Ian Curtis
Director

HOLLYOAKS-TRAIN-CRASH
Emmerdale
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Ian Curtis is a BAFTA and International EMMY winning director for television drama, comedy and children’s. With over one-hundred episodes under his belt, Ian has directed dramas such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks including the dramatic one-hour ‘Flash Forward’ Christmas / New Year episodes from the end of 2019. In addition, he has directed a number of comedies such as CBBC’s Horrible Histories, with Ian directing on Series 6 & 7, which won a Children’s BAFTA for Best Children’s Comedy and an International EMMY Award for Best Comedy. Ian lead directed comedy So Awkward over series 2 – 6 (34 x 30 mins) which gained a Children’s BAFTA Best Children’s Comedy win along with numerous award nominations. He has also recently directed on the first season of new Nickelodeon comedy Goldie’s Oldies.

Ian originally trained at The Drama Centre and worked as a TV and Theatre actor for over 10 years, with his performance background heavily influencing the way he works with talent to create award-winning performances. He went on to write and produce comedy – Ian co-created and co-wrote the muti-award nominated comedy series FM staring Daniel Kaaluya, Chris O’Dowd and O-T Fagbenie – as well as developing projects with Indies such as Hat Trick and Channel X before turning to directing.

Website: Ian Curtis

 

Television (broadcast):
Goldie’s Oldies VIS UK / Nickelodeon
Director for the new Nickelodeon comedy / drama
5 x 30 mins
Producer: Candida Julian-Jones
Exec Producer: Caroline Norris
Coronation Street ITV Studios / ITV1
Director for the long running ITV1 continuing drama
4 x 30 mins
Emmerdale ITV Studios / ITV1
Director for the prime time continuing drama
4 x 30 mins
Exec Producer: Jane Hudson
Producer: Laura Shaw
Hollyoaks Lime Pictures / Channel 4
Director for the Channel 4 continuing drama (since 2018)
45 x 30 mins
3 x 60 mins – including 2019’s Christmas Day Special & New Year’s Eve Special
So Awkward – Series 6 Channel X / CBBC
Lead director for the award winning comedy / drama
7 x 30 mins
Producer: Joanne Blake
Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid
School Bus BBC Children’s Productions / CBBC
Director of the CBBC comedy / drama
1 x 30 mins
Producer: Joanne Blake
So Awkward – Series 5 Channel X / CBBC
Lead director for this comedy / drama
7 x 30 mins
Producer: Joanne Blake
Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid
Horrible Histories – Series 7 Lion Television / CBBC
Directed on the hugely popular comedy series for CBBC
Producer: Tom Miller
Exec Producer for CBBC: Melissa Hardinge
So Awkward – Series 4 Channel X / CBBC
Director on the popular CBBC comedy
6 x 30 mins
Producer: Joanne Blake
Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid
Driven to Distraction Little Dot Studios / Channel 4
Director of this fixed rig prank series with celebrities demonstrating the dangers of distracted driving on an epic scale
6 x 3 mins
Mark Watson & Sam Simmons Pilot So Television / BBC Worldwide
Director of this comedy pilot combining live stand-up and pre-recorded sketches (OB & studio audience)
1 x 28 minutes
So Awkward – Series 3 Channel X / CBBC
Lead director for the successful CBBC comedy.
7 x 30 mins
Producer: Sally Martin
Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid
So Awkward – Series 2 Channel X / CBBC
Lead director for the second series.
7 x 30 mins
Producer: Sally Martin
Exec Producer for Channel X: Alan Marke & Jim Reid
Don’t Drop the Baton BBC Comedy / BBC Scotland
Director for this comedy featuring live stand-up and pre-recorded sketches.
2 x 30 mins
Producer: Jaqueline Sinclair
Exec Producer BBC Scotland: Eileen Herlihy
Horrible Histories – Series 6 Lion Television / CBBC
Director on the successful sketch series
Producer: Tom Miller
Exec Producer for CBBC: Melissa Hardinge
Home Movies with Joe Wilkinson Rockabox / YAHOO
Director & Producer of this scripted comedy movie review show
10 x 10 minutes
Dani’s Castle The Foundation / Zodiak / CBBC
Director for the CBBC comedy / drama
3 x 30 mins
Producer: Ray Lau
Exec Producers: Elaine Sperber & Melissa Hardinge
Chain Gang BBC Comedy
Director of this non-broadcast comedy pilot with live studio audience.
1 x 30 minutes
Producer: Simon Mayhew-Archer
Exec: Pete Thornton
Off Their Rockers CPL Productions / ITV
Director of the hidden camera comedy show
7 x 30 mins
Producer: Andy Brown
Exec Producer: Mob Dar
Sorry I’ve Got No Head – Series 3 So TV / CBBC
Director & Producer of this sketch show
13 x 30 mins
Exec Producer CBBC: Melissa Hardinge
Exec Producer SO TV: Jeremy Salsby
The Forgotten Picture Show So TV
Director for this SO TV in-house pilot starring Steve Oram, Tom Meeten, Alice Lowe and Simon Farnaby.
Producer: Tom Miller
Exec: Graham Stuart
Sorry I’ve Got No Head – Series 1 & 2 So TV / CBBC
Director of the sketch show
26 x 30 mins
Exec Producer CBBC: Melissa Hardinge
Exec Producer SO TV: Jeremy Salsby
Blowout Comedy Unit / Channel 4
Director of this award-winning Comedy Lab
1 x 30 mins
Producer: Rab Christie
BAFTA Scotland Winner 2007: Best Comedy.
F.M. Channel 4
Co-creator, Writer & Director of a Comedy Lab for Channel 4.
1 x 30 mins
Producer: Johnny Morrison
Exec Producer Channel Four: Caroline Leddy
Nominated for the Rose D’Or: Best Sitcom

