Steve Barron

Steve Barron began his film career as a camera assistant on major European productions of the 1970s, including A Bridge Too Far (1977), The Duellists (1977) and Superman (1978). In the late 1970s, he co-founded production company Steploes to produce concert films, including one featuring The Jam. He directed several music videos for the band, including The Jam: Going Underground (1980). The company, later renamed to Limelight, became the world's largest music video production company by 1983. He pioneered the use of 35mm film in music videos with The Human League: Don't You Want Me (1981). This technical advancement led to his collaboration with Michael Jackson, directing Michael Jackson: Billie Jean (1983), the first single from 'Thriller'. Throughout the 1980s, he directed videos for numerous artists including Adam & the Ants, Rod Stewart, Madonna, Bryan Adams, Toto, Tears For Fears, Spandau Ballet, Simple Minds and Heaven 17. His feature directorial debut Electric Dreams (1984) (1984), starring Virginia Madsen, was released by Virgin and MGM. The film incorporated MTV-style visuals with a soundtrack featuring Culture Club and Giorgio Moroder. He continued directing influential music videos, including Dire Straits: Money for Nothing (1985), which won Best Video at the 1986 MTV Awards, and A-ha: Take on Me (1985). His music video portfolio expanded to include work with ZZ Top, Paul McCartney, The Bee Gees and David Bowie. In 1987, Barron collaborated with Jim Henson, Anthony Minghella, and Duncan Kenworthy on The Storyteller (1987). The series starred The Storyteller (1987) and featured innovative animatronic technology from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. The pilot episode "Hans My Hedgehog" won an Emmy Award. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) (1990) marked a significant milestone, becoming the first independent feature to exceed $100 million at the U.S. box office, with worldwide earnings surpassing $350 million. The film combined MTV-style visuals with Jim Henson's animatronics and puppetry. His subsequent work earned him a Grammy nomination for Dire Straits: Calling Elvis (1991) and the Billboard Best Director award for Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable." He directed Coneheads (1993) for Paramount, starring Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin. As Executive Producer, he oversaw The Specialist (1994) with Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone, While You Were Sleeping (1995) starring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman, and ReBoot (1994). The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996) (1996) featured Oscar winner Martin Landau and Jonathan Taylor Thomas, incorporating sophisticated puppetry from Jim Henson's Creature Shop. In 1998, he directed Merlin (1998), a $30 million television production for NBC and Hallmark, featuring Sam Neill, Helena Bonham Carter, Miranda Richardson, and others. The production received 15 Emmy nominations and 4 Golden Globe nominations. The ABC network miniseries Arabian Nights (2000) (1999) was filmed in Turkey and Morocco, starring Alan Bates, Jason Scott Lee, and John Leguizamo. The production earned 5 Emmy nominations. Rat (2000) (2000) premiered in Dublin, starring Imelda Staunton, Pete Postlethwaite, and Kerry Condon. He followed this with Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001), featuring soccer legends Pelé and Ronaldo. The film achieved significant box office success in the UK. He directed DreamKeeper (2003), a $24 million Lakota Indigenous miniseries for ABC and Hallmark, winning Gold for Directorial Achievement at the Chicago International TV Festival and an Emmy Award for visual effects. In 2005, Barron wrote and directed Choking Man (2006), starring Mandy Patinkin and Aaron Paul. He received an Outstanding Achievement in Music Videos award and a Gotham Award for his screenplay. During this period, he executive produced documentaries Peace One Day (2004) and The Day After Peace (2008). He directed Slingers (2009) (2009) and the miniseries Treasure Island (2012) (2011) for Sky and SyFy, starring Eddie Izzard, Elijah Wood, and Donald Sutherland. His work on Delete (2013) (2013) earned two Leo Awards. From 2014 to 2019, Barron served as lead director for seasons 1 and 2 of The Durrells (2016), and directed the final episodes of season 4. He returned to feature films with Supervized (2019) (2019), starring Louis Gossett Jr., Tom Berenger, and Beau Bridges. In 2021, he directed Around the World in 80 Days (2021), a £40M international co-production. His recent work includes directing Murder in Provence (2022) for Britbox and ITV, and executive producing and directing episodes of Mrs Sidhu Investigates (2023). In 2024, he became director and executive producer of The Marlow Murder Club (2024), starring Samantha Bond, Cara Horgan, and Jo Martin. Beyond his directing career, Barron operates the 53-acre Margent Farm in Cambridge, UK, which specializes in growing hemp for organic, bio-composite building materials.