Karen Smyth

Costume Designers

karensmyth.co.uk


Karen is a versatile Costume Designer based in London with a very impressive body of work in film, TV drama and commercials. She designed the critically claimed feature Boiling Point directed by Phil Barantini and starring Stephen Graham – the film garnered significant recognition, earning numerous prestigious award nominations and securing several wins. Karen also designed Gassed Up directed by George Amponsah, which won the Audience Award at London Film Festival, and co-designed the acclaimed comedy/drama series Big Boys S1, directed by Jim Archer for Channel 4. 

FEATURES / DRAMA

GASSED UP (Feature)
Prod. Sunrise Films / Ascendant Fox / Vertigo Releasing / Prime Video 
Dir. George Amponsah
Cast: Stephen Odubola, Taz Skylar, Mae Muller, Ms Banks, Yung Filly and Harry Pinero
Winner: Audience Award at the London Film Festival 

BOILING POINT (Feature)
Prod. Burton Fox / Ascendant Films / Matriarch Productions / Three Little Birds
Dir. Phil Barantini
Cast: Stephen Graham, Vinette Robison, Jason Flemyng, Izuka Hoyle and Ray Panthaki
Winner: Best Actress – Film – BAFTA Awards, Scotland 2022
Winner: Best Director – Taormina International Film Festival 2022
Winner: Best Actor – Taormina International Film Festival 2022
Winner: Best Film – Taormina International Film Festival 2022

Nomination: Outstanding British Film of the Year – BAFTA Awards 2022
Nomination: Best Leading Actor – BAFTA Awards 2022
Nomination: Best Casting – BAFTA Awards 2022
Nomination: Outstanding Debut by British Writer, Director or Producer – BAFTA Awards 2022
Nomination: International Competition (Dragon Award) – Göteborg Film Festival 2022
Nomination: Best Film – Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2021
Nomination: Best International Feature Film – Zurich Film Festival 2021
Nomination: Best Director – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Best Actor – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Best British Independent Film – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Best Supporting Actor – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Best Supporting Actress – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Breakthrough Performance – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Breakthrough Producer – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Best Casting – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Best Cinematography – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Best Production Design – BIFA 2021
Nomination: Best Sound – BIFA 2021

BIG BOYS S1 (Co Costume Designer)
Prod. Little A Productions
Dir. Jim Archer 

SURPRISED BY OXFORD (Feature)
Prod. Nook Lane Entertainment
Dir. Ryan Whitaker
Cast: Rose Reid, Ruairi O’Connor, Phyllis Logan, Mark Williams and Simon Callow

A VIOLENT MAN (Feature)
Prod. Ascendant Films / Burton Fox Films / Bromantics
Dir. Ross McCall
Cast: Craig Fairbrass, Stephen Odubola, Jason Flemyng, Zoe Tapper and Ulrich Thomsen
Winner: Outstanding Performance – National Film Awards UK 2022

NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS
Prod. Various
Dir. Alarabi TV 

THE LAST LEG
Prod. Open Mike Productions
Dir. Toby Baker 

PAUL O’GRADY LIVE
Prod. Olga TV
Dir. Steve Smith 

GOLDEN THREAD: WORLD GOLD COUNCIL (Online)
Prod. The Progress Film Company
Dir. Matt Hopkins 

CITY IN THE SKY (Styling for presenter Hannah Fry)
Prod. BBC Scotland
Dir. Matt Barrett, Russell Leven, Ben Lawrie 

JONATHAN ROSS SHOW
Prod. Hot Sauce TV Ltd
Dir. Chris Howe 

HARRY HILL’S TV BURP
Prod. Avalon TV
Dir. Peter Orton 

Costume Assistant:

POWDER ROOM (Feature)
Prod. Damian Jones Productions
Dir. Mj Delaney
Cast: Sheridan Smith, Jaime Winstone, Kate Nash and Oona Chaplin

