Shane Meadows is an
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
film directorA 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:...
,
screenwriterScreenwriters 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:...
, occasional
actorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and BAFTA winner.
Background
Meadows grew up in the Westlands Road area of
UttoxeterUttoxeter is a historic market town in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. The current population is approximately 13,711, though new developments in the town will increase this figure. Uttoxeter lies close to the River Dove and is near the cities of Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and...
,
StaffordshireStaffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. 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. He attended Picknalls First School, Oldfields Hall Middle School and
Thomas Alleyne's High SchoolThomas Alleyne's High School is a secondary school in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England. It is one of three schools founded in 1558 from the will of Thomas Alleyne. It has four different coloured houses: Elkes , Orme , Torrance and Whitmore...
. 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
NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
when he was 20. While living in the
SneintonSneinton is a south-eastern suburb of Nottingham, England. The area is bounded by Carlton to the north, Colwick to the south, Meadow Lane to the southwest and Bakersfield to the east.-Description:...
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
Meadows enrolled on a Performing Arts course at
Burton CollegeBurton and South Derbyshire College is a further education college located in Burton upon Trent in England. Early in 2011 the college was renamed Burton & South Derbyshire College.-Courses:...
, where he first met friend and future collaborator
Paddy ConsidinePatrick George "Paddy" Considine is an English actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, musician and frequent collaborator with Shane Meadows. Best known to audiences for his portrayals of dark, troubled, morally or mentally ambiguous characters...
. Amongst other things, they formed the band
She Talks To AngelsShe Talks to Angels was a short-lived, early 1990s indie band from Burton upon Trent in East Staffordshire, formed at Burton Technical College....
(inspired by a Black Crowes song
of the same name"She Talks to Angels" is a song by the rock band The Black Crowes. It is the eighth track on their 1990 debut album Shake Your Money Maker and was released as the album's fourth single. The song made it to 30 on the US Hot 100...
), with Meadows as vocalist and Considine as drummer. Lead guitarist in She Talks To Angels was
Nick HemmingNicholas 'Nick' Hemming is a British musician and guitarist, formerly of early 1990s indie band She Talks To Angels with actor Paddy Considine, film director Shane Meadows and bassist Richard Eaton....
, who was also a member of
the TelescopesThe Telescopes were formed in 1987 by Stephen Lawrie and could best be described as a noise/space rock band - the Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3 being influences and contemporaries.-History:...
and now fronts
the Leisure SocietyThe Leisure Society is a band formed by Nick Hemming, formerly of early 1990s indie band She Talks To Angels which included actor Paddy Considine, film director Shane Meadows and bassist Richard Eaton. Hemming wrote and performed music for the films A Room for Romeo Brass and Dead Man's Shoes...
.
The vast majority of Meadows' films have been set in the
MidlandsThe Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
area. They recall the
kitchen sink realismKitchen sink realism is a term coined to describe a British cultural movement which developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in theatre, art, novels, film and television plays, whose 'heroes' usually could be described as angry young men...
of filmmakers such as
Ken LoachKenneth "Ken" Loach is a Palme D'Or winning English film and television director.He is known for his naturalistic, social realist directing style and for his socialist beliefs, which are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as homelessness , labour rights and child abuse at the...
and
Mike LeighMichael "Mike" Leigh, OBE is a British writer and director of film and theatre. He studied theatre at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and studied further at the Camberwell School of Art and the Central School of Art and Design. He began as a theatre director and playwright in the mid 1960s...
, with a post-modern twist. He has a relaxed directing style, encouraging the actors to ad lib in order to create a better sense of reality. Much of the content of his films is semi-autobiographical and based on his experiences in Uttoxeter.
Twenty Four SevenTwenty Four Seven is a 1997 film directed and written by Shane Meadows. It was co-written by frequent Meadows collaborator Paul Fraser.-Plot:In a typical English working-class town, the juveniles have nothing more to do than hang around in gangs...
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 BrassA Room for Romeo Brass is a 1999 comedy drama film directed and written by Shane Meadows. It was co-written by frequent Meadows collaborator Paul Fraser....
was also inspired by his youth. After Paul Fraser —
his best friend, neighbour and future writing partner — 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-Track listing:#"54-46 Was My Number" - Toots & The Maytals#"Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners#"Tainted Love" - Soft Cell#"Underpass/Flares" - Movie Dialogue From This Is England#"Nicole " - Gravenhurst...
.
His second feature-length film,
Twenty Four SevenTwenty Four Seven is a 1997 film directed and written by Shane Meadows. It was co-written by frequent Meadows collaborator Paul Fraser.-Plot:In a typical English working-class town, the juveniles have nothing more to do than hang around in gangs...
