Linda James
Film and Television Producer

Born in Swansea, South Wales, the fourth of five children, Linda graduated from York University in 1979 with a BA in History and Politics. She undertook postgraduate work in Business and Management Studies and worked briefly in advertising before entering television production in 1981. Following her success as producer of the multi-award-winning period drama series, ‘Joni Jones’, for S4C at the age of 23, Linda co-founded Red Rooster Films with director Stephen Bayly.

Red Rooster Film & Television Entertainment Ltd

Chief Executive 1982-1998

With Linda as Chief Executive and Managing Director, Red Rooster became one of the most successful and prolific drama production companies in the UK independent sector.

During her 16 years tenure, Red Rooster made 12 prestige drama series, 5 TV movies, 2 feature films, 2 documentary series and 3 documentary specials. Linda initiated and produced over 50 hours of drama for the company qualifying her as one of the most experienced drama producers in the UK. She additionally headed up a distribution activity within Red Rooster, enjoying excellent relations with international buyers and broadcasters to whom she successfully licensed Red Rooster programming, and from whom she secured production finance.

During this time Red Rooster became a joint-venture with Chrysalis Plc, and in 1994 Chrysalis acquired the remaining 50% with Linda remaining as Chief Executive for a further 4 years. In 1998 Linda left Red Rooster and joined forces with Roger Holmes (formerly of the legal firm Edmonds Bowen) to float a new film and television production and film sales company, Alibi Communications Plc.

Alibi Communications Plc (renamed Coolabi Plc)

MD of the company’s television division, Alibi Productions 1999-2003

Main Board Director 1999 - to present

Alibi Communications Plc was successfully floated on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in June 1999. Under Linda’s four year leadership of the television division, Alibi Productions produced over 25 hours of network drama including two prime-time series, an original TV comedy film, a two-part thriller, and two series of a BAFTA award-winning and INDIE award-winning children’s comedy.

In July 2003 she left to set up a new film company, Sly Fox Films. She remains a non-executive director and shareholder in Coolabi Plc.

Sly Fox Films (Consultancy Services & Production)

(September 2003 - current)

Sly Fox Films reunites Linda James with Stephen Bayly, with whom she so successfully co-founded Red Rooster Films, to produce feature films and to provide consultancy and advisory services to the Creative Industries.

Since April 2005 Linda has been fund managing the Welsh Assembly Government’s £7m Wales Creative IP Fund, helping to source and structure film, television and new media investments. In this capacity, Linda is executive producing a slate of film and television investments for the IP Fund, including Peter Greenaway’s ‘Nightwatching’ and David Howard’s ‘Flick’.

As producer, Linda is in development with BBC Films on SLATEHEAD, an adaptation by Tim May of the autobiographies of extreme rock climber Paul Pritchard and she is executive producing Stephen Bayly’s adaptation of Helen Oyeyemi’s supernatural novel THE ICARUS GIRL which is being developed with support from Media and which Stephen will direct.

Additional Information

Linda is Chair of the Children’s Film and Television Foundation and is a Trustee of the NFTS (National Film and Television School), chaired by Michael Kuhn. She also sits on the Boards of Screen South (chaired by Graham Benson) for the UK Film Council, the South East Media Network (chaired by Nigel Hartnell) for SEEDA, and the Wales Creative IP Fund (chaired by Clive Jones).

Linda was a Governor of the BFI (1991-95) under the Chairmanships of Lord Attenborough and Jeremy Thomas; Advisory Chair of the Edinburgh International Television Festival in 1992; a Member of Council on the British Screen Advisory Council and a Governor of the National Film and Television School (1993-97) under the Chairmanships of Lord Puttnam and David Elstein. Linda also sat on the Independent Production Training Fund for PACT (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television) from 1998-2004 and on BAFTA Council (The British Academy for Film and Television Arts) from 2001-06 and was Chair of BAFTA’s Children’s Committee. Linda was a founder member of the advisory board of Sheffield’s Showcomotion Kids Conference (under the Chairmanship of Anna Home).

Regularly invited to contribute to debates within the television industry, Linda has taught courses on low budget film-making for the Short Course Unit of the NFTS, and has sat on juries for the International Emmy’s, BAFTA, Women in Film, the Royal Television Society and the BFI. Linda has been honoured with many awards, as listed in the credits below.

