January 2020

Laurie Nunn Inexperience is highly rated GLOBAL MUSIC FOR LOCAL USE

We’ve hand-picked our best albums and composers to create playlists for Europe, Africa, America, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. The series represents global music styles through their regional instruments and sounds.

AVAILABLE FOR LICENSE AT AUDIONETWORK.COM/DISCOVER/WORLD-LIFESTYLE-SERIES

FIND OUT MORE Naomi Koh [email protected] +44 (0)207 566 1441 Journal of The Royal Television Society January 2020 l Volume 57/1

From the CEO The year ended on a his career. He also highlighted new work events in this edition. I’m thrilled that high for the RTS, with the coming out of his Wonderhood Studios. our cover story is an interview with the conclusion of a packed For fans of fantasy, the RTS’s exclusive creator of Netflix’s hilarious Sex Education, events programme. screening of episode 6 of His Dark Laurie Nunn. Caroline Frost’s article is a One of the last events Materials, followed by a Q&A with the must-read. In common with millions of was “Why we love… quiz series’ makers, was revelatory and other people, I can’t wait for season 2. shows”. My thanks to all confirmed the devotion audiences have A huge thank you to Peter Bazalgette the panellists who made it such great fun, for this amazing show. Congratulations for giving us his unique take on the year not least the inimitable Anne Robinson. to Jane Tranter, Jack Thorne and team for that was 2019. Readers can test their own TV knowledge their curation of this precious franchise. Finally, a very happy, healthy and by tackling the RTS Futures Christmas Quiz In Birmingham, soap sage Mal Young prosperous 2020 to all our readers. in this issue. Enjoy. told the RTS how he successfully navigated The London Centre’s prestigious the demands of US TV to keep daytime Christmas Lecture featuring David juggernaut The Young and the Restless in Abraham was an opportunity for the pole position in the ratings and the Emmys. former Channel 4 CEO to look back on There are full reports from all these Theresa Wise

Contents Cover: Sex Education (Netflix) Simon Bucks’ TV Diary Race to the top Pre-Christmas preparations are reprioritised by the London The team behind RuPaul’s Drag Race UK explains how 4 Bridge attack and the funeral of a TV news luminary 18 the show successfully crossed the Atlantic Working Lives: Costume designer Why we love quiz shows Costume designer Pam Downe takes Matthew Bell An RTS event answers the $64,000 question – why are 5 behind the scenes 20 we so addicted to TV quizzes? Ear Candy: Office Ladies A festive brain teaser A new US season of The Office may be nigh. Kate Holman Test your television knowledge with the RTS Futures 6 recommends a podcast based on the mockumentary 22 Christmas quiz Horny but heartfelt The mould breaker Laurie Nunn, the creator of Sex Education, invites Former Channel 4 CEO David Abraham reflects on a 7 Caroline Frost into her writers room, where awkward 23 working life encompassing advertising and running TV teenage memories are mined for dramatic gold networks on both sides of the pond Brexit, BritBox and beyond The soap sage Peter Bazalgette looks back on a year Mal Young, who gave British viewers soap’s first lesbian 10 of cliff-hanging drama 26 kiss, treats the RTS to a drama masterclass Our Friend in the West A labour of love All producers need to reduce their carbon footprints Creative collaboration was key to bringing His Dark 13 now, says natural history film-maker Wendy Darke 28 Materials to the screen, hears an RTS audience Impartiality under siege RTS Masterclasses 2019 Roger Mosey argues that broadcasters were tested as Television distils two days of expert advice from leading 14 never before in an often rancorous election campaign 30 television practitioners Hell’s own media tribe RTS Craft & Design Awards 2019 Simon Shaps says that those attempting to identify the The winners and nominees from the awards, which were 16 real Roys in Succession are missing the point 34 hosted by Ahir Shah and sponsored by Gravity Media

Editor Production, design, advertising Royal Television Society Subscription rates Printing Legal notice Steve Clarke Gordon Jamieson 3 Dorset Rise UK £115 ISSN 0308-454X © Royal Television Society 2020. [email protected] [email protected] London EC4Y 8EN Overseas (surface) £146.11 Printer: FE Burman The views expressed in Television News editor and writer Sub-editor T: 020 7822 2810 Overseas (airmail) £172.22 20 Crimscott Street are not necessarily those of the RTS. Matthew Bell Sarah Bancroft E: [email protected] Enquiries: [email protected] London SE1 5TP Registered Charity 313 728 [email protected] [email protected] W: www.rts.org.uk

