ABOUT
Trace Productions is a Manchester-based independent production company creating specialist factual content. It is a venture set up by Dan Jackson and Marianne Knowles that draws upon our joint expertise in scripted and non-scripted production.
The innovative style of our productions combines compelling storytelling with dramatic narrative and sound design to propel the audience to the heart of the subject matter.
MEET THE TEAM
Dan Jackson
Director/Producer
Dan has two decades of experience making TV, radio and podcasts for a range of broadcasters including the BBC, ITV and Spotify.
He's Head of Production and an Executive Producer across a range of arts, science and specialist factual content and has written for theatre and radio. Dan has also won a number of awards for his work in sustainability.
When he's not working, Dan may be found building solar-powered waterfalls, cooking/eating, dancing or trying not to be found in the hills somewhere.
Marianne Knowles
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Writer/Producer
Marianne is fascinated by how storytelling can help to demystify scientific knowledge and increase cultural understanding. Graduating with a first class degree in Linguistics, Marianne has spent the last 15 years applying her knowledge of language to produce content for the education, tech and creative industries. Building on her experience of delivering high-end film festivals, Marianne is studying part-time for an MA in Film Studies to further deepen her understanding of film composition and build on her scriptwriting capacity. Marianne is passionate about making complex subjects more fathomable and making understanding more fun.
OUR WORK & CLIENTS
OUR WORK
Rabbiting On!
Podcast series
Rabbiting On! is what happens when three busy rabbis, mums, leaders, wives, advocates, allies and friends get together every other week outside of the synagogue when they think no one is listening.
Debbie, Miriam and Robyn work hard and play as hard as they can and still manage to turn up for these huge jobs they do.
All three rabbis work tirelessley to lead their communities as well as taking active positions of leadership in civic life, advocating for human rights, meaningful interfaith work, equity and social equality. And all three would admit to looking forward to that special moment, just once in a fortnight when they can just be themselves and let off steam with two pals who understand exactly what it's like to be women in a man's world.
Noirthern
Podcast Series
While the podcast landscape may be crowded with crime series, Noirthern is the first dedicated to Northern Noir, focusing on crime stories, both true and fictional, from Northern England and Scotland.
Caroline Blyth (from Edinburgh) and Katie Edwards (from South Yorkshire), academics and crime fiction aficionados, discuss how authors set crime fiction in real (rather than fictional) locations in the North of England and Scotland, using narratives of violence to offer social commentary on national, regional, and local identities.
In Northern Noir, location is often central to the narrative – a character in its own right – directing and shaping the other characters’ identities, not to mention the violence in their midst. Through its depictions of crime and violence, Northern noir evokes communities in shadow, mirroring the injustices that lurk beneath the surface. Stories reflect authors’ disaffection with their own locale (either past or present), its characters embodying the alienation and discontent of their creator. Victims’ broken and violated bodies serve as symbols of national injustices and systemic corruption.
Mica Millar's
'The Defender'
Documentary
First emerging in late 2017 with her singles My Lover and Not The First, Mica Millar's third single, The Defender (2018) is a self-penned and produced record with contributions from Goldie (MBE) and James Davidson. Inspiration for the track arose when, aged eight, Mica witnessed a terrible violent act. The Defender documentary is a full-length collaboration between Mica Millar and Trace Productions that explores the nature of human empathy, altruism and the fundamental forces that drive our impetus to defend ourselves and others.
REFORM RADIO
Producer/Facilitator
Dan delivered a series of masterclasses in scriptwriting and storytelling for radio. Working with a group of young adults, he facilitated script-writing workshops creating an exceptional radio play, exploring the group's lived experiences through imaginary, relatable characters and storylines.
Reform Radio are a multi-award winning online radio station, broadcasting the best in music, arts and culture from the Old Granada Studios, Manchester.
Dan worked closely with Reform to shape their Sustainability strategy that saw them win the Manchester Culture Awards Prize for Sustainability and nomination for the Audio Production Awards in the same category.
SUSTAINABILITY
TESTIMONIALS
Dan hits the ground running, comes up with exciting ideas and innovative formats, and works brilliantly on his own or in a team to deliver them. He's a dynamic, creative force.
Christine Morgan, Head of Religion & Ethics, BBC Radio, 2009-2020.
Dan has a gift for being able to go straight to the nub of a problem and work backwards to explore it in ways you don't expect.
Mica Millar.
Dan is a really positive team member, who has lots of ideas and was a joy to work with.
Lindsay Williams, Story Producer, Coronation Street - ITV Studios.
Dan Jackson combines three very important skills for our industry; an ability to cut through the undergrowth and get to the essence of the problem, the creativity to find a solution that others have been staring blankly at for ages and the credibility to get people on board with delivering their best to any project. Whether it's an editorial or a production challenge, Dan is one of those people who sorts stuff. And does it better than you could have hoped.
John Whiston, MD Continuing Drama & Head of ITV in the North, ITV.
Trace Productions is proud to be a carbon literate producer.