CV – Will Simpson

Strategic Creative Editor and Visual Storyteller working across broadcast, brand, and stage — blending craft editing, cinematic rhythm, and design-led thinking.

Professional Experience

Senior Creative Editor — SharkNinja

June 2024 – Present
• Lead creative editing across EMEA campaigns, aligning global concepts with regional storytelling.
• Shape campaign narrative and tone in collaboration with production and design teams.
• Drive integration of AI-assisted workflows to elevate ideation, localisation and creative speed.
• Strengthen post-production systems across markets for quality and consistency.

Key Projects: Glam global launch campaign across EMEA featuring Maya Jama; Courtney Cox “Clean Freak”; Abbey Clancy “Champagne Sparkle”; Summer of Sport with Peter Crouch, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thierry Henry; EMEA Creami UGC Campaign; CryoGlow Launch.

Commercial & Brand Content — Various Clients

2020 – 2024
• MSQ Agency: Campaigns for Asda Money, Childline, Royal Mail, Zalando, Shell EV.
• Social Chain x Carabao Cup: Developed social-first digital content.
• BMW Partnerships: Premium PGA content via Ear to the Ground agency.
• PlayStation: FIFA World Cup promotions reaching 5M+ viewers.
• Disney Consumer Products: Modular global Plush Toy campaign (20+ variants).
• Randox Grand National: Broadcast, cinema & social suite.

Broadcast — Multiple Production Companies

2019 – 2024
• Cause of Death, S2 — Senior Editor, Channel 5 (6M total viewers).
• The Real Full Monty — Senior Editor, ITV (3.6M viewers; +12% audience growth).
• Second Hand for 50 Grand — Lead Editor, Channel 4 (2.3M total viewers).
• You Do You — Editor, Channel 4 / Instagram (world’s first social-first reality series).
• The $21 Million Dollar Finger — Peacock US / Candour TV.

Projection Design — Theatre

2016 – Present
• Lead projection designer for The Kite Runner — Broadway (Helen Hayes Theatre), West End (Wyndham’s & Playhouse), Dubai Opera, North American & UK Tours; seen by 200K+ audience and praised as “evocative and spellbinding” (The Stage).
• Derren Brown – Miracle — UK National Tour.
• Rocky the Musical — Stage Entertainment, Stuttgart (dir. Alex Timbers).
• Of Mice and Men — National Tour; five-star reviews from The Guardian and The Stage.

Additional Theatre Work
Richard III — Nottingham Playhouse · Charlie Peace — Nottingham Playhouse · Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — West Yorkshire Playhouse & UK Tour · Rapunzel — Liverpool Everyman · Clockwork — National Theatre · Darkness Darkness — Nottingham Playhouse · Piano Circus – Trilogies — Kings Place London · The Mamba — West Yorkshire Playhouse · Treasure Island — Mind the Gap Tour · Diary of a Football Nobody — Nottingham Playhouse.

Arts & Cultural Films

2006 – 2018
• Principal filmmaker for Arts Council Collection, Southbank Centre, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and The Hepworth Wakefield. Created documentary and exhibition content featuring Anish Kapoor, Antony Caro, Roger Hiorns, Holly Hendry, and Rana Begum.
• Directed award-winning Soldiering On (Channel 4) — Best Production, Oska Film Festival 2016.

Short Films & Independent

Progress — Short film, Undivided Pictures. (Dir: Kirsty Patrick Ward)
Kite Strings — Short drama, Undivided Pictures. (Dir: Kirsty Patrick Ward)
Irresistible — Mind the Gap Theatre. (Dir: Tim Wheeler)
Caro in Yorkshire — Arts Council Collection / Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle. (Dir: William Simpson)
David Storey: A Tender Tumult — The Hepworth Wakefield. (Dir: William Simpson)
Stanley Spencer: Of Angels and Dirt — The Hepworth Wakefield. (Dir: William Simpson)
Stephen Sutcliffe: Twixt Cup and Lip — The Hepworth Wakefield. (Dir: William Simpson)
About Bill Viola — Yorkshire Sculpture Park. (Dir: William Simpson)
Roger Hiorns: Seizure — Arts Council Collection / Southbank Centre. (Dir: William Simpson)
Thomas Houseago — Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle. (Dir: William Simpson)
Group Photo — Pavilion, Leeds. (Dir: Claire Hope)

Selected Installation & Site-Specific Work

Theatre of Illumination — Light Night Leeds (30K audience)
Rising Sun — Bournemouth Pier & Liverpool Tall Ships Festival
Secret Life of Trees — Bournemouth Arts by the Sea Festival
Endless Means — Leeds Industrial Museum
The Megaphone Box — Hull Freedom Festival

Clients & Brand Experience

Disney • PlayStation • FIFA • BMW • PGA • Shell • SharkNinja • Leeds United • Royal Mail • Asda • Childline • Social Chain • Zalando • Randox • BOXT • Tombola • Carabao Cup • WWF • Arts Council Collection • Southbank Centre • The Hepworth Wakefield • Yorkshire Sculpture Park • MSQ Agency • BraveSpark • Uber Agency

Awards & Press

Awards
Best Production — Soldiering On, Oska Film Festival (2016)

Press & Reviews
“Atmospherically dominated by William Simpson’s evocative projections.” — The Stage
“Moods and vistas are enhanced by William Simpson’s evocative video projections.” — The Guardian
“Elegant, minimalist design... always looks good.” — The Guardian
“One of my favourite things... the fantastic projections William Simpson used throughout.” — North West End

studio@willsimpson.co | www.willsimpson.co
Based in the UK, working globally