About Me
“Bren’s influence and drive taught me how to navigate the pre-production, directing process and post production stages of my short film, teaching me several lessons that have stayed with me throughout my filmmaking career.”
Robert Osman, writer director High Tide.
“Bren Simson was absolutely instrumental in teaching me how to successfully tell a visual story. As a development producer, I use the skills Bren taught me on a daily basis.”
Sarah Durham, Senior Development Producer, Pioneer Productions.
“I loved working with Bren at film school. She was one of those refreshingly, “tell as it is” teachers that genuinely prepared us for the world beyond the classroom. She also had a sharp eye when it came to preparing a screenplay for the brutal reality of filming.”
Marcus Markou , writer director Papadopoulos & Sons.
As a director and as a trainer, I have a blend of both skills and experience. There are three areas of expertise on which I can draw.
More than 25 years as a director in television drama. Just out of Film School, I spent 6 months as one of the first directors on Brookside, the C4 cutting-edge serial. Other credits in high-end drama followed including the lead director on Medics (ITV), as well as episodes of The Bill (ITV), Making Out (BBC), London Bridge (ITV) and Pressgang (ITV).
I have been actively involved in developing many exciting storytelling projects including Diverse Reports, the influential C4 current affairs programme, where I was hired to shape the overall presentation, week by week. Drama documentary projects include Addicted to Murder on Harold Shipman in Trail of Guilt, a BBC forensic science series and the opening episode of the C4 Alive series, A Boy in the Cave and a re-construction of the Paddington Rail Disaster.
Ten years as a tutor at the Metfilm School. I spent five years as Head of Short Film Production and then Head of Directing. I was also a trainer in single camera drama for the BBC Academy. I am currently a visiting lecturer at the Arts University Bournemouth. My experience in designing courses and running workshops led to being commissioned by The Crowood Press to write Storytelling for Directors: From Script to Screen.
A long apprenticeship in visual storytelling. I started out as a stills photographer and then as an assistant film editor in the cutting rooms of BBC Bristol and Cardiff. A place at The National Film School offered me a unique opportunity to become a filmmaker. There I learnt from the best including the inspirational teaching of Alexander Mackendrick. My films News from Nowhere and Borderline were shown at the Edinburgh and London Film Festivals.