BELLE (Feature)
Prod. Damian Jones Productions
Dir. Amma Asante
Cast: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson, Sarah Gadon, Penelope Wilton, Miranda Richardson,Tom Felton, Sam Reid and Matthew Goode
Nomination: Best Actress in Motion Picture – Satellite Awards 2015
Nomination: Best Costume Design – Satellite Awards 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Motion Picture – Image Awards (NAACP) 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Actress in Motion Picture – Image Awards (NAACP) 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Independent Motion Picture – Image Awards (NAACP) 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Writing in Motion Picture – Image Awards (NAACP) 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Directing in Motion Picture – Image Awards (NAACP) 2015
Nomination: British Actress of the Year – London Critics Circle Film Awards 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Motion Picture – Black Reel Awards 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Actress, Motion Picture – Black Reel Awards 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Director, Motion Picture – Black Reel Awards 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Screenplay (Original or Adapted), Motion Picture – Black Reel Awards 2015
Nomination: Outstanding Ensemble – Black Reel Awards 2015
Nomination: Breakthrough Award – Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA) 2015
Nomination: Best Breakthrough Performance – Alliance of Women Film Journalists 2015
Nomination: Best Breakthrough Performance – Female – Online Film & Television Association 2015
Nomination: Best Costume Design – Online Film & Television Association 2015

 

SHORT FILMS

LOVE LANGUAGE
Prod. Irresistable Studios
Dir. Damien Nembhard

SPANISH PIGEON
Prod. Burton Fox Films
Dir. Phil Barantini
Cast: Robert Glenister, DonWarrington, SeanTeal, and ChrisWalley

GERRY
Prod. Burton Fox Films
Dir. Victoria Hollop
Cast: Dame Joan Collins, Oliver Ford-Davies, Stephen Greif and Lynne Verrall

KNOWBE4: CLICK BAIT
Prod. Twist & Shout Communications
Dir. Jim Shields 

LIB DEM: THE DEAL
Prod. Vivid Broadcast
Dir. Stephen Montgomery

CHURCH OF ENGLAND: BEAUTIFUL VIEW, LAKE DISTRICT TEACHING, BEST SELLER, BIG HEART, THE CHOIR
Prod. Vivid Broadcast
Dir. Stephen Montgomery

THE KILLER
Prod. Green Bullet
Dir. Tom Stoddart

SUB ROSA
Prod. Klikk
Dir. Thora Hilmarsdottir
Winner: Best Short Film – Edda Awards, Iceland 2015
Nomination: Best Short Film – San Diego Film Festival 2015

COMMERCIALS

Carlos Lascano: CIF: Cinderella 
Charles Gordon: Tech 21/ Tech 21 (Stills) 
Danny Vaia: Viasat: History Idents / Adzuna: Boss / Morrisons: Vine / Asda: Halloween 360 / Puls Ident 
Darryl Goodrich: The Ripple 
David Boni: Standard Life: Slam (Andy Murray) 
Devon Dickson: Respimat 
Gevorg Karenski: O2 Rugby: Occulus Rift 
Harry Burnett Rae: Sixt Nirvana / Scrabble / Matel: Pictionary Air (Harry Potter) 
Jessie Reece-Lewis: Lucy Faithfull Foundation: Spotlight 
Jim Hoskins: Red Bull: Escape to the Country 
Joe Marcantonio: Puma: Speed 
Joe Wicks: Feel Good Food Book Cover (Stills Shoot) 
Jon Riche: Domino’s Pizza: Teddies, Pinatas, Unicorns (All4 Idents) / IBM: Zsystems / ID Mobile / Old Jamaica: Ginger Beer / Uniball Air 
Lucia Aniello: Kellogg’s 
Mandy Kothe: Mercedes F1 
Mark McQueen: BMW 
Martin Sterling: Sony Xperia: Hidden
Menzkie: Ladbrokes 

Osagie Samuel: Casimba: Running Wild 
Pip: Regaine for Women 
Robin Garton: The Times Rugby: News International 
Stuart Rideout: Domino’s Pizza: It’s What We Do 
Toby Tobias: Utility Warehouse 
Yousef Eldin: Utility Warehouse

MUSIC PROMOS

Filthy Animal: Fizzy Blood: ADHD 
Neda: Icky: The Beat 
Ryan Hope: Sam Smith: Lay Me Down