Tom Littlewood
Writer / Showrunner
About
Born in 1984 in Boston (UK), I studied French and German at Cambridge University before moving to Berlin in 2007.
In 2009 I became Chief Editor of VICE in Germany and spent the next ten years working as a journalist and documentary-maker at home and abroad.
In 2019 I left my job as VICE’s Head of Content in DACH to work as a freelance writer and showrunner.
My documentaries have been shown on Netflix, ZDF, Pro7, RTL2 and Arte. My writing has appeared in VICE, Harpers and Tagesspiegel.
In 2009 I became Chief Editor of VICE in Germany and spent the next ten years working as a journalist and documentary-maker at home and abroad.
In 2019 I left my job as VICE’s Head of Content in DACH to work as a freelance writer and showrunner.
My documentaries have been shown on Netflix, ZDF, Pro7, RTL2 and Arte. My writing has appeared in VICE, Harpers and Tagesspiegel.
Work
2021-22
8 x 26 Min.
1 Season
Sender:
Arte / RBB
Production:
Weltrecorder Story
1 Season
Sender:
Arte / RBB
Production:
Weltrecorder Story
Weltrecorder Story invited me to come up with three stories (each consisting of two 26 minute episodes) for the first season of this original documentary series for Arte / RBB.
The premise: a person from the city arrives in a rural community, relying on the help of the locals to realise an unlikely project.
Each story explores a unique conflict along the countryside / city divide. Subjects include: the role of men and women in modern-day Italy, the stuttering start to Germany’s “Verkehrswende”, food production and consumption under global capitalism.
Episodes were shot in Milan, Emilia-Romagna, Cologne, Baden-Württemberg, Münster and Niedersachsen.
As showrunner of the series I worked closely with local producers, protagonists and directors to research and develop each story, put together shooting teams, write treatments and supervise edits.
The show received funding from the Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg and premiered in May, 2023.
The premise: a person from the city arrives in a rural community, relying on the help of the locals to realise an unlikely project.
Each story explores a unique conflict along the countryside / city divide. Subjects include: the role of men and women in modern-day Italy, the stuttering start to Germany’s “Verkehrswende”, food production and consumption under global capitalism.
Episodes were shot in Milan, Emilia-Romagna, Cologne, Baden-Württemberg, Münster and Niedersachsen.
As showrunner of the series I worked closely with local producers, protagonists and directors to research and develop each story, put together shooting teams, write treatments and supervise edits.
The show received funding from the Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg and premiered in May, 2023.
2017
1 x 30 Min.
Investigative Documentary
Production:
VICE
Investigative Documentary
Production:
VICE
The death of a North Korean welder in a Polish shipyard was the starting point for journalists Sebastian Weis and Manuel Freundt to investigate a handful of companies employing North Korean workers in Europe.
During the investigation we managed to track down North Korean workers in Poland, discovering how little they earn, their fear of retribution should they defect, and who exactly profits from their exploitation.
As Chief Editor I oversaw the investigation, production and editing of the documentary.
Cash For Kim won Jury Gold and the People’s Award at the 2017 Webby Awards
During the investigation we managed to track down North Korean workers in Poland, discovering how little they earn, their fear of retribution should they defect, and who exactly profits from their exploitation.
As Chief Editor I oversaw the investigation, production and editing of the documentary.
Cash For Kim won Jury Gold and the People’s Award at the 2017 Webby Awards