James Strong

Director

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Film, TV & Theatre

Agent: Michelle Archer

Michelle Archer

Assistant: Grace Baxter

gbaxter@unitedagents.co.uk

Film, TV & Theatre

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James is currently directing THE SUSPECT for World Productions. Prior to this, he was lead director on VIGIL (World Productions/BBC 1), the UK’s most-watched new drama in three years, with the first episode consolidating 13.4 million views. He’s also just directed Irvine Welsh’s thriller CRIME for Buccaneer/Britbox.

James directed VANITY FAIR for Mammoth Screen/ ITV/ Amazon, as well as the hugely successful drama series LIAR for ITV. Other credits include Bad Robot’s 11.22.63 and several projects for World Productions, including CODE OF A KILLER, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY and UNITED.

James is also known for his work on the BAFTA Award-winning series BROADCHURCH, for which he was BAFTA-nominated for Best Director. He won Best Director at the BAFTA Cymru Awards, 2008, for the DOCTOR WHO Special 'Voyage of the Damned'.

James is also represented by Praveen Pandian, Ted Miller and Jon Cassir at CAA and Jeremy Platt at Grandview in the US, and by 76 Ltd for commercials.

VIGIL Reviews

"Drama at its absolute best… British TV doesn’t get more thrilling than this" - Empire, 5*

“There’s nothing predictable about this classy, claustrophobic thriller” - iNews", 4*

