Kirk Jones (director)
Encyclopedia
Kirk Jones is an English
film director
and screenwriter
.
Kirk Jones grew up in Long Ashton, Bristol and attended Newport Film School from 1985–87, specializing in directing drama and television commercials. He graduated in 1987 after winning a National Student Film award and started to work for a London based production company as a production runner and later as assistant film editor.
Whilst working in the cutting room, he continued to write and direct his own films and, after collecting a Silver award at the Creative Circle Awards for his Mercedes commercial in 1990, he was invited to join Xenium Productions as a director.
His Absolute Vodka film, which he wrote and directed was awarded a Silver in 1991 and Kirk began directing commercials full time in London and Europe, working for agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, Bartle, Bogle and Hegarty and Mother.
Kirk’s producer, Glynis Murray set up Tomboy Films in 1991 and he joined her soon after. Awards at NABS in ‘94 and a Silver at the Creative Circle Awards followed and Kirk continued to direct commercials for clients including The National Lottery, National Westminster Bank, Reebok, & HSBC.
His campaign for Heinz won a Silver Lion at Cannes in ’96 (Best Campaign) and his Reebok campaign won awards at both The Creative Circle and the British TV Advertising Awards in ‘98.
Kirk was nominated for a BAFTA as ‘Best Newcomer’ in 1999 for his first feature film WAKING NED, which he both wrote and directed.
Proportionate to budget Waking Ned was the second highest grossing film in the world that year (behind ‘The Blairwitch Project’) and won awards in the U.S and Europe. These included: New York Comedy Film Festival for Best Feature, Grand Jury and Critics Prize for Best Feature at Comedy d’Alp in France and Audience Award for Best Feature at Paris Film Festival.
In 2004 Kirk directed his second feature film NANNY MCPHEE for ‘Working Title’ and ‘Universal Pictures’. Starring Emma Thompson and Colin Firth, it was a top ten highest grossing film in the UK with $30m and took $135m worldwide.
In 2008 Kirk wrote and directed his third film EVERYBODY’S FINE. Starring Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell, it is an adaptation of an Italian film and was released through Miramax 2009 and Disney worldwide in 2010.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
.
Kirk Jones grew up in Long Ashton, Bristol and attended Newport Film School from 1985–87, specializing in directing drama and television commercials. He graduated in 1987 after winning a National Student Film award and started to work for a London based production company as a production runner and later as assistant film editor.
Whilst working in the cutting room, he continued to write and direct his own films and, after collecting a Silver award at the Creative Circle Awards for his Mercedes commercial in 1990, he was invited to join Xenium Productions as a director.
His Absolute Vodka film, which he wrote and directed was awarded a Silver in 1991 and Kirk began directing commercials full time in London and Europe, working for agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, Bartle, Bogle and Hegarty and Mother.
Kirk’s producer, Glynis Murray set up Tomboy Films in 1991 and he joined her soon after. Awards at NABS in ‘94 and a Silver at the Creative Circle Awards followed and Kirk continued to direct commercials for clients including The National Lottery, National Westminster Bank, Reebok, & HSBC.
His campaign for Heinz won a Silver Lion at Cannes in ’96 (Best Campaign) and his Reebok campaign won awards at both The Creative Circle and the British TV Advertising Awards in ‘98.
Kirk was nominated for a BAFTA as ‘Best Newcomer’ in 1999 for his first feature film WAKING NED, which he both wrote and directed.
Proportionate to budget Waking Ned was the second highest grossing film in the world that year (behind ‘The Blairwitch Project’) and won awards in the U.S and Europe. These included: New York Comedy Film Festival for Best Feature, Grand Jury and Critics Prize for Best Feature at Comedy d’Alp in France and Audience Award for Best Feature at Paris Film Festival.
In 2004 Kirk directed his second feature film NANNY MCPHEE for ‘Working Title’ and ‘Universal Pictures’. Starring Emma Thompson and Colin Firth, it was a top ten highest grossing film in the UK with $30m and took $135m worldwide.
In 2008 Kirk wrote and directed his third film EVERYBODY’S FINE. Starring Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell, it is an adaptation of an Italian film and was released through Miramax 2009 and Disney worldwide in 2010.
Filmography
- What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012)What to Expect When You're Expecting (film)What to Expect When You're Expecting is an upcoming film directed by Kirk Jones from a screenplay by Shauna Cross and based on the book of the same name. It stars an ensemble cast of Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Chris Rock, Brooklyn Decker, Jennifer Lopez, Rodrigo Santoro, Cameron Diaz, Rob...
- Everybody's Fine (2009)
- Nanny McPheeNanny McPheeNanny McPhee is a 2005 fantasy film starring Emma Thompson and Colin Firth. Thompson also wrote the screenplay, which is adapted from Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books.-Plot:...
(2005) - Waking NedWaking NedWaking Ned is a 1998 comedy film by English writer and director Kirk Jones. It stars Ian Bannen, David Kelly and Fionnula Flanagan. Kelly was nominated for a Screen Actors' Guild award for his role as Michael O'Sullivan. The film is set in Ireland but was filmed on location in the Isle of Man...
(1998)
Awards
- 1998 Critic's choice Award (Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival) for Waking Ned
- 1998 Best Feature Award (New York Comedy Festival) for Waking Ned
- 1999 Sir Tim Award (Marco Island Film Festival) for Waking Ned
- 1999 Public Prize (Paris Film Festival)for Waking Ned
- 2000 Guild Film Award - Gold (Guild of German Art House Cinemas) for Waking Ned