David Yates
Encyclopedia
David Yates is an English filmmaker who rose to mainstream prominence directing the final four films in the Harry Potter film series
. He helmed the series' fifth
, sixth
, seventh and eighth
installments, all of which became an instant blockbuster
success and made him the most commercially successful British director in recent years. His final Harry Potter film garnered the highest critical acclaim of the series and his direction of the four films gained him accolades, notably the BAFTA Britannia Award for Artistic Excellence in Directing.
Early in his career, Yates achieved international attention for his award-winning short films and became a prolific television director with credits including the acclaimed political thriller State of Play (2003), the BAFTA
-lauded two-part drama Sex Traffic
(2004) and the Primetime Emmy Award
-winning HBO production The Girl in the Café
(2005). Due to the success of these dramas and various other projects, Yates is considered to be one of Britain's most celebrated directors of film and television. He has been recognised for his smooth transition from dramatic programming to budget cinema and his works have displayed political and social themes with stylistic realism; his use of hand-held camera
s is noted as one of his directorial trademarks. Yates is one of the founding members of Directors UK
, which was established in June 2008, and has been a key participant at award ceremonies in association with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, including the First Light Awards and the BAFTA Rising Star Awards
, where he sits on the judging panel.
, Merseyside, England on 30 November 1963. His parents died when he was young. Raised in the village of Rainhill
, Yates was inspired to pursue a career in filmmaking after watching Steven Spielberg
's 1975 movie Jaws
. Before her death, Yates' mother bought him a Super 8mm camera
. He used this to shoot various films and videos in which his friends and family featured. One such video, The Ghost Ship, was shot on board the vessel where his uncle worked as a cook. He attended St Helens College
where he completed the courses of sociology, political studies and literature before moving on to the University of Essex
and Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C. (1984–1987).
. The short film, which was shot in Swindon town under a grant from Southern Arts, entered the festival circuit where it was named Best Short Film at the San Francisco International Film Festival
, in addition to obtaining other awards. It contributed to Yates' acceptance into the National Film and Television School
in 1989 and led to the BBC
hiring him to direct Oranges and Lemons, a short drama film in 1991. Before completing film school, he began to direct, produce and write the screenplay to the dramatic short The Weaver's Wife. He also made his fourth short film Good Looks, which was presented at the Chicago International Film Festival
. After graduating in 1992, Yates directed an episode of the film studies programme Moving Pictures
, which oversaw low-budget filmmaking in Britain.
From 1994 to 1995, Yates directed several episodes of the ITV
police procedural The Bill
(Full Contact, Death and Taxes, Other Voices, Feeling Guilty and Life's a Bitch), before directing and producing three episodes of the television documentary Tale of Three Seaside Towns alongside producer Alistair Clarke. The programme followed media personalities Russell Grant
, Honor Blackman
and Pam Ayres
visiting and exploring the South Coast
towns of Brighton
, Eastbourne
and Weymouth. Yates directed his fifth short film Punch before making his feature film debut in 1998 with the release of the independent historical-drama film The Tichborne Claimant
. The film, which was shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
, was written by Joe Fisher and based on the true events of the Tichborne Case
. It starred Stephen Fry
and Robert Hardy
and was shot on location in Merseyside
and on the Isle of Man
.
Yates returned to television in 2000 to direct the episodes of Greed, Envy and Lust for the BBC miniseries The Sins
, starring Pete Postlethwaite
, as well as The Way We Live Now
, the acclaimed four-part television adaptation of the novel of the same name
by Anthony Trollope
. Yates directed many cast members in each episode including David Suchet
, Cillian Murphy
and Miranda Otto
in their roles as Augustus Melmotte, Paul Montague and Mrs. Hurtle respectively. After the project was met with positive reaction, Yates shared the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Serial with screenwriter Andrew Davies
and producer Nigel Stafford-Clark
at the 2002 BAFTA Awards
. The serial became available to buy worldwide on VHS
on 22 April 2002.
One year later, Yates attended the 56th BAFTA Awards
with a British Academy Film Award nomination for Best Short Film
for the fourteen minute production, Rank
, which expressed the social elements of racism, friendship and adolescence through the story of a street gang that cross Glasgow
to witness the arrival of a group of Somali refugees. Yates said that even though The Way We Live Now was "a very big production" and "enormous fun to do", Rank was an opportunity to "shake all that off" and "get back to [his] roots." Of the casting, Yates said that he "wanted to use non actors to tell the story, to create a reality ... the kids we cast in Glasgow had never done a film before." The film was noted for its gritty style and cinematography, with a review from Eye For Film
stating that "such intelligent use of camera and cast lifts Yates out of the pool of promising young directors into the front line of genuine hopefuls. This work demands respect."
The 2003 six-part thriller State of Play was Yates' next achievement. He directed a mix of acclaimed actors such as David Morrissey
, John Simm
and James McAvoy
in the main roles of the BBC serial, created by Paul Abbott
. It was a major turning point for Yates' career; he collected the TV Spielfilm Award at the Cologne Conference
in Germany and won the Directors Guild of Great Britain Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement. The serial was recognised by various award ceremonies, notably receiving the Peabody Award
for Broadcasting Excellence and being presented with two British Academy Television Craft Awards
. The quality of the serial sparked Hollywood film bosses to consider adapting it into a film
, with producer Andrew Hauptman declaring that "it's a blistering political thriller and we want to make an equally blistering movie." State of Play is regarded by critics from The Guardian
and The Times
as one of the best British television dramas of the 2000s.
Yates then moved on to helm more high-profile projects such as the television adaptation of nine-year-old Daisy Ashford
's novel The Young Visiters, starring Jim Broadbent
alongside Hugh Laurie
. Broadbent gained an acting nomination at the BAFTA Awards under Yates' direction, which was a different approach in comparison to his immediate previous work. According to a review by Variety
magazine for BBC America
, Yates and his team yielded "a warm and surprisingly unsentimental production that has 'evergreen' written all over it". The Young Visiters tells the story of a bumbling man (Broadbent) seeking help from an aristocrat (Laurie), who attempts to improve his social graces for him to be accepted by a high society woman.
In 2004, Yates' two-part drama Sex Traffic
was broadcast on Channel 4
. It won eight BAFTA Awards including Best Editing
for Mark Day
, who regularly worked with Yates on many of his television projects and short films. Day commented on his collaboration with Yates saying that "we are very good friends because we have spent so much time together." He also said, "David shoots in a similar style from piece to piece, although this wasn’t quite as frantic as State of Play." Yates was nominated for another Directors Guild of Great Britain Award for his direction of Sex Traffic and won his second BAFTA for Best Drama Serial at the British Academy Television Awards. Being a British-Canadian production, Sex Traffic gained four wins at Canada's annual television award ceremony, the Gemini Award
s, including Best Dramatic Mini-Series. Spanning across two parts, the three hour long drama reveals how the trafficking of young women
into slavery is a big business which operates throughout Europe; both parts were acclaimed for their "shocking" portrayal of such a sensitive topic.
Also in 2004, Yates was involved in plans for a film adaptation of Evelyn Waugh
's novel Brideshead Revisited
for Warner Independent Pictures
. He was set to work with Paul Bettany
, Jude Law
and Jennifer Connelly
on the project, but pulled out in the later stages due to constant budget issues affecting the film's production.
