Melanie Dicks, a UK producer who championed sustainability and the portrayal of social issues on screen, has died aged 60.
The award-winning producer died on February 7 after battling illness for more than a year.
Dicks was managing partner at Fingerprint Content, a production company she co-founded in 2020 with Jess Hines, Lia Walton and former US secretary of state John Kerry, with a mission to tackle social issues such as inequality and climate change. Recent credits included psychological thriller The Eye and Indian series Defenders Of Planet Earth.
Born in Bristol in 1965, Dicks began her career as a trainee at the BBC, moving through the ranks from assistant floor manager to 2nd assistant director before excelling as a first assistant director on features including Run Fatboy Run and St Trinian’s.
In 2009, she co-founded Greenshoot, a sustainability consultancy that has assisted more than 500 entertainment and content projects in reducing their environmental footprint. Features on which she was credited as an environmental consultant include Johnny English Reborn, Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows and Andrew Haigh’s acclaimed drama 45 Years.
As a producer, Dicks’ credits include 2017 psychological thriller The Dark Mile, which premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and won a Bafta Scotland award.
She also wrote several international papers on sustainable development for the film and TV industry and was invited to represent the UK at international film festivals as an expert in the field of environmental sustainability and the arts.
“Throughout her career, Melanie was dedicated to harnessing the power of storytelling to address pressing environmental issues,” said her family in a statement. “She collaborated with production companies worldwide, including India and Greece, to create impactful films that not only entertained but also educated and inspired action.
“Melanie’s dedication to the environment and her innovative approach to filmmaking have left an indelible mark on the industry. She inspired many with her passion, kindness, and unwavering commitment to making the world a better place through the art of film.
“Her absence leaves an immeasurable void, but her legacy will continue to influence and inspire future generations of filmmakers and environmentalists, and her vision and spirit will live on in the work she championed and the countless lives she touched.”
Her family have invited donations to www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/donate/ in her memory.
No comments yet