Jon Sen
Encyclopedia
Jon Sen is a British television and film director and writer born in Bradford
in 1974.
Sen attended Bradford Grammar School
between the 1984 and 1992. He read Political Philosophy at Trinity College, Cambridge
and graduated in 1995. After training at ARTTS International
in Bubwith
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, he became an accomplished documentary editor between 1996 and 2000, editing landmark British documentary series including Secret History, Witness and The Real...
In 2000, Sen was awarded his first BBC drama commission to write and direct The Love Doctor. His second low budget television film, a short called Reignited was made for Channel 4
's Coming Up strand and met with critical success. In 2003, BAFTA award-winning producer Catherine Wearing employed Sen to direct Channel 4's £2 million flagship drama Second Generation starring Parminder Nagra
. Despite being a ratings flop, the drama was critically acclaimed. Nagra won an EMMA for her lead performance and the programme was named in the Observer's top ten television of 2003.
Sen continued to direct other big-budget dramas including Frances Tuesday starring Tamzin Outhwaite
and the popular Newcastle police drama, 55 Degrees North
(BBC1) starring Don Gilet
and Dervla Kirwan
. Frances Tuesday was a huge and much needed success for ITV. It was the highest rated single drama of 2004 and went on to sell in over 43 countries worldwide, cementing Outhwaite’s place as one of the most popular faces on British TV.
In May 2006, Sen completed Stan for BBC 4 about the final meeting between Stan Laurel
and Oliver Hardy
, starring Father Ted star Jim Norton
.
As a writer, his work includes 4.4.68, a radio play about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (part of the Sony Award winning 1968 season), an adaptation of the Thomas Hardy
novel Two on A Tower
and Vanunu: A Time To Be Heard a drama about the controversial interview between Mordechai Vanunu
and journalist Peter Hounam
.
Sen has also written for both TV and film and is an occasional contributor to newspapers and magazines, including The Independent
and The Times of India
.
He lives in South London.
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
in 1974.
Sen attended Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School is a co-educational, independent school in Frizinghall, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Headmaster, Stephen Davidson is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference . The school was founded in 1548 and granted its Charter by King Charles II in 1662...
between the 1984 and 1992. He read Political Philosophy at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
and graduated in 1995. After training at ARTTS International
ARTTS International
ARTTS International was a multi-discipline film, television, radio and stage training centre in Bubwith, East Riding of Yorkshire, England established by John Sichel in 1990...
in Bubwith
Bubwith
Bubwith is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The village is situated about north east of Selby, and north of Goole. It is situated on the east bank of the River Derwent, west of which is the Selby district of North Yorkshire...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, he became an accomplished documentary editor between 1996 and 2000, editing landmark British documentary series including Secret History, Witness and The Real...
In 2000, Sen was awarded his first BBC drama commission to write and direct The Love Doctor. His second low budget television film, a short called Reignited was made for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's Coming Up strand and met with critical success. In 2003, BAFTA award-winning producer Catherine Wearing employed Sen to direct Channel 4's £2 million flagship drama Second Generation starring Parminder Nagra
Parminder Nagra
Parminder Kaur Nagra is an English actress of Indian descent. She came to international prominence in 2002 after starring in Bend It Like Beckham. She starred as Dr. Neela Rasgotra in the Emmy Award-winning American medical drama series ER for six years until the series ended on 2 April 2009...
. Despite being a ratings flop, the drama was critically acclaimed. Nagra won an EMMA for her lead performance and the programme was named in the Observer's top ten television of 2003.
Sen continued to direct other big-budget dramas including Frances Tuesday starring Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Maria Outhwaite is an award-winning English actress. She became known for her role as Melanie Owen in the British soap opera EastEnders, whom she portrayed from 1998 until 2002.-Early career:...
and the popular Newcastle police drama, 55 Degrees North
55 Degrees North
55 Degrees North is a BBC television drama series starring Don Gilet as DS Nicky Cole, a London detective relocated to Newcastle upon Tyne after exposing police corruption. Dervla Kirwan co-stars as Claire Maxwell, an ambitious solicitor....
(BBC1) starring Don Gilet
Don Gilet
Don Gilet is a British actor, best known for his roles in BBC productions Babyfather, EastEnders and 55 Degrees North. Don's surname is actually pronounced 'Gillit' but takes the stage name 'Jillay'.-Personal life:...
and Dervla Kirwan
Dervla Kirwan
Dervla Kirwan is an Irish actress famous for roles in British television shows such as Ballykissangel and Goodnight Sweetheart...
. Frances Tuesday was a huge and much needed success for ITV. It was the highest rated single drama of 2004 and went on to sell in over 43 countries worldwide, cementing Outhwaite’s place as one of the most popular faces on British TV.
In May 2006, Sen completed Stan for BBC 4 about the final meeting between Stan Laurel
Stan Laurel
Arthur Stanley "Stan" Jefferson , better known as Stan Laurel, was an English comic actor, writer and film director, famous as the first half of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy. His film acting career stretched between 1917 and 1951 and included a starring role in the Academy Award winning film...
and Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted nearly 30 years, from 1927 to 1955.-Early life:...
, starring Father Ted star Jim Norton
Jim Norton (actor)
Jim Norton is an Irish character actor.-Performances:Jim Norton has been acting for over forty years in theatre, television, and movies, and frequently plays clergymen, most notably Bishop Brennan in the sitcom Father Ted, as well as in The Sweeney , Peak Practice , Sunset Heights , A Love Divided...
.
As a writer, his work includes 4.4.68, a radio play about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (part of the Sony Award winning 1968 season), an adaptation of the Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy, OM was an English novelist and poet. While his works typically belong to the Naturalism movement, several poems display elements of the previous Romantic and Enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural.While he regarded himself primarily as a...
novel Two on A Tower
Two on a Tower
Two on a Tower is a novel by English author Thomas Hardy, classified by him as a romance and fantasy and now regarded as one of his minor works. The book is one of Hardy’s Wessex novels, set in a parallel version of late Victorian Dorset.-Epigraph:...
and Vanunu: A Time To Be Heard a drama about the controversial interview between Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu
Mordechai Vanunu ; is a former Israeli nuclear technician who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 1986. He was subsequently lured to Italy by a Mossad agent, where he was drugged and kidnapped by...
and journalist Peter Hounam
Peter Hounam
Peter Hounam is a British journalist who has worked for Sunday Times, The Mirror, the London Evening Standard, and BBC Television, as well as having published several books:...
.
Sen has also written for both TV and film and is an occasional contributor to newspapers and magazines, including The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
and The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
.
He lives in South London.
External links
- http://www.jonsen.infoJon Sen Portfolio, created by Adam JenningsAdam JenningsAdam Jennings is a British actor, producer and film director best known for his theatre work. He was born in Rochford, England....
' company Red Box New Media] - A Passage to India (Part II) Jon Sen article in The Independent 2003
- Homeward Bound Interview with Jon Sen 2003
- Nobody owns a nation's culture Jon Sen article The Times of India 2009