Yates then directed Richard Curtis
' script to The Girl in the Café
, a television film starring Bill Nighy
and Kelly Macdonald
. In June 2005, the film was aired on the BBC in Britain and was also broadcast in the United States on the premium cable television network Home Box Office. The Girl in the Café achieved three wins at the Emmy Award
s, most notably the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie
, and gained a total of four nominations including Outstanding Directing for Yates and Outstanding Casting for Fiona Weir
. The film became widely known for being conceived to coincide both with the BBC's Africa Lives season of programming and with the global Make Poverty History
campaign. The message of the film is conveyed through the character-driven story of Lawrence (Nighy) and Gina (Macdonald) dealing with their feelings for one another while challenging political concerns at the G8 Summit in Reykjavík
.
adaptation of J. K. Rowling
's series
. He was then confirmed to direct Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by Warner Bros. Pictures
, with production scheduled to begin in early 2006. When asked how Yates got the job, producer David Heyman
(who is "a big fan" of Yates' television work) said that "actors in David's television projects give their best performance, often of their career. It's important to keep pushing the actors, particularly the young ones on each Potter film. This is a political film, not with a capital P, but it's about teen rebellion and the abuse of power. David has made films in the U.K. about politics without being heavy handed."
Before production began, Yates invited Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
director Mike Newell
to a pub and "picked his brains about what it was going to be like to step into someone's shoes on a movie of this scale." The first scene Yates shot featured a giant
interacting with human characters. The scene was the very first high-scale visual effects
piece Yates filmed in his career. After the film's post-production material was well-received by the studio, Yates was selected to direct the sixth picture Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
, which according to Yates was going to be "a cross between the chills of Prisoner of Azkaban
and the fantastical adventure of Goblet of Fire".
Order of the Phoenix opened to positive reviews and achieved commercial success, with Yates winning the title of Best Director at the 2008 Empire Awards
and collecting the Best European Film Award from the European Film Academy
. Yet the film was criticised by fans of the series for having the shortest running time out of the five released installments; Yates said that the original director's cut was "probably over three hours", resulting in much footage being cut, condensed and edited to fit within the studio's preferred time frame.
During production on Half-Blood Prince, Warner Bros. President and COO Alan F. Horn
announced that the seventh and final novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was to be split into two cinematic parts with Yates, once again, as the director. Yates spoke of the decision to appoint him as the director of the final films, remarking that "they wanted to do a Harry Potter that felt ... more grown up. What's smart about the studio and the producers is they have always wanted to push it a bit. Chris [Columbus
] did a wonderful job of casting and making this world incredibly popular. But rather than do more of the same, they said, 'Let's bring in Alfonso Cuarón
and let him run with it. Then later, let’s bring in David Yates, who’s done all this hard-hitting stuff on TV.' It's a testament to their ambition to try and keep the franchise fresh. The bizarre thing is, I did one [film] and they asked me to stay for three more, so obviously they liked something."
After attaining widespread "Oscar Buzz", Half-Blood Prince became the only film in the series to gain an Academy Award
nomination for Best Cinematography. Yates worked alongside French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel
on extensively colour grading the "incredibly rich" picture, making it look "very European" and drawing influences from the Dutch painter Rembrandt. The film garnered a mix of accolades and was acclaimed for its stylised character-driven approach, but some fans complained about the script's deviation from the novel and the film's slight romantic comedy
nature. In response to this criticism, renowned BAFTA member Mark Kermode
praised Yates for "getting a sense of an impending catastrophe" and ranked the film "second best" in the series.
Yates began to film
Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Deathly Hallows – Part 2
back-to-back in early 2009 and finished reshoots in late 2010. He stated that he had shot the two parts of the final adaptation differently, with Part 1 being a "road movie
" and "quite real", "almost like a vérité
documentary", while Part 2 is "more operatic, colourful and fantasy-oriented
", a "big opera with huge battles." Yates reshot the final scene of the Harry Potter series at Leavesden Studios after the original version, filmed at London King's Cross railway station, did not meet his expectations. In the film, the scene takes place at the magical Platform 9¾.
Part 1 was released worldwide in November 2010 to commercial success along with generally positive reviews, some of which reflected on Yates' directing style. The Dallas Morning News
affirmed that "David Yates' fluid, fast-paced direction sends up the crackling tension of a thriller" and The New York Times
analysed Yates' approach to J. K. Rowling's character development by saying that he has "demonstrated a thorough, uncondescending sympathy for her characters, in particular the central trio of Ron Weasley
, Hermione Granger
and Harry Potter
himself." The film was praised for its "dark" atmosphere and its loyalty to the source material, but it was criticised for its slow middle act, the handling of exposition, feeling like the "prelude it is" and the somewhat disjointed pacing.
Part 2 was screened in July 2011 and became an instant record-breaking success with universal acclaim. The Daily Telegraph
described Part 2 as "monumental cinema awash with gorgeous tones" and Total Film
wrote that Yates combines "spectacle and emotion into a thrilling final chapter." Yates was praised for the "sharply directed" film and was acknowledged for his "genuine visual sense", with author J. K. Rowling remarking that "everyone who watches Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is going to see that he's steered us home magnificently. It's incredible." Part 2 is the only Harry Potter film to pass the $1 billion mark during its original theatrical run; it became the highest-grossing film in the series and the third highest-grossing film worldwide, making Yates the director of the highest-grossing non-James Cameron
film of all time in August 2011.
David Yates has worked in production on the Harry Potter film series for six consecutive years (from 2006 to 2011). All four of his pictures have been a success financially and critically. Yates attended the 64th British Academy Film Awards
in February 2011, where he was joined by J. K. Rowling, David Heyman, Mike Newell, Alfonso Cuarón, David Barron
, Rupert Grint
and Emma Watson
in collecting the Michael Balcon Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema on behalf of the Harry Potter films. Daniel Radcliffe
commented on working with Yates, saying that he "added his own sense of grit and realism [to the films] that perhaps wasn’t there so much before. I think we all had a fantastic time working with David. I know we did."
. The movie is reported by The New York Times to be written by Joe Fisher and produced by Heyday Films
through Warner Bros. Pictures. Yates has stated ambitions to adapt his TV drama, Sex Traffic, for cinema. During an interview with Collider.com in November 2010, producer David Heyman revealed that he is in talks with Yates about upcoming projects. It has also been suggested that Yates will work on a film about Al Capone
. Yates revealed in November 2011 that he is working with BBC Worldwide
on plans to develop a Doctor Who
film.
and composer Nicholas Hooper
on a range of projects including his Harry Potter
films, all of which Day edited and two of which Hooper composed. Yates has also worked with director of photography Chris Seager, one of the Vice Presidents of the British Society of Cinematographers
, numerous times during his career. Seager was originally considered to provide the cinematography for Yates' Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
, but the job went to Sławomir Idziak instead. Other collaborators include choreographer Paul Harris
, casting director Fiona Weir
and writers Joe Fisher and Steve Kloves
. As one of "The Three Davids" (alongside David Heyman
and David Barron
), Yates may collaborate with them for future works.
, Daniel Craig
, Sienna Miller
, Paul Greengrass
and Terry Gilliam
amongst others. Bill Nighy
, a colleague and friend of Yates, called him "a quiet genius" and Rhys Ifans
described Yates' personality on set, saying that "When he’s pleased, he says 'fabby'. When he’s happy, he jumps up and down. And when he’s ecstatic, he skips." On his directorial style, Emma Watson
said that Yates insists on pushing the cast and crew to physical and emotional extremes, with Gary Oldman
confirming Yates' preference for working slowly by shooting numerous takes to get the best performances out of his cast.
and became very close after the death of their parents during their childhood. Yates is married to Yvonne Walcott, who is the aunt of Arsenal
football player Theo Walcott
. The couple do not have any children together.
Harry Potter (film series)
The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...
