JULIE MOGGAN
Documentary Director
Growing up in a small town in East Anglia, I dreamed of ways to escape what I thought was an ordinary, unremarkable life. After working in the local chicken factory, I set off at 18 to see the world. My travels inspired me to study Social & Visual Anthropology and then documentary-making at the National Film & Television School. Whilst there, I discovered that I’d come full circle and that the films I loved most showed the humour, drama and beauty in everyday life. My graduation film Waiting for a Lift, a study of dreams and disappointment set in the taxi office of my hometown, was broadcast by BBC4 and won the Becks Futures Student Award.
Since then I have worked on a number of films for the BBC and Channel 4, as both a director and camera operator. I try to make warm, funny, character-based films with emotional depth and a distinctive visual style. I always shoot my own work and enjoy blending observational camera with more playful setups and compositions.
In 2010 I made my first feature length documentary, Guilty Pleasures, a cheeky and affectionate look at romance novel addicts and their real-life relationship struggles. Initially commissioned by More4 for its ‘True Stories’ strand, Guilty Pleasures was a festival hit and went on to be broadcast in over a dozen countries around the world. It was nominated for a Grierson Award for Most Entertaining Documentary and received a number of awards and nominations at festivals worldwide.