Al Mackay

Writer/ Director

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Film, TV & Theatre

Agent: Michelle Archer
Associate Agent: Grace Baxter

Film, TV & Theatre

Al Mackay recently directed KIDNAPPED for BBC Studios, having just finished directing all four parts of WITHOUT SIN starring Vicky McClure for Left Bank/ITV. Prior to this, he kicked off COBRA 2 for New Pictures/Sky One having impressed on the first series. Before this, he directed DEEP WATER for Kudos/ITV, as well as the latest series of HUMANS for Kudos/Channel 4. He was also Lead Director on the Howard Overman, Netflix/E4 drama, CRAZYHEAD, for which he was nominated for Best Director at the West of England RTS Awards in 2017. He was named on the BBC’s New Talent Hotlist 2017.

His previous TV credits include directing the closing block of Russell T Davies’ BANANA for Red Productions, and the 4-part webseries MY JIHAD, which was released on BBC iPlayer, following the success of the original short, which Al also directed.

Al has written and directed numerous short films and his work also includes an online episode of MISFITS for Channel 4, which was nominated for a BAFTA Craft award. Also a writer, Al developed his feature project THE DEN through iFeatures2, and was selected as one of eight writers on the SOS scheme.

www.almackay.com

WITHOUT SIN

“Paced to perfection, Without Sin shows McClure at her very best.”

“a moody and meticulously crafted whodunnit, with riveting twists and turns, excruciating tension and maddening ambiguity surrounding Charles’s culpability.” The Evening Standard

COBRA

“this new drama ramps up the end-times mood to nerve-shredding effect.” The Times

“a moreish exploration of low politics and high ambition, with subtle and timely nods to that squalid belt where extreme left and right meet.” The Guardian

 “propulsive plotting meant COBRA gripped” The Telegraph

 “an astounding climax” Metro

“What marks out this fast-paced drama is its sharp wit and light smattering of political intrigue in the corridors of power.” The Times 

MY JIHAD

“Utterly superb… simply an excellent romcom. Sparkling lead performances full of fluttering romantic chemistry” The Guardian

“The dialogue and performances are sweet and sharp in just the right proportions” Radio Times

“Richer territory than the standard romcom” The Sunday Times

“Beautifully done” Front Row, BBC Radio 4

Television

ProductionCompanyNotes

KIDNAPPED

2023 - 2024

BBC

Director and Executive Producer.
Writer: Georgia Lester.
Producer: Clare Shepherd.
Execs: Andrew Morrisey, Michael Parkes and Lucy Richer
Starring: Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Lindsay and Robert Glenister.

WITHOUT SIN

2022

Left Bank/ITV

Director all four parts.
Writer: Frances Poletti
Producer: Guy Hescott
Executive Producers: Sian McWilliams and Andy Harries
Starring: Vicky McClure
*Nominated for Best Actress (Vicky McClure) at the BAFTA Awards, 2023.

COBRA 2

2020

New Pictures/Sky

Lead Director, 3 Episodes.
Producer: Joe Donaldson
Writers: Ben Richards and Toby Finlay
Executive Producer: Charlie Pattison.

COBRA

2019

New Pictures/Sky

Director, 3 episodes.
Writer: Ben Richards.
Producer: Joe Donaldson.
Executive Producer: Charlie Pattinson
Starring: Starring Robert Carlyle, Victoria Hamilton, David Haig.

DEEP WATER

2018

Kudos/ ITV

Director, 2 episodes.
Writer: Anna Symon.
Producer: Rebecca Hodgson.
Executive Producers: Karen Wilson and Diederick Santer.
Starring: Anna Friel

HUMANS 3

2017

Kudos/AMC/C4

Director, 2 episodes.
Writers: Debbie O'Malley (episode 3), Namsi Kahn (episode 4).
Producer: Vicki Delow.
Executive Producer: Emma Kingsman-Lloyd.
Starring: Gemma Chan and Katherine Parkinson

CRAZYHEAD

2016

Urban Myth/ E4/ Netflix

New series. Lead Director.
Writer: Howard Overman.
Producer: Gareth Williams
Executive Producer: Julian Murphy.
* Nominated for Best Director at the Royal Television Society Awards, 2017.

BANANA

2014

Red Productions/ E4

Director, 2 episodes, including series finale.
Writer: Russell T Davies.
Producer: Emily Feller.
Executive Producers: Nicola Shindler, Russell T Davies.

In Development

ProductionCompanyNotes

THE LIE

Rough Cut TV

Co created with Simon Hewitt.

THE SURGEON

Rough Cut TV

Co-created with Simon Hewitt.

Short Films

ProductionCompanyNotes

HIT AND RUN

2010

Steel Mill Pictures/ Elephant Gun Films, EM Mediampany

Writer and Director.

THE GOOD MEN OF LEICESTER

2010

Steel Mill Pictures/ Quad Shorts/ EM Media

Writer and Director.

BALE

2009

Wellington Films/ Elephant Gun Films/ UK Film Council

Writer and Director.

Online

ProductionCompanyNotes

MY JIHAD

2015

BBC

4-part web series spin-off of the iPlayer short.
Writer: Shakeel Ahmed.
Producer: Madeleine Sinclair.
Exec Producer: Hilary Salmon.
*Nominated, Best Digital Fiction Series, Rockie Awards, 2016.

MY JIHAD

2013

BBC

Short film for the BBC's iPlayer.
Writer: Shakeel Ahmed.
Producer: Claire Bennett.
Exec Producer: Hilary Salmon.

MISFITS ONLINE

2011

Clerkenwell Films/ C4

Director.
Producers: Chloe Moss, Matt Jarvis.
* Nominated for New Media Award, TV BAFTAs, 2012.
* Nominated for Digital Creativity Award, BAFTA Craft, 2012.

Commercials

ProductionCompanyNotes

TFL - Project Guardian

Tomboy Films/ M&C Saatchi

Director.
Producer: Barney Spurrier.

TEMPO - Merci Mission

B - Reel/ Publicis

Director.
Producer: Giles Maunsell.

Other

ProductionCompanyNotes

THIS IS ENGLAND

2005

Warp Films

Feature Film. EPK Operator.
Director: Shane Meadows.