ABOUT
Originally I went to Central Saint Martins to become a painter, but in the first week I was introduced to the films of Humphrey Jennings by a fellow student. I was blown away and decided I wanted to be a filmmaker. I didn't pick up a paint brush once during my three years there, instead I focused on making my own short documentaries.
After graduating, I had various jobs. I was a runner at a post production facility, an office assistant at a housing association and a painter and decorator. I then made a decision that changed my life. I applied to the National Film & Television School.
To my surprise, I not only got in, I also received a full scholarship and grant to cover fees and living costs. I spent the next two years being taught by some of the most inspiring documentary filmmakers in the world, including Kim Longinotto, Marc Isaacs and Pawel Pawlikowski.
After leaving the NFTS, I was commissioned to make a series of short films for Channel 4’s Three Minute Wonders strand. This was followed by my first long form TV doc; Squirrel Wars: Red vs Grey. The playful nature of that film attracted the attention of Channel 4’s factual entertainment department, for whom I made the first ever episode of the long running series, The Undateables. I loved the experience so much, that I stayed on to series direct the BAFTA nominated second series.
I continued to direct popular factual programmes for channel 4, until an opportunity arose to make a documentary for BBC Two’s legendary Modern Times strand. This was a dream come true and the resulting film Weekend Warriors remains one of my personal favourites. Staying with the BBC, I started to tackle more complex and urgent stories. I made the Grierson nominated; No Place To Call Home, and directed the first episode of their long running reputational series Generation Gifted.
More recently I have moved into retrospective documentaries that also incorporate elements of dramatic reconstruction. I directed the first episode of the Netflix anthology series Bad Sport and am currently directing my first feature documentary.
As a director, I am extremely versatile, and whatever the film I am making, I put story telling and the audience experience at the heart of it.
CONTACT
lukesewell@gmail.com
