Chris Jury

Personal Statement

Personal Statement

Senior Lecturer: Drama. School of Music and Performing Arts

Born in Coventry in the English Midlands, Chris Jury studied Drama/English at Hull University and began working as an actor in the theatre with such names as Mike Bradwell, Danny Boyle and Anthony Minghella; and with companies as diverse as Hull Truck, The Bush and Stratford East. He also worked extensively in film and TV appearing most notably as Eric Catchpole in over 50 episodes of the BBC's long running series, Lovejoy.

Through his own company, Picture That, he produced and directed To Baldly Go, a short romantic comedy which was sold to Channel 4 in the UK, and also secured an international distribution contract, selling to numerous TV stations throughout Europe and the USA.

After a brief spell working as Development Executive Television Drama at BBC Pebble Mill, in Birmingham, he made two more short films for Picture That: Poppy's Present, which he produced and directed and Puke Fiction (The Vomit Trilogy), which he wrote and directed.

Puke Fiction, was shown in competition at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton and won the Electric Pavillion Award, for Best Film, awarded by the Halloween Society. It was also chosen for a screening at the ICA as part of the 'Uncut' season of short films. It was also shown in the 'British Shorts' section of the Manchester Film Festival and The Big Fix Festival in Birmingham.

His broadcast directing credits include: Dream Team, produced by Hewland International for BSkyB. Coronation Street, for Granada, Crossroads, for Carlton, Family Affairs, for Grundy’s, Hollyoaks & Courtroom for Mersey TV, The Royal Today for Yorkshire/ITV, Doctors for the BBC and over 50 episodes of EastEnders.

His writing credits include: The Dig, a two act comedy for The Cambridge Theatre company, Mancini’s Empire for LWT, One Inch Of Heaven for the BBC, Roeg’s Rage for Chrysalis, Wired, for the BBC comedy department, plus numerous episodes of The Bill for ITV and Doctors, Casualty and Holby City for the BBC.

His feature film screenplays include a ghost story The Lost and Human Resources which received a development grant from Screen West Midlands allowing him to develop it into a second and third draft. Human Resources is currently being read by a number of key production companies in the UK and US markets.

Most recently he directed the DVD of 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue' the hugely popular Radio 4 comedy quiz show, and directed Reality Chokes a new comedy about ageing punk rockers that was a huge success at Pentameters in Hampstead and the Edinburgh Festival.

He has lectured on Film & TV production at Thames Valley University and Leeds Metropolitan University.

In 2012 he was awarded a Bath Spa Teaching Fellowship, for teaching excellence in the 'Rising Stars' category.

He his author and moderator of the political and philisophical blog I Am Not a Number

And presenter of pop & politics radio show Agitpop

Here's a link to Chris' website
And a link to his You Tube Channel