Shane Meadows

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Shane Meadows
Born (1972-12-26) 26 December 1972 (age 40)
Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England
Occupation Director, screenwriter, actor
Years active 1995–present
Spouse(s) Joanne Meadows (nee wilkinson)
Website
www.shanemeadows.co.uk

Shane Meadows (born 26 December 1972) is an English film director, screenwriter, occasional actor and BAFTA winner.

Contents

Background [edit]

Meadows grew up in the Westlands Road area of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. His father was a long distance lorry driver and his mother worked in a fish and chip shop. His father discovered the body of child murder victim Susan Maxwell and was initially considered a suspect in the murder case, which led to Meadows being bullied and shunned by other children.[1] He attended Picknalls First School, Oldfields Hall Middle School and Thomas Alleyne's High School. At weekends, he sold fruit and veg on a market stall in Uttoxeter market. His love of cinema was fostered by regular trips to the Elite Cinema.

Meadows left school shortly before reaching his GCSEs, and soon turned to petty crime. He moved to Nottingham when he was 20. While living in the Sneinton area of Nottingham, he made roughly 30 short films with the friends he met there. He could not show these films to anyone because there were no film festivals in his area. His friends started one in the local cinema which became popular within the city.

Career [edit]

Meadows enrolled on a Performing Arts course at Burton College, where he first met friend and future collaborator Paddy Considine. Amongst other things, they formed the band She Talks To Angels (inspired by a Black Crowes song of the same name), with Meadows as vocalist and Considine as drummer. Lead guitarist in She Talks To Angels was Nick Hemming, who was also a member of the Telescopes and now fronts the Leisure Society.

The majority of Meadows' films have been set in the Midlands area. They recall the kitchen sink realism of filmmakers such as Ken Loach and Mike Leigh. Much of the content of his films is semi-autobiographical and based on his experiences in Uttoxeter. Twenty Four Seven was inspired by his youth, both at a boxing club, and also playing in a local football club. Despite some huge losses, the club's coach never lost faith in them. A Room for Romeo Brass was also inspired by his youth. After Paul Fraser — his best friend, neighbour and future writing partner[2] — had a bad accident and was bound to his bed for two years, Meadows instead hung around with some of the town's more undesirable characters. Dead Man's Shoes is based on the more unpleasant side of his youth in Uttoxeter. It was inspired by a close friend who had been bullied, developed a drug problem and then committed suicide. He said "I couldn't believe that, going back ten years later, he had been totally forgotten in the town — it was as if he had never existed. I was filled with anger against the people who had bullied and pushed the drugs on him, and with despair at what drugs had done to that small community".

Five of Meadows' films were shown at the 2007 Flourish Festival, held annually in Uttoxeter, to mark the release of This is England (a film set in 1983).

His second feature-length film, Twenty Four Seven, won several awards at film festivals, including the Douglas Hickox award at the British Independent Film Awards and Best Screenplay at the Thessaloniki Film Festival. Dead Man's Shoes, his sixth film, and third starring Paddy Considine,[3] was nominated for a BAFTA for Best British Film. His seventh film This is England, won the British Independent Film Awards 2006 for best British independent film. Shane was presented with the award by Sylvester Stallone and used the occasion to announce that he was to be a father. This is England also won a BAFTA for Best British Film.

The film has since had a series of sequels adapted into television serials, the first being This is England 86 (set in 1986 aired on Channel 4 in September 2010).[4] A second series, This is England 88 (set in 1988) was aired in December 2011. A third and final series, This Is England '90 (set in 1990), was originally due to be broadcast in December 2012, but in July 2012, Shane Meadows announced that the production had been put on hold in order for him to complete his documentary about Stone Roses,[5] and the actors were still waiting for confirmation as to when filming would start.[6]

His shortest film, The Stairwell, was shot on a mobile phone and is just 40 seconds long. It consists solely of a man and woman, played by Meadows regulars Andrew Shim and Vicky McClure, violently bumping into each other on a stairwell.

He is widely regarded as a big fan of Notts County F.C., with several references included in his films by way of imagery and background shots.

