Al Lethbridge – Composer - Wildlife-film.com · Al Lethbridge – Composer ‘One of our busiest...

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Al Lethbridge – Composer ‘One of our busiest film and televison composers, Al’s music is fresh, exciting, and heartfelt. He is equally at home with an epic historical thriller, as with an intimate observational documentary. His scores display a powerful narrative intelligence, and he has a special talent for writing hauntingly beautiful melodies…Richard Paine Media Music Director at Faber Music. From wildlife to science fiction, history to contemporary drama, Al has scored the music for a multitude of film and television productions. High-profile shows include the BBC's ground breaking adventure series "Beyond Boundaries",Ch4’s "Day Of The Kamikaze” (nominated for a Grierson), "Anatomy For Beginners" (winner of two RTS Awards), and "Nuremburg: Goerings's Last Stand" - the winner of the 2007 Bafta Hugh Weldon Award. His qualities as a composer and collaborator have led to the formation of many successful and long term working relationships. A good example is found in his work with acclaimed drama-documentary director Peter Nicholson. His scores for Peter's films have now ranged anywhere from the epic themes for a fading empire in the Channel 4 Napoleonic War series "A World In Arms", to the up-to-the-minute tension music of the BBC's controversial and politically explosive "Last Flight to Kuwait". In a completely different direction, his credits number several films with a strong oceanic theme. For Al this is an area of total fascination that has been fed by first hand experiences at sea, sailing the 29ft "Snork Maiden" with his wife, film-maker Jenny Jones. Sea-going television highlights have so far included his score for the recent award winning BBC natural history film "Andrea: Queen Of Mantas", the BBC1 series "Pacific Abyss" and the award winning David Attenborough production, "Sharks The Truth". Jenny's speciality has been the filming of Great White Sharks, and with Al on board as composer, they have completed four shark documentaries that have been broadcast all over the world. In another sea influenced project, "The Navigator" Al has returned to his first love, the Spanish guitar, with an album exploring the moods and atmospheres he has experienced during voyages under sail. Always curious, keen to experiment with new sounds and colours, and not afraid to take risks, Al shows a consistent ability to uncover the emotion at the heart of a project, and translate this into fresh, exciting, and memorable music. It comes as no surprise that the BBC turns to his music time and again, and that he has been described as "..one of Channel 4's favourite composers..”

Transcript of Al Lethbridge – Composer - Wildlife-film.com · Al Lethbridge – Composer ‘One of our busiest...

Al Lethbridge – Composer ‘One of our busiest film and televison composers, Al’s music is fresh, exciting, and heartfelt. He is equally at home with an epic historical thriller, as with an intimate observational documentary. His scores display a powerful narrative intelligence, and he has a special talent for writing hauntingly beautiful melodies…’ Richard Paine Media Music Director at Faber Music. From wildlife to science fiction, history to contemporary drama, Al has scored the music for a multitude of film and television productions. High-profile shows include the BBC's ground breaking adventure series "Beyond Boundaries",Ch4’s "Day Of The Kamikaze” (nominated for a Grierson), "Anatomy For Beginners" (winner of two RTS Awards), and "Nuremburg: Goerings's Last Stand" - the winner of the 2007 Bafta Hugh Weldon Award. His qualities as a composer and collaborator have led to the formation of many successful and long term working relationships. A good example is found in his work with acclaimed drama-documentary director Peter Nicholson. His scores for Peter's films have now ranged anywhere from the epic themes for a fading empire in the Channel 4 Napoleonic War series "A World In Arms", to the up-to-the-minute tension music of the BBC's controversial and politically explosive "Last Flight to Kuwait". In a completely different direction, his credits number several films with a strong oceanic theme. For Al this is an area of total fascination that has been fed by first hand experiences at sea, sailing the 29ft "Snork Maiden" with his wife, film-maker Jenny Jones. Sea-going television highlights have so far included his score for the recent award winning BBC natural history film "Andrea: Queen Of Mantas", the BBC1 series "Pacific Abyss" and the award winning David Attenborough production, "Sharks The Truth". Jenny's speciality has been the filming of Great White Sharks, and with Al on board as composer, they have completed four shark documentaries that have been broadcast all over the world. In another sea influenced project, "The Navigator" Al has returned to his first love, the Spanish guitar, with an album exploring the moods and atmospheres he has experienced during voyages under sail. Always curious, keen to experiment with new sounds and colours, and not afraid to take risks, Al shows a consistent ability to uncover the emotion at the heart of a project, and translate this into fresh, exciting, and memorable music. It comes as no surprise that the BBC turns to his music time and again, and that he has been described as "..one of Channel 4's favourite composers..”

