Jim O'Brien

Jim O'Brien is a Scottish-born director, best known for directing the acclaimed British mini-series "The Jewel in the Crown." O'Brien studied film at the National Film and Television School, where he would later return to teach as the Head of Fiction Directing and Head of the Advanced Programme. O'Brien began to direct for the BBC in 1978, directing small productions until winning the job in 1984 to direct "The Jewel in the Crown," a BBC adaptation of Paul Scott's "Raj Quartet" novels. Starring a large ensemble cast, including Dame Peggy Ashcroft and Charles Dance, and stretching over 14 hour-long chapters, the mini-series is considered one of the greatest productions of the BBC. He followed this in 1986 with "The Monocled Mutineer." Based on the 1978 book by William Allison and John Fairley, it told the true story of World War I British Army deserter Percy Toplis, and it drew such attacks from the Thatcher administration for its supposed left-wing bias that it led to the resignation of BBC Director General Alasdair Milne. In 1988, O'Brien directed the theatrical romantic feature "The Dressmaker" with Joan Plowright and Billie Whitelaw. In 1992, he collaborated with George Lucas on an episode of the adventure series "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" and in 1997 directed a two-part mini-series for ITV based on Daphne Du Maurier's novel "Rebecca."