. He helmed the series' fifth
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
, sixth
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
, seventh and eighth
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David...
installments, all of which became an instant blockbuster
Blockbuster (entertainment)
Blockbuster, as applied to film or theatre, denotes a very popular or successful production. The entertainment industry use was originally theatrical slang referring to a particularly successful play but is now used primarily by the film industry...
success and made him the most commercially successful British director in recent years. His final Harry Potter film garnered the highest critical acclaim of the series and his direction of the four films gained him accolades, notably the BAFTA Britannia Award for Artistic Excellence in Directing.
Early in his career, Yates achieved international attention for his award-winning short films and became a prolific television director with credits including the acclaimed political thriller State of Play (2003), the BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
-lauded two-part drama Sex Traffic
Sex Traffic
Sex Traffic is a British-Canadian two-part television drama directed by David Yates, written by Abi Morgan and produced by Veronica Castillo and Derek Wax...
(2004) and the Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
-winning HBO production The Girl in the Café
The Girl in the Café
The Girl in the Café is a British made-for-television drama film directed by David Yates, written by Richard Curtis and produced by Hilary Bevan Jones. The film is produced by the independent production company Tightrope Pictures and was originally screened on BBC One in the United Kingdom on 25...
(2005). Due to the success of these dramas and various other projects, Yates is considered to be one of Britain's most celebrated directors of film and television. He has been recognised for his smooth transition from dramatic programming to budget cinema and his works have displayed political and social themes with stylistic realism; his use of hand-held camera
Hand-held camera
Hand-held camera or hand-held shooting is a filmmaking and video production technique in which a camera is held in the camera operator's hands as opposed to being mounted on a tripod or other base. Hand-held cameras are used because they are conveniently sized for travel and because they allow...
s is noted as one of his directorial trademarks. Yates is one of the founding members of Directors UK
Directors UK
Directors UK is the professional association for British film and television directors, with over 4,000 members. Previously the Directors and Producers Society until 2008, the organisation now functions as both a collecting society and a campaigning body. Its president is Paul Greengrass....
, which was established in June 2008, and has been a key participant at award ceremonies in association with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, including the First Light Awards and the BAFTA Rising Star Awards
Rising Star Award, BAFTA
Rising Star Award is one of the award categories for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts which acknowledges new talents in the acting industry. The award was created after Mary Selway's death in 2004...
, where he sits on the judging panel.
Early life
David Yates was born in St HelensMetropolitan Borough of St Helens
The Metropolitan Borough of St Helens is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It is named after its largest town St Helens, and covers an area which includes the settlements of Newton-le-Willows, Earlestown, Haydock, Rainhill, Eccleston, Clock Face, Billinge and...
, Merseyside, England on 30 November 1963. His parents died when he was young. Raised in the village of Rainhill
Rainhill
Rainhill is a large village and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England.Historically a part of Lancashire, Rainhill was formerly a township within the ecclesiastical parish of Prescot, and hundred of West Derby...
, Yates was inspired to pursue a career in filmmaking after watching Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
's 1975 movie Jaws
Jaws (film)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
. Before her death, Yates' mother bought him a Super 8mm camera
Super 8 film cameras
A Super 8mm camera is a motion picture camera specifically manufactured to utilise the Super 8mm motion picture format. Super 8mm film cameras were first manufactured in 1965 by Kodak for their newly-introduced amateur film format, which replaced the Standard 8 mm film format. Manufacture continued...
. He used this to shoot various films and videos in which his friends and family featured. One such video, The Ghost Ship, was shot on board the vessel where his uncle worked as a cook. He attended St Helens College
St Helens College
St Helens College is a general further education college serving the borough of St Helens in Merseyside with around 15,000 students enrolled on over 600 different courses of study...
where he completed the courses of sociology, political studies and literature before moving on to the University of Essex
University of Essex
The University of Essex is a British campus university whose original and largest campus is near the town of Colchester, England. Established in 1963 and receiving its Royal Charter in 1965...
and Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D.C. (1984–1987).
Film and television projects (1988–2005)
In 1988, Yates made his first serious film When I Was a Girl with the assistance of Cre8 Studios in SwindonSwindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
. The short film, which was shot in Swindon town under a grant from Southern Arts, entered the festival circuit where it was named Best Short Film at the San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival is the oldest continuously running film festival in the Americas. Organized by the San Francisco Film Society, the International is held each spring for two weeks, presenting an average of 150 films from over 50 countries...
, in addition to obtaining other awards. It contributed to Yates' acceptance into the National Film and Television School
National Film and Television School
The National Film and Television School was established in 1971 and is based at Beaconsfield Studios in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, and it is located close to Pinewood Studios.-History:...
in 1989 and led to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
hiring him to direct Oranges and Lemons, a short drama film in 1991. Before completing film school, he began to direct, produce and write the screenplay to the dramatic short The Weaver's Wife. He also made his fourth short film Good Looks, which was presented at the Chicago International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America....
. After graduating in 1992, Yates directed an episode of the film studies programme Moving Pictures
Moving Pictures (TV series)
Moving Pictures was a television series devoted to film that aired on BBC 2 from 1991 to 1996. It was presented by Rock Follies screenwriter Howard Schuman....
, which oversaw low-budget filmmaking in Britain.
From 1994 to 1995, Yates directed several episodes of the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
police procedural The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
(Full Contact, Death and Taxes, Other Voices, Feeling Guilty and Life's a Bitch), before directing and producing three episodes of the television documentary Tale of Three Seaside Towns alongside producer Alistair Clarke. The programme followed media personalities Russell Grant
Russell Grant
Russell John Dammerall Grant is a British astrologer and media personality. He has written several books on Astrology, provides syndicated newspaper horoscopes and operates premium rate astrology phone lines. In March 2010, he began offering a "Pet Psychic" service...
, Honor Blackman
Honor Blackman
Honor Blackman is an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in The Avengers and Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger .-Early life:...
and Pam Ayres
Pam Ayres
Pam Ayres MBE is an English poet, songwriter and presenter of radio and television programmes. Her 1975 appearance on the television talent show Opportunity Knocks led to a variety of appearances on TV and radio shows, a one woman touring stage show and performing before the Queen.-Early life:Pam...
visiting and exploring the South Coast
Southern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
towns of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
and Weymouth. Yates directed his fifth short film Punch before making his feature film debut in 1998 with the release of the independent historical-drama film The Tichborne Claimant
The Tichborne Claimant (film)
The Tichborne Claimant is a 1998 dramatic film directed by David Yates.-Cast:*Robert Pugh as The Claimant*John Kani as Bogle*Stephen Fry as Hawkins*John Gielgud as Cockburn*Robert Hardy as Lord Rivers*Charles Gray as Arundell...
. The film, which was shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
, was written by Joe Fisher and based on the true events of the Tichborne Case
Tichborne Case
The affair of the Tichborne claimant was the celebrated 19th-century legal case in the United Kingdom of Arthur Orton , an imposter who claimed to be Sir Roger Tichborne , the missing heir to the Tichborne Baronetcy....
. It starred Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
and Robert Hardy
Robert Hardy
Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy, CBE, FSA is an English actor with a long career in the theatre, film and television. He is also an acknowledged expert on the longbow.-Early life:...
and was shot on location in Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
and on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
.
Yates returned to television in 2000 to direct the episodes of Greed, Envy and Lust for the BBC miniseries The Sins
The Sins
The Sins is a television series from 2000. It was directed by David Yates, Sallie Aprahamian and Simon Curtis and written by William Ivory. It centres on Len Green , a former bank robber and getaway driver, who has retired from the criminal life and joined the undertaker's run by his uncle...
, starring Pete Postlethwaite
Pete Postlethwaite
Peter William "Pete" Postlethwaite, OBE, was an English stage, film and television actor.After minor television appearances including in The Professionals, Postlethwaite's first success came with the film Distant Voices, Still Lives in 1988. He played a mysterious lawyer, Mr...
