B Good Picture Company burst onto the scene with a star studded series for Sky Arts and has gone on to build its reputation as a talent led independent production company playing by its own rules. Founded by director Joe Stephenson, this London-based production company quickly made its mark with its debut feature film, Chicken, capturing the hearts of audiences and critics alike in 2016. Since then it has embarked on ambitious projects, including the deep-dive feature doc McKellen: Playing the Part offering an intimate look at the life of theatrical titan Ian McKellen, and work commissioned for Tate Britain's major Queer Art exhibition. Their latest ventures, include The Greatest Show Never Made, a three-part factual series for Amazon Studios and Doctor Jekyll for the newly established Hammer Horror, led by Suzy Eddie Izzard, Lindsay Duncan and Scott Chambers.
B Good’s focus is to weave narratives that are as diverse as they are impactful. With each new project, B Good looks to stories across genres that have something to say but are first and foremost wickedly entertaining, believing that accessibility and commerciality should never be dirty words. As a result B Good has had work accepted into festivals across the world, including SXSW, Busan, Edinburgh Int’l, Rome Int’l, Sheffield Doc Fest, Dublin, Giffoni, Tallinn Black Nights, New Zealand Int’l, Athens Int’l and more.
Introducing B GOOD
MEET TEAM B GOOD.
JOE
Joe established himself directing and producing a TV series for Sky Arts, called IN LOVE WITH, starring over 20 of the best British acting talent including Stephen Fry, Karen Gillan, John Simm, Eddie Marsan, Craig Roberts, Miriam Margolyes, Anthony Head, and many more. It was with this series Joe also founded B Good Picture Company with its first commission.
Joe’s debut feature film as both director and producer, CHICKEN premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival and went on to win awards across the festival circuit. On its theatrical release CHICKEN received great critical acclaim, including being compared to Ken Loach’s KES by BBC’s Mark Kermode. It then went on to be picked up by MUBI UK and FILM4 and was released on DVD/Bluray in 2017. It is now taught nationwide on the UK’s AQA Media Studies curriculum.
Joe followed up CHICKEN with his second film: MCKELLEN: PLAYING THE PART whilst also being commissioned by Tate Britain to create a work for the major QUEER ART exhibition. Premiering at Rome Int’l Film Festival, Joe’s feature documentary on the life and work of Ian McKellen was praised by The Hollywood Reporter as a film that “should join the small circle of high-level docs about the acting profession able to inspire newcomers.” In 2018, the film received international praise on theatrical releases worldwide. Like CHICKEN, it has maintained a rare 100% Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score.
Joe’s third film, DOCTOR JEKYLL, a fresh interpretation of the iconic character Jekyll/Hyde, broke new ground with the first ever trans actor playing the role: Suzy Eddie Izzard. Also starring are Scott Chambers, Lindsay Duncan, Simon Callow, Jonathan Hyde and more the film was picked up to relaunch the iconic Hammer Studios. On it’s theatrical release in the UK, the film was praised as “a romp from start to finish, with Izzard giving Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing a run for their money” by Little White Lies, and “a refreshing throwback to Hammer’s glory days” by SFX Magazine. The film will release in the US August 2nd 2024.
Joe most recently completed directing MIDAS MAN. Slated for theatrical release Q4 2024 and starring Emily Watson, Eddie Marsan, Jay Leno, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Milo Parker, Suzy Eddie Izzard, the film is a biopic on the manager of The Beatles, Brian Epstein.
Amongst his feature film work, Joe has also directed television for Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sony Music in the UK.
LIAM
Liam has demonstrated his versatility and creativity in producing content across various platforms.
Collaborating closely with director Joe Stephenson and producer Laura Rees, Liam has been instrumental in shaping a diverse slate of productions including B Good’s upcoming coming-of-age film SINCE MY LIFE BEGAN, inspired by Noel Coward and penned by BAFTA-nominated writer Martin Sherman.
His debut feature film as a producer was Hammer Horror’s DOCTOR JEKYLL starring Suzy Eddie Izzard, Lindsay Duncan, Jonathan Hyde, Simon Callow and the up and coming Scott Chambers.
His most recently produced THE GREATEST SHOW NEVER MADE, a three part doc-series for Amazon Studios and co-produced MIDAS MAN about the life of Brian Epstein, staring Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Emily Watson, Eddie Marsan, Ed Speleers and more, which will have a nationwide US theatrical release Q4 this year.
Liam's dedication to storytelling and his collaborative spirit continue to drive him towards creating compelling and impactful cinematic content that expands cultural conversation with the purpose of entertaining and inspiring audiences both domestically and internationally.
LAURA
With a background producing international news in London and Northern Ireland, documentaries for Carlton Television and short films for the UK Film Council, Laura was awarded a scholarship to attend the NFTS' producing course in 2006. Whilst there she produced numerous films in addition to the course, including Brixton 85 directed by Tom Green, which won the RTS student award 2010 and feature film Kin, directed by Brian Welsh, Executive Producer Nik Powell. After graduating Laura was chosen as one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow, and then as one of only 6 participants on the Screen Skills / Magic Light Pictures Producer Placement Programme working at companies including BBC Films, West End Films, Optimum, Oslwang and Vue Entertainment.
Laura has continued to work in production and development throughout the industry at production companies such as Ruby Films, Matador & Ealing Studios, while developing her own projects, and at BAFTA producing programming for the BBC & BAFTA Guru in LA & the UK with presenters such as Gbemisola Ikumelo, Aisling Bea, Akemnji Ndifornyen, Tom Allen, and a range of high-profile talent. As a Line Producer for Dan Films Laura worked on Storm School with director Vincent Ward and StudioCanal's Something In The Water, and as Producer her recent feature film Dead On The Vine with Writer/Director Mark A C Brown, won Best Feature at Kevin Smith’s SModCastle Film Festival.
Laura is now working with Producer Liam Coutts & Director Joe Stephenson at B Good Picture Company on a slate of projects after co-producing the Brian Epstein biopic Midas Man with them in 2023.