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Leon Mitchell’s gift for storytelling takes him from award-winning filmmaker to children’s author




Leon Mitchell has lived a life full of rich experiences as an award-winning filmmaker, in the music industry and even a spell in the army. The thread running through it all has been his gift for storytelling. Now retired from filmmaking, he is concentrating on his love of writing for children and teens, with two new audio books published next week. He aims to spark curiosity in children and teach them their imagination has no limits, he tells Arts Editor TRISH LEE

Leon Mitchell Best in Business Awards
Leon Mitchell Best in Business Awards

EARLIER this year director, writer and producer Leon Mitchell picked up the innovation trophy in the 2023 NWN Best in Business awards with his studio Cinalight.

The 43-year-old has now retired from film making, after directing the 25th reunion video for pop girl band B*Witched. Despite having plenty of offers to fill the order books, he decided it was time to move on and live a quieter life writing.

A children’s and teen author, his next two children’s audio books Spidersaurus and Finn Flux will be released next week.

Leon Mitchell (Spidersaurus)
Leon Mitchell (Spidersaurus)
Finn Flux
Finn Flux

His tween and young teen-based works are infused with science fiction, fantasy, magic and adventure, while his simple short children's stories are written to entertain young minds and inspire curiosity and imagination.

Leon works with illustrator Nick Ashton, one of the designers for Harry Potter.

One of his stories has been made into a film, too, that was filmed locally in Newbury, and another is on Prime.

Astrohigh (Leon Mitchell) jpg
Astrohigh (Leon Mitchell) jpg

Leon has lived in Newbury for the last three years with his two children who he “loves to bits and provide inspiration” for many of his books.

“I’ve written stories since I was a child, and was a big reader growing up.

“I’m inspired by Roald Dahl and last year I met one of my favourite writers, Julia Donaldson.” He hopes that his books too will spark curiosity and teach children that their imagination has no limits.

The Sky Hearts (Leon Mitchell)
The Sky Hearts (Leon Mitchell)

“I like to include quirky thoughts we have as children too. So, for example, the book I wrote called Muddle in the Puddle was inspired by a time as a child when I was standing at a bus stop with my mum and we were splashing in a puddle and laughing about something being in the water.”

A big fan of movies growing up in the early 80s, classics like The Goonies, Back to the Future, Lost Boys and Never Ending Story all inform his writing as much as his life experiences. The thread running through all is Leon’s gift for storytelling.

The Bug and the Rock (Leon Mitchell)
The Bug and the Rock (Leon Mitchell)

“I was always into art and music and spent some years as an musician in my young teens, touring the UK. I had a fair bit of success playing shows with the likes of The Hollies, Lindisfarne, The Calling, Boney M and loads of others. I made a few albums, did some TV, radio and generally had a great experience with that.

But then life took Leon on a different turn and in his early 20s he served as soldier with the Royal Army Medical Corps as a combat medical technician.

“All through that time serving though, I was still writing stories and playing the guitar – it was what I was known for.”

Mood Monsters (Leon Mitchell)
Mood Monsters (Leon Mitchell)

When he left the army, he went to university where filmmaking seemed a natural progression and an infusion of all his creativity into one.

As a multiple award winning director, with 51 wins and 17 nominations, Leon is a member of the British Film Institute and BAFTA.

“I spent some time in LA, some time in parts of Asia too. Filmmaking for me was great because I could combine storytelling with creating.

It’s something Leon’s done for pretty much 20 years; films, TV and all manner of productions big and small.

“I've had a no 1 film on iTunes movies too, productions on Sky Entertainment, Prime, ITV, Netflix and more. I also made a movie in Norway and worked with dozens of known artists and actors.”

In 30 years of creative experiences in music, film and arts, Leon has seen and done so much, but writing books for children has always been his central passion, along with a career in psychology and his family.

Galaxy Girl (Leon Mitchell)
Galaxy Girl (Leon Mitchell)

So now things have gone full turn. “I’ve circled back around to just writing books, building a career in mental health and psychology alongside this, focusing on supporting young people.”

He gives away a lot of his books for free, to help support children in the area engage in more reading. Visit his website https://cinalight.wixsite.com/leonmitchell

“I love being an author,” says Leon, who is with Gardners Books, one of the biggest distributors in the UK. His ebooks are available on Amazon too.

“My goals moving forwards are to release the rest of my back catalogue of shorter children’s books and audiobooks and then my novels.”



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