Hamish Hamilton, born Mark Hamilton on 8 April 1966 in Blackpool, is a British film and television director known for his work on some of the world’s biggest live events. Since 2010, he has directed the Super Bowl halftime show annually and has also been at the helm of prestigious productions such as the Academy Awards, the MTV Video Music Awards, and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics. His career has seen him collaborate with major music artists, including Mariah Carey, Eminem, Madonna, The Who, and U2.
Hamilton began his career at BBC Scotland, where he trained as a producer and director. His early work included directing the acclaimed BBC travel series Rough Guide to the World before moving to BBC Manchester, where he worked on studio-based entertainment shows such as The Sunday Show. Over time, he became known for his expertise in live event broadcasting and co-founded Done + Dusted, a global production company specialising in televised live events.
In February 2010, after 15 years directing major multicamera television and DVD projects, he directed both the 82nd Annual Academy Awards and the Super Bowl halftime show for the first time. He has since directed live concert DVDs for some of the biggest names in music, including U2, Beyoncé, Robbie Williams, Britney Spears, The Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Bryan Adams, Avril Lavigne, Mötley Crüe, and Phil Collins. His extensive list of award show credits includes the MTV Video Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows between 2003 and 2015.
His work in major televised events continued with his role as broadcast director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Birmingham. His contributions to the industry were recognised in 2013, when he was awarded the BAFTA Special Award at the British Academy Television Craft Awards. He also won a second BAFTA for multi-camera directing the London Olympic Opening Ceremonies and received an Emmy nomination for his work. In June 2019, he was further honoured with an honorary doctorate from Stirling University.
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