David Yates facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Yates
Yates at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	(1963-10-08) 8 October 1963 (age 61) St Helens, Lancashire, England
Alma mater	University of Essex (BA) National Film and Television School
Occupation	Film director producer screenwriter
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Yvonne Walcott
Relatives	Theo Walcott (nephew)

David Yates, born on October 8, 1963, is a talented English filmmaker. He has directed many movies and TV shows. He is most famous for directing the last four films in the magical Harry Potter series. He also directed the three movies in the prequel series, Fantastic Beasts. His work on Harry Potter brought him great success and many awards. One special award was the British Academy Britannia Award for excellent directing.

Early in his career, David Yates directed several short films and TV shows. Some of his notable TV projects include the exciting political drama State of Play (2003). For this, he won an award from the Directors Guild of Great Britain. He also directed the Emmy Award-winning TV movie The Girl in the Café (2005).

David Yates is also one of the people who started Directors UK, an organization for directors. He has worked closely with Warner Bros. for many years as both a director and a producer.

Early Life and Inspiration

David Yates was born in St Helens, England, on October 8, 1963. He grew up in the village of Rainhill. When he watched Steven Spielberg's movie Jaws in 1975, he knew he wanted to make films. His mother bought him a special Super 8mm camera. He used it to make short movies with his friends and family. One of his early films, The Ghost Ship, was even filmed on a boat where his uncle worked!

David went to Grange Park High School and then St Helens College. Later, he attended the University of Essex. There, he started a Film and Video Production Society. He earned his degree in Government in 1987.

Starting a Career in Film and TV

The National Film and Television School, where Yates trained as a director

David Yates made his first film, When I Was a Girl, in 1988. This short film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival. This success helped him get into the National Film and Television School in 1989. While still studying, he directed other short films like Oranges and Lemons and Good Looks. After graduating in 1992, he directed an episode of a film studies show called Moving Pictures.

Early Short Films and TV Shows

From 1994 to 1995, David Yates directed episodes of the police TV show The Bill. He also worked on a documentary series called Tale of Three Seaside Towns. In 1998, he directed his first full-length movie, The Tichborne Claimant. This historical drama was based on a real-life court case. It starred famous actors like Stephen Fry.

Award-Winning TV Dramas

In 2000, David Yates directed parts of the BBC miniseries The Sins. He also directed The Way We Live Now, a four-part TV show based on a classic novel. This show won him a BAFTA Award for Best Drama Serial in 2002.

A year later, his short film Rank was nominated for a BAFTA Award. This film told a story about friendship and growing up, and it explored important social themes. Critics praised its realistic style.

In 2003, David Yates directed the exciting six-part TV thriller State of Play. This show was about government secrets and power. It won him a Directors Guild of Great Britain Award. Many people thought it was one of the best British TV dramas of its time. Hollywood even made a movie based on it later!

He also directed The Young Visiters in 2003, a TV movie based on a book written by a nine-year-old girl. It was a warm and charming production.

His TV film The Girl in the Café (2005) was a big success. It starred Bill Nighy and Kelly Macdonald. This film won three Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie. David Yates was also nominated for Outstanding Directing for his work on it.

Directing the Magical World of Harry Potter

David Yates at the premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in 2007

In 2006, David Yates got a huge opportunity: to direct the fifth Harry Potter movie! Warner Bros. Pictures chose him for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Producer David Heyman believed Yates could help the young actors give their best performances. He also felt Yates could bring a fresh, more grown-up feel to the story.

Bringing Order of the Phoenix to Life

Before filming, David Yates talked with the director of the previous Harry Potter movie to learn more. His first big scene involved a giant and human characters, which was a new challenge for him. When Order of the Phoenix was released in 2007, it was a big hit! David Yates won the Best Director award for his work. Fans loved the movie, even though some wished it had been shorter.

Crafting Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows

Because of his success, David Yates was asked to direct the sixth film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He wanted this movie to combine the exciting mystery of Prisoner of Azkaban with the adventure of Goblet of Fire.

Then came an even bigger task: directing the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Warner Bros. decided to split it into two movies. David Yates directed both Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Deathly Hallows – Part 2. He filmed them back-to-back starting in 2009. He wanted Part 1 to feel like a "road trip" and very real. Part 2, however, was planned to be a grand, colorful adventure with huge battles.

Deathly Hallows – Part 1 came out in 2010. Critics praised David Yates's fast-paced directing and how well he understood the characters like Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

Deathly Hallows – Part 2 was released in 2011 and was a massive success! It broke box office records and received amazing reviews. Author J. K. Rowling herself said that David Yates "steered us home magnificently." This film became the highest-grossing Harry Potter movie. David Yates won another Empire Award for Best Director. The entire Harry Potter creative team, including Yates, received a special award for their amazing contribution to cinema.

Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter, said that David Yates brought a new sense of realism to the series. He added that everyone had a fantastic time working with him.

Adventures Beyond Hogwarts: Tarzan and Fantastic Beasts

After the Harry Potter series, David Yates continued to work on exciting projects.

Exploring New Stories: Tyrant and Tarzan

David Yates speaking at San Diego Comic-Con in 2016

In 2013, he directed the first episode, or pilot, of an American TV drama called Tyrant. This show explored stories set in the Middle East. The next year, David Yates started filming The Legend of Tarzan. This big adventure movie, released in 2016, starred actors like Alexander Skarsgård as Tarzan, Samuel L. Jackson, and Margot Robbie.

Continuing the Wizarding World with Fantastic Beasts

David Yates returned to the Wizarding World to direct Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 2016. This movie was the first in a new series based on J. K. Rowling's books. It tells stories set before Harry Potter's time. The film was a big success and starred Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander.

He also directed the sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, released in 2018. This movie also did well at the box office. David Yates then directed the third film in the series, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, which came out in 2022.

About David Yates

Personal Life

David Yates is married to Yvonne Walcott. He has a younger brother and an older sister. Fun fact: he is the uncle of Theo Walcott, a well-known former professional footballer!

His Directing Style

Actors who worked with David Yates, like Emma Watson, have said he encourages everyone to do their very best. He often takes many shots of a scene to get the perfect performance from his actors. David Yates is inspired by famous directors like Steven Spielberg. His films often explore social topics and focus on realistic characters and dramatic atmospheres.

David Yates's Film and TV Work

Here is a list of some of the movies and TV shows David Yates has directed.

Feature Films

Short Films

Television Series and Movies

TV Series

Miniseries

• The Sins (2000) (3 episodes)
• The Way We Live Now (2001)
• State of Play (2003)

TV Movies

• The Young Visiters (2003)
• The Girl in the Café (2005)

Documentary Series

Awards and Recognitions

David Yates has won many awards for his amazing work in film and television. Here are some of them: