Biography
From the Eagle comic strip artists whose work inspired Eden to write and illustrate his own stories while still a boy, through to a personal invitation from Roland Penrose - the godfather of British surrealism - to attend the first screening (following a 50 year ban) of 'L'Âge d'Or' at the ICA in London, and later a collaboration with the acclaimed author JG Ballard, Eden's work has long been informed by a diverse range of influences.
Born on the Moulsecoomb council estate in Brighton, and raised by his father - a stevedore turned tailor from Liverpool - Eden left school at sixteen to embark on an apprenticeship in signwriting. Whilst this provided a practical outlet for his innate artistic skills - and a much needed income - his burgeoning interest in poetry and abstract theatre eventually led Eden to seek work as an assistant in an independent 'arts' bookshop. Given the opportunity to immerse himself in literature, he devoured the great and the good [and the bad] in print, and began to write once more, developing a series of performance art events and One Act plays/monologues, which were staged in dank basements, empty church halls, smoky art college bars, and even on the promenades of the south coast in the late 1970s.
By the age of 19, Eden was regular contributor of poetry and stream-of-consciousness prose to the underground magazines that emerged [and often disappeared overnight] along with the punk scene. 1979 saw the release of an independent album entitled PS: Surrealism, [a collection of songs, lyric poems and abstract sound recordings co-written with musician Patrick Coghlan], which was critically acclaimed by leading music journal NME. Approached by student film-makers eager to collaborate, Eden seized the opportunity to explore the medium of film in greater depth.
Following a brief stint as an actor - appearing with Japanese star Yumi Matsutoya in 'Train of Thought', and numerous television and student productions - Eden was awarded a scholarship by Goldcrest Films [The Killing Fields] and gained a place on The Royal College of Art's Post Graduate Film Course. In addition to exploring set design, directing, editing and screenwriting, he was instrumental in the development of the UK's first MA Production Course. His productions garnered many international plaudits - including a British Academy Award - and he graduated a Master of Arts with Distinction in 1987.
Between 1988 and 1991 Eden was engaged in script development for Anglia Film & TV; Thames TV; BBC TV; Carolco International Pictures, Golden Square Films and the European Commission – the latter as a member of the jury [chaired by director Sergio Leone], of the ‘Young European Screenwriters Competition’ which was launched at the Cannes Film Festival. Returning briefly to the RCA to work as a visiting tutor and assistant to the renowned head of film Professor Dick Ross, Eden was encouraged by mentors such as the legendary film director Fred Zinnemann [From Here to Eternity] to focus on his writing, and he spent much of the following decade working as a screenwriter in Britain and the United States, attracting commissions from Hollywood Studios and British Television companies.
In 2002, Eden embarked on a two year sabbatical from screenwriting to return to prose and fine art. Settling with his wife [actress Helena Michell] and daughter in the Tramuntana mountains near Deia in Mallorca, Eden began work on a debut novel and created a series of mixed media artworks, which would lead to his first solo exhibition - The Weight of Fire - at the Square One Gallery, Kings Road, Chelsea, in late 2005.
In 2006 Eden was invited to exhibit 'Codagraphs' at the Tsinghua Academy of Arts in Beijing, China.
2009 saw the release of the R&B album 'The Road Will Rise" which Eden co-wrote and designed, and the following year his debut 'full-length' stage play 'When The Saintz Go Marching In' [hailed by the press a 'Stunning' success] had its premiere at The Point Theatre, Hampshire.
A trilogy of Brighton based stage plays and a novel for children are currently in development.
Member:
Writers Guild of America [west]
British Academy of Songwriters & Composers
National Association of Writers in Education
Leonardo/ISAST
A-N Artists Network
WritersNet
Born on the Moulsecoomb council estate in Brighton, and raised by his father - a stevedore turned tailor from Liverpool - Eden left school at sixteen to embark on an apprenticeship in signwriting. Whilst this provided a practical outlet for his innate artistic skills - and a much needed income - his burgeoning interest in poetry and abstract theatre eventually led Eden to seek work as an assistant in an independent 'arts' bookshop. Given the opportunity to immerse himself in literature, he devoured the great and the good [and the bad] in print, and began to write once more, developing a series of performance art events and One Act plays/monologues, which were staged in dank basements, empty church halls, smoky art college bars, and even on the promenades of the south coast in the late 1970s.
By the age of 19, Eden was regular contributor of poetry and stream-of-consciousness prose to the underground magazines that emerged [and often disappeared overnight] along with the punk scene. 1979 saw the release of an independent album entitled PS: Surrealism, [a collection of songs, lyric poems and abstract sound recordings co-written with musician Patrick Coghlan], which was critically acclaimed by leading music journal NME. Approached by student film-makers eager to collaborate, Eden seized the opportunity to explore the medium of film in greater depth.
Following a brief stint as an actor - appearing with Japanese star Yumi Matsutoya in 'Train of Thought', and numerous television and student productions - Eden was awarded a scholarship by Goldcrest Films [The Killing Fields] and gained a place on The Royal College of Art's Post Graduate Film Course. In addition to exploring set design, directing, editing and screenwriting, he was instrumental in the development of the UK's first MA Production Course. His productions garnered many international plaudits - including a British Academy Award - and he graduated a Master of Arts with Distinction in 1987.
Between 1988 and 1991 Eden was engaged in script development for Anglia Film & TV; Thames TV; BBC TV; Carolco International Pictures, Golden Square Films and the European Commission – the latter as a member of the jury [chaired by director Sergio Leone], of the ‘Young European Screenwriters Competition’ which was launched at the Cannes Film Festival. Returning briefly to the RCA to work as a visiting tutor and assistant to the renowned head of film Professor Dick Ross, Eden was encouraged by mentors such as the legendary film director Fred Zinnemann [From Here to Eternity] to focus on his writing, and he spent much of the following decade working as a screenwriter in Britain and the United States, attracting commissions from Hollywood Studios and British Television companies.
In 2002, Eden embarked on a two year sabbatical from screenwriting to return to prose and fine art. Settling with his wife [actress Helena Michell] and daughter in the Tramuntana mountains near Deia in Mallorca, Eden began work on a debut novel and created a series of mixed media artworks, which would lead to his first solo exhibition - The Weight of Fire - at the Square One Gallery, Kings Road, Chelsea, in late 2005.
In 2006 Eden was invited to exhibit 'Codagraphs' at the Tsinghua Academy of Arts in Beijing, China.
2009 saw the release of the R&B album 'The Road Will Rise" which Eden co-wrote and designed, and the following year his debut 'full-length' stage play 'When The Saintz Go Marching In' [hailed by the press a 'Stunning' success] had its premiere at The Point Theatre, Hampshire.
A trilogy of Brighton based stage plays and a novel for children are currently in development.
Member:
Writers Guild of America [west]
British Academy of Songwriters & Composers
National Association of Writers in Education
Leonardo/ISAST
A-N Artists Network
WritersNet