JAMES F SIMPSON AGSM

James trained as an actor At the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After acting and directing theatre, he wrote and directed ‘Ulysses’, a children’s rock opera, which had a sell-out run At the Rainbow theatre, was filmed for BBC Television and won the Italian International Children’s Film Award.

He has written music for records, television and films. Television programmes include ‘Noel’s House Party’, ‘Spitting Image’, ‘Through the Keyhole’, Feature film ‘Blood Tide’, Linda La Plante’s award winning drama, ‘Hidden Talents’ and many major commercials. James has worked with Tina Turner, Nils Lofgren from the E Street band and Earth Wind and Fire and the Phoenix Horns. Television appearances include ‘Noel’s House Party’ and the drama ‘Call Me Mister’.

He has produced series for ITV and Channel Four as well as developing projects in North America with HBO and USA Network, and in 2003 co-created with Objective Television, the successful Channel 4, ‘Bedsitcom’ which was nominated for a 2004 Rose D’Or award. He also produced a Past Life Regression series ‘Time Traveller’ for ITV television, starring celebrities and members of the public. James has been involved in producing/exec producing, directing and writing in the film industry for over twenty years, with a total of over thirty films.

These include the BAFTA nominated ‘Merchant Of Venice’, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes, ‘Head In The Clouds’, starring Charlize Theron and Penelope Cruz, ‘The Bridge of San Luis Rey’ starring Robert DeNiro, Kathy Bathes, Harvey Keitel and Gabriel Byrne, ‘A Different Loyalty’, starring Sharon Stone and Rupert Everett, and ‘The Statement’ starring Michael Caine. ‘The River King’ starring Ed Burns and Jennifer Ehle, ‘Guy X’ starring Jason Biggs, ‘Perfect Creature’ starring Dougray Scott and Saffron Burrows and ‘Beowulf and Grendel’ starring Gerard Butler.

BAFTA Nomination; ‘The Merchant of Venice’ (Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Lynn Collins) which had a Royal Premiere in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales.James Produced the British comedy ‘Run For Your Wife’ from the international hit play by Ray Cooney, featuring a celebrity cast, including Danny Dyer, Sarah Harding, Denise Van Outen, Neil Morrissey, Dame Judi Dench and Cliff Richard.James has given masterclasses at the New York University Film School, the Nashville Film Institute, and the Reel Scene acting school in London.

He directed and produced the psychological horror film ‘Definition of Fear’ starring the Bollywood Star Jacqueline Fernandez and Katherine Barrell (Wynonna Earp) filmed in Canada. Jacqueline has over 50 million social media followers.He is producing early 2021 a film set in London and Beirut ‘Breakfast in Beirut’ with international stars to be filmed in Bulgaria and Beirut.He is currently in pre production for an international football documentary film, about how the sport can help young people in some of the most dangerous hot spots in the world, find hope and turn away from fundamentalism.  James will direct and it will include some of the greatest footballers of our time, Pele, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, to name but a few.

James will also direct an LGBT film, ‘Love and Pride’ which he has also written late 2020, filmed in London and Amsterdam.