Simon Bowles
Simon Bowles | |
---|---|
![]() Production Designer Simon Bowles | |
Born | 7 June 1971 |
Nationality | British |
Occupation | Production Designer |
Years active | 1993–present |
Simon Bowles is a British production designer, who has worked with directors Oliver Parker, Roger Michell, Edgar Wright, Amma Asante, James Watkins and most notably Neil Marshall.
Simon Bowles came to the film industry from theatre where he trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. In 1999 Bowles was nominated for Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards,.[1]
Bowles designed the underground maze of caves built at Pinewood Studios for The Descent, which won accolades at the Evening Standard British Film Awards, Empire Awards, British Independent Film Awards and Philadelphia Film Festival. Reviews credited to Bowles such as "cave sets by production designer Simon Bowles look just like the real thing" and "Simon Bowles’ beautifully designed cave sets conjure a world of subterranean darkness".[2][3]
In 2012 Simon Bowles designed Roger Michell's "Hyde Park on Hudson" set in 1930's Upstate New York about a British royal family visiting the US and their stay with Franklin Roosevelt, played by Bill Murray, shot entirely in the UK. Bowles's work was mentioned in reviews; "handsomely decked out with a sharp eye for telling eye for production design" by Todd McCarthy in The Hollywood Reporter and "Hyde Park on Hudson boasts top-notch production design" by Geoffrey Macnabb in The Independent and "excellent production design from Simon Bowles completes this dreamy, impeccable film" by Clare Stuart, BFI. Bowles went on to win the British Film Designers Guild award for his design of this film.
Simon Bowles designed Amma Asante's "Belle (2013 film)" set in 18th century Kenwood House, London and "Pride (2014 film)" about English gay and lesbian group supporting the striking miners in the 1980s. Both films received rave reviews and many awards including Best Feature Film at the 2014 British Independent Film Awards and nominations at the 2015 BAFTA awards for Pride.
Between 2013 and 2015 Simon Bowles was the elected chairman of The British Film Designers Guild which represents and promotes the creative talent of Production Designers and the art department in the British film industry.
Simon Bowles worked with Amma Asante again on "A United Kingdom" which tells the true story of the relationship between Seretse Khama, the chief to be of the Bamangwato tribe in the British colony of Bechuanaland in the late 1940s, and a white, middle-class Englishwoman, Ruth Williams. It stars David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike directed by Amma Asante produced by Rick McCallum. It was released in the UK in October 2016, US release in February 2017.
Bowles next project to be released is Universal Pictures Johnny English Strikes Again starring Rowan Atkinson, released in October 2018.
Filmography
Production designer
- Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)
- Crooked House (film) (2018)
- A United Kingdom (2016)
- Dad's Army (2015 film) (2016)
- Spooks: The Greater Good (2015)
- Pride (2014 film) (2014)
- Belle (2013 film) (2014)
- Hyde Park on Hudson (2012)
- The Reckoning (TV series) (2011)
- The Deep (TV series) (2010)
- Centurion (2010)
- The Descent Part 2 (2009)
- Eden Lake (2008)
- Doomsday (2007)
- Straightheads (2007)
- Cold and Dark (2005)
- The Descent (2005)
- Killing Hitler (2003) (TV)
- Dog Soldiers (2002)
- The Enemy (2001)
- Lighthouse (2000)
- Wired (1997)
- Virtual Terror (1996)
- A Fistful of Fingers (1994)
Art director
- Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004)
- Foyle's War (3 episodes, 2002)
- The Cry (2002) (TV)
- The Lost Battalion (2001) (TV)
- The Infinite Worlds of H.G. Wells (2001) (TV mini series)
- The Calling (2000)
- The New Adventures of Pinocchio (1999)
- Wing Commander (1999)
- Fortress 2: Re-Entry (1999)
- Tale of the Mummy (1998)
- On Dangerous Ground (1996) (TV)
- Midnight Man (1995) (TV)
Art department
- Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 (2018) (additional visual development)
- Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) (concept artist)
- Sub Down (1997) (V) (assistant art director)
- Buffalo Girls (1995) (TV) (assistant art director)
- Beyond Bedlam (1993) (assistant art director)
Commercials
- Volkswagen
- McDonald's
- Sainsbury's (for which Bowles won gold at the British Television Advertising Awards craft awards in 2016)
- Heinz
- Hula Hoops
- Xerox
- EuroMillions
- Nescafe
- Npower (United Kingdom)
- The Telegraph
- Coca-Cola
- Kellogg's
- RSA Insurance Group
Awards
- Won gold at the British Television Advertising Awards craft awards in 2016.
- Nominated at British Film Designers Guild Awards in 2016 - A United Kingdom in the category Best Production Design in a Feature Film.
- Nominated at British Film Designers Guild Awards in 2016 - Dad's Army (2015 film) in the category Best Production Design in a Feature Film.
- Nominated at British Film Designers Guild Awards in 2014 - Belle (2013 film) in the category Best Production Design in a Feature Film.
- Won at British Film Designers Guild Awards in 2013 - Hyde Park on Hudson in the category Best Production Design in a Feature Film.
- Nominated at British Independent Film Awards in 1999 - Best Newcomer.
References
- ↑ Awards for Simon Bowles on IMDb
- ↑ Derek Elley in Variety
- ↑ Mark Kermode in The Observer.