, won several awards at film festivals, including the
Douglas HickoxDouglas Hickox was an English film director. Hickox was born in London, where he was educated at Emanuel School. Hickox worked extensively as an assistant director and second unit director throughout the 50's and early 60's, making his first major picture in 1970...
award at the
British Independent Film AwardsThe Moët British Independent Film Awards is an annual award ceremony celebrating achievement in independently funded British film and cinema. Nominations and jury are announced at the beginning of November with the award ceremony taking place in late November or early December.-History:The British...
and Best Screenplay at the Thessaloniki Film Festival.
Dead Man's Shoes, his sixth film, and third starring
Paddy ConsidinePatrick George "Paddy" Considine is an English actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, musician and frequent collaborator with Shane Meadows. Best known to audiences for his portrayals of dark, troubled, morally or mentally ambiguous characters...
, was nominated for a
BAFTAThe British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
for Best British Film. His seventh film
This is England-Track listing:#"54-46 Was My Number" - Toots & The Maytals#"Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners#"Tainted Love" - Soft Cell#"Underpass/Flares" - Movie Dialogue From This Is England#"Nicole " - Gravenhurst...
, won the
British Independent Film Awards 2006The 9th British Independent Film Awards, held in November 2006 at the Hammersmith Palais, London, honoured the best British independent films of 2006.-Winners:*Best Actor:**Tony Curran - Red Road*Best Actress:**Katie Dickie - Red Road...
for best British independent film. Shane was presented with the award by
Sylvester StalloneMichael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
and used the occasion to announce that he was to be a father.
This is England-Track listing:#"54-46 Was My Number" - Toots & The Maytals#"Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners#"Tainted Love" - Soft Cell#"Underpass/Flares" - Movie Dialogue From This Is England#"Nicole " - Gravenhurst...
also won a
BAFTAThe British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
for Best British Film.
His shortest film,
The Stairwell, was shot on a
mobile phoneA mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
and is just 40 seconds long. It consists solely of a man and woman, played by Meadows regulars
Andrew ShimAndrew Shim is a British actor best known for his appearances in the films of Shane Meadows, especially This Is England.-Early life:...
and
Vicky McClureVicky McClure is a BAFTA-winning English actress best known for her work in the films of Shane Meadows. She played the title character's sister Ladine in A Room for Romeo Brass , and featured in Meadows's most successful film to date, This Is England...
, violently bumping into each other on a stairwell.
He is widely regarded as a big fan of
Notts County F.C.Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, with several references included in his films by way of imagery and background shots.
Feature films
- Small Time (1996)
- Twenty Four Seven
Twenty Four Seven is a 1997 film directed and written by Shane Meadows. It was co-written by frequent Meadows collaborator Paul Fraser.-Plot:In a typical English working-class town, the juveniles have nothing more to do than hang around in gangs...
(1997)
- A Room for Romeo Brass (1999)
- Once Upon a Time in the Midlands
Once Upon a Time in the Midlands is a 2002 film directed and co-written by Shane Meadows and set in an anonymous town in the Midlands. It was filmed on location in Nottingham.-Plot:...
(2002)
- Dead Man's Shoes (2004)
- This Is England
-Track listing:#"54-46 Was My Number" - Toots & The Maytals#"Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners#"Tainted Love" - Soft Cell#"Underpass/Flares" - Movie Dialogue From This Is England#"Nicole " - Gravenhurst...
(2006)
- Somers Town
Somers Town is a 2008 film directed by Shane Meadows, written by Paul Fraser and produced by Barnaby Spurrier. It stars Thomas Turgoose, Piotr Jagiello, Kate Dickie, Perry Benson, and Elisa Lasowski...
(2008)
- Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee
Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee is a 2009 British mock musical documentary film written and directed by Shane Meadows. It follows the fictional character of Le Donk, played by Paddy Considine, a roadie working for the Arctic Monkeys, and Scorzayzee, a young rapper playing himself.Similar in format to This...
(2009)
Short films
2007
- "Valentine" — promotional music video
- "Serious" — promotional music video
- "The Living Room" — documentary about musician Gavin Clark
2005
- "The Stairwell" (2005) [40 seconds]
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
- "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]
Television
- This Is England '86
This Is England '86 is a 2010 British drama series written by Shane Meadows and Jack Thorne. A spin-off from the 2006 film This Is England, and set three years later, it focuses on the mod revival scene rather than the skinhead subculture...
(2010) (four 60 minute episodes)
- This Is England '88 (2011) (three 60 minute episodes to air in December 2011)
External links