About
Rachael was born in Newcastle but now calls London home. She wanted to be a fashion designer but decided that a life discussing hemlines wasn't for her. She went on to do a degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies at University College London and then to work in film and television. She has written travel guides for cities she's never been to, coaxed unmotivated teenagers into making a musical and once sold shoes to Princess Diana. Rachael is a writer, producer and director with an MA in Screenwriting from London Film School. In 2009, she produced the experimental short, 'Kids Might Fly', directed by Alex Taylor, that was screened at festivals including SXSW and BFI London. She have developed ideas for documentaries and drama at companies including Angel Shark Films, Windfall and Drive Thru Pictures; and worked as a producer, director and associate producer on films and series for the BBC, Sundance Channel and Discovery. Documentary credits include the Film London funded short 'Holding Space' (2018) that explored death through the work of End of Life Doulas; the feature doc and series 'The Biggest Chinese Restaurant in the World', directed by the multi-award-winning director, Weijun Chen, that went behind the scenes at the 5000-seater Westlake Restaurant in China (2008, Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance Channel/ BBC Storyville); the popular Discovery science series, 'How Do They Do It?' (2015); and 'Up for Debate – Team Qatar 'that followed a teenage debating team as they competed in the World Schools Debating Championships (2009, Best Film: Doha Tribeca Film Festival, PBS/ BBC Storyville). At present, Rachael is working on several film and TV drama ideas and a collection of short stories. She also writes about film, theatre, travel and adventure for publications including The Guardian and Backstage magazine.
Rachael Swindale
LFS Filmography
Feeling Good, LFS MA Feature Screenplay, 2011
Piñata, CO-WRITER, RED, LFS, 2011
Time to Tell, SCRIPT EDITOR, 35mm, LFS, 2011
What's Your Story?, EDITOR, DV, Documentary Filmmakers Group, 2010
Kids Might Fly, PRODUCER, 16mm, 2009
The Raleigh Effect, PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR/ EDITOR, DV, Raleigh International, 2008
Up for Debate - Team Qatar, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, HD, BBC/PBS, 2008
The Biggest Chinese Restaurant in the World, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, HD, BBC/ Sundance Channel, 2008
The Science of the Ten Plagues, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, HD, Warner Bros, 2007
Office Tigers, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, HD, BBC/ Sundance Channel, 2006