Regent’s was proud to welcome back alumna Isabelle Sieb, director of BAFTA and Emmy-nominated dramas including Vigil, The Devil’s Hour, and the recent Netflix thriller Hostage, as the first Visiting Professor speaker of the academic year. Described by Vice Chancellor & CEO Geoff Smith as a ‘superstar alumna’, Isabelle set the tone for the series with an inspiring talk that traced her journey from graduating in 2013 to directing some of the UK’s most high-profile television shows.
Finding her voice at Regent’s
As one of the first students on Regent’s BA (Hons) Screenwriting and Producing course, Isabelle was drawn to the breadth of study and the opportunities London offered, explaining that, ‘at the time, I didn’t know I wanted to be a director - I just knew I wanted to be in the film industry’.
Her turning point came with her graduation film, a ‘very silly and joyful’ romantic comedy musical created in collaboration with BA (Hons) Acting for Stage and Screen students. Isabelle stated that ‘directing gave me so much joy and came naturally to me’.
From short films to screen success
‘There’s no map for how to become a director. Everyone’s journey is different’, Isabelle reflected, ‘that uncertainty was what propelled me forward - I was constantly asking myself who I could contact, what I could make next’.
Throwing herself into short films across genres, she built a portfolio through what she described as ‘a series of small successes’. Festivals and industry schemes for female directors soon followed, helping her secure an agent and her first breakthrough role with Sky in 2017.
‘You can’t get work in film or TV without short films’, she stressed, ‘they’re your playground - the best way to learn, explore and build your skill set’.
That foundation led to Shetland, her first BBC drama which she directed in 2019, before she took on Vigil, the UK’s most-watched drama in three years, and Amazon Prime’s thriller The Devil’s Hour. Today, she is lead director of Hostage for Netflix, working once again with Suranne Jones.
Directing as a dialogue
Isabelle admitted that walking onto the set of established shows was daunting. ‘On Shetland, the cast and crew had been working together for five seasons - I had to prove myself’.
Her philosophy is rooted in collaboration: ‘directing is a dialogue. I like to see what actors bring to the table, because that’s how you get their best work. My role is to be their barometer - guiding them through where their character is and how they’re feeling, scene by scene’.
Advice for Regent’s students
Looking back, Isabelle encouraged students to embrace persistence and self-belief:
- ‘Listen to your instincts. I’ve only regretted choices I made when I ignored them’
- ‘Do your research - know what opportunities are out there and who’s who in the industry’
- ‘Keep creating. Short films, social media content - put your work out there and get it seen’
- ‘Reach out. You can DM anyone. People who have just had their breakthrough remember what it was like to be where you are now, so they're great to try to connect with’.
- ‘The small successes are what keep you going. Each one is a sign of progress. Keep pushing yourself and keep creating’.