DEBORAH MAY is a Film and Video Producer based in London, specialising in arts and cultural content.
Deborah studied Fine Art, in South Africa and at St Martin’s School of Art, London, and worked in the theatre, a museum, a university art school, the United Nations film department, an animation studio, a film production company, the BBC and is currently a freelance producer/director and a director of Xenoki Production which specialises in dance and the performing arts.
As a producer, director, cinematographer and editor Deborah has the knowledge and experience to meet the high technical demands of television and digital media, having directed and produced large multi-camera productions, documentaries, promotional videos for arts organisations and venues, as well as a number of short, experimental, cutting-edge films with visual and performance artists.
Clients include Sadler’s Wells Theatre, BBC Television, National Theatre, Southbank Centre, Aldeburgh Music, Royal Philharmonic Society, Siobhan Davies Dance, Crying Out Loud, Channel 4 Television and 14|18 NOW.
Current and recent productions include:
Life in Progress: a multi-camera live recording of Sylvie Guillem’s final dance programme featuring new works by Akram Khan and Russell Maliphant, and Mats Ek’s touching and poignant Bye, which was made especially for her and performed as part of the 6000 miles away. Currently in post-production.
See the Music, Hear the Dance: a multi-camera live recording at Sadler’s Wells of an evening of Thomas Ades’ music. Featuring the Britten Sinfonia and choreography by Wayne McGregor, Karol Armitage, Alexander Whitley and Crystal Pite. (Crystal’s astonishing Polaris had 60 dancers and 65 musicians, in the pit, on stage and in the auditorium.)
Does it Matter? A series of 5 short films by disabled artists commissioned by 14|18 NOW and Channel 4 to commemorate the centenary of World War One.
Milonga! Documentary film of the creation of Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s tango show for Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Includes a multi-camera recording of the performance, extensive interviews with choreographer, dancers, composer and musicians, plus footage shot in rehearsal and the streets of Buenos Aires. [not yet released]
Britten’s Canticles: 3 camera live recording with tenor Ian Bostridge and counter tenor Iestyn Davies, staged by Neil Bartlett & Paule Constable, filmed at Snape Maltings for Aldeburgh Music’s Britten Centenary.
Circus Post: 15 short films on Contemporary Circus, a collaboration with Crying Out Loud commissioned for BBC|Arts Council’s online portal The Space.
Push: multi-camera recording of Sylvie Guillem and Russell Maliphant performance at Sadler’s Wells. Commissioned by Sadler’s Wells. Broadcast (Japan & Sweden) and DVD distribution.
Darwin Originals. a series of artists short films to celebrate Charles Darwin’s bicentenary and the 150th anniversary of On the origin of species and What on Earth, a second series of artists films on the future of species (looking at climate change, bankers, extinction and transformation). Co-produced with Artsadmin. Screened at events, on the internet and Channel 4.
In the Spirit of Diaghilev a multi-camera live recording of 4 dance films by choreographers, Wayne McGregor, Russell Maliphant, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Javier de Frutos – with performance and interviews. A Sadler’s Wells and BBC commission, broadcast on BBC4 and internationally.
AWARDS
A very brief history: