Simon Tatum,Producer/Director

Simon Tatum

Producer/Director, Producer/Director (Self-shooting)

About Simon Tatum

I'm an award-winning PD, originally from London but currently living in LA with a Green Card.

For more than a decade I've worked extensively as a Producer and Director in ob-doc, factual entertainment and reality for National Geographic, Discovery, Animal Planet, TLC, BBC, Channel 4, History, Comedy Central and many more.

I'm hugely passionate about emotionally engaging storytelling focused on people and have spent

I'm an award-winning PD, originally from London but currently living in LA with a Green Card.

For more than a decade I've worked extensively as a Producer and Director in ob-doc, factual entertainment and reality for National Geographic, Discovery, Animal Planet, TLC, BBC, Channel 4, History, Comedy Central and many more.

I'm hugely passionate about emotionally engaging storytelling focused on people and have spent more than a decade honing that skill. I'm very used to working with difficult contributors under intense time constraints. Whether it's filming tribes in the heart of the Amazon, tracking wolves across the Rockies, or chasing gypsies around the US for TLC, I'm not easily intimidated (once you've filmed with gypsies it turns out you can pretty much handle anything...)

I work incredibly well under pressure and am able to identify and deliver emotionally complex stories in a short time frame. I love nothing more than embedding myself in the contributors lives and finding the most exciting and emotionally impactful way to tell their story.

I also work extensively as a screenwriter and have both film and TV projects set up at various studios and production companies both in the UK and the US.

Credits

MONSTROUS!

( Jan 2023 - Mar 2023 )

Black Circle Pictures

Producer/Director (Self-shooting)

DANCING WITH THE STARS

( Sep 2022 - Dec 2022 )

Disney Plus

Producer/Director (Self-shooting)

GOOGLE COMMERCIALS (Various)

( Sep 2021 - Sep 2022 )

REDWOOD BBDO

Director

IMPOSSIBLE ENGINEERING

( Jun 2021 - Aug 2021 )

Two Four Studios

Producer/Director

FOLLOW THE FOOD Series 3

( Feb 2021 - Jun 2021 )

Two Four Studios

Producer/Director

KILLERS OF THE COSMOS

( Nov 2020 - Dec 2020 )

Wall to Wall

Producer/Director

FOLLOW THE FOOD

( Sep 2020 - Nov 2020 )

BBC

Producer/Director

VARIOUS

( Sep 2019 - Oct 2020 )

PING PONG PRODUCTIONS

Head of Development

CENTRALIA

( Apr 2018 - Present )

Pilgrim Studios

Director

The Pioneer Woman

( July 2019 - Aug 2019 )

Pacific Television Productions

Producer/Director

Equipment

Canon XF305
Full Audio kit: Sennheiser Radio Mics/Shotgun/Boom

Additional Information

Industries

Commercials, Corporate, Film, Mobile Content, TV

Programme Types

Arts, Biography, Business, Comedy, Commercial, Corporate, Current Affairs, Daytime, Documentary, Docusoap, Drama Reconstruction, Drama: Feature Film, Drama: Short Film, Drama: Television Serial, Dramatised Documentary, Historical Documentary, Investigative, Magazine, Music, Music Promo, Natural History, Observational Documentary, Reality TV, Science Fiction, Sitcom, Travel

Specialisms

Advertising, Arts, Cinema/Film, Comedy, Community, Corporate Films, Current Affairs, Disability/Special Needs, Drama, Environment, Final Cut Pro, Human Rights, Journalism, Location Filming, Mental Health, Music, Natural History, People Finding, Philosophy, Popular Culture, Programme Development, Programme Formatting, Psychology, Religion, Social Anthropology, Social Issues, Travel, Undercover Investigation, USA, Wildlife, Writing

Employment History

THE CENTRALIA PROJECT - PILGRIM STUDIOS:
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Feature documentary telling the story of Centralia, Pennsylvania and the remaining residents of this still burning ghost town.

OTTOMATIC - PAPER TOWN INC:
CO-WRITER/PRODUCER: Debut feature film of YouTube star Julian Smith. A comedy sci-fi epic

BAKING BAD - RAW TV/The Food Network:
CO-CREATOR/EXEC PRODUCER: Baking show

THE CENTRALIA PROJECT - PILGRIM STUDIOS:
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Feature documentary telling the story of Centralia, Pennsylvania and the remaining residents of this still burning ghost town.

OTTOMATIC - PAPER TOWN INC:
CO-WRITER/PRODUCER: Debut feature film of YouTube star Julian Smith. A comedy sci-fi epic

BAKING BAD - RAW TV/The Food Network:
CO-CREATOR/EXEC PRODUCER: Baking show with a difference, starring Michelin Starred pastry chef, Stephanie Boswell.

HOLIDAYS FROM HULL - DISCOVERY/RDF
SELF-SHOOTING PD - Documentary series that delves into the surprising travel habits of one the UK's poorest cities.

