Documentary Director

Curriculum Vitae

James Newton 
Brain Hospital:Saving Live. The Year The Town Hall Shank. Boy Cheerleaders. The Space You Leave. On The Run With Abdul. River of Blood. Homeless Me

BBC 2 SCANDALOUS: PHONE HACKING ON TRIAL
2023 Filmed & Directed
Feature Doc 90 min x 1
BBC CURRENT AFFAIRS
A look at the bitter legal battle taking place for a decade over allegations of unlawful information gathering at some of Britain’s biggest newspaper groups. 

Channel 4 Grenfell: The Untold Story
2021 Filmed & Directed
Feature Doc 90 min x 1
BBC Studios
Grenfell Tower residents battle with their local council and landlord as they scrutinise the consequences of a 10m which foreshadows the future tragedy.
BAFTA Craft WINNER for Director FACTUAL 2022
Grierson Award WINNER Best Single Documentary - Domestic
BAFTA Television Nominated for Best Single Documentary 2022
Royal Television Awards Nominated Best Single Documentary 2022

Netflix The Surgeon’s Cut
2020Filmed, Directed & Produce
Series BBC Studios
The episode I directed was about a pioneering fetal surgeon in the UK,
Winner for Emmy Award Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary 2021
Winner for BAFTA SPECIALIST FACTUAL 2021
Winner of the Royal Television Society Award Science Series 2021

Discovery Cajun Navy (working title)
2019 Filmed & Directed
Feature Doc 90 min x 1
LightBox Films
Executive Producer:Simon Chinn
A group of citizens unite to help the victims of Hurricanes after the government is too slow to respond.

BBC 2 & Cinema release Gun No6
2018 Filmed & Directed
Premier Sheffield doc fest 2018
Feature Doc 80 min x 1
The Garden
The journey of one gun over thirteen year’s, Thirty-one shots, Seven Injured. Three dead and still out there. Britain’s most lethal weapon. 
Winner for BAFTA Factual Single 2019
Nominated The Orwell Prizes Exposing Britain’s Social Evils Prize Short 2019
Nominated series Grierson Awards 2019

BBC 2 CONVICTION: MURDER AT THE STATION
2016 Filmed & Directed 60min x 2
Executive Producer: Richard Bond
Raw TV
A team of experts investigate whether evidence exists that could challenge the conviction of a man in prison for a murder he denies. 

BBC 2 The Detectives
2015  Filmed & Series Directed 60min x 3
Premier Sheffield doc fest 2015
Executive Producer: Colin Barr
Minnow Films
Three part series following detectives in Great Manchester Police as they investigate rapes cases. 
Nominated for BAFTA Factual series 2016
Nominated for BAFTA Factual Director 2016
Nominated for Royal Television Society Award Factual Series 2016
Nominated for Royal Television Society Award Craft in Photography
Nominated for Royal Television Society Award Craft in Editing
Nominated for The Grierson trust Awards Best Factual Series 2016
Premier at Sheffield Doc Fest 2015

Channel 4 Sex Party Secrets
2015 Filmed & Directed 60mm x 1
Executive Producer: Morgan Matthew
Minnow Films
This frank documentary enters the hidden world of the UK's 'sexual elite', meeting the meticulously vetted guests fulfilling their fantasies at exclusive sex parties. 

More 4 Show Dogs: The Road to Crufts
2013 Director, Filmed 60min x 1
Executive Producer: Morgan Matthew
Minnow Films
A humorous and heartfelt look into the world of dog showing, exploring the build up to Crufts.

BBC 2 Keeping Britain Alive                         
2012 Director one of the many story's
The Garden
Series following 24 hours in the NHS.

Channel 5 Brain Hospital: Saving Lives
2012 Director, Filmed  60min x 2
Executive Producer: Peter Dale
Rare Day Films
Four part series, following the emotional journey of patients undergoing brain surgery.

BBC 4 The Year the Town Hall Shrank
2011 Director, Filmed 60min x 3
Series Director: Dave Nath
Blast Film
A groundbreaking series looking at how the city of Stoke On Trent and its people cope with the biggest budgetary cuts in its history.

Winner of The Grierson Trust Envy Best Documentary Series 2013
Nominated for Royal Television Society Awards Factual Series 2013

BBC 2 Wonderland: Boy Cheerleaders 
2010 Director, Filmed 60min x 1  
Executive Producer: Nick Mirsky
Quark Films
A BBC Wonderland following a group of boy cheerleaders from Leeds from the trauma of live TV to cheerleading championships

Official Selection: International Documentary Festival Amsterdam - IDFA 2011 Hotdocs 2011

BBC2 The Alzheimer’s Choir
2009 Cinematographer 60min x 1
Executive Producer: Nick Mirsky
Wonderland film about love, time and the astonishing ability of music to return people who were thought lost.

Channel 4 Missing You Three Minute Wonders  
2009 Director, Filmed 3min x 4

BBC Scotland The Space You Leave
2009 Director, Filmed 12mim
Executive Producer: Anna Higgs
The films explores the emotional void left by a missing loved one
Official Selection: Sheffield International Documentary Festival 09, Edinburgh International Film Festival 2009, True/False Documentary Festival 2010,  Full Frame Documentary Festival, Norwegian Documentary Film Festival, Film Silverdocs 2010.

Al Jazeera On The Run With Abdul
2009 Director, Filmed 24min
Executive Producer: Anna Higgs
Hard hitting look at the lives of one immigrant teenager living rough in Calais and their desperate attempts to start a new life in the UK without first falling prey to the violent traffickers who control the port.
Official Selection: Sheffield International Documentary Festival 09, Clermont – Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2010 WINNER - Prix de la Presse Signes de Nuit Festival Paris 2010 WINNER - Main Prize London International Documentary 2010 Silverdocs 2010

Channel 4 Rivers of Blood Three Minute Wonders
2008 Director, Filmed 3min x 4
On 40th anniversary of Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech the film required a strong editorial approach, as well as innovative filming and sound design techniques.

Homeless Me
2007 Director, Filmed 27 min
Looking at one man’s life living in a makeshift hut on the riverside in Tokyo. Akira asserts he has chosen a    life that is better than one within society, because it is free from responsibility. But is he closer to a knife-edge than he lets show?

Official Selection Sapporo Short Festival Japan 08, British Council International Shorts Scheme, The Big Issue Film Festival 07,Filo Festival Slovenia 07, Shadow Festival Amsterdam 07, Sheffield International Documentary Festival 07, Documentary Film Festival Mexico City 07, Twin River Multimedia Festival 2nd Place, Virgin ‘Film Festival in the Sky’ winner.

National Television & Film School MA Documentary Directing 2007    
Awarded a David Lean scholarship