"A dense, sharply written, absolute treat of a show" - The Guardian, 5*

Television

Production	Company	Notes
THE SUSPECT 2021	World Productions	Lead Director. Writer: Peter Berry Producer: Natasha Romaniuk Executive Producer: Jake Lushington Starring: Aidan Turner and Sian Clifford
CRIME 2021	Buccaneer/Britbox	Lead Director and Executive Producer. Episodes 1-3. Writer: Irvine Welsh, based on his novel by the same name. Producer: David Blair. Executive producers: Irvine Welsh, Dean Cavanagh, Dougray Scott andTony Wood.
VIGIL 2019 - 2020	World Productions / BBC One	Lead Director and Executive Producer. Episodes 1- 3. Starring Suranne Jones, Rose Leslie, Shaun Evans. Writer: Tom Edge. Executive Producer: Simon Heath. Vigil is the UK's most-watched new drama in 3 years, with episode one consolidating 13.4 million views.
LIAR 2 2019	Two Brothers/ ITV	Lead Director and Executive Producer. Episodes 1-3. Writers: Jack and Harry Williams Producer: James Dean Executive Producer: Chris Aird Starring: Joanne Froggatt
COUNCIL OF DADS 2019	NBC/ Jerry Bruckheimer Television/ Universal TV	Pilot Director and Executive Producer. Inspired by the best-selling memoir of Bruce Feiler. Series ordered by NBC. Writers: Tony Phelan, Joan Rater. Producers: James Oh, Bruce Feiler. Exec Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, KristieAnne Read, Tony Phelan, Joan Rater.
VANITY FAIR 2017 - 2018	Mammoth/Amazon/ITV	Lead Director and Executive Producer. Episodes 1,2,3,4,5&7 Starring Olivia Cooke, Simon Russell Beale, Martin Clunes, Frances de la Tour, Suranne Jones. Writer: Gwyneth Hughes. Producer: Julia Stannard. Exec Producers: Gwyneth Hughes, Damien Timmer, Tom Mullens.
LIAR 2016 - 2017	ITV/Two Brothers Pictures	Lead Director and Executive Producer. Episodes 1 to 3. Writers: Harry and Jack Williams. Producer: Eliza Mellor. Winner of Best New Drama, TV Choice Awards, 2018. Nominated for Actor, British Academy Cymru Awards, Ioan Gruffudd as Andrew Earlham. *Nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the National Television Awards, 2018
DOUBT 2016	CBS	Director. Episode 2. Drama centred on NYC's most radical law firm. Starring Katherine Heigel, Laverne Cox, Elliott Gould. Writers: Tony Phelan, Joan Rater.
11.22.63 2015	Bad Robot/ Hulu/ Warner Bros.	Director. 2 episodes, including series finale. From the novel by Stephen King. Starring James Franco, Chris Cooper, Sarah Gaddon. Writer: Bridget Carpenter. Exec Producers: JJ Abrams, Stephen King.
KINGMAKERS 2015	ABC Studios	Director. Pilot. Starring Kristin Bauer van Straten, Adrian Pasdar, Parminder Nagra. Writer: Sallie Patrick. Producers: Jeff MacVittie, Sallie Patrick.
CODE OF A KILLER 2014	World Productions/ ITV 1	Co-creator and Director. 2 x 90'. Starring John Simm, David Threlfall. Writer: Michael Crompton. Producer: Simon Heath. *WINNER Best Short Form Drama, Writers' Guild Awards 2016.
BROADCHURCH 2 2014	Kudos/ITV	Lead Director. Starring David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Charlotte Rampling, Marianne Jean-Baptiste. Winner, Best Drama Series and Best Actor (David Tennant), TV Choice Awards, 2015. Nominated, Best Drama and Best Drama Performance (David Tennant), National Television Awards, 2016.
GRACEPOINT 2014	Fox / Shine America	Director. Pilot and 3 episodes. With David Tennant, Anna Gunn, Nick Nolte.
FROM THERE TO HERE 2014	Kudos/BBC 1	Director, 3 x 60'. Drama. Starring Phil Glenister, Bernard Hill and Saskia Reeves. Writer: Peter Bowker. Producer: Tim Bricknell . Exec Producer: Derek Wax.
THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY: A COPPER'S TALE 2013	World Productions/ BBC 1	Director. 90' feature. Starring Jim Broadbent, James Fox, Luke Evans. Writer: Chris Chibnall. Producer: Simon Heath. Nominated for Best Mini Series, BAFTA Television Awards, 2014. Shortlisted for Best Single Drama, Broadcast Awards, 2015.
BROADCHURCH 2013	Kudos/ITV	Lead Director, episodes 1, 2, 6, 7, and 8. 8-part series. Starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman. Writer: Chris Chibnall. Producer: Richard Stokes. Winner, 73rd annual Peabody Awards. Winner of 'Best of British: TV Programme or Series', Freesat Awards, 2013. Winner of New Programme Award, Edinburgh International Television Festival, 2013. Winner Best New Drama and Best Actor, TV Choice Award, 2013. Winner TV Dagger, Crime Thriller Awards, 2013. No. 2 on The Hollywood Reporter's 20 Best Cable Dramas of 2013. Radio Times Best Television Programme, 2013. Winner of Best Drama, Broadcast Awards, 2014. Winner of Best Drama Serial, Royal Television Society Awards, 2014. Winner of Best Drama Series, BPG TV and Radio Awards, 2014. Winner of Best Actor (Olivia Coleman), BPG TV and Radio Awards, 2014. Winner of Best Writer (Chris Chibnall), BPG TV and Radio Awards, 2014. Nominated for Best Director (Fiction), BAFTA Television Craft Awards, 2014. Winner of Best Drama Series, BAFTA Television Awards, 2014. Winner of Best Actress (Olivia Coleman), BAFTA Television Awards, 2014. Winner of Best Supporting Actor (David Bradley), BAFTA Television Awards, 2014.
THE BEST POSSIBLE TASTE 2012	Mammoth/BBC 4	Director. 90' biopic on Kenny Everett. Writer: Tim Whitnall. Producer: Paul Frift . Exec Producer: Damien Timmer. Nominated for Best Single Film, Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, 2013. Oliver Lansley nominated for Best Actor, RTS Awards, 2013. Tim Whitnall winner of Breakthrough Talent, BAFTA Craft Awards, 2013. Nominated for Best Scripted Programme, Broadcast Digital Awards, 2013.
HUNTED 2012	Kudos/ HBO Cinemax/ BBC 1	2 episodes. Writer: Frank Spotniz. Producer: Eliza Mellor. Exec Producer: Jane Featherstone.
MISSING 2012	ABC (US)/ Little Engine Productions	2 episodes. New series. Starring Ashley Judd, Sean Bean, Keith Carradine. Producers: Gina Matthews, Grant Scharbo. *Ashley Judd nominated for Best Lead Actress, Emmy Awards, 2012.
DOWNTON ABBEY 2 2011	Carnival/ ITV	Writer: Julian Fellowes. Producer: Liz Trubridge. Winner: Best Drama Series or Serial, Broadcast Awards, 2012. Nominated for 16 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress and Outstanding Lead Actor, 2012.
LAW AND ORDER UK 2+3 2011	NBC/ Wolf Films/ Kudos for ITV	Writers: Terry Cafolla, Nick Beak Saunders. Producer: Richard Stokes.
WHITE VAN MAN 2010	ITV Studios for BBC 3	Director. Pilot. Starring Will Mellor, Clive Mantle. Writer: Adrian Poynton. Producer: Rohan Acharya.
SILENT WITNESS 2010	BBC 1	Writer: Michael Crompton. Producer: Richard Burrell.
DOCTOR WHO Easter Special 2009	BBC Wales/BBC 1	“Planet of The Dead”.1 x 80′. Starring David Tennant, Lee Evans, Michelle Ryan. Writer: Russell T Davies. *Nominated for a Hugo Award 2010 - Best Dramatic Presentation (short form).
HUSTLE 2008	Kudos for BBC 1	Lead Director, 2 episodes. Starring Adrian Lester.
DOCTOR WHO 4 2008	BBC Wales/BBC 1	Lead Director. “Partners in Crime”. Starring David Tennant, Catherine Tate, Sarah Lancashire. Writer: Russell T Davies. *Nominated for Best Drama Series, BAFTA Television Awards, 2009.
DOCTOR WHO Christmas Special 2007	BBC Wales for BBC 1	"Voyage of the Damned". 1 x 80′. Starring David Tennant, Kylie Minogue. Winner of Welsh BAFTA for Best Direction. Winner of Welsh BAFTA for Best Drama.
DOCTOR WHO 3 2007	BBC Wales/BBC 1	2-part episode, "Daleks in Manhattan" and "Evolution of the Daleks". Set and shot partly in New York. Winner of “Programme of the Year”, Edinburgh International TV Festival, 2007. Nominated for Best Series, Writer’s Guild of Great Britain, 2007 Best Drama, National TV Awards, 2007. Winner Best TV Series, Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards, 2007.
TORCHWOOD 2006	BBC Wales/BBC 1	Series 1, 2 episodes. Producer: Richard Stokes. Exec Procducer: Julie Gardner. Winner: Best Drama, Welsh BAFTAs, 2007. Winner: Best Actress (Eve Myles), Welsh BAFTA’s, 2007.
DOCTOR WHO 2 2006	BBC Wales for BBC 1	2-part episode, "Impossible Planet" and "The Satan Pit". Writer: Russell T Davies. Producer: Phil Collinson. Exec Producer: Julie Gardner. Winner: Best Drama, Best Actor and Best Actress, National Television Awards, 2006. Nominated for Best Drama Series, Broadcast Awards, 2007. *Nominated for Best Drama Series, Royal Television Awards, 2007.
ROCKET MAN 2005	Coastal/ BBC 1	2 x 60'. Starring Robson Green. Producer: Phil Leach.
THE GOOD CITIZEN 2004	BBC 1	1 x 60'. Drama. Starring Hugh Quarshie, Clare Goose. Nominated for Best Drama, Regional RTS Awards, 2005. Nominated for Best Daytime Programme, Broadcast Awards, 2006.

