John Bryan Evans

John Evans (born John Bryan Casey on 5 May 1980)[1] is a Welsh film and television director, writer, and producer. He is also a former soldier. He works in the medium of both English and Welsh and produces both factual and fiction productions.

John Evans
Born
John Bryan Casey

(1980-05-05) 5 May 1980
Wrexham, Wales, UK
NationalityWelsh
Alma materBangor University
OccupationFilm director, TV producer, Screenwriter, Film producer
Spouse(s)(m.2007-????)
Children3
Military career
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1996–2005
UnitRoyal Engineers
Battles/warsOperation Banner War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Iraq War

Early and Pre-career Life

Born in Wrexham, North Wales on 5 May 1980, Evans grew up in Bangor, Gwynedd.[1] He went to local schools Ysgol Cae Top and Ysgol Friars. His headmaster at Ysgol Cae Top was John McBryde, father of former Wales international rugby union player Robin McBryde.[2] In 1996 Evans joined the British Army, serving as a Royal Engineer and saw service in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq[3] After leaving the armed forces Evans attended Bangor University and studied Film. He was awarded a First Class BA(Hons) and later received a Distinction in a Film making MA.

Career

Although his undergraduate degree was predominately academic Evans began making short films while studying at University. He won the 2012 Welsh Royal Television Society Best Fiction award for his graduation film Long I Stood There. His short Welsh Language film NOT was also recognised by the RTS. His step-daughter Ceri and daughter Annabel played the two young children in the film about domestic abuse which made an allegorical reference to the Welsh Not, with the former winning a number of Best Actress awards.[4][5][6] In 2013 he made the documentary Curtains which featured on BBC Three Fresh. It focused on a Women's Aid refuge, the staff and women that had escaped domestic abuse. Evans grew up watching his mother abused by his father. After the break-up of his parents he and his siblings took their mother's surname.

For a BBC interview about the film he stated "I grew up having to watch my mum beaten and bullied by my abusive father. The film as a result became a very personal journey. With Curtains, I think I became as much as a participant as the women and support workers. With some reflexive reverting, perhaps I provided the child's point of view, the only view I have."[7] Evans placed the dedication "For my mum" at the end of the film.[8] In 2014 his short drama Jam Man was nominated at the Celtic Media Festival for Best Short Drama.[9] Evans and the film where then nominated by the Royal Television Society for Best Drama.[10] The Welsh language drama was first broadcast on Sky Arts. He then went on to produce and direct Cysgod Rhyfel (The Shadow of War) which was broadcast on S4C.[11] The film focused on soldiers with Posttraumatic stress disorder and used the talking head accounts of war veterans who had served in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, along with highly stylised dramatic sequences written by Evans . During the film Maldwyn Jones, a Falklands veteran contributing to the film discussed the suicide of L/Sgt Dan Collins, who had struggled with PTSD after serving in Afghanistan. The film showed the video message Dan left his mother Deana who had contributed to the film.[12][13] During an interview with Jason Mohammad about the film Evans stated 'The sad thing is, all too often something happens and it goes too far. Dan couldn't cope any more and felt he needed to take his own life. These almost cataclysmic events will raise the subject, but it's just really sad that something like that had to happen first'.[14] Evans went on to make a documentary film for S4C in Afghanistan with former Royal Marine officer and Conspicuous Gallantry Cross recipient Owen Davis.[3]

After this Evans went on to direct on the S4C series Ward Plant and the BBC One series Flint Des Res. His diverse range continued when Evans began directing episodes of the CBS crime drama Elementary, while going on to create the children S4C series Antur Natur Cyw.

Personal life

Evans lives on Anglesey with his family. He has three children Annabel, Jack and Scarlet. He also has a step-daughter, Ceri. Despite working and having written in the Welsh language he does not consider himself a fluent Welsh speaker.

His former brother-in-law is Sion Edwards who plays football for Bangor City.

Filmography
Year Title Role Description Broadcast Notes
Director Writer Producer
2011 When Saturday Comes Yes Yes Short Documentary Film
2012 Luck Yes Yes Short Documentary Film
NOT Yes Yes Yes Short Film Nominated Best Fiction Royal Television Society Wales
Long I Stood There Yes Yes Yes Short Film Winner Best Fiction Royal Television Society Wales
2013 Curtains Yes Yes Short Documentary Film BBC Three
Amomynus Yes Yes Short Documentary Film
2014 Cysgod Ryfel (The Shadow of War) Yes Yes Dramatic Sequences Yes Documentary Film S4C
Gohebwyr: Owen Davis- Yn ol i Afganistan (Owen Davis-Back to Afghanistan) Yes Documentary Film S4C BAFTA Cymru Nominated
2015 Jam Man Yes Yes Yes Drama Sky Arts Nominated Best Short Drama Celtic Media Festival

Nominated Best Drama Royal Television Society Wales

Flint Des Res Yes Documentary Series BBC One Two part series
2015–Present Ward Plant Yes Documentary series S4C
2015–Present Elementary Yes Drama series CBS
2015-2017 Ysbyty Cyw Bach Yes Yes Yes Series S4C UNESCO Prix Jeunesse[15] Nominated
2017 Antur natur Cyw Yes Yes Yes Series S4C Creator of Series
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References
  1. John Evans at the Internet Movie Database (Retrieved 14 May 2014)
  2. Crump, Eryl (2007). "He showed me what life was like, I couldn't have ever wished for a better dad". Daily Post. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  3. Wightwick, Abbie (18 May 2014). "Flashbacks and nightmares: Former soldier investigates the effects of war on Welsh servicemen". Western Mail. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  4. "Father and step daughter win awards at Welsh film festival". accessdate=14 May 2014. Archived 21 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "And the winners are…" Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine. ffresh Festival website. (Retrieved 14 May 2014)
  6. "Two Film Wins and an Acting Gong!" Archived 15 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Adda Films web site.(Retrieved 14 May 2014)
  7. "BBC Fresh Profile: John Evans". BBC Three (Retrieved 14 May 2014)
  8. "Curtains". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  9. "Celtic Media Festival: Jam Man". celticmediafestival.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  10. "Bangor University students up for top film maker award". dailypost.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  11. (Retrieved 19 May 2014)
  12. BBC News (14 July 2013). "UK soldier and veteran suicides 'outstrip Afghan deaths". BBC News. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  13. "Deana Collins". IMDb. (Retrieved 14 May 2014)
  14. Jason Mohammad Show (Retrieved 22 May 2014)
  15. S4C Press release (Retrieved 15 September 2017)
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