Aoife_McArdle

Aoife McArdle

Aoife McArdle

Irish writer, director, and cinematographer

Aoife McArdle (/ˈiːfə/ EE-fa)[1] is an Irish director, writer, and cinematographer working across film, television drama, music videos and commercials.[2]

Early life

Aoife McArdle grew up in Omagh, Northern Ireland.

She studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin where, alongside creative writing, she developed an interest in photography and cinematography, shooting and editing films on Super 8 and Mini DV. She went on to complete a Masters in Film & TV production at Bournemouth film school. She began her film and music video career upon moving to London in 2005.

Career

In 2022, she was a director and producer on the television series Severance which aired on Apple TV to universal acclaim. The show starred Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken and John Turturro.[3]

In 2021, she directed the short film and immersive installation All of This Unreal Time featuring Cillian Murphy performing a monologue written by Max Porter with music composed by Jon Hopkins, Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner. The piece launched at Manchester International Festival.[4][5]

Her debut feature-length film, Kissing Candice, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2017 and at Berlin International Film Festival in February 2018 to critical acclaim.[6][7]

In 2015, she was approached by Jefferson Hack from Dazed magazine to write and direct a short film to accompany U2's track "Every Breaking Wave." The film received praise from Spike Jonze and Alejandro González Iñárritu and was nominated for four UK Music Video awards.[8]

She has created music videos for Jon Hopkins[9] and Bryan Ferry, television commercials for Honda,[10] and Nike and Super Bowl commercials for Squarespace, Audi and Toyota. Her work in advertising has promoted social equality.[11][12][13]

Her short-form work has won multiple awards including a UK Music Video Award, D&AD Pencils, Lions at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Gold British Arrows, Clios and AICP awards.[14]

Artistic style

Her narratives often centre around outsider characters and existential themes, moving between the authentic and the surreal.[15][16]

McArdle's visual style is characterised by distinctive locations, long, choreographed tracking and crane shots and low-key lighting. She favours anamorphic lenses and shooting on 35mm film.[17]

Filmography

Feature films

Television

Short films

Music videos

Commercials

Awards and nominations

References

  1. [1]
    Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
  2. [2]
    "50 people to watch in 2018". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  3. [3]
    Severance, retrieved 21 March 2022
  4. [4]
    "All of This Unreal Time review – Cillian Murphy confesses all in pounding sound and blinding light". the Guardian. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  5. [5]
    Sulcas, Roslyn (6 July 2021). "Processing the Pandemic at the Manchester International Festival". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  6. [6]
    Hayes, Katy. "Film review: Kissing Candice". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  7. [7]
    Mobarak, Jared (9 September 2017). "TIFF Review: 'Kissing Candice' Oozes Sexuality and Dark Glamour". The Film Stage. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  8. [8]
    "Irish filmmaker tipped for success releases new short movie for U2 song". independent. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  9. [9]
    Minsker, Evan (24 April 2013). "Jon Hopkins' "Open Eye Signal" Video Features a Skateboarding Odyssey". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 November 2015. "The first single from Immunity is called "Open Eye Signal", and it is eight minutes long. Its accompanying video was directed by Aoife McArdle." Evan Misker
  10. [10]
    Diaz, Ann-Christine (14 August 2015). "Honda Blasts Off in Brand Campaign From W&K London". Creativity Online. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  11. [11]
    "Irish director behind much talked about Super Bowl ad tackling gender pay gap". 7 February 2017.
  12. [12]
    "WATCH: The Super Bowl ad that everyone was talking about was directed by an Irish director".
  13. [13]
    "Arts Q&A: Film director Aoife McArdle on Flannery O'Connor, PJ Harvey and gay marriage". 7 July 2017.
  14. [14]
    "2018 British Arrows Award Winners". www.adforum.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  15. [15]
    Lee, Jenny (7 July 2017). "Arts Q&A: Film director Aoife McArdle on Flannery O'Connor, PJ Harvey and gay marriage". The Irish News. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  16. [16]
    "have an exclusive look at the trailer for aoife mcardle's debut feature film". I-d. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  17. [17]
    MVOD. "INTERVIEW – AOIFE MCARDLE". mvod.tv. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  18. [18]
    "2018 British Arrows Award Winners". www.adforum.com. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  19. [19]
    UK Music Video Awards. "UK Music Video Awards Winners 2013". ukmva.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  20. [20]
    Behind Magazine. "55DSL present ITALY, TEXAS a movie by Aofie McArdle". behindmagazine.com. Retrieved 24 November 2015. As a director, Aoife McArdle is part realist, part dreamer with an eye for beautiful imagery. Her directing style blends a documentary-like approach with cool, cinematic visuals and a mesmerising atmosphere. Thanks to a knack for humour and a bonafide love of film and literature, Aoife's showreel has a healthy dose of wit and the brains to match. Aoife first made her name as a director in the world of commercials, making spots for the likes of Nike, GQ and Becks to name a few, and has so far been decorated with two Clios, a Cannes Lion and an award at The Art Director's Club in Paris. Since venturing into the music video scene, Aoife has made waves with videos that include a hypnotic promo for Simian Mobile Disco and a stark picture of modern British life for Little Comets, which earned the RSSF Best Music Video title in 2011.
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