Paul Griffiths (Wales)

Infobox writer
name = Paul Griffiths


caption = Writer and Theatre Critic Paul Griffiths presenting the 2008 Drama Medal Ceremony at the Urdd Gobaith Cymru Eisteddfod in May 2008.
birthname = Richard Paul Griffiths
birthdate = birth date and age|1973|8|8
birthplace = Dolwyddelan, Wales, UK
occupation = Writer, Director.

Paul Griffiths, (born 8 August 1973) is a Welsh writer, theatre critic and director. He won the Drama Medal at the National Urdd Gobaith Cymru Eisteddfod three times in succession between 1995 and 1997 – the only person ever to do this. Since March 2006 he has contributed a controversial weekly theatre column to the National Paper of Wales Y Cymro. He is also a regular contributor on the Welsh language Television Channel S4C and BBC Radio Cymru

Early life

Griffiths was raised in Dolwyddelan in the Conwy Valley, North Wales and started writing at the age of twelve after setting up his own drama company Cwmni Ieuenctid Dolwyddelan [The Western Mail, Monday 29 May, 2000 : 'Playwright at 12 now film writer' : Karen Price Arts & Media Correspondent] . The company became successful and toured Wales competeing in local theatre festivals. He was educated at Dolwyddelan school and later at Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy Secondary school in Llanrwst, North Wales. Griffiths took a three-year Media Course at the Y Coleg Normal, University of Wales, Bangor and after graduating in 1994, worked for numerous television companies as a Production Assistant, and later as an Assistant Producer and Director. [The Western Mail, Monday 29 May, 2000 : 'Playwright at 12 now film writer' : Karen Price Arts & Media Correspondent]

National Urdd Eisteddfod

Griffiths won the Drama Medal at the National Urdd Gobaith Cymru Eisteddfod for the first time at the Preseli Eisteddfod in 1995 for a short play entitled "O Gysgod y Cyll" ("From the Shadows") . He repeated his success in 1996 [Cover of Daily Post, Thursday, May 30, 1996 ] at the Bro Maelor Eisteddfod in Wrexham with another short play called "B’echdan?" ("Sandwich?") later adapted and televised on the S4C Digital as "B’echdan Wŷ?" ("Egg Sandwich?"). In 1997 he won again [ Caernarfon Herald, Friday, June 6, 1997 page 14 ] at the Islwyn Eisteddfod in Crosskeys with the play "Ai am fod haul yn Machlud?" ("Is is because the sun is setting?") which was also later adapted and televised on S4C Digital under the new name of "Traeth Coch" ("Red Beach") starring Mali Harries. In 2000, at the Bro Conwy Eisteddfod held in Llandudno he was invited to adjudicate the competition and at the 2008 Eisteddfod, again held in Llandudno presented the Ceremony live on S4C.

TV Production Career

Griffiths started his career in television production as a part of his work experience in his second year at Y Coleg Normal, University of Wales, Bangor, when he worked as a Runner on S4C’s adaptation of the Saunders Lewis play "Brad" ("Treason"). After completing his Degree, he joined Eryri Films and worked on several drama series such as "Tydi Coleg yn Gret" ("Isn’t College Great") and "I Dir Drygioni" ("Into the Evil Earth") and numerous light-entertainment series for S4C. In 1995, he spent a year working as an Assistant Film Editor on S4C’s eight-part family drama series "Lleifior". He joined Cwmni Da as a Researcher and later Assistant Producer in 1997, and contributed to BAFTA Cymru Award Winning series such as "Y Sioe Gelf" ("The Arts Show"), "Popeth yn Gymraeg" ("Everything in Welsh") and Jones Jones Jones. In 2006, he filmed and directed a 30 minute documentary in the series "Love Hurts" for ITV1 Wales. He has also worked on co-productions for TG4, S4C and ITV1 Wales with Midas Productions,Dublin such as "Frongoch - Coláiste na Réabhlóide" ("Frongoch – University of Revolution") and "Celtic Monsters" which won an Award at the Celtic Film and Television Festival in 2006. In June 2007, he left North Wales and re-located to London. Griffiths continues to work from time in Wales, and his last contribution was as Assistant Producer on the live six day coverage for S4C of the Urdd Gobaith Cymru Eisteddfod from the Conwy Valley held in May 2008. He has previously worked on the 2006 and 2007 festival broadcast.

TV Writing Career

In 2000, Griffiths received several writing commissions from S4C [The Western Mail, Monday 29 May, 2000 : 'Playwright at 12 now film writer' : Karen Price Arts & Media Correspondent] including his first feature film commission. Two other scripts had also been turned into short dramas for the Welsh-language Channel. He has worked on a number of scripts for S4C series like "Pengelli" [The Western Mail, Monday 29 May, 2000 : 'Playwright at 12 now film writer' : Karen Price Arts & Media Correspondent] and "Tipyn o Stad" ("A Bit of a State") and wrote a 13 episode children’s animation series called "Bibi Bêl" ("Bibi the Ball") for Griffilms. His work is inspired by everyday life and gets his inspiration from listening to people talking and picking things up from conversations. S4C’s commissioning editor for drama in 2000 Angharad Jones said Griffiths’ scripts contained warmth and a sense of humour. “He also has quite a good understanding of female characters as he has got sensitivity”, she added. [The Western Mail, Monday 29 May, 2000 : 'Playwright at 12 now film writer' : Karen Price Arts & Media Correspondent]

Theatre Career

After his Youth Company parted in 1994, Griffiths was invited to co-write, produce and direct a Musical for a Festival to celebrate the centenary of poet and Archdruid Cynan in Pwllheli, Wales. In collaboration with Musical Director and Composer Annette Bryn Parry and author Glyn Roberts, Griffiths successfully produced "O Docyn Brwyn i Ben Draw’r Byd" ("From ‘Tocyn Brwyn’ to the Ends of the Earth") at Neuadd Dwyfor Theatre, Pwllheli in May 1995, with a cast of over 50 local and professional artists including the Hogia’r Wyddfa and Rosalind and Myrddin. Following the success of the production, an annual May Festival was set up in the town, and Griffiths co-wrote and directed three further productions with the cast; "Dan Hwyl Wen" ("Under a White Sail") in 1996 based on the sea-shanties of J.Glyn Davies, "Dan Gysgod y Graig" ("In the Shadow of the Rock") in 1997 based on the true story of the "Carreg yr Imbyll" Granite Company, and "Ail-Godi’r Llen" ("Raising the Curtain") in 2005, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the company.

In 1998, Griffiths was commissioned along with composer Einion Dafydd to write a Musical for the Urdd Gobaith Cymru Eisteddfod in Pwllheli, and "Yn y Ffrâm" ("Framed") was produced at Neuadd Dwyfor, during the festival week in May 1998. A second commission followed in 2000, and Griffiths worked with composer Gareth Glyn on "Ail-Liwio’r Byd" which was staged at the Venue Cymru, Llandudno in May 2000.

Since re-locating to London in June 2007, Griffiths has worked as a production assistant on "Moonwalking in Chinatown" at the Soho Theatre, The Masque of the Red Death at the Battersea Arts Centre, and musical productions with Youth Music Theatre.

elected Credits in TV Production

References