, as well as The Way We Live Now
The Way We Live Now (2001 TV serial)
The Way We Live Now is a 2001 four-part television adaptation of the novel by Anthony Trollope. The serial was first broadcast on the BBC and was directed by David Yates, written by Andrew Davies and produced by Nigel Stafford-Clark...
, the acclaimed four-part television adaptation of the novel of the same name
The Way We Live Now
The Way We Live Now is a satirical novel published in London in 1875 by Anthony Trollope, after a popular serialisation. In 1872 Trollope returned to England from abroad and was appalled by the greed which was loose in the land. His scolding rebuke was his longest novel.Containing over a hundred...
by Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
. Yates directed many cast members in each episode including David Suchet
David Suchet
David Suchet, CBE, is an English actor, known for his work on British television. He is recognised for his RTS- and BPG award-winning performance as Augustus Melmotte in the 2001 British TV mini-drama The Way We Live Now, alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Paloma Baeza, and a 1991 British Academy...
, Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
and Miranda Otto
Miranda Otto
Miranda Otto is an Australian actress. The daughter of actors Lindsay and Barry Otto and the sister of actress Gracie Otto, she began acting at age eighteen, and has performed in a variety of independent and major studio films....
in their roles as Augustus Melmotte, Paul Montague and Mrs. Hurtle respectively. After the project was met with positive reaction, Yates shared the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Serial with screenwriter Andrew Davies
Andrew Davies (writer)
Andrew Wynford Davies is a British author and screenwriter. He was made a Fellow of BAFTA in 2002.-Education and early career:...
and producer Nigel Stafford-Clark
Nigel Stafford-Clark
Nigel Stafford-Clark is a British film and television producer, and the brother of the theatre director Max Stafford-Clark. He was educated at Felsted and Trinity College, Cambridge, and worked in advertising and in sponsored documentaries before becoming a commercials producer at Moving Picture...
at the 2002 BAFTA Awards
British Academy Television Awards 2002
The 2002 British Academy Television Awards were held on Sunday April 21, 2002. The ceremony was hosted by the television presenter Chris Tarrant, and broadcast on the ITV Network.-Winners:*Best Actor...
. The serial became available to buy worldwide on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
on 22 April 2002.
One year later, Yates attended the 56th BAFTA Awards
56th British Academy Film Awards
The 56th British Film Awards, given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on 23 February 2003, honoured the best in film for 2002....
with a British Academy Film Award nomination for Best Short Film
BAFTA Award for Best Short Film
This page lists the winners and nominees for the BAFTA Award for Best Short Film for each year. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts , is a British organisation that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, children's film and television, and interactive media...
for the fourteen minute production, Rank
Rank (film)
Rank is a 2002 fourteen minute short film directed by David Yates. It was nominated for the British Academy Film Award for Best Short Film at the BAFTAs.-Development:...
, which expressed the social elements of racism, friendship and adolescence through the story of a street gang that cross Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
to witness the arrival of a group of Somali refugees. Yates said that even though The Way We Live Now was "a very big production" and "enormous fun to do", Rank was an opportunity to "shake all that off" and "get back to [his] roots." Of the casting, Yates said that he "wanted to use non actors to tell the story, to create a reality ... the kids we cast in Glasgow had never done a film before." The film was noted for its gritty style and cinematography, with a review from Eye For Film
Eye For Film
Eye For Film is an online film magazine based in the United Kingdom. It launched in August 2006 and has been growing ever since. It is updated with new content on a daily basis.-Features:...
stating that "such intelligent use of camera and cast lifts Yates out of the pool of promising young directors into the front line of genuine hopefuls. This work demands respect."
The 2003 six-part thriller State of Play was Yates' next achievement. He directed a mix of acclaimed actors such as David Morrissey
David Morrissey
David Mark Morrissey is an English actor and director. Morrissey grew up in the Kensington and Knotty Ash areas of Liverpool, and learned to act at the city's Everyman Youth Theatre. At the age of 18, he was cast in the television series One Summer , which won him recognition throughout the country...
, John Simm
John Simm
John Simm is an English stage and screen actor. In recent years he is best known for his roles as Sam Tyler in the detective drama Life on Mars and as The Master in the revival of the science fiction series Doctor Who, but he has also starred in many highly acclaimed award-winning television...
and James McAvoy
James McAvoy
James McAvoy is a Scottish stage and screen actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in 1995's The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until the early 2000s. His notable television work includes State of Play, Shameless, and Frank Herbert's Children of Dune...
in the main roles of the BBC serial, created by Paul Abbott
Paul Abbott
Paul Abbott is a BAFTA award-winning English television screenwriter and producer. Abbott has become one of the most critically and commercially successful television writers working in Britain today, following his work on many popular series, including Coronation Street, Cracker and Shameless,...
. It was a major turning point for Yates' career; he collected the TV Spielfilm Award at the Cologne Conference
Cologne Conference
The Cologne Conference is an international Film and Television Festival that takes place annually in Cologne, Germany. With about 5000 visitors, the Cologne Conference is considered as the best attended festival of its kind worldwide...
in Germany and won the Directors Guild of Great Britain Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement. The serial was recognised by various award ceremonies, notably receiving the Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
for Broadcasting Excellence and being presented with two British Academy Television Craft Awards
British Academy Television Craft Awards
The British Academy Television Craft Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1999.-External links:*...
. The quality of the serial sparked Hollywood film bosses to consider adapting it into a film
State of Play (film)
State of Play is a 2009 French-British-American political thriller film. It is an adaptation of the six-part British television serial of the same name which first aired on BBC One in 2003. The plot of the six-hour serial was condensed to fit a two-hour movie format, with the location changed to...
, with producer Andrew Hauptman declaring that "it's a blistering political thriller and we want to make an equally blistering movie." State of Play is regarded by critics from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
as one of the best British television dramas of the 2000s.
Yates then moved on to helm more high-profile projects such as the television adaptation of nine-year-old Daisy Ashford
Daisy Ashford
Daisy Ashford, full name Margaret Mary Julia Ashford was an English writer who is most famous for writing The Young Visiters, a novella concerning the upper class society of late 19th century England, when she was just nine years old. The novella was published in 1919, preserving her juvenile...
's novel The Young Visiters, starring Jim Broadbent
Jim Broadbent
James "Jim" Broadbent is an English theatre, film, and television actor. He is known for his roles in Iris, Moulin Rouge!, Topsy-Turvy, Hot Fuzz, and Bridget Jones' Diary...
alongside Hugh Laurie
Hugh Laurie
James Hugh Calum Laurie, OBE , better known as Hugh Laurie , is an English actor, voice artist, comedian, writer, musician, recording artist, and director...
. Broadbent gained an acting nomination at the BAFTA Awards under Yates' direction, which was a different approach in comparison to his immediate previous work. According to a review by Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine for BBC America
BBC America
BBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and...
, Yates and his team yielded "a warm and surprisingly unsentimental production that has 'evergreen' written all over it". The Young Visiters tells the story of a bumbling man (Broadbent) seeking help from an aristocrat (Laurie), who attempts to improve his social graces for him to be accepted by a high society woman.
In 2004, Yates' two-part drama Sex Traffic
Sex Traffic
Sex Traffic is a British-Canadian two-part television drama directed by David Yates, written by Abi Morgan and produced by Veronica Castillo and Derek Wax...
was broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. It won eight BAFTA Awards including Best Editing
BAFTA Award for Best Editing
The BAFTA Award for Best Editing is one of several annual awards presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . The film-voting members of the Academy select the five nominated films in each category; only the principal editor for each film are named, which excludes additional...
for Mark Day
Mark Day (editor)
Mark Day is a BAFTA-winning British film editor. He won two BAFTA Awards for Best Editing for State of Play and Sex Traffic, both directed by David Yates with whom Day also worked with on The Way We Live Now, The Young Visiters and The Girl in the Café; the former two projects gained Day two Royal...
