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Bert and Bertie

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"Katie Ellwood" redirects here. Not to be confused with Kathie Ellwood.

Bert and Bertie
Two women with black hats are standing in front of a crowd of people, and are posing for cameras. The left woman is wearing a green shirt and jeans. The right woman has a red shirt with a brown skirt.
Bert (left) and Bertie premiering their short film Phobias in 2006
Born
Bert: Amber Templemore-Finlayson
Bertie: Katie Ellwood
Occupation(s)Directors, writers, producers
Years active2002–present
Notable workTroop Zero, Hawkeye

Amber Templemore-Finlayson and Katie Ellwood, collectively known as Bert and Bertie, respectively,[1][2][3] are British film and television directors. They are best known for directing the film Troop Zero. They also directed a block of episodes for the Disney series Hawkeye and Our Flag Means Death. Ellwood is also known individually as the co-creator of The Getaway franchise, the basis for the crime drama series Gangs of London.

Career

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Templemore-Finlayson and Ellwood met in 2005 in London when Templemore-Finlayson was making a short film series to go along with The Getaway video game, and Ellwood was the game's writer.[2][4] Ellwood had previously worked for Sony Computer Entertainment as an assistant producer and script consultant.[5] Their first project was the short film Phobias.[4] The two have also directed commercials for McDonald's.[6][7]

In 2019, they directed the comedy-drama film Troop Zero. They were inspired to create it after realizing the social and cultural impact it could have on young girls, saying that they felt "there had never been a film about a group of young girls that go on an adventure to achieve something by working together and succeeding".[8][4] They convinced producer Todd Black at Escape Artists to help, and after being approved by Escape Artists, producer Ted Hope and his Amazon Originals team let them pitch the film.[8] For the pitch, they created Birdie Scout manuals filled with ideas on how to create the film. They also made a "rip-o-matic" of reference movies to give Amazon Studios a sense of "the comic yet emotional tone of the movie", and chose 20 images defining the film they wanted to create.[8] After its completion, the duo were hired again by Amazon to rewrite and direct Eurydice, a retelling of the Greek myth described as "Terminator meets Thelma & Louise."[2]

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the duo were actively developing the biopic feature A Special Relationship written by Simon Beaufoy and set to star Rachel Weisz as Elizabeth Taylor. The heavily-researched film was set to chronicle Taylor's journey from actress to activist through her friendship with her assistant Roger Wall.[9]

In July 2020, it was announced they would direct a block of episodes for the Disney series Hawkeye, which premiered in November 2021.[10][11]

In February 2021, it was announced that the two would direct Queen Bitch & The High Horse, a film about the largest municipal fraud in American history.[12] Cate Blanchett and her production company Dirty Films will produce, along with New Republic Pictures.[13][12]

In August 2022, it was announced that the duo has signed to direct a feature film adaptation of the Disneyland attraction Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.[14]

In November 2022, Templemore-Finlayson was set to solo-direct Keke Palmer in the action-comedy Moxie,[15] while Ellwood was announced in May 2023 to be directing the cybercrime action thriller Gargoyle, as well as her own script about Esther Williams' LSD trip.[16]

Templemore-Finlayson and Ellwood directed two episodes of the first season of the Apple TV series Silo. Templemore-Finlayson will direct four episodes of Silo's second season.[17] They directed two episodes of the 2023 Apple TV series Lessons in Chemistry.

Personal lives

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Templemore-Finlayson and Ellwood are from London,[8] and are based in Los Angeles and London as of January 2019.[2] Templemore-Finlayson grew up in Johannesburg,[8] and Ellwood grew up in Leicester, England.[8] They like to call themselves "the Berts".[18][2]

Their influences include the Coen brothers, Guillermo del Toro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro and Tim Burton.[2]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Directors Writers Producers Notes
2006 Phobias Yes Yes No Short film
Antonio's Breakfast No No Bert Short film, credited as Amber Templemore-Finlayson
Glue No No Bert Co-producer, credited as Amber Templemore-Finlayson
2009 The Taxidermist Yes Yes No Short films
2012 Worm Yes No No
2016 Dance Camp Yes No No
2019 Troop Zero Yes No No
TBA Big Thunder Mountain Yes No No [16]
Moxie Bert No No [17]
Gargoyle Bertie No No [16]
Esther Bertie Bertie No [16]

