From writing, through music performance and management, to art, design and photography, Karen’s strengths and interests have naturally led her towards directing.

With her award-winning short films – RACHEL and APPROVAL NEEDED – Karen has started as she intends to go on. She feels that, just as a conductor is nothing without an orchestra, a director cannot make a film without creating a genuinely collaborative environment in which every role is treated with equal respect and weight. She also believes wholeheartedly in providing as many opportunities as possible for women to shine in key production roles and in the importance of bringing together a diverse and inclusive team, both on and off screen. As  result, both APPROVAL NEEDED and her most recent film LIVING WITH HONOR have been awarded the BFI Diversity Good Practice Mark.

In particular, she wants to make sure that it is not only newcomers that benefit from the current moves towards fairer representation, but also those who have led the way and struggled over decades to get recognition, when no one talked about, let alone cared about the lack of equality and diversity in the film industry. In order to make sure vision and ethical approach are well served, she has formed her own film production company – Precious Hack Productions. 

She is a member of Directors UK and Women in Film & TV and her goal now, moving forward with her core, predominantly female team, is to direct her first feature film.