, who regularly worked with Yates on many of his television projects and short films. Day commented on his collaboration with Yates saying that "we are very good friends because we have spent so much time together." He also said, "David shoots in a similar style from piece to piece, although this wasn’t quite as frantic as State of Play." Yates was nominated for another Directors Guild of Great Britain Award for his direction of Sex Traffic and won his second BAFTA for Best Drama Serial at the British Academy Television Awards. Being a British-Canadian production, Sex Traffic gained four wins at Canada's annual television award ceremony, the Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
s, including Best Dramatic Mini-Series. Spanning across two parts, the three hour long drama reveals how the trafficking of young women
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
into slavery is a big business which operates throughout Europe; both parts were acclaimed for their "shocking" portrayal of such a sensitive topic.
Also in 2004, Yates was involved in plans for a film adaptation of Evelyn Waugh
Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh , known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, travel books and biographies. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer...
's novel Brideshead Revisited
Brideshead Revisited
Brideshead Revisited, The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder is a novel by English writer Evelyn Waugh, first published in 1945. Waugh wrote that the novel "deals with what is theologically termed 'the operation of Grace', that is to say, the unmerited and unilateral act of love by...
for Warner Independent Pictures
Warner Independent Pictures
Warner Independent Pictures was the specialty division of film studio Warner Bros. Entertainment. Established in August 2003, its first release was 2004's Before Sunset...
. He was set to work with Paul Bettany
Paul Bettany
Paul Bettany is an English actor. He has appeared in a wide variety of films, including A Knight's Tale, A Beautiful Mind, and The Da Vinci Code...
, Jude Law
Jude Law
David Jude Heyworth Law , known professionally as Jude Law, is an English actor, film producer and director.He began acting with the National Youth Music Theatre in 1987, and had his first television role in 1989...
and Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Lynn Connelly is an American film actress, who began her career as a child model. She appeared in magazine, newspaper and television advertising, before making her motion picture debut in the 1984 crime film Once Upon a Time in America...
on the project, but pulled out in the later stages due to constant budget issues affecting the film's production.
Yates then directed Richard Curtis
Richard Curtis
Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis, CBE is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, music producer, actor and film director, known primarily for romantic comedy films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones's Diary, Notting Hill, Love Actually and The Girl in the Café, as well as the hit...
' script to The Girl in the Café
The Girl in the Café
The Girl in the Café is a British made-for-television drama film directed by David Yates, written by Richard Curtis and produced by Hilary Bevan Jones. The film is produced by the independent production company Tightrope Pictures and was originally screened on BBC One in the United Kingdom on 25...
, a television film starring Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy
William Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
and Kelly Macdonald
Kelly Macdonald
Kelly Macdonald is a Scottish actress, known for her role in the independent film Trainspotting and mainstream releases such as Nanny McPhee, Gosford Park, Intermission, No Country for Old Men and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2...
. In June 2005, the film was aired on the BBC in Britain and was also broadcast in the United States on the premium cable television network Home Box Office. The Girl in the Café achieved three wins at the Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s, most notably the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie
This is a list of the winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie, which is awarded since 1992. The category was originally called Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special.-1980s:*1980: The Miracle Worker...
, and gained a total of four nominations including Outstanding Directing for Yates and Outstanding Casting for Fiona Weir
Fiona Weir
Fiona Weir is a British casting director. In 2005, she received a Primetime Emmy nomination for the television film The Girl in the Café, directed by David Yates with whom she worked with on the Harry Potter film franchise, her most notable credit....
. The film became widely known for being conceived to coincide both with the BBC's Africa Lives season of programming and with the global Make Poverty History
Make Poverty History
Make Poverty History is the name of a campaign that exists in a number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark , Finland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Great Britain and Ireland...
campaign. The message of the film is conveyed through the character-driven story of Lawrence (Nighy) and Gina (Macdonald) dealing with their feelings for one another while challenging political concerns at the G8 Summit in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
.
Harry Potter series (2006–2011)
During the period of working on plans for Brideshead Revisited, Yates was told by his agent that he had made the director shortlist for the fifth Harry PotterHarry Potter (film series)
The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...
adaptation of J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling
Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
's series
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
. He was then confirmed to direct Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
by Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
, with production scheduled to begin in early 2006. When asked how Yates got the job, producer David Heyman
David Heyman
David Jonathan Heyman is a British film producer and the founder of Heyday Films. He obtained the film rights to the Harry Potter series in 1999 and has produced all eight installments in the series of films.-Life and career:...
(who is "a big fan" of Yates' television work) said that "actors in David's television projects give their best performance, often of their career. It's important to keep pushing the actors, particularly the young ones on each Potter film. This is a political film, not with a capital P, but it's about teen rebellion and the abuse of power. David has made films in the U.K. about politics without being heavy handed."
Before production began, Yates invited Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 2005 fantasy film directed by Mike Newell and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fourth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman...
director Mike Newell
Mike Newell (director)
Michael Cormac "Mike" Newell is an English director and producer of motion pictures for the screen and for television. After the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, Newell became the third most commercially successful British director in recent years, behind Christopher Nolan...
to a pub and "picked his brains about what it was going to be like to step into someone's shoes on a movie of this scale." The first scene Yates shot featured a giant
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
interacting with human characters. The scene was the very first high-scale visual effects
Visual effects
Visual effects are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shoot. Visual effects involve the integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or...
piece Yates filmed in his career. After the film's post-production material was well-received by the studio, Yates was selected to direct the sixth picture Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
, which according to Yates was going to be "a cross between the chills of Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the third instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by Chris Columbus, David Heyman and Mark Radcliffe...
and the fantastical adventure of Goblet of Fire".
Order of the Phoenix opened to positive reviews and achieved commercial success, with Yates winning the title of Best Director at the 2008 Empire Awards
Empire Awards
An Empire Award is an accolade bestowed by Empire, Britain's biggest selling film magazine, to recognize excellence of professionals in the locale and global film industry. The awards are voted for by readers of the magazine and in an annual ceremony, the Empire Awards, the winners are presented...
and collecting the Best European Film Award from the European Film Academy
European Film Academy
The European Film Academy is an initiative of a group of European filmmakers who came together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988.- European Film Academy :...
. Yet the film was criticised by fans of the series for having the shortest running time out of the five released installments; Yates said that the original director's cut was "probably over three hours", resulting in much footage being cut, condensed and edited to fit within the studio's preferred time frame.
During production on Half-Blood Prince, Warner Bros. President and COO Alan F. Horn
Alan F. Horn
Alan F. Horn is the President & COO of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Horn also sits on the board of directors of Univision.Prior to Warner Bros., Horn served in various positions at 20th Century Fox and at Norman Lear's television production company, Tandem Productions...
announced that the seventh and final novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was to be split into two cinematic parts with Yates, once again, as the director. Yates spoke of the decision to appoint him as the director of the final films, remarking that "they wanted to do a Harry Potter that felt ... more grown up. What's smart about the studio and the producers is they have always wanted to push it a bit. Chris [Columbus
Chris Columbus (filmmaker)
Christopher Joseph "Chris" Columbus is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Columbus had his largest success with the first two films in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, along with Home Alone, the last...
] did a wonderful job of casting and making this world incredibly popular. But rather than do more of the same, they said, 'Let's bring in Alfonso Cuarón
Alfonso Cuarón
Alfonso Cuarón Orozco is a Mexican film director, screenwriter and film producer, best known for his films Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Y tu mamá también, and A Little Princess.- Early life :...
and let him run with it. Then later, let’s bring in David Yates, who’s done all this hard-hitting stuff on TV.' It's a testament to their ambition to try and keep the franchise fresh. The bizarre thing is, I did one [film] and they asked me to stay for three more, so obviously they liked something."
