Andy Mark Simpson
Writer-Director
Biography

Andy Mark Simpson is a writer and director based in Dublin who grew up Ashington, a coalmining town on the mystical Northumberland coast in North East England. His themes deal with how individuals’ self-esteem relates to their social groups and how society must care for one another and see the value of each person. He has a keen interest in folklore and often uses folk customs to represent societal issues. He writes in the genres of social realism, magic realism, folk horror and fantasy.
Andy wrote, directed and produced his self-funded micro budget debut feature ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ which won festival awards, gained national press attention (***Total Film, ‘Heartfelt’ The Guardian) and was self-distributed in cinemas in the UK (2011) and USA (2014).
He has also written (and directed) several magic realist and fantasy short films including ‘Grotto’, ‘Waterbabies’, ‘Earth’s Vain Shadows Flee’ and ‘We Are the Ghosts’.
Andy has been selected for several talent labs including:
  • Edinburgh International Film Festival Talent Lab 2011
  • Northern Film and Media / Screen Yorkshire Triangle Scheme 2013
  • Northern Film and Media Film Business Bootcamp 2014
  • Creative England Talent Modules 2016
  • Screen Yorkshire Flex 2022
  • New Writing North – Write a Young Adult Novel 2024
Andy has also worked extensively teaching filmmaking and media in his home town. This has given him a keen interest in showing the value of each person and in tackling social issues.
Andy loves folk music (sometimes sings in local folk clubs) and exploring ancient landscapes and this inspires his narratives around how characters relate to their folk customs and environment.
Andy is also the host of the ‘DreamSwarm’ podcast and online hub for storytellers and filmmakers who work in the genres of folklore, fantasy, folk horror and magic-realism.

In crew roles Andy has worked as 1st AD and as Production Assistant on short films and low budget features.
Andy is currently writing several short film and feature scripts.
Greatest achievement:
Still to come I think.
Favourite film:
It's A Wonderful Life, then Back To The Future.
Favourite Music:
The Beatles, Motown, Soul and old-fashioned R&B, Britpop, Northumbrian folk.
Fears:
Scared of wasting time and not making a difference
Interests:
Cinema, Social justice, politics, history, Time-travel, music, folklore.