Neasa Hardiman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neasa Hardiman
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Neasa Hardiman in 2022
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| Years active | 1998–present |
Neasa Hardiman is an Irish director and writer. She is well known for directing TV shows and movies.
She has worked on many popular TV series in Ireland, the UK, and the USA. Some of her famous TV shows include the children's drama Tracy Beaker Returns, the crime series Happy Valley, and the superhero show Inhumans.
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About Neasa Hardiman
Her Early Life
Neasa Hardiman is the youngest of five children. Her brother, Ronan Hardiman, is a composer. Her father, Thomas, was the head of RTÉ (Ireland's main TV network) from 1968 to 1975. She grew up in Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland.
Education and First Jobs
Neasa studied at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. She earned a special degree called a Double First. She also speaks German fluently. Neasa got a master's degree in visual communications from the Berlin University of the Arts in Germany. Later, she earned another master's degree and a PhD in Film Studies from Trinity College Dublin.
In the early 1990s, Neasa started working as a graphic designer at RTÉ. In 1995, she designed the current RTÉ logo. After winning a competition, she trained to become a producer and director. In 1998, she became the youngest director ever for the Irish soap opera Fair City.
Neasa also produced and directed over twenty documentaries. She worked on many entertainment shows, including the Irish broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2004, she helped direct Imagining Ulysses. This documentary explored the famous novel Ulysses by James Joyce. Imagining Ulysses won awards at the Chicago International Film Festival and the Celtic Film and Television Festival.
Directing Popular TV Shows
From 2010 to 2012, Neasa was a lead director for the BBC children's drama Tracy Beaker Returns. The show's team won a British Academy Children's Awards for Best Drama in 2010. Neasa wanted to make a show for children that dealt with "serious subjects" but also had humor.
After Tracy Beaker Returns, Neasa directed episodes of the hospital dramas Holby City (2012–2013) and Casualty (2013). She enjoyed working on Holby City, calling it "fantastic" because it explored "emotional, ethical dilemmas, politics, power struggles."
In 2014, Neasa directed the final two episodes of the crime drama Scott & Bailey. She liked that the show was "noir-ish" and "gritty." She also enjoyed working on a show led by strong female characters. She praised the main actors, Lesley Sharp and Suranne Jones, for being "at the top of their game."
In 2015, Neasa was announced as a director for the second season of Happy Valley (2016). Critics praised her direction for helping viewers connect with the main character, Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire). In 2016, Neasa won the Irish Film and Television Award for Best Director for her work on Happy Valley. The show also won the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2017.
In 2017, Neasa directed two episodes of Z: The Beginning of Everything. This American show was about the life of Zelda Fitzgerald. Neasa was nominated for Best Director at the 2017 Irish Film and Television Awards for this work. She then directed the final episode of the Marvel superhero series Jessica Jones. Even though it was a different type of show, Neasa found the filming similar to her previous work.
First Feature Film
In 2017, Neasa received funding to make her first full-length movie, Sea Fever. She also wrote the script for this film. Sea Fever is a science-fiction thriller set off the coast of Ireland. It tells the story of fishermen and a science student who face a dangerous parasite in the water.
Neasa described Sea Fever as being about "trust," "interdependence," and "belief." The idea for the film had already won her an award for Best First Feature Screenplay. Sea Fever was the first project Neasa directed in her home country of Ireland in over 10 years.
