I'm Ruth Sewell, an award-winning creative and director with a specialist in films that make a real difference—bringing underrepresented voices to screen, supporting charities through cinematic storytelling, and creating educational content that informs and inspires. Most recently I've directed fundraising spots for Choose Love, Breast Cancer Now and Great Ormond Street Hospital. I'm currently writing a series and a novel about three single mothers and a feature-length psychological horror. I was commissioned by Knock Out Productions to write a feature about an MMA fighter and NHS nurse battling a mental health crisis, which will shoot summer 2026 starring Daisy Ridley. I have two projects out to festivals: KILL, a lyrical short about a homeless person seeking meaning, and OCEAN STAR, a feature documentary on youth in Mauritius that has competed at Melbourne, New Delhi and Anatolia film festivals, amongst others.…

Ruth Sewell

I'm Ruth Sewell, an award-winning creative and director with a specialist in films that make a real difference—bringing underrepresented voices to screen, supporting charities through cinematic storytelling, and creating educational content that informs and inspires. Most recently I've directed fundraising spots for Choose Love, Breast Cancer Now and Great Ormond Street Hospital. I'm currently writing a series and a novel about three single mothers and a feature-length psychological horror. I was commissioned by Knock Out Productions to write a feature about an MMA fighter and NHS nurse battling a mental health crisis, which will shoot summer 2026 starring Daisy Ridley. I have two projects out to festivals: KILL, a lyrical short about a homeless person seeking meaning, and OCEAN STAR, a feature documentary on youth in Mauritius that has competed at Melbourne, New Delhi and Anatolia film festivals, amongst others.…

Available to hire

I’m Ruth Sewell, an award-winning creative and director with a specialist in films that make a real difference—bringing underrepresented voices to screen, supporting charities through cinematic storytelling, and creating educational content that informs and inspires. Most recently I’ve directed fundraising spots for Choose Love, Breast Cancer Now and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

I’m currently writing a series and a novel about three single mothers and a feature-length psychological horror. I was commissioned by Knock Out Productions to write a feature about an MMA fighter and NHS nurse battling a mental health crisis, which will shoot summer 2026 starring Daisy Ridley. I have two projects out to festivals: KILL, a lyrical short about a homeless person seeking meaning, and OCEAN STAR, a feature documentary on youth in Mauritius that has competed at Melbourne, New Delhi and Anatolia film festivals, amongst others.

See more

Skills

Experience Level

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Freelance Creative, Writer, Director & Editor at Self-employed / Dark Energy
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2025
Responding to briefs; conceptualising visual proposals; presenting pitches; writing for film and TV as well as advertising and educational content; directing actors and crew; camera operating, lighting and grip; post-production, editing, colour-grading and sound design using Adobe Creative Cloud.
In-house Director/Producer at Nowadays Productions Ltd
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2017
Producing budgeting, crewing, securing locations, and casting; scripting dialogue and voiceover; developing client scripts; directing concepts; shot lists and storyboards; directing post-production for live action and animation; leading teams.
Assistant to Abby Singer, Literary Agent (Part-Time) at Casarotto Ramsay & Associates Ltd
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2014
Negotiating contracts and accounts management; liaising with talent/production companies and script development services for clients; developing systems to organise a high-volume department.
Development Researcher at Big Talk Productions Ltd
January 1, 2007 - January 1, 2012
Creating mood reels for various projects; designing graphics for pitches and editing copy; feeding back notes on slate script projects to executives and talent, incl. Attack the Block, Sightseers, Paul; researching new talent including writers, directors and performers, theatre, live comedy, film/TV coverage.
Director / Camera at The Guardian / Dauntless Pictures
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2016
Documentary work including From the Bronx to Yale: The Power of High School Speech; directorial and camera duties.
Writer / Director / Producer / Editor / Colourist at The NSPCC / Nowadays
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2016
30 YEARS OF CHILDLINE promotional short film for NSPCC; roles across writing, directing, producing, editing and colour grading.
Writer / Director / Producer / Editor at BUILD AFRICA
January 1, 2015 - January 1, 2015
TIME MACHINE promotional charity video; writing and directing.
Writer / Director at JWT Agency
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019
COPPAFEEL! – five short online films for a breast cancer charity; writer and director.
Writer / Producer / Director at Facebook and Tastemade
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019
THE HEALTHFUL LIFE – eight-episode lifestyle cooking show hosted by Jahannah James; writer, producer and director.
Writer / Director at LENOVO x STARLIGHT / 3 MONKEYS ZERO
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019
DOC short about VR used in children’s hospitals instead of anaesthetic; writer and director.
Writer / Director / Producer at OFF THE WALL: SUBCULTURES IN LONDON / TASTEMADE
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2018
Series of four documentary shorts; writer, director and producer.
Director / Camera at The Guardian / Dauntless Pictures
January 1, 2016 - January 1, 2016
From the Bronx to Yale: The Power of High School Speech; documentary work.

Education

Storytelling for the Screen at Screen Arts Institute, BFI
January 1, 2016 - March 18, 2026
BA English Literature 2:1 at Kings College, Cambridge
January 1, 2003 - January 1, 2006
A-Levels at Epping Sixth Form FE College, Debden
January 1, 2001 - January 1, 2003
GCSEs at Haggerston Secondary School, Hackney
January 1, 1996 - January 1, 2001

Qualifications

Saint John's Ambulance First Aid trained
January 11, 2030 - March 18, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Non-Profit Organization, Education, Professional Services

Skills

Experience Level