LINDA JAMES

Individual Producer Credits and Awards

FEATURE FILMS

(as producer)

JUST ASK FOR DIAMOND A Red Rooster Film for Coverstop Film Finances, The Children’s Film and TV Foundation and British Screen. Starring Suzannah York and Patricia Hodge. Director: Stephen Bayly. Producer: Linda James. Screenwriter: Anthony Horowitz. Theatric Release by Twentieth Century Fox.

Awards: ‘Best Adventure Film’ Moscow Film Festival.

COMING UP ROSES A Red Rooster Film for S4C. Director: Stephen Bayly. Producer: Linda James. Screenwriter: Ruth Carter. UK Theatric Release by Mainline Pictures, US Theatric Release by Skouras Pictures, German release by Pandora.

Awards: ‘Un Certain Regard’ Cannes Film Festival. ‘‘Le Pierrot d’Or’ at the International Festival of Comedy, Switzerland; and the ‘Special Jury Prize’ at the Chicago International Film Festival.

FEATURE FILMS
(as executive producer)

BIG NOTHING A Pathe Productions and Ingenious Film Partner’s in association with Isle of Man and the Wales Creative IP Fund of an Andras Hamori Production. Producer: Andras Harmori. Screenwriter/director: Jean-Baptiste Andrea. Starring David Shwimmer, Simon Pegg and Alice Eve.

NIGHTWATCHING Content Film International, the Wales Creative IP Fund and the UK Film Council present in association with No Equal Entertainment, Yeti Films and Gremi Film Production SA, A Kees Kasander Production of Peter Greenaway Film in co-production with Piotr Mularuk and Magda Napieracz Yeti Films and Christine Haebler Nithtwatching Productions and Carlo Dusi Kasander (Nightwatching) Ltd. Starring Martin Freeman, Eva Birthistle, Jodhi May, Emily Holmes and Natalie Press. Director/Screenplay: Peter Greenaway. Producer: Kees Kasander. Executive Producers: Linda James, Jamie Carmichael, Paul Trijbits.

FLICK The Wales Creative IP Fund, The Film Agency for Wales and Barcud Derwen present a Monster Films Production. Director: David Howard. Producer: Rik Hall. Executive Producers: Pippa Cross, Linda James, Pauline Burt, Bryn Roberts.

TELEVISION MOVIES

GOODBYE MR STEADMAN A comedy film for ITV. Starring Caroline Quentin, Robert Bathurst, John Gordon Sinclair and Lenny Henry. Director: Sandy Johnson. Producers: Linda James & Vicky Licorish. Writer: Lenny Barker.

BEYONDFEAR Launch-night film for Channel 5. Starring Gina McKee. Director: Jenny Wilkes. Producer: Jill Green. Exec Producers: Stephen Frears and Linda James. Writer: Don Shaw.

Awards: . Jury’s Special Award 13^th World TV Festival,

Japan

Certificate of Merit at Chicago Film Festival. Best TV Movie at BANFF.

THE WORKS 75 minute film for S4C/ Channel 4. Starring Dyfydd Hywel.

Director: Stephen Bayly. Producer: Linda James. Writer: Ruth Carter.

AND PIGS MIGHT FLY 75 minute film for S4C.

Director: Stephen Bayly. Producer: Linda James. Writer: Ruth Carter.

Awards: Celtic Film Festival ‘Spirit of the Festival’ prize. Inter Celtic Festival, Lorient ‘First Prize’. International Film Festival for Children and Young People, Gijon, Spain. ‘Premio Pelayo’ at Chicago International Festival for Children and Young People.

PRIME-TIME DRAMA SERIES

THE SAFE HOUSE 2 X 90 minute contemporary thriller for ITV. Starring Geraldine Somerville, Kelly Reilly and Robert Bathurst. Director: Simon Massey. Producer: Linda James. Co-producer: Joanna Anderson. Writer: David Pirie.

WITHOUT MOTIVE 1 & 2 Two series of 6 x 1 hour drama serial for ITV, in association with United Productions. Starring Ross Kemp, Kenneth Cranham and Jamie Foreman. Writer: Russell Lewis. Producers: Chris Clough & Chris Kelly. Executive Producers: Linda James, Tim Vaughan and Michelle Buck.

HEAVEN ON EARTH 2 x 90 minute contemporary thriller for BBC. Starring Neil Pearson and Geraldine Somerville. Director: Stuart Orme. Producer: Julia Ouston. Executive Producer: Linda James. Writer: Adrian Hodges.

