About Trudy
TRUDY BELLINGER is a Director, Producer, Writer and Creative Director (and mother) whose unique spark, attention to detail and female outlook make her a great filmmaker. Always evolving, Bellinger's hands-on artistic and directorial approaches have informed an imaginative body of work, combining evocative imagery and flattering colour palettes with imaginative storytelling and branding.
Bellinger's early career began in Music Television at BSB's The Power Station, where she learnt the craft of directing live TV. This led to her producing award winning music videos for directors such as Sam Bayer and Russell Young. Her body of work as a line producer caught the eye of the CEO of EMI Records who employed her as Senior VP /Head of Music Video and Creative Affairs. In this role spanning 10 years she was responsible for commissioning, creative directing and executive producing EMI’s music videos, long forms and visuals.
In 2002, she left EMI to pursue a directing career whilst also working as a freelance Commissioner and Creative Director for all the British record labels, both major and independent.
The music videos Bellinger directed herself enjoyed nominations and awards from MTV, The Brits and Virgin Media prompting an interest from advertising agencies and brands and she soon became one of the leading beauty/hair and celebrity commercials directors in UK with clients including: Rimmel with Kate Moss, M & S fashion with Twiggy, Sunsilk, Dove, Max Factor, Garnier, Olay, Barclaycard, to name but a few.
Television networks began to notice her and she was brought in by Sky TV to re- brand their popular LIVING channel and was soon directing TV promos for all the leading shows.
During this time Bellinger was also EP at commercials and music video production company Crossroads Films where she produced for, mentored and signed directors. Her roster included the legendary Tim Pope, Howard Greenhalgh and director of Sex Education and Catastrophe Ben Taylor.
Her move to Los Angeles in 2013 resulted in her directing TV promos and winning Promax nominations and awards for shows such as Project Runway, The Masked Singer, Scandal with Kerry Washington, The Bachelorette, The Catch, Lifetime's The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe starring Kelli Garner and Susan Sarandon, Next Top Model, and BET’s Games People Play.
In 2018/19 she directed a short film Killing Christmas which won multiple accolades on the film festival circuit. Bellinger is featured in the 2018 award winning film "Seeing is Believing: Women Direct" about female directors and is a leading contributor to the History of British Music Video by Dr Emily Caston in association with BFI.
Her video for Girls Aloud was selected to be included on Power to the People 200 Landmark Music Videos 1966 to 2016 (British Film Institute).
In 2019 she was creative director and producer for Maison Margiela Mutiny perfume campaign where she identified 5 creative influencers and exec produced/ creative directed short films .This garnered a lot of fashion press including Vogue (Italia, UK and USA).
During the pandemic 2020/21 Bellinger was showrunner, producer and director of 12 episodes of a 30 minute magazine style TV show called The Megan Pormer Show for Fox 13 featuring interviews and activities with fashion designers, influencers, health and wellness experts, musicians and actors.
In 2022 Bellinger was invited to be the keynote speaker at The World Trailer Awards in Portugal broadcast on Hollywood Deadline and she is a regular presenter of the Sky Arts show “Video killed The Radio Star” about music videos.
In 2022 her campaign for Project Runway won a silver Promax. In 2023 the promos and teasers she directed for ABC/DISNEY Beauty and The Beast won Silver Promax and a Bronze Clio for Best On-air Campaign and her promo for Introducing H.E.R as Belle for Beauty and Beast won the silver Promax for Best Short form Promo.
Honoured to have directed and collaborated with some of the most celebrated artists and celebrities of our day, Bellinger's distinctive skill adeptly realizes creative demands and delivers compelling, full-scale experiences. Whether leading artistic teams, navigating ideas to execution, or increasing production value, the results of Bellinger's work are always impressive whilst continuing to have fun and look towards “change” for our future.
Having helped carve the path for female directors since her days as a commissioner when she discovered and championed some of our contemporary leading female directors, she personally continues the struggle to break down gender prejudices through her own work.
Determined to give an equal voice to women in television and features, she has created her own content with female protagonists and is currently in development on two documentaries.