Film

Production	Company	Notes
UNITED 2011	BBC/ World Productions /Content Films/ North East Screen	Director. Starring David Tennant, Dougray Scott. Writer: Chris Chibnall. Producer: Julia Stannard. Nominated for Best Single Film, Prix Europa, 2011. Official Selection, Roma Fiction Festival, 2011. Nominated for London TV Award, London Festival Fringe, 2012. Nominated for Best Single Drama, Broadcast Awards, 2012. Nominated for Best Single Drama, Royal Television Society Awards, 2012. Nominated for Best Drama, London Television Awards, 2012.

In Development

Production	Company	Notes
MERCY	Last Man Films	Director. Feature film, in development. The story of the last men to be executed in Britain. Writer: Michael Crompton.
ALBION	Participant Media/ Potboiler	Director. Feature film, in development. A tragic accident in a coastal English town sets of a series of violent events. Producer: Gail Egan. Writer: Brock Norman Brock
STEEL CITY	Fox/Strong Films	Writer and Director. Feature film, in development. The story of Sheffield synth.

Short Films

Production	Company	Notes
OF MARY 2010	Lesata Prods	Producer and Co-writer with Adrian Lester. Director: Adrian Lester.
SOLD 2004		Writer and Director. 15' short film. Comedy-drama set in the world of estate agents. *Nominated for Best Short Film at BAFTA Film Awards, 2004.

Documentaries

Production	Company	Notes
HEAVEN 17 - THE STORY OF PENTHOUSE & PAVEMENT 2010		Feature length documentary and concert film. Selected for the 2010 Sheffield International Documentary Festival.