Selected Credits

Drama-Documentary The Day Of The Kamikaze Channel 4 Director - Peter Nicholson Cast - Togo Igawa - DarlowSmithson (2008) Winner, Gold Medal - New York International Film Festival, Nominated Grierson Award - Best Historical Documentary Nuremburg - Goering‘s Last Stand Channel 4 Director - Peter Nicholson Cast Hannes Hellman, Des McAleer - 3BM (2007) BAFTA Winner – Huw Wheldon Best Specialist Factual Film Nominated for History Prize, Banff World Television Awards Last Flight To Kuwait - The Secret Of BA Flight 149 BBC2 Director- Peter Nicholson Cast- Chris Walker, Tom Mannion, Liz McKechnie - Blakeway (2007) Revealed: The Real Jackal Sky One 1x60 Director - Andy Wells - Redback Films (2006) Secrets Of The Dead: The Hunt For Hitler’s Scientists Five & National Geographic and WNET - Director Mark Radice - Windfall Films (2005) Land of Lost Monsters Cast - Lorne Cardinal, Glen Gould, Toa Waaka,Teo Ao Tahara - Animal Planet USA 1x 120 mins Producer Jenny Jones - BBC (2003) A World in Arms: Britain's War Against Napoleon Channel 4 - 3x60 minute series Director - Peter Nicholson Cast- Joss Ackland, John Sessions - 3BM (2003) Animals Of The Nativity 1x 60 Animal Planet USA Christmas Special Exec Producer Vyv Simson - BBC WorldWide (2002) Wilderness Men: Alexander Von Humboldt - Great Natural Traveller BBC2 1x60 Director - Peter Nicholson Cast - Christopher Eccleston (2000)

Adventure Azorian: The Raising Of The K129 1x120 Broadcaster tbc, Director - Michael White DVD released 2010 - Michael White Films Vienna (TX TBC Discovery 2011) Around The World In 80 Days BBC1 6x60 minute Series Producer Kez Margrie - (2009) Beyond Boundaries BBC 1 & 2 four series of 4 x 60 minutes Executive Producer Rob MacIver - Diverse Bristol (2005 - 2009) RADAR People of The Year Human Rights Award, Nominated: Media Factual 2008 Wilderness Explored BBC4 3 x 60 minute Series Director Jeremy Bristow (2008) Paradise Or Bust BBC2 4x60 minute series Series Producer Simon Bisset - Shine (2008) Bear Grylls' Mission Everest Channel 4 - director Alexis Girardet -Diverse (2008) Mission Africa BBC1 15x30 minute series Exec Prod. Rob MacIver - Diverse (2007) Cutting Edge “Seconds to Impact: Confessions Of A Basejumper” Channel 4 1x60 Producer/director Lol Lovett Diverse (2002) Winner, Adventure Category, Graz Film Festival, Austria, Banff Festival Finalist. Extreme Lives: “The Road to Certain Death” BBC1 1x 60 Producer/director Jenny Jones (2000) Winner Prix Documentaire, Festivaldu Speliologie. Auvergne, Banff Mountain Film Festival Finalist 2002