MY BIG FAT AMERICAN GYPSY WEDDING (Season 3 and 6) - TLC/Firecracker: PRODUCER/DIRECTOR (SHOOTER): Massively popular documentary series that goes inside the hidden world of American Gypsies.

DR. JEFF: ROCKY MOUNTAIN VET - ANIMAL PLANET:
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR (SHOOTER): on Observational-Documentary series following the life of renegade vet Jeffrey Young in the wilds of Colorado. Seasons 1 and 2 plus original sizzle reel/ proof of concept.

PIERS MORGAN'S LIFE STORIES - ITV:
DIRECTOR/DOP: Interviewing high-profile celebrities for the hit ITV show.

STAR WARS CHILDREN IN NEED SKETCH - BBC:
SEGMENT PD in collaboration with Lucas Film and Disney.

STREET GENIUS - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC:
DIRECTOR: Epic stunt-based science documentary series for Nat Geo. Sold worldwide.

VARIOUS PROJECTS - DOUBLE ACT PRODUCTIONS:
DEVELOPMENT PD: Various high-end Sizzle Reels/Proof of Concepts for documentary series in development.

VARIOUS PROJECTS - 3BM TV
DEVELOPMENT PRODUCER: Worked as part of the development team at this Emmy-winning production company.

NO TV AFTER MIDNIGHT - BLACK CIRCLE PICTURES :
WRITER/DIRECTOR: High-end horror film: When 8 year Elliot is told "No TV after midnight", he has to find out why...

Director/Producer: DAMN RIGHT, REBEL PROUD:
A dark journey inside the real heart of country music and the forgotten south with America's last rebel outlaw, Hank Williams III. Currently in production.

Director/Producer (US): RUDE TUBE October Films/Channel 4: Hugely successful 8 part series exploring the phenomenon of You Tube and the strange celebrity subculture it has created. Currently in it's 5th Seasonand sold for broadcast worldwide/

Director/Producer: THE LAST FREAK SHOW :October Films /Channel 4: An award-winning 30min film for Channel 4's 'First Cut' Strand that tells the story of Jeffrey Marshall, a musician born without arms or legs, who decided to explore his identity as a disabled performer by becoming the star attraction in the last remaining freak show in America.

Director/Producer: MY PRE-FAB DREAM HOME October Films/UK Living: 20 episode format property show following various people as they realise their life-long dreams of finally building their own homes.

Director/Producer: Into the Jungle: Stone Code Films: A documentary film exploring the work of Andira International and their work with tribes in the Ecuadorean Amazon.

Director: ANTHONY NOLAN UNIQUE MATCH EC1 Films: Seven films exploring the different aspects of The Anthony Nolan Trust, their work with Leukaemia research and the people involved.

Producer/Cam Op: NANOWORLD Purple Gold Media: A feature length documentary on the development and global impact of Nano Technology. Currently in production.

Assistant Producer: WEEKEND NAZIS BBC

Additional Photography NIGHT-EATERS (60mins, C5) October Films

Development AP: 3BM Television. Documentary Production Company. In house development team.

Producer: Promo: "TETRA SPLENDOUR: POLLEN FEVER" for EMI Records.Video Commisioner: Trudy Bellinger.

Producer(2nd Unit): Promo: "WHEATUS: WANNABE GANGSTAR" for Sony Music.

Nov 2004 - Nov 2005:

3rd Assistant Director TIM BURTON'S CORPSE BRIDE Warner Bros.

2002 -2004:

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (1st / 2nd Freelance) on various features, commercials, music videos for companies including ACADEMY, GODMAN, RSA, THOMAS THOMAS, VIRAL FACTORY, THERAPY FILMS, SPIRIT MEDIA, NATURAL NYLON, BLISS, SLIM PIX, GARRATTS.

2000 - 2002:

RUNNER on various features, commercials and music videos. See above for companies.

Equipment

Canon XF305
Full Audio kit: Sennheiser Radio Mics/Shotgun/Boom

Additional Information

Industries

Commercials, Corporate, Film, Mobile Content, TV

Programme Types

Arts, Biography, Business, Comedy, Commercial, Corporate, Current Affairs, Daytime, Documentary, Docusoap, Drama Reconstruction, Drama: Feature Film, Drama: Short Film, Drama: Television Serial, Dramatised Documentary, Historical Documentary, Investigative, Magazine, Music, Music Promo, Natural History, Observational Documentary, Reality TV, Science Fiction, Sitcom, Travel

Specialisms

Advertising, Arts, Cinema/Film, Comedy, Community, Corporate Films, Current Affairs, Disability/Special Needs, Drama, Environment, Final Cut Pro, Human Rights, Journalism, Location Filming, Mental Health, Music, Natural History, People Finding, Philosophy, Popular Culture, Programme Development, Programme Formatting, Psychology, Religion, Social Anthropology, Social Issues, Travel, Undercover Investigation, USA, Wildlife, Writing