David Yates (born 1963) is a BAFTA and Emmy Award winning English film and television director, best known for his work on the most recent Harry Potter films.

Personal life

Born in St. Helens, England, Yates was first inspired to become a director when he saw Steven Spielberg's Jaws. His mother bought him his first camera at the age of 14, and he began making small movies with his brother, Andrew, in local parks. He studied Politics, English literature and Sociology at St Helens College, and scored two 'A' grades and a 'C' despite spending six months in hospital at the time. He then attended the University of Essex, followed by the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, where he excelled as a student.

Career

He has worked extensively in British television, mainly for the BBC, helming high-profile drama projects such as When I Was a Girl (1991), The Sins (2000), The Way We Live Now (2001), Paul Abbott's State of Play (2003), The Young Visiters (2003), Sex Traffic (2004) and Richard Curtis's The Girl in the Café (2005).