WILDERNESS 3 x 1 hour drama serial for Carlton Television, ITV Network. Director: Ben Bolt. Producer: Tim Vaughan. Executive Producers: Linda James and Jane Tranter. Writers: Andrew Davis and Bernadette Davies.

Awards: Silver Spire at the San Francisco Festival.

Silver Plaque at the 30^th World Fest, Houston International Festival.

CROCODILE SHOES 7 x 1 hour contemporary drama serial. A Big Boy/Red Rooster co-production for BBC TV. Starring Jimmy Nail and James Wilby. Directors: David Richards, Rob Knights and Malcolm Mowbray. Executive Producers: Jimmy Nail, Linda James and Jen Samson. Writer: Jimmy Nail.

Awards: BAFTA Nomination for Music Score. Ivor Novello Nomination.

THE SCULPTRESS 4 x 1 hour contemporary thriller serial for the BBC. Starring Pauline Quirke and Caroline Goodall. Director: Stuart Orme. Producers: Julia Ouston and Linda James. Writer: Reg Gadney.

Awards: BAFTA nomination for best actress, Pauline Quirke.

Writers Guild Nomination for Best Adaptation.

RTS Nomination for Music Score and also Sound Design.

Gold Spire at the San Francisco Festival.

Best Series & Best Actress for Pauline Quirke at FIPA, France.

Bronze medal at The New York Festival.

Silver Plaque at The Chicago International Film Festival.

Nominated for the Edgar Allen Poe award for Mystery.

BODY AND SOUL 6 x 1 hour drama serial for Carlton Television. Starring Kristen Scott-Thomas. Director: Moira Armstrong. Executive Producers: Linda James, Jenny Reeks. Writers: Jill Hyem & Paul Hines.

Awards: BAFTA Nomination for Best Drama Serial.

Writer’s Guild Award Nomination for Best Adaptation.

Silver Hugo (Mini-series category), Chicago International Film Festival.

Gold Plaque (Female Actress category), Chicago International Film Festival.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HENRY PRATT 4 x 1 hour comedy drama series for Granada TV. Director: Adrian Shergold. Writer: David Nobbs. Producer: Jenny Reeks. Executive Producers: Linda James and Sally Head.

Awards: BAFTA Nomination for Editing.

FAMILY & CHILDREN’S DRAMA SERIES

SIR GADABOUT - Series 1 & 2 Comedy drama series for Children’s ITV. Lead writer: Alex Williams. Producer: Lucy Goodman. Directors: Ian Emes and Jim Shields. Executive Producers: Linda James and Roger Holmes.

Awards: INDIE Award for ‘Best Children’s Programme of the Year’. BAFTA Nominated for ‘Best Children’s Drama’, and BAFTA Winner for ‘Best Writer’.

SAMSON SUPERSLUG - Series 1 & 2 Comedy/animation series for ITV. Director: Francis Lea. Producer: Jill Green. Executive Producer: Linda James

SMOKESCREEN 6 x 1 hour family drama serial for the BBC. Director: Giancarlo Gemin. Producer: Jill Green. Executive Producers: Linda James and Anna Home. Writer: James Andrew Hall

THE GIFT 6 x 25 minute children’s series for the BBC. Directors: Marc Evans and Red Saunders. Producer: Linda James. Writer: Anthony Horowitz.

Awards: 2^nd Prize, Best Live Action Feature, Chicago Children’s Film Festival.

BAFTA Nomination (Wales), Best Contribution to Family Entertainment.

JONI JONES 5 x 30 minute children’s series for S4C. Director: Stephen Bayly. Writer: Ruth Carter. Producer: Linda James

Awards: International Film Festival for Children and Young People, Gijon, Spain ‘Premio Pelayo’. Chicago International Festival of Children’s Film ‘Best Children’s Television Production, Series’.

KERSPLAT! 10-part sketch/comedy series for Channel 4. Director: Ian Emes and Joanna Hogg. Writers: Robin Lyons and Andrew Offiler. Producer: Non Morris. Executive Producer: Linda James.

For further details please contact:

Sly Fox Films

The Far Barn,

Foxhole Lane,

CRANBROOK

Kent TN18 5NJ

T: 01580 752839

E: info@slyfoxfilms.com 20 March 2007