BRIAN BARNES
astrophysicist turned emotion-driven filmmaker
I make films about people forced to confront the reality that the world is not as it seems.
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“Barnes is an obviously gifted filmmaker”
The Independent Critic
I’m an astrophysicist turned emotion-driven filmmaker. I make films about people getting a rude awakening, who are forced to confront the reality that the world is not the way it seems.
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I’m known for strong story-telling, coaxing effective performances from actors/non-professionals alike, and delivering speedily within budget.
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My debut feature film, psychological thriller ‘The Redeeming’, was the number one thriller on Amazon Prime UK for 6 weeks and peaked at number 7 thriller on Prime US. It was nominated for Best Thriller in the UK’s National Film Awards - up against big studio releases ‘Annihilation’ and ‘Final Score’.
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My second feature film is a documentary about the healing power of hypnotherapy. It was made under lockdown.
I am currently in post-production on a feature length documentary, have another two in prep and I’m always looking for new projects, so do get in touch.
• Specialist in Thriller & Psychological Horror
• Experienced with Actors & Non-Professional Performers
• First solo feature film - no.1 thriller on Prime UK for 6 weeks
• Directed over 500 hours of live TV
• Made videos for three trillion-dollar companies - Amazon, Apple & Microsoft
• Co-Directed 2 other feature films
• Directed nearly 30 short films
• Created and teach a course on Corporate Videos
• Regular contributor to Quora
• Produce actors’ & presenters’ showreels & voicereels
• Trained & Performed as an Actor & Public Speaker
• Basic French, German & Italian
Cannes Festival
Speaking at a festival
Hello, I’m Brian Barnes. Thanks for your interest. Here’s a little bit about me.
The Redeeming is my first feature film, which was released in a London West End cinema and then on VOD. The BBC described it as “psychologically terrifying” and Kim Newman said it “delivers some subtle chills”. It was the number one thriller on Amazon Prime UK for 6 weeks, peaking at number 7 on the Prime US thriller chart. ‘The Redeeming’ was nominated for Best Thriller in the UK’s National Film Awards. I have many other projects in development with The Redeeming’s writer Roger Thomas, including our psychological horror Refracted, and low-key thriller Reformed, which have both attracted attention from a number of producers.
The London West End Premiere of ‘The Redeeming’
I have directed nearly 30 short films, including the 5 times award-winning The Urge, which won a Best Screenplay award and also a Best Film Prize under jury president Timothy Burrill (producer of Roman Polanski’s The Pianist). The Urge was the 8th most watched horror film on IndieFlix for well over a year from its launch.
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My recent short film Interphase, which was made under lockdown, was one of only 33 films shortlisted by the Lockdown Film Festival out of 1700 entries from across the world. It was also a Finalist in the Black Country Film Festival.
I have been making films since 1987, mostly working in the corporate video sector, where I have made films for three of the world’s trillion-dollar companies - Amazon, Apple and Microsoft - and made two charity videos with (then-Prime-Minister) Tony Blair. Other clients include Facebook & Google, and I won the Snippies Award for my video for Intel. I have directed over 500 hours of live television on Sky in the UK and SABC2 in South Africa. One of my TV shows was the cult favourite Bikini Beach.
I am renowned amongst fellow British indie filmmakers as “the man who gave Academy Award-winning director Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer, Batman trilogy) his first job”. You can read a couple of stories about working with Chris here and here.