After attaining widespread "Oscar Buzz", Half-Blood Prince became the only film in the series to gain an Academy Award
82nd Academy Awards
The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2009 and took place March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. The ceremony was scheduled well after...
nomination for Best Cinematography. Yates worked alongside French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel
Bruno Delbonnel
Bruno Delbonnel is a French cinematographer.Delbonnel was born in Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France and graduated in 1978 from the ESEC ....
on extensively colour grading the "incredibly rich" picture, making it look "very European" and drawing influences from the Dutch painter Rembrandt. The film garnered a mix of accolades and was acclaimed for its stylised character-driven approach, but some fans complained about the script's deviation from the novel and the film's slight romantic comedy
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
nature. In response to this criticism, renowned BAFTA member Mark Kermode
Mark Kermode
Mark Kermode is an English film critic, musician and a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. He contributes to Sight and Sound magazine, The Observer newspaper and BBC Radio 5 Live, where he presents Kermode and Mayo's Film Reviews with Simon Mayo on Friday afternoons...
praised Yates for "getting a sense of an impending catastrophe" and ranked the film "second best" in the series.
Yates began to film
Production of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the 2010/2011 two-part epic finale of the Harry Potter film series. Both parts, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, are directed by David Yates, written by Steve Kloves and based on the novel of the...
Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David...
back-to-back in early 2009 and finished reshoots in late 2010. He stated that he had shot the two parts of the final adaptation differently, with Part 1 being a "road movie
Road movie
A road movie is a film genre in which the main character or characters leave home to travel from place to place. They usually leave home to escape their current lives.-History:...
" and "quite real", "almost like a vérité
Cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité is a style of documentary filmmaking, combining naturalistic techniques with stylized cinematic devices of editing and camerawork, staged set-ups, and the use of the camera to provoke subjects. It is also known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics.There are subtle yet...
documentary", while Part 2 is "more operatic, colourful and fantasy-oriented
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
", a "big opera with huge battles." Yates reshot the final scene of the Harry Potter series at Leavesden Studios after the original version, filmed at London King's Cross railway station, did not meet his expectations. In the film, the scene takes place at the magical Platform 9¾.
Part 1 was released worldwide in November 2010 to commercial success along with generally positive reviews, some of which reflected on Yates' directing style. The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
affirmed that "David Yates' fluid, fast-paced direction sends up the crackling tension of a thriller" and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
analysed Yates' approach to J. K. Rowling's character development by saying that he has "demonstrated a thorough, uncondescending sympathy for her characters, in particular the central trio of Ron Weasley
Ron Weasley
Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger...
, Hermione Granger
Hermione Granger
Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character and one of the three protagonists in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She initially appears in the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as a new student on her way to Hogwarts...
and Harry Potter
Harry Potter (character)
Harry James Potter is the title character and main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard...
himself." The film was praised for its "dark" atmosphere and its loyalty to the source material, but it was criticised for its slow middle act, the handling of exposition, feeling like the "prelude it is" and the somewhat disjointed pacing.
Part 2 was screened in July 2011 and became an instant record-breaking success with universal acclaim. The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
described Part 2 as "monumental cinema awash with gorgeous tones" and Total Film
Total Film
Total Film is a British film magazine published 13 times a year by Future Publishing. The magazine was launched in 1997 and offers film, DVD and Blu-ray news, reviews and features...
wrote that Yates combines "spectacle and emotion into a thrilling final chapter." Yates was praised for the "sharply directed" film and was acknowledged for his "genuine visual sense", with author J. K. Rowling remarking that "everyone who watches Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is going to see that he's steered us home magnificently. It's incredible." Part 2 is the only Harry Potter film to pass the $1 billion mark during its original theatrical run; it became the highest-grossing film in the series and the third highest-grossing film worldwide, making Yates the director of the highest-grossing non-James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
film of all time in August 2011.
David Yates has worked in production on the Harry Potter film series for six consecutive years (from 2006 to 2011). All four of his pictures have been a success financially and critically. Yates attended the 64th British Academy Film Awards
64th British Academy Film Awards
The 64th British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs, were held on 13 February 2011 honouring the best national and foreign films of 2010. The nominees were announced on 18 January 2011. The King's Speech earned the most nominations with fourteen...
in February 2011, where he was joined by J. K. Rowling, David Heyman, Mike Newell, Alfonso Cuarón, David Barron
David Barron (film producer)
David Barron is a British film producer, best known for his involvement in the Harry Potter film franchise.-Career:David Barron worked as a producer on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2. He previously served as a producer on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry...
, Rupert Grint
Rupert Grint
Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint is an English actor, who rose to prominence playing Ron Weasley, one of the three main characters in the Harry Potter film series. Grint was cast as Ron at the age of 11, having previously acted only in school plays and at his local theatre group...
and Emma Watson
Emma Watson
Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson is an English actress and model.Watson rose to prominence playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series. Watson was cast as Hermione at the age of nine, having previously acted only in school plays. From 2001 to 2011, she starred in all eight Harry Potter...
in collecting the Michael Balcon Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema on behalf of the Harry Potter films. Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Jacob Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series....
commented on working with Yates, saying that he "added his own sense of grit and realism [to the films] that perhaps wasn’t there so much before. I think we all had a fantastic time working with David. I know we did."
Future projects
Yates is developing a war film called Saint Nazaire, based on the story of a British commando raid on the dock at St. Nazaire during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The movie is reported by The New York Times to be written by Joe Fisher and produced by Heyday Films
Heyday Films
Heyday Films is a British film production company, founded by producer David Heyman in London, 1997.Its first feature film production was Ravenous, directed by Antonia Bird. It is most notable for producing the Harry Potter film series, based on the novels by J. K...
through Warner Bros. Pictures. Yates has stated ambitions to adapt his TV drama, Sex Traffic, for cinema. During an interview with Collider.com in November 2010, producer David Heyman revealed that he is in talks with Yates about upcoming projects. It has also been suggested that Yates will work on a film about Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
. Yates revealed in November 2011 that he is working with BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
on plans to develop a Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
film.
Collaboration
Throughout his television and film work, Yates has collaborated with a number of people from cast to crew members. He has worked with film editor Mark DayMark Day (editor)
Mark Day is a BAFTA-winning British film editor. He won two BAFTA Awards for Best Editing for State of Play and Sex Traffic, both directed by David Yates with whom Day also worked with on The Way We Live Now, The Young Visiters and The Girl in the Café; the former two projects gained Day two Royal...
and composer Nicholas Hooper
Nicholas Hooper
Nicholas Hooper is a British film and television composer. He has scored the award-winning BBC productions Land of the Tiger and Andes to Amazon, as well as the TV movies The Girl in the Café and My Family and Other Animals among others...
on a range of projects including his Harry Potter
Harry Potter (film series)
The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...
films, all of which Day edited and two of which Hooper composed. Yates has also worked with director of photography Chris Seager, one of the Vice Presidents of the British Society of Cinematographers
British Society of Cinematographers
The British Society of Cinematographers was formed in 1949 by Bert Easey, 23 August 1901 - 28 February 1973, the then head of the Denham and Pinewood studio camera departments.The stated objectives at the formation of the BSC were...
, numerous times during his career. Seager was originally considered to provide the cinematography for Yates' Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
, but the job went to Sławomir Idziak instead. Other collaborators include choreographer Paul Harris
Paul Harris (choreographer)
Paul Harris is an English choreographer, dance teacher and movement director in film, television and theatre. His notable works include the famous laser scenes for Catherine Zeta-Jones in the movie Entrapment, the BAFTA Award-winning Bleak House and the wand fight sequences in Harry Potter and the...
