Hot Shots 2023: Charlie Quinn

When legendary scripted producer Nicola Shindler opened her new venture, Quay Street Productions, in early 2021, Charlie Quinn was one of her first editorial hires.

Quinn had been working as a junior script editor at Lime Pictures, but his maturity, nuanced notes and work ethic impressed Shindler, prompting her to give him the job.

He continued to impress. Having been asked to carry out some research for Russell T Davies’ ITV1 series Nolly, about the 1970s Crossroads actress Noele Gordon, his work was so proactive and thorough that, Shindler says, “it felt entirely natural to ask him to script edit the series”.

It was Quinn’s first script editor credit and Davies is effusive in his praise: “He’s one of those people who’ll be running the industry in a few years, and I hope he gives me work.”

Davies says it wasn’t just Quinn’s work that made him stand out, it was also the personal qualities he brought to the job.

“He did the hard work of plain old research, but way beyond that, he was sensitive to the needs of actors and production, with a kindness that few possess. He’s an absolute star.”

Since Nolly, two projects that Quinn helped to refi ne in development have been greenlit: The Red King, a six-part folk-horror crime drama by Being Human creator Toby Whithouse, which has been picked up by UKTV’s Alibi; and another six-parter, yet to be announced.

“Charlie showed such skill and commitment in leading the development of both, supporting the writers with storylining a complex plotted story, that it was only right that we promote him to script executive,” Shindler says.

In addition to his production workload, Quinn is progressing a varied slate of his own development, she says, adding that he is “fantastic at identifying talent and enticing writers to work with Quay Street”.