The Siân Phillips Award: Annabel Jones

With a repertoire that boasts Dead Set (2008), Charlie Brooker’s various Wipe incarnations (2009-), A Touch of Cloth (2012-2013) and Attack of the Hollywood Cliches! (2021), producer Annabel Jones has earned a reputation for creating daring and entertaining television over the past 20 years.

Proud of her Welsh heritage – Jones hails from Milford Haven – she admits it was “never my ambition to work in television and film.” Indeed, she studied Economics at the London School of Economics, because she needed “a job that would pay enough to afford staying in London,” she jokes, eventually finding an auditor role at Deloitte.

From there, she moved to production giant EndemolShine, where she was charged with finding talent keen on setting up their own company. This role introduced her to writer Charlie Brooker and a creative partnership of the ages was born. Over the following years, they formed Zeppotron (2000), House of Tomorrow (2014) and, most recently, Broke & Bones (2020).

“We have always been able to be honest with each other,” she notes. “Charlie’s unrivalled in his ability to come up with high-concept ideas that tap into the zeitgeist. I am drawn more to characters and the heart of a story.”

While all their work is distinct, it is anthology series Black Mirror (2011-) that has been the pair’s standout production: five seasons strong with two specials, including the innovative Bandersnatch (2018), which earned Jones her ninth of 10 BAFTA nominations. The show has won numerous other awards, including Emmys, a PGA and a Peabody.

Jones feels there are three criteria necessary to be a producer: resilience, sensitivity and diplomacy. “You have to be that voice of optimism,” she states. “[You also] have a duty of care to everyone... A good producer supports the whole team, creates a relaxed friendly space, where everyone can have an opinion. But they [also] have to protect the original ambition. It can be stressful and sometimes lonely, but when it works, it’s magical.”

Gyda repertoire sy’n cynnwys Dead Set (2008), fersiynau amrywiol o Wipe Charlie Brooker (2009-), A Touch of Cloth (2012-2013) ac Attack of the Hollywood Cliches! (2021), mae gan y cynhyrchydd Annabel Jones enw da am greu teledu mentrus a difyr yn ystod yr 20 mlynedd diwethaf.

A hithau’n falch o’i threftadaeth Gymreig – mae’n dod o Aberdaugleddau – mae’n cyfaddef “doeddwn i erioed wedi bwriadu gweithio ym maes teledu a ffilm.” Astudiodd Economeg yn Ysgol Economeg Llundain, oherwydd bod angen iddi “gael swydd a fyddai’n talu digon i fforddio aros yn Llundain”, meddai’n gellweirus, a chafodd rôl archwilydd yn Deloitte yn y pen draw.

Oddi yno, symudodd i’r cwmni cynhyrchu enfawr EndemolShine, lle’r oedd yn gyfrifol am ddod o hyd i bobl ddawnus a oedd yn awyddus i sefydlu eu cwmni eu hunain. Cyfarfu â’r awdur Charlie Brooker trwy’r rôl hon, a ganwyd partneriaeth greadigol nodedig. Yn ystod y blynyddoedd dilynol, gwnaethant ffurfio Zeppotron (2000), House of Tomorrow (2014) ac, yn fwyaf diweddar, Broke & Bones (2020).

“Rydyn ni wastad wedi gallu bod yn onest â’n gilydd,” mae’n nodi. “Mae Charlie heb ei ail o ran ei allu i feddwl am syniadau trawiadol a chlir sy’n cyd-fynd ag ysbryd yr oes. Rwy’n cael fy nenu’n fwy at gymeriadau a chalon stori.”

Er bod eu holl waith yn unigryw, cynhyrchiad mwyaf nodedig y pâr fu’r gyfres antholeg Black Mirror (2011-): pum tymor a dwy raglen arbennig, gan gynnwys y ffilm arloesol Bandersnatch (2018), a enillodd Jones ei nawfed o 10 enwebiad BAFTA. Mae’r sioe wedi ennill nifer o wobrau eraill, gan gynnwys gwobrau Emmy, gwobr PGA a gwobr Peabody.

Mae Jones yn credu bod tri pheth yn angenrheidiol i fod yn gynhyrchydd: gwydnwch, sensitifrwydd a diplomyddiaeth. “Mae’n rhaid i chi fynegi optimistiaeth,” meddai. “[Mae gennych chi hefyd] ddyletswydd gofal tuag at bawb… Mae cynhyrchydd da yn cefnogi’r tîm cyfan, yn creu man cyfeillgar a hamddenol, lle mae pawb yn gallu lleisio barn. Ond mae’n rhaid iddo [hefyd] warchod yr uchelgais gwreiddiol. Mae’n gallu bod yn straen ac yn unig weithiau, ond pan fydd yn gweithio, does dim byd tebyg.”

By Toby Weidmann