Paul Harris is one of the leading Movement Directors in the World, having created 2 of the most prolific pieces of choreographed movement ever to be put on film. He created the style and choreography for the laser sequences for Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment and he created the physical movement language for the use of the wand for the Harry Potter film franchise, as well as choreographing the climactic finale of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. As a testament to his contribution to the franchise, an interactive mirror containing the image of Paul Harris, is a feature of Warner Bros Studio Tour, in both London and Hollywood.

 

Significant Movement direction credits in television, include directing the movement for the Angels and creating the movement technique for cutting between worlds with the Subtle Knife, in Season 3 of His Dark Materials. Paul has also directed the movement style, as well as creating the choreography, for characters in many BBC period dramas over the last 25 years including: To The Ends of The Earth, The Way We Live Now, Emma, Bleak House, Great Expectations, Little Dorrit, Sense and Sensibility, Miss Austen Regrets, Jane Eyre as well as The Great Fire and Lost in Austen for ITV. Paul devised the choreographed movement of the featured snake artist in Da Vinci’s Demons for Starz U.S. and in addition to choreographing the dance sequences for the entire series, he created the highly stylised movement of the sensual Greek God Tableau in Mary and George, starring Julianne Moore for Starz US/Sky UK.

 

In the theatre, Paul was both Choreographer and Movement Director on the 50^th Anniversary of The Entertainer at The Old Vic and he was brought in at the request of renowned Theatre Director Peter Gill, to conduct period movement workshops as preparation for Gaslight starring Rosamund Pike also at the Old Vic and for The Importance of Being Ernest at the Theatre Royal Bath. Isabelle Fokine, Director of The Fokine Eastate Archive and Granddaughter of acclaimed Russian Choreographer Mikael Fokine, engaged Paul as Movement Director for the actor playing Mikael Fokine in Flight of the Swan, a play about Fokine’s relationship with Anna Pavlova, whilst he was developing the legendary ballet, The Dying Swan, at the Royal Opera House (Linbury). 

 

Paul has enjoyed a 15 year professional relationship (which has spanned over 20 shows), with Theatre Director Guy Retallack. Amongst this work, he has been Movement Director on Liberty at Shakespear’s Globe, the European Tour of Twelfth Night, the UK National Tour of Thrill Me and many productions that have required Paul’s expertise as both a Movement Director and a Choreographer. Paul also continues to coach the movement of the Actors playing Death Eaters, in live performances at Warner Bros Studio Tour. 

 

Paul has taught and been shadowed by, many of the students on the acclaimed MA Movement Studies course at The Royal Central School on Speech and Drama, with former students now Heads of Movement at leading London Drama Schools, with many having become successful Movement Directors in their own right within the industry.  

 

Although the role of the Movement Director has been in existence since the early 20^th Century, it was rarely named as such until much more recently and it is still sometimes separate from the role of the Choreographer. Paul Harris is equally at home in both fields, and enjoys helping Actors discover freedom in the movement styles of their characters.