Lesley Manning
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikitia's general notability guideline. |
Lesley Manning | |
|---|---|
| Add a Photo | |
| Born | Wales |
| Occupation |
|
| Alma mater | National Film and Theatre School |
| Genre | Drama |
| Years active | 1987–present |
Lesley Manning is a British film, television, and theatre[1] director best known for directing the BBC Screen One drama special, Ghostwatch (BBC One 1992) which aired to an audience of 11.07 million viewers, later regarded as both groundbreaking and a cult favourite amongst TV and genre fans.[2]
Early life and work
Lesley Manning was born in Tenby, Wales. During her time at art college, she honed her skills in film direction and film editing, working for Thames TV, and later the BBC. She also served as a technician on Black Jack for Ken Loach.[3]
Ghostwatch
On Hallowe'en Night 1992, the BBC aired Ghostwatch, a supernatural special drama directed by Manning which unconventionally took the guise of a live television event. Due to the media furore[4] that followed in the wake of the programme's first (and, to-date, only) transmission, immediate reaction to the production seemed polarised, but as time passed, a cult audience grew online. The drama is often cited as being an inspiration for other popular examples of the Found Footage and Cinéma vérité genres, including Oren Peli's Paranormal Activity.[5]
Reflecting upon the programme's lasting popularity, in 2012, Manning co-produced and edited the retrospective documentary, Ghostwatch: Behind the Curtains which was released to mark the programme's Twentieth Anniversary.[6]
Other work
In 1995, Manning directed two episodes of the BBC serial Ghosts (1995 British TV series), produced by Ruth Baumgarten, with one episode written by Ghostwatch writer, Stephen Volk. Amongst other works, Manning later directed episodes of Berkeley Square, and Drovers' Gold.[7]
In 2011, she wrote and directed Leila, starring Chloë Annett whom herself won the Best Actress award at the London Independent Film Festival for her performance.[8]
Manning is also a directing tutor at National Film and Television School,[9] and is listed in the "Thanks Also To" section of the closing credits for Aardman Animation's A Grand Day Out.[10]
Selected Filmography
Films
| Years | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Another Side of London | Thames TV |
| 1992 | My Sisterwife | Screen Two |
| 1992 | Ghostwatch | Screen One |
| 1995 | Ghosts | Two episodes |
| 1997 | Drovers' Gold | Three episodes |
| 1998 | Berkley Square | Two episodes |
| 2006 | The Story of Tracy Beaker | Five episodes |
| 2013 | Honeycomb Lodge | Winner: Best Film NRI, Delhi International Film Festival |
| 2017 | Curtain Call | Winner: Best Short Film, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival |
Personal life
She and her husband Andy, an animator, both live in West London. She is the mother of Molly Manning Walker, a cinematographer, and director.
References
- ↑ Lesley Manning. "Lesley Manning Homepage - Theatre". Lesley Manning. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ Rebecca Woods (2017-10-30). "Ghostwatch: The BBC spoof that duped a nation". BBC News. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ Lewis Arnold. "Lesley Manning". Directors Now. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ Adam Curtis (2011-12-22). "The ghosts in the living room". BBC. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ George Bass (2022-10-31). "Ghostwatch interview: Writer of cult paranormal TV show tells all". New Scientist. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ Lawman Productions. "Lawman Productions homepage". Lawman Productions. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ "Lesley Manning IMDb page". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ Andrew Ellard (2011-07-01). "Best Actress Award For Leila". reddwarf.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ National Film and Television School. "NFTS Tutors Listing". National Film and Television School. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ @Ghostwatch (2020-10-26). "@Ghostwatch Tweet". Ghostwatch: Behind the Curtains. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
External links
This article "Lesley Manning" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.