her hands bled, and saying she was a dinosaur. There was a lot of confusion over what was happening, hallucinations, delusions and a lack of inhibition marked an extreme period of Lucy’s life.

What would you do if a friend changed personality overnight? What could be causing it? Since getting the diagnosis Lucy is determined to ensure other people get the right diagnosis too.

Though the disease is treatable, brain injuries leave a complex legacy, and Lucy struggles with significant memory issues. She is making a film for her future self to tell her story and capture her positive view on life. She has emerged from this terrifying period with inspiring attitude and incredible determination to make sure everyone knows about this disease.

Microbial Mysteries

My film explaining this research expedition has received over 160000 views on YouTube and Facebook

Thankful Villages

I produced this feature-length documentary for BBC Radio 4

A Thankful Village is a place where every soldier returned alive from World War One. Songwriter Darren Hayman is visiting all fifty-four of them in search of a second story.

ALS: A Video Legacy | Documentary for Nature

'We didn't even think about recording his voice'.

Had the great privilege of telling the story of how researchers and people with ALS are using film as a way of dealing with the impact of terminal neurodegenerative diseases.

The Doppler Effect

What can a steam-powered brass band teach us about our place in an ever expanding universe? This film shoot saw us repeat a historic experiment, using trumpets and trains to shed light on how waves work, why sirens sound weird when they speed past us, and how we know that stars are moving away from us.

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Underwater volcanoes: unexplored ecosystems

I spent a month on the Pacific ocean in December 2016 exploring brand new underwater volcanoes and seafloor ecosystems. These trips increase our understanding of some of the remotest, scarcely-visited and inaccessible environments on the planet. Through articles, photos, livestreams and films we reached millions of people, taking them to parts of the ocean that no-one had seen.

How to Tell a Story... With Josie Long

I wanted to dig into some of the structures of storytelling and show how everyone has a story they can share. We used the excellent BBC Radio4 programme 'Short Cuts' as a starting point to pick great story segments, then link them with key advice on storytelling from Josie Long. All mixed within the pages of an animated book. It was a really fun one to work on and hopefully will contribute to more people spinning yarns. 

The Listening Project

I was asked to make a short film about conversation for Radio 4. I chose to focus on 'The Listening Project'. An inspiring programme where ordinary people interview their friends, and loved ones. It's quite a unique form of media and can create some very inspiring, real, moments. I'm fascinated by layering visual elements on audio stories, and wanted to create an animation made from audio wave forms. For me this represents how we all have these conversations inside us. Hopefully this film celebrates the act of sharing. So go on, give it a share! It's good to talk, and even better to listen.

Carbon Hacks - Unstoppable 10:10

I've been a vegetarian for a few years now and really wanted to make a film to show that it's not hard, and definitely not dull Using a mixture of unusual ingredients, bold colours and text we made a Facbeook-friendly film that hopefully will inspire some chefs to mix up their food, and lower their Carbon footprint.

I love the guys at 10:10 they are a really cool small charity making waves, and taking on the biggest problems facing the planet. I enjoyed making this short film, and I got to weatherproof my draughty windows in the process.

10:10 - 'We are changing the world'

I was asked to come up with a concept to tell the great story of Balcombe, a village targeted for fracking by Cuadrilla in 2013. The town responded by protesting, resisting and pledging to go fully renewable.

We painted their story in light under the guidance of light artist Sola, and with the help of the awesome schoolkids and local villagers.

It was a privilege to tell the story of a committed community, not just saying no to something, but saying yes to doing things differently. We had to change the structure of the film a bit as government cuts to solar subsidies threatened to kill the project. But they are back and planning to expand their solar offering. You can get involved here.

BBC Radio4 - Swear Like Shakespeare

The second of my 'how to' films for BBC Radio4 is now live. It's been going down really well on Facebook and was one of the most popular on the Radio4 website in it's first week. It was a fun one to direct, talented bunch of actors, and I'm really pleased with how it's come out.

Go and watch some Passion in Practice Shakespeare if you get a chance, it's really cool.

"Thou weedy, fat-kidneyed, bug bear..."

Posted by BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday, 1 March 2016

Hunting Underwater Volcanoes

I spent 30 days embedded on the ship R/V Falkor, a scienctific research vessel sailing around the pacific ocean. I was documenting a group of scientists seeking out underwater volcanoes known as hydrothermal vents. It was a really cool project. The deep ocean is a uniquely challenging environment to work in, from battling seasickness in a typhoon, to competition for wifi. The trip was a huge success, the scientists discovered some really cool stuff, and will be returning next year with deep dive cameras to film and sample the incredible life that thrives at these newly discovered vents. We made lots of films, wrote blog posts, took photos, did stop motion animation (on something that never stopped motioning) and ran a competition to engage audiences with the project. Part 2 coming in 2016, stay tuned!

BBC World News: Malaria

I directed a short animation about Malaria that was featured on BBC World News, you can check it out on the BBC website here

We won the Association of British Science Writer's award for Best TV Programme / online film.

Ace producer Lizzie Crouch wrote the script

Animation/illustration/hand acting help by the uber talented Patrick Koduah and Victor Opeyokun.

Here is a brief gif-based summary...

Mosquitos are developing resistance to our chemical weapons... 

Scientists are working on a vaccine, but we don't have one yet.

It may be possible to infect the malaria parasite with a bacteria that stops it from reproducing.

It seems that simpler factors such design, landscaping and modifying buildings are perhaps our biggest weapons in the fight against malaria.

It's hoped that by understanding all of the features that affect Malaria transmission, we may be able to conquer it once and for all.

I directed a short animation about Malaria that was featured on BBC World News, you can check it out on the BBC website here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32690123

Ace producer Lizzie Crouch wrote the script

Animation/illustration/hand acting help by the uber talented Patrick Koduah and Victor Opeyokun.

Nature: The symphony in your cells

I got commissioned by Nature to direct and edit a film about epigenomics. The idea was that the human genome could be thought of like a music score. It isn't just changing the notes that change how the music gets expressed. We managed to bring a talented group of musicians together and make the piece come alive. CP Snow tried to claim science and art were two separate cultures, well roll over Beethoven... we spliced together a mash up to challenge that idea.

The Highest Lab in the World

Our trip to Everest Base Camp coincided with the 60th anniversary of Hillary and Tenzing making the first summit of Mt Everest. The Guardian and the Ri Channel commissioned me to edit a film from our footage detailing the extreme environment that the scientists are operating in, and the fascinating work they are taking on.

If anyone else wants to send me up a mountain to make a film I am open to offers.