Emily Turner
agent: Camilla Chiverton - camilla@sternwild.com
Emily Turner is a director who is passionate about finding bold, original and distinctive ways of telling stories with heart and compassion for those they belong to. She is currently making a landmark feature doc for a global streamer that is due to launch later this year, re-examining an infamous story with a modern lens.
Her breakthrough film, Channel 4’s critically-acclaimed Accused: The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax (Grierson-nominated) tells the story of four mothers who found themselves at the heart of a shocking series of allegations sweeping the internet. Emily built relationships with the mothers at the centre of this story, and developed and pitched the film, combining drama and lip-syncing to tell this legally complex, and real-world echoing film.
Emily began directing on Channel 4’s flagship documentary series, 24 Hours In Police Custody, where her two-parter, The Horror House, saw her gaining access to Bedfordshire police’s historic child sex abuse unit to film their biggest investigation. These films achieved record ratings, and made Channel 4 News after ten new victims of prolific sexual predator Carson Grimes came forward following broadcast - and a new investigation was launched. Emily’s sensitive approach to documenting these stories without sensationalizing the trauma involved is a hallmark of her work.
Emily’s career has been marked by a commitment to tackling sensitive and challenging subjects. Before breaking through as a director, Emily spent ten years producing BAFTA-nominated films and series within the hardest to reach institutions (BBC’s Protecting Our Foster Kids and Channel 4’s Kids On The Edge, Lemn Sissay’s Superkids: Breaking Away From Care.)
Emily has a flare for working sensitively, and bravely, with vulnerable contributors, and children. Her specialist expertise of working within social services, the NHS and Police Forces means she relishes working in a consulting capacity on series and singles in these areas. Emily developed and consulted on Paddy Wivell’s Channel 4 series, Kids.
Emily also has a passion for developing ideas. Whilst at Story Films, as their first member of staff, Emily developed a slate of ideas alongside Dave Nath and Peter Beard, gaining experience in factual dramas, and won an RTS for her work on The Interrogation of Tony Martin.
Beyond her directing and consulting work, Emily relishes opportunities to mentor, working with the Grierson Trust as part of their Alumni mentorship scheme. Emily is also a fluent French speaker.