Nicola Shindler
Producer
Nicola Shindler set up Red Production Company in January 1998 to work with writers on modern, innovative and entertaining dramas. Red first went into production Spring 1998 on Russell T Davies 8 part serial, QUEER AS FOLK for Channel 4.
The programme won ‘Judges Award’ for RTS North West, ‘Best Drama’ – Indies 2000, ‘Best TV Show’ for Gaytime TV, ‘Best TV Drama Programme’ – Creative Freedom and ‘Film Review Committee’ – Out Takes Dallas. It transmitted in January 1999 and was followed immediately by Love In The 21st Century.
In 2000 Red transmitted the 6 part series CLOCKING OFF by Paul Abbott for BBC1 (winners of ‘Drama Series’ – BAFTA, ‘Drama Award’ – Indies 2001, ‘Drama Award’ – BBC2 Awards, ‘Best Drama’ – RTS Northwest, ‘Best Programme’ – RTS Northwest, ‘Drama Series’ – RTS, ‘Best Network Drama’ – RTS Northwest) and QUEER AS FOLK 2, a two hour finale. CLOCKING OFF SERIES 2 was transmitted in March 2001 (winners of ‘Best Drama’ – RTS 2002, and Sound Team – BAFTA 2002), with SERIES 3 transmitted January 2002 (winners of RTS 2002 ‘Drama Award’ & RTS North West – ‘Best Drama’) and the final SERIES 4, transmitted in March 2003.
LINDA GREEN, a 10-part comedy by Paul Abbott about a thirty-something woman looking for love, starred Liza Tarbuck and was transmitted on BBC1 in October 2001 with the second series screened in October 2002. Red produced NOW YOU SEE HER for Sky One starring Amanda Holden as a con woman working in the art world, which transmitted in August 2001.
BOB & ROSE, a six part romantic comedy by Russell T Davies for ITV transmitted in September 2001. It starred Alan Davies and Lesley Sharp as a gay man and a straight woman who fall in love. BOB & ROSE won ‘Comedy Drama’ – British Comedy Awards, ‘Writer Award’ – British Comedy Awards, ‘Best Actress’ – British Comedy Awards, ‘Gay Event of the Year’ – City Life, ‘Best Drama’ – Indies 2002, ‘Best TV Programme of the Year’ – Indies 2002, Monte-Carlo TV ‘Best Actor’, Monte-Carlo TV ‘Best Actress’, Monte-Carlo ‘Best Drama’, RTS North West – ‘Best Programme Produced by a North West Independent’, RTS North West – ‘Best Performance’ to Lesley Sharp.
In November 2001 Red produced FLESH AND BLOOD a film written by Peter Bowker starring Christopher Eccleston about a man who after a long search for his birth parents, finds out they are both mentally handicapped. FLESH AND BLOOD awards include; Prix Europa ‘TV Fiction’ Television Programme of the Year – 2003 and Christopher Eccleston: Best Actor, North West RTS Awards.
In April 2002 Red produced SPARKHOUSE a 3 x 60′ serial for BBC written by Sally Wainwright and inspired by Emily Bronte’s classic love story, WUTHERING HEIGHTS. THE SECOND COMING written by Russell T Davies a 2 x 90′ for ITV was transmitted in September 2003. This drama followed the story of how things would be if there was a Second Coming and the Son of God arrived on earth.
It starred Christopher Eccleston and Lesley Sharp. BURN IT, written by Matt Greenhalgh – an 11 x 30′ series transmitted on BBC3 and BBC1 – it followed the lives of three male friends bulldozing through life and love and a second series followed soon after which transmitted September 2003.
In 2003/2004 – as well as producing BURN IT SERIES 2 for BBC3 and INDIAN DREAM by Avie Luthra, a 1 x 60′ film for BBC 2, Red produced MINE ALL MINE a 6 x 60′ series for ITV1 written by Russell T Davies which was filmed in Swansea and Manchester and transmitted in November 2004. That same year Red produced a new police series for the BBC written by Bill Gallagher called CONVICTION which transmitted on BBC3 in November 2004 and BBC2 in May 2005.
CONVICTION won European Producer Award in the Drama Series – Monte Carlo TV Festival Drama Award, Golden Nymph. Also in 2004 Red produced an original drama for ITV called JANE HALL’S BIG BAD BUS RIDE written by Sally Wainwright which transmitted in 2006. Transmitting in 2005, Red produced the 90 minute film BIG DIPPERS by Chris McHallem for ITV1, CASANOVA by Russell T Davies, and a comedy drama series called DEAD MAN WEDS by comedian Dave Spikey.
In October 2005 Red transmitted a 70 minute drama called LEGLESS written and directed by Matt Greenhalgh about binge drinking culture on Channel 4. NEW STREET LAW an 8 x 60′ legal series about two rival barristers’ chambers starring John Hannah, John Thompson and Lisa Faulkner transmitted on BBC1 in May 2006 and a second series followed in February 2007 with a 6 x 60′ for BBC1.
Also in 2006 Red produced two one off programmes for BBC 1, MAGNOLIA by Dave Spikey and THE GOOD HOUSEKEEPING GUIDE by Tony Basgallop. In 2007 Red produced the film THE MARK OF CAIN by Tony Marchant for theatrical release and Channel 4 which explored the provocative, graphic and moving portrayal of a group of young British soldiers in Iraq.
THE MARK OF CAIN has won a BAFTA in the ‘Single Drama’ category and has been nominated for ‘Best Single Drama’ for the RTS awards, Best Writer and Director BAFTA Craft. It has also won ‘Best Drama’ – South Bank Show 2008, ‘Movies that Matter’ award, Amnesty International, Rotterdam Film Festival 2007. And all 3 nominees (Gerard Kearns, Shaun Dooley and Matthew McNulty) won the North West RTS awards for Performance in a Drama! Make Up Designer, Marella Shearer won a RTS Craft 2007.
UNFORGIVEN by Sally Wainwright was produced by Red for ITV1. This 3 x 60′ drama starred Suranne Jones as Ruth Slater, a 32-year-old ‘lifer’, released from prison on license after serving fifteen years for murdering two policemen. WORRIED ABOUT THE BOY by Tony Basgallop, a biopic of Boy George’s Blitz Club years, transmitted in May 2010 on BBC 2 as part of their 80s season.