Filmography [edit]

Feature films [edit]

Television [edit]

Short films [edit]

2007
  • "Valentine" — promotional music video[7]
  • "Serious" — promotional music video[7]
  • "The Living Room" — documentary about musician Gavin Clark
2005
  • "The Stairwell" (2005) [40 seconds][8]
2004
  • "Northern Soul" (2004) [30mins]
2000
  • Shane's World (2000) [70 mins]
— "Macca's Men"
— "The Man With No Name"
— "The Poppa Squeeze Affair"
— "Three Tears for Jimmy Prophet"
— "Tank's Top Tips"
1999
  • "Le Donk Episodic One Slap" (1999) [19 mins]
  • "Le Donk Episodic Two Slap" (1999) [15 mins]
  • "Billy Gumbo" (1999) [10 mins]
  • "Willy Gumbo" (1999) [20 mins]
  • "Le Donk Rat Attack" (1999) [15 mins]
  • "Simon Stanway 3" (1999) [5 mins]
  • "Gary Golfer" (1999) [8 mins]
  • "Eric D'ya Get the Jisto" (1999) [5 mins]
  • "Stars of Track and Field" (1999) [30 mins]
1998
  • "Paul, Simon, Dominic and Snowy Cabrerra" (1998) [14 mins]
  • "Daihatsu Domino" (1998) [9 mins]
  • "Size Sixteen Feet" (1998) [6 mins]
  • "There was a Wolf in the Room Mum, and it was Dying" (1998) [2 mins]
  • "It was just a little Chimp, about six inches tall and he wore a little red sweater" (1998) [5 mins]
  • "Autumn in the Heart" (1998) [7 mins]
  • "Hospital Stanway" (1998) [9 mins]
  • "A Room for Romeo Brass rehearsals" (1998) [11 mins]
  • "All the Way Through" (1998) [5 mins]
1997
  • "Come Back Dominic Dillon" (1997) [12 mins]
  • "Waiting For the Winter" (1997) [16 mins]
  • "In the Meantime Afternoon" (1997) [20 mins] — documentary
  • "A Room For Romeo Brass" (1997) [13 mins]
1996
  • "The Rise and Fall of a Protection Agency" (1996) [20 mins]
  • "Where's the Money, Ronnie?" (1996) [12 mins] — final version[2]
  • "Simon Stanway is Not Dead" (1996) [18 mins]
  • "Torino Torino" (1996) [15 mins] — documentary
  • "The Church of Alan Darcy" (1996) [8 mins]
1995
  • "The Pasta Twist" (1995) [11 mins]
  • "The Stretch" (1995) [16 mins]
  • "The Allotment Show" (1995) [2 mins]
  • "Sneinton Junction" (1995) [6 mins]
  • "Jock and John are Neighbours" (1995) [7 mins]
  • "Black Wiggow" (1995) [10 mins]
  • "King of the Gypsies" (1995) [6 mins] — documentary
  • "King of the Gypsies" (1995) [10 mins] — documentary
  • "Kill Me Now, Mummy" (1995) [7 mins]
  • "Karate Youth" (1995) [3 mins]
  • "The Zombie Squad" (1995) [11 mins]
  • "Where's The Money, Ronnie?" (1995) [14 mins] — third version
  • "A Glyde in the Park" (1995) [5 mins]
1994
  • "Where's the Money, Ronnie?" (1994) [10 mins] — second version
  • "Where's the Money, Ronnie?" (1994) [10 mins] — first version
  • "The Datsun Connection" (1994) [13 mins]
  • "The Murderer " (1994) [5 mins]
  • "Little Man" (1994) [10 mins]
  • "The Cleaner" (1994) [2 mins]

Collaborators [edit]

Shane is known for his frequent collaborations with various actors and film crew members. Though he writes and directs all his work, for many of his films the splits the writing credits with another party, with the two credited jointly as writers.

He has worked twice with Toby Kebbell, Frank Harper, Bob Hoskins, Ladene Hall, Jimmy Hynd, Mat Hand and Dominic Dillon. He has worked three times with Stephen Graham, Joe Gilgun, Rosamund Hanson, Andrew Ellis, Danielle Watson, Chanel Cresswell, Perry Benson, Kriss Dosanjh and Michael Socha and at least four times with Paddy Considine, Vicky McClure, Andrew Shim (who also had cameo roles in Dead Man's Shoes and The Stairwell ), Thomas Turgoose, Jo Hartley and George Newton.

Paul Fraser [a childhood friend] has been Meadows' co-writer and contributor for all of his films except his 'This is England' projects, 'Small Time' and 'Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee' on which Meadows worked with writer's Jack Thorne and Paddy Considine (both of whom have gone on to successfully write and direct their own projects) or Meadows worked alone.

Paul Fraser also helped provided small parts in 'Once Upon a Time in the Midlands' as Bingo Checker, 'A Room for Romeo Brass' as a Physiotherapist and '24 7: Twenty Four Seven' as a Photographer. Although He is not always listed in the credits. He has also worked as Second Unit Director/ Assistant Director for Somers Town.

Many of Meadows films have had original music provided by Nick Hemming of The Leisure Society, Gavin Clark of Clayhill or Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi. Meadows has worked many times with producer Mark Herbert and Cinematographer Danny Cohen.

Many of Meadows films have been location managed by his former Brother-In-Law Richard Knight and produced or casting directed by his ex-wife Louise Meadows. Meadows has also used his Father Arthur Meadows and Craig and Matt Considine (Paddy Considine's Nephews) in various roles.

