Paul Burgess
Paul is an extremely experienced, award-winning editor who has cut numerous landmark documentaries, feature-docs and drama-docs, as well as a wide variety of short-form content. Using his highly tuned story-telling skills and sensitive pacing, he’s adept at making complex subjects accessible, emotional and compelling. He is extremely creative and passionate about his craft, working swiftly and with great attention to detail. He’s also a veteran at writing voice-over and loves cutting to music.
His latest feature documentary, Rock Out, explores the often-veiled queer lives of some of the great masterminds of rock music in the 1960s and 70s. For ARTE/ZDF Paul recently edited the landmark series, Free At Last -Unresolved Stories of Apartheid. For Netflix, his credits include the undercover series The Traffickers while for the BBC, his recent work comprises Making Love with the Paint, a definitive profile of British artist Maggi Hambling, and David Dimbleby’s investigative series Days That Shook The BBC.
An expert in both Avid and Adobe Premiere, Paul is highly organized and enjoys collaborating but is equally happy to work on his own. Over the years Paul has worked for most of the UK’s leading production companies and made films for all major international broadcasters, but whatever the scale of the project, he is committed to building positive, lasting relationships with his fellow professionals.
Work by Paul
Rock Out
Free at Last: Unresolved Stories of Apartheid
Maggi Hambling – Making Love With The Paint
David Dimbleby – Days that shook the BBC
Empire State of Mind
The Traffickers
Rock Out
In electric, personal, and historical ways, this riveting documentary, directed by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black, explores whether there is, or ever was, a home for Queer in the hyper-masculine, black painted worlds of heavy metal, punk and rock & roll.
Excavating the often-veiled queer lives of some of the greatest culture-defining disruptors and masterminds of music in the 1960s and 70s, Rock Out demands to know what unique value ‘gay’ brought to creating and revolutionising rock, punk, and metal – from the perspective of managers, producers, artists and fans – and why those contributions have been left buried for so long.
Free at Last: Unresolved Stories of Apartheid
“Free at Last. Unresolved Stories of Apartheid” is the epic re-telling of the story of Apartheid in South Africa, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its aftermath. The world was told that the horrors of Apartheid were forever consigned to the past, but today, 30 years later, the wounds haven’t healed. Perpetrators are still keeping their secrets and victims are still searching for justice. What really happened, who was responsible and why haven’t they still been held accountable? In order to move forward, South Africa must fully address its’ painful past.
Maggi Hambling – Making Love With The Paint
Intimate portrait of the renowned British artist Maggi Hambling as she reflects on her life and creative journey. Filmed to commemorate her 75th birthday, the documentary provides a rare glimpse into Hambling’s rural Suffolk studio, where she is seen working on a mysterious black canvas.
The film delves into Hambling’s formative years, her artistic liberation during her student days, and her encounters with notable figures such as Francis Bacon. It also explores her personal relationships, including her profound connection with Henrietta Moraes, Bacon’s muse, whom Hambling continues to draw from memory following Moraes’s death.
Nominated: Best Arts Documentary at the Grierson Awards
David Dimbleby – Days that shook the BBC
David Dimbleby asks how best the BBC can seek to serve all its audience, and looks at issues such as the Falklands War and race relations, where its impartiality has been tested.
Empire State of Mind
In this insightful series, Sanghera embarks on a journey across the United Kingdom—from Brighton to Edinburgh—to investigate how the British Empire has shaped modern British society. He examines the pervasive impact of imperial history on national identity, multiculturalism, and systemic racism.
Through interviews, historical analysis, and personal reflection, Empire State of Mind offers a compelling examination of how Britain’s imperial past continues to influence its present and future.
Nominated for a Grierson Award – Best Documentary Presenter
The Traffickers
Hedayat embarks on a global journey across 22 countries over 14 months, uncovering the dark underbelly of international trafficking. Each hour-long episode focuses on a different facet of the black market.
Through immersive storytelling and on-the-ground reporting, Hedayat sheds light on the human cost of these illicit trades, emphasizing that the black market is not solely operated by nefarious individuals but often involves ordinary people driven by survival.
The documentary offers a sobering look at the complexities of global trafficking, challenging viewers to consider the ethical implications and the pervasive nature of these underground economies.