Barney is a multi-award-winning director who has been awarded at shows including the Cannes Lions, British Arrows, Kinsale, Ciclope, Creative Circle, London International Awards and many others. A CLIO nominee, his work has been selected by international film festivals including Sundance, TIFF (Toronto) and Venice and been shown at Lincoln Center (NYC) and the Institute of Contemporary Art (London).
Barney has helmed over $70M of commercials, shooting in 26 countries for clients including Lexus, Volkswagen, Acura, Fiat, Credit Suisse (with Roger Federer), Budweiser, Lipton, NHTSA and Macmillan Cancer Support. Like The Night, Barney’s film for legendary camera brand Leica, was shot on three continents, won a slew of major international advertising awards, premiered at the Victoria & Albert Museum and was released in UK cinemas.
Barney is a collaborative, inventive and conscientious director who is often hired by the same creatives and clients multiple times. He directed a run of more than ten separate productions for the UK National Health Service and over forty separate productions for the French bank CIC in a campaign that was consistently voted in the top 5 of public favourites.
Outside of advertising, Barney directed the World War II series World On Fire for Mammoth Screen/BBC/PBS Masterpiece, directing episode 2 and the season finale . The series stars Oscar nominee Lesley Manville and Jonah Hauer-King. It aired over summer 2023 to positive reviews and viewing figures, winning its slot every night of its run. Selected scenes can be viewed here and here.
Barney’s short film Night Dancing premiered at the TIFF and ended its festival run with over a dozen international awards.
Barney’s previous shorts include the 3D stereoscopic The Foundling, produced by Ridley Scott Associates, which won the Lumière Award alongside films by Scorsese, Wenders and Spielberg. One reviewer described it as “like David Lynch crossed with David Fincher”. The film was selected for Palm Springs and opened the Krakow Film Festival. Barney also wrote and directed QUEEN’S PARK STORY, commissioned by the BBC, which premiered at Venice, and was described by The Observer as “the best British drama on television this year”.
He has currently has two feature films and two tv series in funded development.
Barney’s work reflects his talent for visual storytelling and emotional authenticity. "I'm drawn to projects where I get both to create cinematic impact and deliver something powerfully human", he says. He marries deep technical knowledge and extensive VFX experience with an emotive touch with actors.
Barney lives in London. He took a double first in English Literature at Oxford, was a Visiting Fellow at Princeton and trained at the BBC on the Television Production Training Scheme.
