Susan Kemp (MLitt Creative Writing, BA (Hons) Film & Television)

Programme Director

Biography

Background

 

FILM & TELEVISION EXPERIENCE

BBC Scotland — 1998–2008 (10 years): Researcher, Assistant Producer, Producer, Director, Series Producer

Produced and directed documentaries on film, culture, and social issues for BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC Four, including Film 99–Film 2002 with Jonathan Ross and feature documentaries on filmmakers including Samira Makhmalbaf.

Recent Independent Documentary Work:

• In the Light (2020) — Feature documentary on women in Scottish history

• Antonia Bird: From EastEnders to Hollywood (2016) — 90-minute documentary commissioned by BBC Four and Creative Scotland (£155k budget)

• Writing Ensemble/Who's Watching Who (2015–2016) — Co-Investigator AHRC-funded project (£100k)

• Nort Atlantik Drift: A Portrait of Robert Alan Jamieson (2014) — Funded by UoE Knowledge Exchange and Impact Grants; selected for Shetland's Screenplay Film Festival outreach programme

ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Film Festival Programming: Edinburgh International Film Festival (Researcher, Programmer, Head of Screenings); FilmFour (Short Film Programmer); Glasgow Film Festival (curator and producer of multi-day film events)

Awards & Recognition: EUSA Teaching Award for Developing Student Employability (2011/12); External PhD Examiner, Stirling University (2018)

 

WRITING AWARDS & RECOGNITION

GREENWASH (as yet unpublished debut novel) — Highly Commended, Jenny Brown Associates Debut Writers Over 40 Award, 2025

Endorsed by Scottish crime writer Lin Anderson for 'authentic sense of place and believable characters'

Longlisted, Bridport Prize, 2024

Shortlisted, Bridport Short Story Prize, 2018

New Writer's Bursary, Scottish Book Trust, 2010

Shortlisted, Sceptre Prize, 2008

Longlisted, Richard & Judy Publishing Prize, late 1990s

Postgraduate teaching

Programme Director MSc Film, Exhibition & Curation.

Project activity

Recent Projects

June 2016  - May 2020  Feature documentary In the Light: you need to look squint at history sometimes to see the women in it (http://www.Inthelightfilm.com)

This feature documentary film (1hrs 42 mins), officially premiering online July 8, directed by Susan Kemp and produced by Shona Munro, is a rumination on how history, without us being particularly aware of it, so often closes over women’s achievements and renders them invisible.

By considering a story of 150 years ago with a story of today what is revealed is how active we have to be to make women present in our cultural, built and historical environments.

Over 150 years ago, a group of women entered the University of Edinburgh to study medicine, the first time this had happened anywhere in Britain. Popularly known as the Edinburgh Seven, they studied, they excelled but were prevented from graduating and becoming qualified doctors. All they had asked for was a ‘fair field and no favour’ but they were met with resistance and hostility. In 2016 all Carrie Gracie asked from the BBC was equal pay but she was met with equal resistance and hostility.

This timely documentary skilfully weaves the historical context of 1869 with events in the 21st century as it follows the fight for recognition and equality, and asks has anything changed?

Jan 2015 - May 2016. Researched and directed a feature documentary:  'Antonia Bird: From EastEnders to Hollywood'.

Screened on BBC Four and launched retrospectives at BFI SouthBank; Edinburgh Filmhouse; Manchester Home. (https://antoniabirddirector.com/).

Feb 2014 - March 2016. Co-Investigator of AHRC funded project 'Who's Watching Who'.

Creating a documentary 'Writing Ensemble' which tells a story of the creative process undertaken by leading Scottish playwright Peter Arnott in translating the research of Professor Laura Bradley on theatre censorship in the former GDR into a new play (whoswatchingwho.org)

2012 -2013: Knowledge Exchange Funded project, ‘Nort Atlantik Drift: A Portrait of Robert Alan Jamieson’:

A film about the poet as he reflects on the distant corner of the Shetland Islands where he grew up and on the end of an era.

2011, New Writer’s Award, Scottish Book Trust:

Including a performed reading of a new play at the Scottish Book Trust.

February 2010, ‘The Stasi Are Among Us’:

A collaboration with Dr Laura Bradley, Claus Loser, Fiona Rintoul and the Glasgow Film Festival to bring four film directors and two writers from Berlin to share their very different experiences of working under the watchful gaze of the unpredictable East German censor.