Natural History And Environmental Films Natural World - "Empire Of The Desert Ants" 1x60. BBC2 & Animal Planet USA. An epic story of ant mayhem based on an idea from "Lord Of The Rings". the film features sets built by one of the original designers on Ridley Scott's "Alien". Producer - Ian Gray for the BBC. TX TBC Autumn 2011 Natural World – The Dolphins Of Shark Bay BBC2, Animal Planet USA - Producer Sarah Cunliffe, Director Nick Stringer - Big Wave TV (2010) "Love Not Loss" Campaign film - Wildscreen for the Nagoya Biodiversity Conference, Japan. October 25th 2010 Producer - Jeremy Bristow. Natural World - Andrea: Queen Of Mantas BBC2, Animal Planet USA - Producer Sarah Cunliffe, Director Mark Woodward - Big Wave TV (2009) Silver Medal - New York International Film and Television Festival 2010 Special Distinction - Festival De L'Oiseau Et De La Nature 2010 Cine Golden Eagle 2010 Missoula IWFF Merit Awards for: Conservation Hero - Andrea Marshall, Animal Behaviour, Scientific Content, Presenter, Ecosystem, Animal Behaviour. 2010 Best Marine film – Green Screen, Germany 2010 Hope In A Changing Climate BBC World - 1x 30- Director - Jeremy Bristow Theatrical screenings at Cop 15 - The United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen, and a special screening at 10 Downing St - Reybridge films (2009) Hero Animals Five, BBC World Wide, AnimalPlanet. 6x30 minute series - Producer Sarah Cunliffe Big Wave TV (2009) Is Tana's Sugar Really Sweet?" KBC (Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation) 1x 60 Director - Adrian Seymour (2009) Pacific Abyss BBC1 3x60 minute series Producer Dale Templar (2008) A Chew Valley Lake Diary DVD release 1x120 Director Richard Brock - the Brock Initiative (2007)

When Sharks Attack Sky One 1x60 Producer/director Jenny Jones - NHNZ (2005) Facing Jaws National Geographic 1x 60 Producer/director JennyJones - RDF (2004) Official selection Festival Mondial De L'Image Sous Marin, Antibes 2003 Shark! Beyond the Jaws Animal Planet USA 1x 60 Producer/director Jenny Jones - Granada (2003) Official selections Antibes Festival Mondial De L'Image Sous Marin, Missoula International Wildlife Festival Living With Dinosaurs, BBC1 1x 60 Exec Producer Mike Gunton - David Attenborough Special (2002) Worlds Ten Best Bugs BBC WorldWide 1x 60 Producer/director Kate Hubert - BBC (2001) Wild Ideas BBC Worldwide 1x60 Producer/director Jenny Jones BBC (2001) Animal People - BBC1 series title music Series Producer Mike Gunton (1997- 2000) Sharks The Truth BBC2 1x60 Producer Michael Bright David Attenborough special (1999) Winner Prix Documentaire Animalier, Festival Mondial De L'Image SousMarin, Antibes1999 Shark Encounters BBC1 Producer/director Jenny Jones 1x60 (1999) Wildlife on One: 21 Century Safari BBC1 Producer Marguerite Smits Van Oyen (1999) Wildlife on One: Gannets the Storm Birds BBC1 Producer Fergus Beeley (1998) Animal People: “Mountain Lion: Backyard Killer?”, BBC1 1x30 Exec - Mike Gunton -Producer/director Jenny Jones (1997) Claws, Jaws and Dinosaurs Channel 4 1x60 Director Edmund Coulthard - Wall To Wall (1995) Horizon - "Chimp Talk” BBC2 1x60 Producer/director Jenny Jones (1992) Natural World: Cranes Of The Grey Wind BBC2 Producer Tom Mangelson (1990) Earthfile - The State Of Marine Mammals- TVE (1990)