All of Meadows films have been either edited or had cinematography by Tank Bullock or Shaun Fields. Bullock and Fields, however, are aliases to refer to Meadows himself, similar to the Coen brothers' use of the name "Roderick Jaynes" (Jaynes refers collectively to the two Coen brothers).

Shane Meadows' most frequent collaborators are listed here.

Actors [edit]

  • Andrew Shim appears in A Room for Romeo Brass, "Once Upon a Time in the Midlands", "Dead Man's Shoes ", "The Stairwell" (short), This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[9]
  • Paddy Considine appears in A Room for Romeo Brass, "Dead Man's Shoes", "Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee", and several shorts and sketches for "Shane's World" which includes "Macca's Men", "The Man With No Name", "The Poppa Squeeze Affair", "Three Tears for Jimmy Prophet"', "Le Donk's Break-Dancing Master-Class Extravaganza" and "Willy Gumbo" Considine was also an uncredited writer on "This Is England, Co-Wrote "Dead Man's Shoes" and contributed plot and script ideas to both "Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee" and "Once Upon a Time in the Midlands" .[10]
  • Vicky McClure appears in A Room for Romeo Brass, "The Stairwell" (short), This Is England, This Is England '86" and "This Is England '88".[11]
  • Thomas Turgoose appears in Somers Town, This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[12]
  • Perry Benson appears in Somers Town, This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[13]
  • Jo Hartley appears in "Dead Man's Shoes", "Northern Soul" (short) This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[14]
  • George Newton appears in "Dead Man's Shoes", This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[15]
  • Ladene Hall appears in "24 7: Twenty Four Seven", A Room for Romeo Brass, Once Upon a Time in the Midlands and "This Is England '88".[16]
  • Frank Harper appears in "24 7: Twenty Four Seven", A Room for Romeo Brass, and "This Is England".[17]
  • Joseph Gilgun appears in This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[18]
  • Stephen Graham appears in This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[19]
  • Rosamund Hanson appears in This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[20]
  • Andrew Ellis appears in This Is England, This Is England '86" and "This Is England '88".[21]
  • Chanel Cresswell appears in This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[22]
  • Danielle Watson appears in This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[23]
  • Hannah Walters appears in This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[24]
  • Michael Socha appears in This Is England, 'This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".[25]
  • Kriss Dosanjh appears in This Is England, 'This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".
  • Jimmy Hynd appears in Where's the Money, Ronnie? (short), Small Time and "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and was cinematographer and camera operator on Where's the Money, Ronnie?
  • Dena Smiles appears in Small Time and "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and "This Is England '88".
  • Ian Smith appears in "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" "This Is England" and "This Is England '88".
  • Mat Hand appears in Where's the Money, Ronnie? (short), Small Time and "24 7: Twenty Four Seven".
  • Toby Kebbell appears in "Dead Man's Shoes" and "Northern Soul" (short).
  • Bob Hoskins appears in "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and A Room for Romeo Brass.
  • Dominic Dillon appears in Small Time and "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and was assistant director on "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and provided Production and music for Small Time.
  • Tanya Myers appears in Small Time and "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and A Room for Romeo Brass.
  • Justin Brady appears in "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and Once Upon a Time in the Midlands.
  • Anthony Clarke in "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and Once Upon a Time in the Midlands.
  • Tony Nyland in "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and Once Upon a Time in the Midlands.
  • Darren O. Campbell appears in "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and A Room for Romeo Brass.
  • Johann Myers appears in "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and A Room for Romeo Brass.
  • Dave Blant appears in A Room for Romeo Brass and This Is England.
  • Craig and Matt Considine (Paddy Considine's Nephews) appear in "Dead Man's Shoes" and "Macca's Men".

Crew [edit]

  • Paul Fraser has written nearly every Meadows movie from 24 7: Twenty Four Seven to Somers Town. He also appears in Once Upon a Time in the Midlands as "Bingo Checker", A Room for Romeo Brass as "Physiotherapist" (uncredited) and 24 7: Twenty Four Seven as "Photographer".[2]
  • Mark Herbert has produced for Meadows on "Dead Man's Shoes", This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".
  • Richard Knight (Meadows' former Brother-In-Law) has been location manager for A Room for Romeo Brass, "Once Upon a Time in the Midlands","Dead Man's Shoes", "Northern Soul" (short), This Is England, This Is England '86' and "This Is England '88".
  • Jack Thorne an English screenwriter and playwright co-wrote "This Is England '86" and "This Is England '88" with Meadows.
  • Danny Cohen has worked as cinematographer and DOP on "Dead Man's Shoes", This Is England, This Is England '86 and "This Is England '88".
  • Louise Meadows (Meadows' ex-wife) produced or casting directed for "This Is England", "Northern Soul" (short) and "Dead Man's Shoes" and featured in "The Poppa Squeeze Affair" and several sketches for "Shane's World".
  • Libby Durdy has worked as co-producer, associate producer, casting and production assistant on "This Is England", "Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee", "This Is England '86", "This Is England '88".
  • Rebekah Wray Rogers has worked as producer and production manager on "This Is England", "This Is England '86", "This Is England '88".
  • Vincent Keane was stunt coordinator on "24 7: Twenty Four Seven" and Once Upon a Time in the Midlands.

