Tag: BBC

Segregated America: A School in the South (BBC 1)

Delighted that after a six week run in the US on National Geographic last year, American High School is returning to BBC 1, every Monday from August 20th under the new title of Segregated America: A School in the South. The series box set is also available to watch now on iPlayer.

Segregated America: A School in the South follows a charismatic principal and his students over the course of one school year and through their eyes we witness life-changing moments. In the US, life chances for students who graduate high school are often starkly different to those who don’t, a disparity even more marked for African-American pupils.

With the odds often stacked against them we follow the class of 2016 over this, their make-or-break year.

We experience their highs and their lows as they prepare for life after high school. We meet Ivy League hopefuls, male cheerleaders and young mothers on a tough journey into adulthood. This is school as you’ve never seen it before and a unique insight into how it really feels to be young and black in America today.

Meanwhile, high-achieving pupil Jalena begins college applications, but with college fees costing more than a house, will she even be able to afford to go? Male cheerleader Vernon, and star football player Kordel, each prepare for the big Friday night football game. Can a win for the school help to get Dr Peters’ ambitions back on track?

 

Original soundtrack available here

 

Producer/Director: Marcus Plowright
Executive Producers: Joe Evans and Neil Crombie
Production Company: Swan Films
Composer: Alexander Parsons

 

TX Date: 18th October 2016
BBC1: February 2017
National Geographic (US): 26th September 2017
BBC1: August 2018

 

“Every participant is treated with careful, considered respect… This is helped by Alexander Parsons’ impressive score, mixing tinges of the music the kids listen to with his own emotive arrangements. Six episodes of hope, just when it’s needed”.

Julia Reside (on American High School), The Guardian, 11th November 2016

The Murder of Stephen Lawrence – A Three-Part Series For BBC 1

I’m honoured to have been asked to compose the score for a new landmark series for BBC 1, focusing on one of the most famous cases of 20th Century Britain – the murder of Stephen Lawrence, in South London. The series is exec-produced by Oscar-winning makers of Amy, Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees, for On the Corner productions and is being directed by James Rogan.

The new series was commissioned by Charlotte Moore and Clare Sillery, head of commissioning for documentaries. The commissioning editor is Danny Horan.

The series is expected to air in April, which will mark 25 years since Stephen’s death. Read more about the upcoming films here.

American High School US premier,
on National Geographic

I’m delighted that American High School will receive its premier in the USA on National Geographic, on Tuesday 9PM ET.

The series will play over four weeks, as four 1-hour length episodes.

 

 

Stream the soundtrack in full here

 

Filmed, Produced and Directed: Marcus Plowright
Exec Producers: Neil Crombie and Joe Evans
Composer: Alexander Parsons

American High School Soundtrack to be Released Feb 2017

I’m delighted that my score for American High School will be available on general release, to coincide with its broadcast on BBC 1, in the UK. The soundtrack features original music from the series and will be available digitally from February 17th,  in all the usual places.

The series was produced and directed by Marcus Plowright with Swan Films.
Exec Producers: Neil Crombie and Joe Evans
Production company: Swan Films
Original Television Soundtrack mastered by Alain Paul at Million Mangoes, Berlin

I Can’t Go to School Today Wins a BAFTA Children’s Award

I Can’t Go To School Today (BBC Learning, 2016) has won a BAFTA Children’s Awards in the category Learning – Primary. The ceremony was held at the Roundhouse, London, on Sunday 20 November.

I Can’t Go To School Today is a series of animated documentaries for BBC exploring the experiences of children living with different illnesses and conditions. Using the testimonies of six young people, Mosaic Films worked with animators to tell their story visually.

Each of these films tells of the experiences of a young person whose life is markedly different from their peers, and who have all taken time off school because of their illness.

The series is available on BBC Bitesize.

Directed and Produced by: Andy Glynne
Animation Directors: Nandita Jain & Salvador Maldonado
Music and Sound Design: Alexander Parsons