, casting director Fiona Weir
Fiona Weir
Fiona Weir is a British casting director. In 2005, she received a Primetime Emmy nomination for the television film The Girl in the Café, directed by David Yates with whom she worked with on the Harry Potter film franchise, her most notable credit....
and writers Joe Fisher and Steve Kloves
Steve Kloves
Stephen Keith "Steven" Kloves is an Academy Award-nominated American screenwriter mainly renowned for his adaptations of novels, especially for the Harry Potter film series and for Wonder Boys...
. As one of "The Three Davids" (alongside David Heyman
David Heyman
David Jonathan Heyman is a British film producer and the founder of Heyday Films. He obtained the film rights to the Harry Potter series in 1999 and has produced all eight installments in the series of films.-Life and career:...
and David Barron
David Barron (film producer)
David Barron is a British film producer, best known for his involvement in the Harry Potter film franchise.-Career:David Barron worked as a producer on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2. He previously served as a producer on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry...
), Yates may collaborate with them for future works.
Related
Yates contributed to the 2011 First Light Awards by awarding young filmmakers within the United Kingdom, some from disadvantaged and minority ethnic backgrounds. He was a member of the judging panel and was a part of the featured line-up including Emily MortimerEmily Mortimer
Emily Kathleen A. Mortimer is an English actress. She began performing on stage, and has since appeared in several film and television roles, including Scream 3, Match Point, Lars and the Real Girl, and Shutter Island....
, Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig
Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert...
, Sienna Miller
Sienna Miller
Sienna Rose Diana Miller is a British-American actress, model, and fashion designer, best known for her roles in Layer Cake, Alfie, Factory Girl, The Edge of Love and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. In 2007, the London Film Criticsnamed her British Actress of the Year for Interview...
, Paul Greengrass
Paul Greengrass
Paul Greengrass is an English film director, screenwriter and former journalist. He specialises in dramatisations of real-life events and is known for his signature use of hand-held cameras.-Life and career:...
and Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
amongst others. Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy
William Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
, a colleague and friend of Yates, called him "a quiet genius" and Rhys Ifans
Rhys Ifans
Rhys Ifans is a Welsh actor and musician. He is known for his portrayal of characters such as Spike in Notting Hill and Jed Parry in Enduring Love and as a member of the Welsh rock groups Super Furry Animals and The Peth. Ifans also appeared as Xenophilius Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly...
described Yates' personality on set, saying that "When he’s pleased, he says 'fabby'. When he’s happy, he jumps up and down. And when he’s ecstatic, he skips." On his directorial style, Emma Watson
Emma Watson
Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson is an English actress and model.Watson rose to prominence playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series. Watson was cast as Hermione at the age of nine, having previously acted only in school plays. From 2001 to 2011, she starred in all eight Harry Potter...
said that Yates insists on pushing the cast and crew to physical and emotional extremes, with Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman
Gary Leonard Oldman is an English actor, voice actor, filmmaker and musician.A member of the 1980s Brit Pack, Oldman came to prominence via starring roles in British films Meantime , Sid and Nancy and Prick Up Your Ears , with his performance in the latter bringing him his first BAFTA Award...
confirming Yates' preference for working slowly by shooting numerous takes to get the best performances out of his cast.
Filmography
| Year(s) | Title | Role(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | When I Was a Girl |
|
Short film |
| 1991 | The Weaver's Wife |
|
Short film |
| 1991 | Oranges and Lemons | Director | Short film |
| 1992 | Good Looks | Director | Short film |
| 1994 | Moving Pictures Moving Pictures (TV series) Moving Pictures was a television series devoted to film that aired on BBC 2 from 1991 to 1996. It was presented by Rock Follies screenwriter Howard Schuman.... |
Director | 1 episode of television series:
|
| 1994–1995 | The Bill The Bill The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work... |
Director | 5 episodes of television series:
|
| 1995 | Tale of Three Seaside Towns |
|
3 episodes of television documentary:
|
| 1996 | Punch | Director | Short film |
| 1998 | The Tichborne Claimant The Tichborne Claimant (film) The Tichborne Claimant is a 1998 dramatic film directed by David Yates.-Cast:*Robert Pugh as The Claimant*John Kani as Bogle*Stephen Fry as Hawkins*John Gielgud as Cockburn*Robert Hardy as Lord Rivers*Charles Gray as Arundell... |
Director | Independent film |
| 2000 | The Sins The Sins The Sins is a television series from 2000. It was directed by David Yates, Sallie Aprahamian and Simon Curtis and written by William Ivory. It centres on Len Green , a former bank robber and getaway driver, who has retired from the criminal life and joined the undertaker's run by his uncle... |
Director | 3 episodes of television series:
|
| 2001 | The Way We Live Now The Way We Live Now (2001 TV serial) The Way We Live Now is a 2001 four-part television adaptation of the novel by Anthony Trollope. The serial was first broadcast on the BBC and was directed by David Yates, written by Andrew Davies and produced by Nigel Stafford-Clark... |
Director | 4-part television serial |
| 2002 | Rank Rank (film) Rank is a 2002 fourteen minute short film directed by David Yates. It was nominated for the British Academy Film Award for Best Short Film at the BAFTAs.-Development:... |
Director | Short film |
| 2003 | State of Play | Director | 6-part television serial |
| 2003 | The Young Visiters | Director | Television film |
| 2004 | Sex Traffic Sex Traffic Sex Traffic is a British-Canadian two-part television drama directed by David Yates, written by Abi Morgan and produced by Veronica Castillo and Derek Wax... |
Director | Television film, 2-part drama |
| 2005 | The Girl in the Café The Girl in the Café The Girl in the Café is a British made-for-television drama film directed by David Yates, written by Richard Curtis and produced by Hilary Bevan Jones. The film is produced by the independent production company Tightrope Pictures and was originally screened on BBC One in the United Kingdom on 25... |
Director | Television film |
| 2007 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron... |
Director | Theatrical film |
| 2009 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron... |
Director | Theatrical film |
| 2010 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | Director | Theatrical film |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is a 2011 epic fantasy film directed by David Yates and the second of two films based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the eighth and final instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David... |
Director | Theatrical film |
| 2013/2014 | Doctor Who Doctor Who Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior... untitled film |
Director | Theatrical film Current release year unknown |
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Cork International Film Festival Cork Film Festival The Cork Film Festival is a film festival held annually in Cork City, Ireland. It was established in 1956 and has grown to be an internationally recognised festival, particularly in the area of short films.... |
Best European Short | When I Was a Girl | |
| 1991 | San Francisco International Film Festival: San Francisco International Film Festival San Francisco International Film Festival is the oldest continuously running film festival in the Americas. Organized by the San Francisco Film Society, the International is held each spring for two weeks, presenting an average of 150 films from over 50 countries... Golden Gate Award |
Best Short Film | When I Was a Girl | |
| 1991 | Belfort Film Festival | Best Film | When I Was a Girl | |
| 1992 | Chicago International Film Festival Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America.... |
– | Good Looks | |
| 1998 | Emden Film Festival | – | The Tichborne Claimant | |
| 2002 | BAFTA British Academy of Film and Television Arts The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:... : British Academy Television Award British Academy Television Awards The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:... |
Best Drama Serial |
The Way We Live Now | |
| 2002 | TRIC Award Television and Radio Industries Club The Television and Radio Industries Club is a British institution chartered in 1931 to "promote goodwill in the television and radio industries"... |
Best Drama | The Way We Live Now | |
| 2002 | Broadcasting Press Guild Award Broadcasting Press Guild The Broadcasting Press Guild is a British association of journalists who specialise in writing and broadcasting about television, radio and the media generally.... |
Best Television Drama of the Year | The Way We Live Now | |
| 2003 | BAFTA British Academy of Film and Television Arts The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:... : British Academy Film Award British Academy Film Awards The British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . It is the British counterpart of the Oscars. As of 2008, it has taken place in the Royal Opera House, having taken over from the flagship Odeon cinema on Leicester Square... |
Best Short Film |
Rank | |
| 2003 | Royal Television Society Royal Television Society The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world... |
Best Drama Serial | State of Play | |
| 2003 | Directors Guild of Great Britain | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a TV Movie/Serial | State of Play | |
| 2004 | BAFTA British Academy of Film and Television Arts The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:... : British Academy Television Award British Academy Television Awards The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:... |