 

Other Production Credits:
Ultimate Brain Zigzag / CBBC
Series Producer for the comedy game show featuring celebrities and children competing in science based games
10 x 30 mins
Exec Producer for Zigzag: Peter Wyles
Exec Producer for CBBC: Hugh Lawton
Mad Lab Zigzag / BBC Learning
Series Producer of the comedy science programme for pre-teens featuring characters from CBBC’s Ultimate Brain.
4 x 15 minutes
Exec Producer for Zigzag: Peter Wyles
Exec Producer for BBC Learning: Moray London
Dani’s Castle – Series 2 The Foundation / Zodiak / CBBC
Writer of an episode of this comedy / drama.
1 x 30 mins
Exec Producer for Zodiak: Elaine Sperber
Peckham Knights Hat Trick Productions
Creator, Writer & Director of the comedy pilot developed with Paul Schlesinger
1 x 30 mins
Nightwatch Room 5 Productions
Writer, Director & Producer of a comedy pilot
F.M. Granada TV / ITV2
Co-creator, Writer & Associate Producer of a new comedy starring Chris O’Dowd and Kevin Bishop
6 x 30 mins
Awards & Nominations:
2019 Children’s BAFTA: Best Comedy (Nomination) – So Awkward
2018 Children’s BAFTA: Best Comedy (Winner) – So Awkward
2018 International Emmy Award: Best Comedy (Winner) – Horrible Histories
2017 Broadcast Award: Best Children’s Comedy (Winner) – Horrible Histories
Children’s BAFTAs: 10 x Best Comedy (Nominations) – Horrible Histories, So Awkward, Sorry I’ve Got No Head
2017 International Emmy Award Best Comedy (Nomination) – Horrible Histories
2012 Chortle Awards: Best TV Programme (Nomination) – Sorry I’ve Got No Head
2009 Rose D’Or: Best Sitcom (Nomination) – F.M.
2007 Scottish BAFTA: Best Comedy (Winner) Blowout
2007 N. Ireland Film Festival: Best International Comedy Short Film (Winner) A Full Blown Affair
Strasbourg Film Festival: Best Actress in a Short Film (Winner) – Pauline Quirke in Waiting for Giro