Summary
Work history
Education
Skills
Referees
Timeline
Generic
Sam Knowles

Sam Knowles

London

Summary

Highly experienced Series Director, Producer/Director and Edit Producer with 15+ years working at Director level. Dependable, editorially strong, and creatively driven, with a strong visual sensibility and a passion for compelling storytelling. Known for bringing out the best in contributors from all backgrounds and building trust quickly on location. Extensive experience across documentary and factual programming, working throughout the UK, USA, and multiple international territories for both UK and US broadcasters. Equally skilled as an Edit Producer, delivering one-off films and complex, multi-layered series.

Work history

Purple Productions | Channel 5 | 2023 - 2026

Edit Producer
, Motorway Cops - Catching Britain's Speeders
  • Crafted character-led and incident-driven storylines from actuality footage. Ensured legal, compliance and editorial standards were met.
    Series Producer: Johnny Perks | Exec Producer: Zoe Callan | Commissioner: Adrian Padmore

Purple Productions | Channel 5 | 2023–2026

Series Director
Motorway Cops - Catching Britain's Speeders
  • Series 5,6,7,9,10 and 11. Led location filming across multiple series, managing editorial, contributors and crew in the field. Managed sensitive access in a high-risk environment with full duty of care and compliance. Oversaw drone shoots and complex stylised set ups. Self-shot actuality to a high standard in a faced paced environment. Produced character driven sequences.
  • Series Producer: Johnny Perks | Exec Producer: Zoe Callan | Commissioner: Adrian Padmore

The Garden | Channel 4 | 2021-2023

Senior Producer/Director & Edit Director
, Emergency Series 1&2
  • Ambitious prime-time blue chip documentary series shedding light on the ground breaking NHS London trauma network. Managed a team on location following patients and frontline clinical teams from emergency intervention through recovery and rehabilitation. In the edit I shaped compelling character led stories while consistently meeting legal, compliance and editorial guidelines.
  • Series Producer: Rebecca Arnold | Series Director: Matt Haan Exec Producer: Spencer Kelly | Commissioner: Rita Daniels

Double Act | ITV1 | 2021

Series Director
, Hotel Custody
  • Character-driven look inside a police custody suite. Led series style and the team on location. Managed sensitive access.
  • Exec producer: Graham Sherrington | Commissioner: Nicola Lloyd

The Garden | BBC2 | 2022

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)
, The Mayfair Hotel Megabuild
  • Produced, directed and self-shot glossy actuality sequences for a documentary on the expansion of a landmark London luxury hotel, including renovation milestones and celebrity visits
  • Exec Producers: Lucie Duxbury and Rachel Morgan

Shine TV | Channel 4 | 2018 & 2019

Shine TV | Channel 4 | 2018 & 2019
, Worked across four series of Hunted and its celebr
  • Worked across four series of Hunted and its celebrity counterpart. Embedded self-shooting PD & Edit Producer on this popular obs-doc/reality hybrid programme. Directed High profile talent.
  • Exec producers: Tom Williams and Tom Fulford

TwoFour | Channel 4 | 2022

Producer/Director
, Make Me Prime Minister

Studio Lambert | CBS | 2021

Edit Producer
, Undercover Boss - S11

TwoFour | Channel 4 | 2018–2019

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)
, The Secret Teacher

Spun Gold | National Geographic | 2018

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)
, Operation Royal Wedding

Studio Lambert | BBC Two | 2017

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)
, Top of the Shop

Windfall Films | BBC Two | 2013, 2014 & 2017

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)
, The Fifteen Billion Pound Railway

Series 1, 2 and 3

Blink Films UK | PBS | 2017

Producer/Director ( Self-Shooting)
, We’ll Meet Again: The Lost Children of Vietnam

Raw TV | BBC Two | 2016

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)
, The Five Million Pound Super Sewer

Whisper Films | 2016

Producer/Director
, Mark Webber: Le Mans - Development Project

Sundog Pictures | BBC One | 2016

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)
, Reggie Yates: Touchdown USA

Liberty Bell | Channel 4 | 2015

Senior Producer/Director
, The Three Day Nanny

Liberty Bell | ITV1 | 2014

Senior Producer/Director
, Kids with Cameras

Education

BA (Hons) - Media and Cultural Studies

Solent University

Skills

  • Extensive experience working with vulnerable contributors
  • Strong access-based filming background with the NHS, law enforcement and numerous other institutions
  • Solid working knowledge of broadcast legal and compliance requirements
  • Experienced in directing and working with on-screen talent
  • Confident shooting on prime lenses
  • Skilled in lighting master and sit-down interviews
  • Proven ability to manage complex narratives in the edit

Referees

Available on request

Timeline

Purple Productions | Channel 5 | 2023 - 2026

Edit Producer

Purple Productions | Channel 5 | 2023–2026

Series Director

The Garden | Channel 4 | 2021-2023

Senior Producer/Director & Edit Director

Double Act | ITV1 | 2021

Series Director

The Garden | BBC2 | 2022

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)

Shine TV | Channel 4 | 2018 & 2019

Shine TV | Channel 4 | 2018 & 2019

TwoFour | Channel 4 | 2022

Producer/Director

Studio Lambert | CBS | 2021

Edit Producer

TwoFour | Channel 4 | 2018–2019

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)

Spun Gold | National Geographic | 2018

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)

Studio Lambert | BBC Two | 2017

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)

Windfall Films | BBC Two | 2013, 2014 & 2017

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)

Blink Films UK | PBS | 2017

Producer/Director ( Self-Shooting)

Raw TV | BBC Two | 2016

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)

Whisper Films | 2016

Producer/Director

Sundog Pictures | BBC One | 2016

Producer/Director (Self-Shooting)

Liberty Bell | Channel 4 | 2015

Senior Producer/Director

Liberty Bell | ITV1 | 2014

Senior Producer/Director

BA (Hons) - Media and Cultural Studies

Solent University
Sam Knowles