Television

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Year Title Notes
2020 Kidding "The Acceptance Speech", "A Seat on the Rocket"
The Great "And You Sir, Are No Peter the Great", "Moscow Mule"
2021 Hawkeye "Echoes", "Partners, Am I Right?", "Ronin"
2022 Our Flag Means Death "We Gull Way Back", "Act of Grace"
2023–present Silo Both: "The Relic", "The Flamekeepers"
Bert: Four episodes of season 2[17]
2023 Lessons in Chemistry "Living Dead Things", "Primitive Instinct"
2024 The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live "Years", "Gone"

Video games

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Year Title Notes
2002 The Getaway Bertie only, credited as Katie Ellwood
2015 Just Cause 3

Awards

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2006 British Academy Film Awards Best Short Film Antonio's Breakfast Won [19][20]
2009 Rhode Island International Film Festival First Place: Best Cinematography The Taxidermist Won [21]
2009 Palm Springs International ShortFest Best Live Action Over 15 Minutes Won [22]
2012 Leeds International Film Festival Special Mention: Best British Short Worm Won [23]

They were also named one of Variety's 2019 Directors to Watch.[24][2]

References

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  1. ^ Serba, John (20 January 2020). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Troop Zero' on Amazon Prime, an Indie Comedy That'll Test Your Twee Tolerance". Decider. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Morfoot, Addie (4 January 2019). "10 Directors to Watch: Bert and Bertie Combine Forces on Underdog Comedy 'Troop Zero'". Variety. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  3. ^ Kit, Borys (17 July 2020). "Marvel's 'Hawkeye' Disney Series Lands 'Troop Zero,' 'Comrade Detective' Directors (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Bert and Bertie (17 January 2020). "Bert&Bertie's Great Girl Adventure". Talkhouse. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  5. ^ Lambie, Ryan (26 February 2008). "Katie Ellwood interview". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  6. ^ Gariano, Francesca (14 November 2021). "McDonald's new emotional Christmas ad 'Imaginary Iggy' is seriously a tearjerker". TODAY.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  7. ^ Kiefer, Brittaney (12 November 2021). "McDonald's Sweet Christmas Ad Reminds Adults to Embrace Their Childlike Imagination". Adweek. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Stewart, Sophia (28 January 2019). "Sundance 2019 Women Directors: Meet Bert & Bertie – "Troop Zero"". womenandhollywood.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  9. ^ Ritman, Alex (10 November 2019). "British Film Duo on Capturing Zeitgeist With Elizabeth Taylor Biopic". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  10. ^ Kit, Borys (17 July 2020). "Marvel's 'Hawkeye' Disney Series Lands 'Troop Zero,' 'Comrade Detective' Directors (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  11. ^ Boone, John (10 December 2020). "Marvel Debuts New Trailers for 'Loki' and 'Falcon and Winter Soldier,' Announces 'Fantastic Four' Movie". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  12. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (5 February 2021). "Bert And Bertie To Direct 'Queen Bitch & The High Horse' For New Republic Pictures & Cate Blanchett's Dirty Films". Deadline. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  13. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (5 February 2021). "Cate Blanchett to Produce Embezzlement Drama 'Queen Bitch and the High Horse'". Variety. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  14. ^ Kroll, Justin (16 August 2022). "'Hawkeye' Directors Bert & Bertie To Direct Big Thunder Mountain Movie For Disney, LuckyChap and Scott Free". Deadline. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  15. ^ Kroll, Justin (18 November 2022). "Hot Package: Keke Palmer And 'Hawkeye' Director Bert Team On Action Comedy 'Moxie'". Deadline. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  16. ^ a b c d Grobar, Matt (17 May 2023). "'Hawkeye' And 'Troop Zero' Director Bertie Signs With Range". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  17. ^ a b c Grobar, Matt (16 August 2023). "Range Signs 'Silo' & 'Hawkeye' Director Bert". Deadline. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  18. ^ Ritman, Alex (10 November 2019). "British Film Duo on Capturing Zeitgeist With Elizabeth Taylor Biopic". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  19. ^ Wilkes, Neil (19 February 2006). "In Full: BAFTA 2006 Winners". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  20. ^ Hernandez, Eugene (20 February 2006). ""Brokeback Mountain" Wins 4 BAFTA Awards, Including Best Picture". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  21. ^ "2009 Film Festival Award Winners Announced". Rhode Island International Film Festival. 9 August 2009. Archived from the original on 12 August 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  22. ^ Admin (29 June 2009). "2009 Palm Springs International SHORTFEST Announces WINNERS". cinemawithoutborders.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  23. ^ "Thomas Vinterberg's The Hunt and Other Winners of 2012 Leeds International Film Festival". VIMOOZ. 25 November 2012. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  24. ^ Debruge, Peter (27 November 2018). "Variety Names 10 Directors to Watch for 2019". Variety. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
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