Best Drama Serial |
State of Play | |
| 2004 | Broadcasting Press Guild Award | Best Television Drama of the Year | State of Play | |
| 2004 | Cologne Conference: TV Spielfilm Award Cologne Conference The Cologne Conference is an international Film and Television Festival that takes place annually in Cologne, Germany. With about 5000 visitors, the Cologne Conference is considered as the best attended festival of its kind worldwide... |
Best Fiction Programme | State of Play | |
| 2004 | Directors Guild of Great Britain | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a TV Movie/Mini-Series | Sex Traffic | |
| 2004 | Banff World Media Festival Banff World Media Festival The Banff World Media Festival is an international media event in held in the Canadian Rockies at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The Festival is dedicated to world television and digital content and its creation and development... |
Best Drama Serial | Sex Traffic | |
| 2005 | Prix Italia Prix Italia The Prix Italia is an international Italian television, radio-broadcasting and Website award. It was established in 1948 by RAI - Radiotelevisione Italiana in Capri... |
Best TV Movie or Mini-Series | Sex Traffic | |
| 2005 | Royal Television Society Royal Television Society The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world... |
Best Drama Serial | Sex Traffic | |
| 2005 | BAFTA British Academy of Film and Television Arts The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:... : British Academy Television Award British Academy Television Awards The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:... |
Best Drama Serial |
Sex Traffic | |
| 2006 | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences: Primetime Emmy Award Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming... |
Outstanding Directing for a Mini-Series, Movie or Dramatic Special | The Girl in the Café | |
| 2006 | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences: Primetime Emmy Award Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming... |
Outstanding Made for Television Movie | The Girl in the Café | |
| 2007 | National Movie Award National Movie Awards The National Movie Awards is a British movie awards ceremony broadcast by ITV in which the winners of the awards are chosen via popular vote. The awards were initiated in 2007 following the success of the National Television Awards, the highest-rating awards ceremony for television... |
Best Family Film | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | |
| 2008 | European Film Academy European Film Academy The European Film Academy is an initiative of a group of European filmmakers who came together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988.- European Film Academy :... : European Film Award |
People's Choice Award for Best European Film | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | |
| 2008 | Empire Award Empire Awards An Empire Award is an accolade bestowed by Empire, Britain's biggest selling film magazine, to recognize excellence of professionals in the locale and global film industry. The awards are voted for by readers of the magazine and in an annual ceremony, the Empire Awards, the winners are presented... |
Best Director | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | |
| 2008 | Hugo Award Hugo Award The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards... |
Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) |
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | |
| 2008 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Saturn Award Saturn Award The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within... |
Best Director | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | |
| 2008 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Saturn Award Saturn Award The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within... |
Best Fantasy Film | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | |
| 2009 | BAFTA British Academy of Film and Television Arts The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:... : British Academy Children's Award British Academy Children's Awards The British Academy Children's Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1969.-Video Game :*2011: LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean-Writer :... |
Best Feature Film | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | |
| 2009 | Satellite Award | Best Motion Picture (Animated or Mixed Media) | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | |
| 2009 | Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Phoenix Film Critics Society The Phoenix Film Critics Society is an organization of film reviewers from Phoenix-based publications.In December of each year, the PFCS meets to vote on their Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards for films released in the same calendar year.Categories of awards include:* Best Actor The Phoenix... |
Best Live Action Family Film | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | |
| 2010 | National Movie Award National Movie Awards The National Movie Awards is a British movie awards ceremony broadcast by ITV in which the winners of the awards are chosen via popular vote. The awards were initiated in 2007 following the success of the National Television Awards, the highest-rating awards ceremony for television... |
Best Family Film | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | |
| 2010 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Saturn Award Saturn Award The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within... |
Best Fantasy Film | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | |
| 2010 | National Movie Award National Movie Awards The National Movie Awards is a British movie awards ceremony broadcast by ITV in which the winners of the awards are chosen via popular vote. The awards were initiated in 2007 following the success of the National Television Awards, the highest-rating awards ceremony for television... |
Special Recognition |
Harry Potter | |
| 2010 | NFTS Honorary Fellowship | Outstanding Contribution to the British Film and Television Industry | – | |
| 2011 | BAFTA British Academy of Film and Television Arts The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:... : British Academy Film Award British Academy Film Awards The British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . It is the British counterpart of the Oscars. As of 2008, it has taken place in the Royal Opera House, having taken over from the flagship Odeon cinema on Leicester Square... |
Michael Balcon Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema |
Harry Potter | |
| 2011 | Empire Award Empire Awards An Empire Award is an accolade bestowed by Empire, Britain's biggest selling film magazine, to recognize excellence of professionals in the locale and global film industry. The awards are voted for by readers of the magazine and in an annual ceremony, the Empire Awards, the winners are presented... |
Best Sci-Fi / Fantasy Film | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | |
| 2011 | National Movie Award National Movie Awards The National Movie Awards is a British movie awards ceremony broadcast by ITV in which the winners of the awards are chosen via popular vote. The awards were initiated in 2007 following the success of the National Television Awards, the highest-rating awards ceremony for television... |
Best Fantasy Film | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | |
| 2011 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Saturn Award Saturn Award The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within... |
Best Fantasy Film | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | |
| 2011 | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Saturn Award Saturn Award The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within... |
Best Director | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | |
| 2011 | Hugo Award Hugo Award The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards... |
Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | |
| 2011 | BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Award | John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing | Harry Potter |
|
| 2011 | Scream Award 2011 Scream Awards The 2011 Scream Awards was the name of the sixth annual Scream Awards, an award show dedicated to the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres of feature films, television and comic books... |
Best Director | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | |
| 2011 | BAFTA: British Academy of Film and Television Arts The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:... British Academy Children's Award British Academy Children's Awards The British Academy Children's Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1969.-Video Game :*2011: LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean-Writer :... |
Best Feature Film | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | |
| 2011 | BAFTA: British Academy of Film and Television Arts The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:... British Academy Children's Award British Academy Children's Awards The British Academy Children's Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1969.-Video Game :*2011: LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean-Writer :... |
Best Feature Film | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | |
| 2012 | ADG Excellence in Production Design Award | Honorary Outstanding Contribution to Cinematic Imagery |
Harry Potter | |
Personal life
Yates and his brother, Andrew, grew up together in St HelensMetropolitan Borough of St Helens
The Metropolitan Borough of St Helens is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It is named after its largest town St Helens, and covers an area which includes the settlements of Newton-le-Willows, Earlestown, Haydock, Rainhill, Eccleston, Clock Face, Billinge and...
and became very close after the death of their parents during their childhood. Yates is married to Yvonne Walcott, who is the aunt of Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
football player Theo Walcott
Theo Walcott
Theo James Walcott is an English footballer of Jamaican descent who plays for Arsenal and the England national team. Walcott is a product of the Southampton F.C. Academy. He is a striker who is usually deployed on the right wing as a wide forward to exploit his speed...
. The couple do not have any children together.