Francesca Jaynes


Francesca Jaynes is an English choreographer and movement director who works in many disciplines within the entertainment industry, including feature films, theatre and commercials.

Early career

Jaynes trained at the Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts, and danced professionally for several years before suffering a serious injury that led to a transition into choreography. Following several years choreographing musical stage acts, she began working in UK television in 1982 and a career in film began in 1999 with Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy, earning her a nomination in the American Choreography Awards.

Film and television

Jaynes' work in feature film covers a period of three decades and multiple genres, including costume drama, family, science fiction, fantasy, and music-based drama. She has worked with many of Hollywood's most prominent directors, including Joss Whedon, James Bobin, Robert Zemeckis, Mike Newell, Tim Burton, Steven Spielberg, and Mike Leigh, as well as a number of the industry's top actors, among them Andy Serkis, Sandra Bullock, Christoph Waltz, Tina Fey, Ray Liotta, Jude Law, Jack Black, Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Kevin Kline, Steve Whitmire and Eric Jacobson.
Her television credits include work with Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman in Roald Dahl's Esio Trot for the BBC, as well as programmes such as Quiz by James Graham, Foyle's War, Agatha Christie's Marple, The Virgin Queen, and Tipping the Velvet.

Film and television credits

Year ReleasedTitleProduction CompanyDirector
2020QuizLeft Bank PicturesStephen Frears
2019DumboWalt Disney PicturesTim Burton
2019The Spanish PrincessSTARZBirgitte Staermose
2019TraitorsTwenty Twenty TelevisionDearbhla Walsh
2018A Very English ScandalAmazon Studios / BBCStephen Frears
2017BreatheThe Imaginarium StudiosAndy Serkis
2017WillTNT DramaShekhar Kapur
2016AlliedParamount PicturesRobert Zemeckis
2016Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar ChildrenTim Burton Productions/Chernin EntertainmentTim Burton
2016Alice Through the Looking GlassWalt Disney PicturesJames Bobin
2015Pinewood: 80 Years of Movie MagicBBCJohn Hodgson
2015Marvel StudiosJoss Whedon
2015Roald Dahl's Esio Trot – TVBBC/Endor ProductionsDearbhla Walsh
2014Muppets Most WantedWalt Disney PicturesJames Bobin
2013GravityWarner Brothers PicturesAlfonso Cuaron
2013The Invisible WomanMagnolia Mae FilmsRalph Fiennes
2012Great ExpectationsNumber 9 Films LtdMike Newell
2010Foyle's War – TVITVDavid Richards
2010Alice in WonderlandWalt Disney PicturesTim Burton
2008The DuchessBBC Films/PatheSaul Dibb
2007DreamWorksTim Burton
2006The Da Vinci CodeColumbia PicturesRon Howard
2005Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryWarner Brothers PicturesTim Burton
2004Vera DrakeThin Man FilmsMike Leigh
2004De-LovelyMGMIrwin Winkler
2002Tipping the Velvet – TVBBCGeoffrey Sax
2001A.I. Artificial IntelligenceWarner Brothers PicturesSteven Spielberg
1999Topsy-TurvyThin Man FilmsMike Leigh

Theatre

Jaynes began choreographing for theatre in the late 1980s, and continues to work regularly in this discipline. In 2015 it was announced that she would be working with Mike Leigh on The Pirates of Penzance for the English National Opera.
Her work has been created for a wide range of theatres including the New Wolsey Theatre, Salisbury Playhouse, Birmingham Rep, Holland Park Opera, Stafford Festival Shakespeare, The Old Vic and The National Theatre.
Jaynes has collaborated for more than 20 years with Director Peter Rowe on shows including Blues in the Night, Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, and It's a Wonderful Life.

Theatre credits

YearProductionTheatreDirector
2019/20ONCENo. 1 UK National TourPeter Rowe
2018Still AliceWest Yorkshire PlayhousePeter Rowe
2015Sweet CharityNew Wolsey TheatrePeter Rowe
2015The Pirates of PenzanceEnglish National Opera / London ColiseumMike Leigh
2014Midsummer SongsNew Wolsey TheatrePeter Rowe
2014Kafka's DickBath Theatre RoyalDavid Grindley
2013Our HouseNew Wolsey Theatre/UK National TourPeter Rowe
2013DaytonaPark Theatre LondonDavid Grindley
2011Guys and DollsClwyd Theatr Cymru/Salisbury Playhouse/UK National TourPeter Rowe
2010Little Shop of HorrorsBirmingham RepPeter Rowe
2009It's a Wonderful LifeNew Wolsey TheatrePeter Rowe
2009Orpheus in the UnderworldHolland Park OperaJohn Abulafia
2008AfterlifeThe National TheatreMichael Blakemore
2007Stephen Fry's CinderellaThe Old VicFiona Laird
2007Blues in the NightNew Wolsey TheatrePeter Rowe
2006Promises and LiesBirmingham RepJonathan Church
2005SugarNew Wolsey TheatrePeter Rowe
2003The Threepenny OperaThe National TheatreTim Baker
2000EquusSalisbury PlayhouseJoanna Read
2000My Best FriendHampstead TheatreAnthony Clark
2000Leader of the PackBelgrade Theatre, CoventryPeter Rowe

Commercials

Jaynes' choreographic and movement work has been seen in commercials for numerous major brands, both national and international. The 2018 "Back to the Fuchsia" campaign for Ted Baker was choreographed by Jaynes, inspired by the song Think Pink from the musical Funny Face. In 2014, she choreographed a sequence in "The Gentleman's Wager", a six-minute ad for Johnnie Walker Blue Label starring Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. SmartWater, Lynx, Sainsbury's, and Scottish Widows are amongst the other brands whose commercials have featured her work.

Short films

In addition to her work as a choreographer and movement director, Jaynes has also created work as a writer/director of short films. Her first film, For George, was completed in 2012, and was an Official Selection at the United Film Festival, Festival Filmets, and Best Actors Film Festival, where it won the award for "Best Ensemble Cast in a Short Drama".
Her second short film, Gnomeland, was completed in 2013, and was chosen as an Official Selection at the Two Short Nights Film Festival and the Deep Fried Film Festival.