Music [edit]

Many of Meadows films have had original music provided by:

Misc [edit]

All of Meadows films have been either edited or had cinematography by Tank Bullock or Shaun Fields. Both Bullock and Fields, however, are aliases to refer to Meadows himself, similar to the Coen brothers' use of the name "Roderick Jaynes" (Jaynes refers collectively to the two Coen brothers).

Recurring cast members [edit]

Shane Meadows often casts certain actors more than once in his films. Meadows has most frequently worked with Paddy Considine, Vicky McClure, Andrew Shim, Thomas Turgoose, Frank Harper and Jo Hartley.

Actor Where's the Money, Ronnie? (1996) Small Time (1996) 24 7: Twenty Four Seven (1997) A Room for Romeo Brass (1999) Shane's World (2000) Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002) Dead Man's Shoes (2004) Northern Soul (Short) (2004) The Stairwell (Short) (2005) This Is England (2006) Somers Town (2008) Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee (2009) This Is England '86 (2010) This Is England '88 (2011) This Is England '90 (2013)
Andrew Shim NoN NoN NoN NoN NoN NoN NoN
Vicky McClure NoN NoN NoN NoN NoN
Paddy Considine NoN NoN NoN NoN
Jo Hartley NoN NoN NoN NoN NoN
Thomas Turgoose NoN NoN NoN NoN
Perry Benson NoN NoN NoN NoN
Ladene Hall NoN NoN NoN NoN
George Newton NoN NoN NoN NoN
Frank Harper NoN NoN NoN
Stephen Graham NoN NoN NoN
Joe Gilgun NoN NoN NoN
Rosamund Hanson NoN NoN NoN
Chanel Cresswell NoN NoN NoN
Andrew Ellis NoN NoN NoN
Danielle Watson NoN NoN NoN
Kriss Dosanjh NoN NoN NoN
Michael Socha NoN NoN NoN
Hannah Walters NoN NoN NoN
Dena Smiles NoN NoN NoN
Mat Hand NoN NoN NoN
Jimmy Hynd NoN NoN NoN
Tanya Myers NoN NoN NoN
Ian Smith NoN NoN NoN
Bob Hoskins NoN NoN
Toby Kebbell NoN NoN
Seamus O'Neill NoN NoN
Emily Aston NoN NoN
Dominic Dillon NoN NoN
Matt Considine NoN NoN
Craig Considine NoN NoN
Dave Blant NoN NoN
Johann Myers NoN NoN
Darren O. Campbell NoN NoN
Tony Nyland NoN NoN
Anthony Clarke NoN NoN
Justin Brady NoN NoN

References [edit]

  1. ^ Louise Jury (24 April 2007). "Director who puts himself in the frame". London Evening Standard. ES London Ltd. Retrieved 24 January 2010. 
  2. ^ a b c Spencer, Neil; "Suburban guerrilla" Guardian.co.uk, 25 August 2002
  3. ^ Blacklock, Mark; "Cruel justice" Telegraph.co.uk, 6 October 2004
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ Metro, 4 July 2012: This Is England ’90 production halted for Shane Meadows' Stone Roses doc Retrieved 2012-08-30
  6. ^ Metro, 29 August 2012: This Is England star Chanel Cresswell admits 1990 update isn’t confirmed Retrieved 2012-08-30
  7. ^ a b Track by Richard Hawley, taken from his album Lady's Bridge.
  8. ^ "The Stairwell" was produced for the Nokia Shorts competition, 2005.
  9. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0793532/
  10. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0175916/
  11. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566049/
  12. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2129938/
  13. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0072610/
  14. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0366846/
  15. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1675336/
  16. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0355808/
  17. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0363857/
  18. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0318543/
  19. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0334318/
  20. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2580571/
  21. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2769760/
  22. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2596460/
  23. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1528691/
  24. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2648214/
  25. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2523072/

External links [edit]

Films directed by Shane Meadows
1990s
2000s
Short Films
  • Where's the Money, Ronnie? (1995)
  • Three Tears for Jimmy Prophet (1997)
  • Northern Soul (2004)
  • The Stairwell (2005)
Television
This Is England
Film
TV
People
See also
Authority control
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