Documentary/Entertainment Surviving Suicide - BBC2 (2008) Autopsy: Emergency Room Channel 4 - Director David Coleman 4x50 minute series - Firefly (2007) Autopsy – Life and Death Channel 4 4x50 minute series Director David Coleman - Firefly (2006) Bodyshock: Rogue Gynaecologists Channel 4 1x50 Director - Magnus Temple - Firefly ( 2006) Anatomy For Beginners - Channel 4 4x50 minute series Director David Coleman - Firefly (2005) Winner of two RTS Awards 2005/6 The Turner Prize 2004 Channel 4 1x50 Producer/director Rik Lander - Illuminations TV (2004) The Science of Seduction, The Learning Channel (TLC) 1x60 Producer/director Jenny Jones - BBC (2002) Ancient Lives, BBC WorldWide 10x10 minute series Series Producer Wendy Darke - BBC (2000) What If? BBC4 - series title music Series Producer Louise Heren (2000) Storm Force, Series 1 - Channel 4/Discovery - Exec Producer Stuart Carter 4x60 - Pioneer (1998) The Pulse Diverse - Channel 4 series title music - (1998) The Real ER Channel 4 Director Edmund Coulthard 1x 60 - Blast! Films (1997) Rescue Channel 4 - 3x40 minute series - Barraclough Carey (1996) Rhyme And Reason Channel 4 series 10x10minutes Director Edmund Coulthard - Wall To Wall (1995) An t-Anam Mothála (The Feeling Soul) RTE1 1x50 Ocean Films - Director Frank Stapleton Producer Catherine Tiernan (1995) Doing It Up Channel 4 series title music Producer/Director Tim Leandro (1995) Short Stories Channel 4 - Director - Elizabeth Allen Diverse (1995)

Soap Fiction - Channel 4 -Director Edmund Coulthard Blast! films (1995) Stop Look And Listen ITV 1x60 - Granada (1995) Science Now ITV series title music - Granada (1995) True Stories: “Dead Lucky” Channel 4 1x60 Director Susanna White - Wall To Wall (1995) La Difference Channel 4 Director Edmund Coulthard 1x50 - Wall to Wall (1994) Without Walls - Little Angels, Little Devils BBC2 1x 60 Director Susanna White - Wall To Wall (1993) No Excuses! HTV 10 x 30 minute series Series Producer Jenny Jones (1993) Cyber Wales 3x40 minute series Series Producer Jenny Jones (1993) Kings Of The Jungle, ITV 1x60 (1992) Dispatches, “The Oregon Formula” Channel 4 1x 40 Producer/director Jenny Jones - Diverse (1992) Free For All Channel 4 series title music - Series Producer John Samson Filmit Prods (1990 -1992) The Full Wax (Ruby Wax Show) BBC1 Producer/director Ed Bye (1991) Plat du Jour BSB 40x15 minute series Producer/director Jenny Jones (1990) Rough Guide To Careers BBC2 series title music - Diverse (1990)

Drama Poppy Director - Esther May Campbell UK Film Council Digital Shorts. Broadcasting on the BBC Online Film Network, Brief Encounters Festival (2006) Ladies Director - Carol Stevens Cast - Devon Black, Sarah Strachan UK Film council (2004) Forever Director - Terry Flaxton Ignition films Cast - Robert Gwyllim (2004) Clutch Director - Carol Stevens UK Film Council Digital Shorts.Broadcasting on the BBC Online Film Network Official Selection Portobello film festival (2003) Late At the Office Sky One - Pico Prods Cast includes - Lindsay Duncan (1998) Gecko 4pm Director - Sasha C. Damjanovski - Pico Prods (1996) Screen Two: Funky Black Shorts BBC2 - Director Tim Leandro Crucial films Cast includes - Bill Patterson, Winner (1994) Capital lives Season 1 ITV Carlton 6x30 minute series Series Producer Anne-Marie Casey - Warner Sisters Cast includes - John Hannah, Katrin Cartlidge, David Harewood (1994) Mad Bad Mortal Beings - BFI Cast - Sophie Okonedo Official Selection Torino Film festival 1993 (1993) Tomorrow Calling Channel 4 - Director Tim Leandro Tapson Steel films Cast includes - Colin Salmon (1993) Oranges And Lemons BBC2 - Director - David Yates (1991)

Feature Film The Fifth Province Winner, Best Script, Oporto International Film Festival (1998) Cast - Ian Richardson, Lia Williams, Anthony Higgins Producers - Caroline Hewitt, Catherine Tiernan, Director - Frank Stapleton Strawberry Vale Prods / UK Ocean Films FilmCouncil/ Irish film Board

Al's production music for Universal has recently been used in:

• The Normans BBC2

• Wonders Of The Solar System BBC1

• Inside the Human Body BBC1 • Jimmy Doherty's Global Harvest BBC2 • Museum Of Life BBC2 • The Incredible Human Journey (with Dr Alice Roberts) BBC2 • Bremner, Bird, And Fortune CH4 • Harry Hill's TV Burp ITV1 • Raymond LeBlanc's Kitchen Secrets BBC2 • The Jimmy Kimmel Show ABC (USA) • ITV News • Blue Peter BBC1 • Richard and Judy Ch4 • Tonight With Trevor Macdonald ITV • The Paul O'Grady Show CH4 • Songs Of Praise BBC1 • The Basil Brush Show • Storyville BBC4 • Timewatch BBC2 • Seven Wonders of the Industrial World BBC2 • Braniac Sky One • Ray Mear's Wild Food BBC2 • Autumn Watch BBC2 • Visions Of the Future BBC4 • Picture Book BBC4 • Jack Osbourne Adrenalin Junkie Sky 1 • Stephen Fry And The Guthenburg Press BBC2

• Around The World In 80 Gardens (with Monty Don) BBC2 • Michael Wood On Beowulf BBC4 • Decoding The Spear Of Christ BBC2 • Lost Cities Of the Ancients BBC1 • Journeys Into The Ring Of Fire BBC4 • Battlefield Britain BBC1 • Bomber Crew CH4 • My Family At War BBC1 • Jeremy Clarkson’s Victoria Cross For Valour BBC2 • Private Life Of A Masterpiece BBC2/4 • In The Footsteps Of Churchill BBC2 • Spitfire Ace CH4 • Heath Robinson, Suburban Subversive BBC2 • The Double Life Of Saki BBC4 • Swimming With Sharks BBC1 • The Raising of the Mary Rose BBC2 • Living The Dream Sky • Sex on the Beach Sky • Peace Keepers BBC2 • Family Affairs Ch5 • Secrets of Leadership BBC1 • Trouble At The Top BBC2 • King and Country ITV • Boys Toys ITV • Inside Out BBC1 • Crocodile Attack CH5 • Animals At War Ch5 • Diary of an Innnkeeper ITV • London’s Scariest Mysteries ITV • Real Rescues BBC1 • Conspiricies Sky One • In Living Memory - A People's History BBC2 • 55 Year Old Commando ITV 1 • See Hear BBC1 • Dog Whisperer Sky One • Around The world In 80 Treasures BBC2 • Cooking In The Danger Zone BBC2 • Bizarre ER BBC3 • Britain's Super Weapons More4 • Ireland's Nazis History Channel • Janice Dickinson Modelling Agency (USA) • Iraq - War at Any Cost (USA) • Dateline NBC (USA) • Decoding The Past (USA) • 20th Century Battlefields (USA) • Academy USA (USA) • The New Al Quaeda (USA) • Weird Travels (USA) • Passion Facts Fiction And Fate (USA)

Awards: Bafta - Hugh Weldon Award Best Specialist Factual Film x2 RTS Awards Gold Medal - New York International film and Television Festival Best Adventure Film - Graz Mountain and Adventure Film Festival (Austria) Best Documentary - Festival Du Speliologie, Auvergne Best Documentary - Festival Mondial De L'Image Sous Marin, Antibes Best Script - Oporto International Film Festival Missoula IWFF Merit Awards for: Conservation Hero - Andrea Marshall, Animal Behaviour, Scientific Content, Presenter, Ecosystem. 2010 Silver Medal - New York International film and Television Festival 2010 Cine Golden Eagle 2010 Special Distinction – Festival De L’Oiseau Et De La Nature 2010 Best Marine Film Green Screen 2010

Nominations: Grierson Award - Best Historical Documentary

Banff World Television Awards - History Prize

RADAR People of The Year Human Rights Award

Banff Festival Finalist x2

Finalist - Festival De L'Oiseau Et De La Nature 2010

RTS Regional Award – Best Factual Series

Contacts: My contact details: Telephone: +44(0)117 925 3574 Mobile: +44(0)7973 563639 Email: [email protected] Website: www.AlLethbridge.com Agent: Jenny Jones +44(0)7836 538873 [email protected] Publisher: Richard Paine at Faber Music +44(0)207 908 5310 [email protected] www.fabermusicmedia.com My location Spike Island Bristol My bases: Bristol, London. Fluent languages: English - French Conversational languages: Spanish.