Category: ITV

Worlds Collide: The Manchester Bombing

Director: Marcus Plowright
Composer: Alexander Parsons
Production Company: Label1
Broadcaster: ITV

 

Despite the tragedy at its centre, the series also contains stories of warmth and joy. The biggest challenge was for the score to connect these, almost continuously, with much darker contrasting events of the day. I used various musical devices to try to achieve this – firstly the use of very loosely played acoustic instrumental parts, which we hear performed on violin, cello and flute. These bring a sense of warmth to darker scenes, as well as hinting at instability and a sense of what is to come in warmer moments. I also aimed to give an impression of different worlds colliding as parts weave in and out of time. The second was a four-note ascending motif, which returns at points that hint at the tragedy about to occur. Thirdly the use of vocals which we used to invoke a sense of memory and as a reminder of the tragic loss of life.

 

Violin: Alexander Parsons
Vocals: Hinako Omori
Cello: Joe Zeitlin


Fred and Rose West: Reopened

Two-part documentary series presented by Sir Trevor McDonald and from the filmmakers behind the International Emmy nominated and Grierson shortlisted In Cold Blood. A team of investigators explore claims the Wests were responsible for many more murders than the 12 women and girls they are known to have killed.

Fred West committed suicide before he was brought to trial, but his wife Rose was convicted of 10 murders in 1995. There has however always been a strong belief that there are many more victims.

This new series, shown on consecutive nights, features former detective chief inspector Colin Sutton, investigative psychologist Donna Youngs, author and West expert Howard Sounes, and reporter Sir Trevor McDonald following up new leads to try to shed new light on the true number of the Wests’ victims and their identities.

My score for this series features cello, performed by Joe Zeitlin

A Blink Films production for ITV

Director: Marcus Plowright
Producer: Emily Harris
Composer: Alexander Parsons
Motion Graphics: Euan McGrath
Editors: Ben Melbourne and Katherine Lee

In Cold Blood

In Cold Blood

A 90-minute feature-length documentary for ITV’s Bafta-winning Exposure strand examines the biggest treatment disaster in NHS history. In the 1970s, a new treatment for haemophilia known as Factor VIII was prescribed on the NHS. It infected over 1,300 people with HIV and more than 4,000 people with Hepatitis C.

In the same week the long public inquiry looking into this scandal re-opens, In Cold Blood offers a window into a tragedy which killed more people than Grenfell, Hillsborough, 7/7 and the Birmingham bombings combined. Yet its scale and impact has until now been relatively understated in Britain.

With access to hundreds of previously unexamined documents from inside the government, In Cold Blood  explores the full story behind the scandal, and investigates claims that warnings were systematically ignored and subsequently covered up. In the wake of Covid-19, this landmark film tells some shocking truths about our Health Service’s past – at a time when, perhaps more than ever, we are looking for it to function properly.

 

★★★★★ THE INDEPENDENT
“A difficult and powerful watch”

★★★★ THE TIMES
“A vital film”

★★★★ THE TELEGRAPH
“A staggering investigation to make your blood boil”

 

 

Production Company: Darlow Smithson for ITV
Director: Marcus Plowright
Producers: Celia Watson, Marcus Plowright
Editor: Leigh Brzezki
Composer: Alexander Parsons