September 2008, WORDS 2008, The Mitchell Library:

Co-producer and curator of an exhibition about creative writing. The five day exhibition included a short film, daily readings, a fully booked panel discussion, writers -in-residence, an art installation by Nicola Atkinson, a sound installation, twice daily writing workshops which included 100 individuals over the course of the week, and a launch event for the publication to of ‘Let’s Pretend, 37 stories about (in)fidelity.’

November 2007 - September 2008, Let’s Pretend, 37 stories about (in)fidelity:

Co-editor of an anthology of new writing from students of Glasgow University’s Edwin Morgan Centre for Creative Writing. Working with Fiona Rintoul we took this project from its inception to publication.

Past project grants

Co-Investigator AHRC funded 'Who's Watching Who'
Knowledge Exchange Fund 'Nort Atlantik Drift'
Knowledge Exchange Fund, 'The Stasi Are Among Us'

  • Director: Antonia Bird: From EastEnders to Hollywood. Screened BBC Four May 2016; Launched Retrospective at BFI SounthBank, Edinburgh Filmhouse, Manchester Home.
  • Producer/ Director: Writing Ensemble: An Experiment in Theatre
  • Producer/Director: Nort Atlantik Drift: A Portrait of Robert Alan Jamieson
  • Producer/Director: Reported Scotland: 1 x 60’ documentary on the history of TV News. (TX BBC One Scotland Sept 30 2007)
  • Series Producer/ Director: Deadline: The Story of The Scottish Press: 6 x 30’ documentary series (TX BBC One Scotland Sept 2007)
  • Series Producer/Director: ERI: Edinburgh Royal Infirmary: 6 x 30’ observational documentary series featuring orthopaedic, cardiothoracic and transplant surgery. (TX BBC One Scotland Mar 2006).
  • Director: A Dog’s Chance: 1 x 30’ documentary about dog owners competing at Crufts (TX BBC Scotland April 2005)
  • Producer/Director: Hollywood Greats: Anthony Hopkins: 1 x 40’ documentary on Anthony Hopkins presented by Jonathan Ross. (TX. BBC Two June 13 2004)
  • Producer/Director The Way Went Wild: 1 x 60’ documentary on Bill Oddie & Johnny Morris. (TX. BBC Two June 13 2004)
  • Director: ArtWorks: Whistler’s Maw: 1 x 30’ documentary about Whistler’s portrait of his Mother. (TX. BBC Two Scotland, Aug 10 2003)
  • Producer/Director: The Makhmalbaf Film House: 1 x 60’ documentary about 17 year old, award-winning Iranian film director, Samira Makhmalbaf, and her family. (TX BBC Four Aug 2002)
  • Series Producer/ Director: The DVD Collection: 26 x 30’ weekly film review programme for BBC Four including half hour documentary special about Polish film maker Krystof Kieslowski.
  • Director: Star Trek: Make It So: 1 x 25’ documentary for Star Trek Night (TX BBC2 Sept 2001)
  • Producer/Director: Cannes 2001 : 1 x 30’ (TX BBC Four, May 20, 2001)
  • Producer: Film 2000 with Jonathan Ross: Film review series for BBC One. (TX 2000)
  • Researcher: Film ‘99 with Jonathan Ross: Film review series for BBC One. (TX 1998)
  • Researcher: Last Of The Good Guys: A tribute to James Stewart 1x 40’ documentary (TX Network BBC2: December 23 1997; January 2 1998)
  • Researcher: How To Make A Movie: 3 x 30’ documentary series (TX Network BBC2: September 1998)

Short films

  • Producer. Pan-Fried 16mm B&W 7 minute Drama, Dir: Justin Molotnikov. Funded by British Screen, Scottish Television, National Lottery. Awards: Scottish New Talent BAFTA for Best Performance (James Young) (1998)
  • Director: Lemn Sissay ‘Gold From The Stone’. A short, synch super-8, colour film exploring poetry and performance. Screened at Edinburgh International Film Festival, The British Short Film Festival and Bradford Film Festival (1996)
  • Writer/ Director. Hill Of Beans. A short drama financed in part by Scottish Screen’s First Reels scheme. Screened at Edinburgh International Film Festival and on Scottish Television.
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