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 3 TV diary

Simon Bucks’ pre-Christmas preparations are reprioritised by the London Bridge attack and attending a funeral for a TV news luminary

hen the awards entries soak up resources. After the carols, we belt out For Those editor of Without hesitation, I agree. in Peril on the Sea before charging Television Jurors get the opportunity to review down to the crypt for restorative calls, my the absolute best of the year’s video refreshments. phone journalism. We will all be goggle-eyed Ten days later, I am back at the is bag- over the holidays. By the time you same church for a sadder occasion: wrapped read this, the judging will be well the funeral of Richard Lindley, the to prevent photography. I am at a sec­ under way. distinguished TV foreign correspon- Wret charity dinner, supporting a mili- dent – at ITN and later Panorama. The tary unit that I can’t name, at a location ■ The British Forces Broadcasting order of service includes a photo of a I can’t divulge. Social media is out. Service (BFBS) straddles the two dis- young, dashing Lindley in the uniform The high-octane auctioneer Jonny parate worlds of media and military of the Royal Hampshire Regiment, Gould, who presented sport for me at with trustees from both. The luvvies, another military/media crossover. London Tonight, alternately flatters the David Moody (BBC), Darren Long The overwhelming theme is Richard’s audience and abuses them (“Shut up (Sky), Mark Browning (Zinc) and devotion to truth in journalism, which, in the cheap seats, with your clip-on Vanella Jackson (Omnicom), provide Roger Bolton says, he stuck by regard- ties and Casio watches”). hugely valuable industry knowledge less of the cost to him personally. The high-rollers spend astronomi- and advice. There are a few laughs. Michael cally. I stay statue-still rather than At the Christmas lunch afterwards, Palin describes Richard as a good risk accidentally bidding 50 grand to the two groups mingle, each curious neighbour in north London: “We be a commando for a day. Gould is and, I suspect, a little envious of the thought he was quite a catch when nicely self-deprecating. other. Moody knows both – he was he moved in, especially as Lynsey de His son alleges that he appears “on a “military brat” and BFBS was his Paul had recently left.” TV shows no one watches at times no constant companion as his family The vicar’s sermon text is “The one is awake on channels no one has travelled the world. truth will set you free” (John 8) but, heard of”. The armed forces do carol services he argues, real journalists who believe Untrue, but funny. especially well. BFBS sponsors the it, such as Richard, are increasingly brilliant choir at the ABF Soldiers’ rare. Journalism, he says, is becoming ■ It’s Christmas party time, but at RTS Charity service at the Royal Hospital, an “adjunct of marketing, governed HQ Jo Sampson and Jamie O’Neill are Chelsea. Again, my two worlds collide. by algorithms”. Some of us disagree, flat out, sorting the RTS Television The pipers of the London Scottish sotto voce. Journalism Awards entries. Regiment come courtesy of Major Richard’s widow, Carole Stone, I am delighted that our new Digital General Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, speaks immensely movingly of their Award has got good traction. It’s for better known in TV circles as Sky mutual love. Her Christmas parties video journalism made primarily for News’s ceremonial and constitutional were legendary; media luminaries, internet-connected outlets, including commentator, as well as the historical tycoons and politicians vied for an YouTube and social media – an over- advisor on Downton Abbey and many invitation, so, unsurprisingly, the due innovation. other productions. wake is packed to the gunnels. Days before the deadline, there’s a big story – the London Bridge stab- ■ At a chilly St Martin-in-the-Fields, Simon Bucks is CEO of BFBS and SSVC, bings – and an extension is requested. it’s the Admiralty service of the Royal and Chair of the RTS Television Journal- I know from experience that Navy and Royal Marines ­Charity. ism Awards.

4 WORKING LIVES Costume designer

How do you get into costume design? Nowadays, it’s best to come in as a trainee, learn on the job and work your way up – it can happen so quick- ly now, because there’s so much work around. There are not enough people in the industry. With the arrival of the US streamers, so much more drama is being shot.

Are there specialist jobs? If you want to be a cutter, you have to learn how to construct period costumes – many art-school costume courses are really good for that. Milli- ners also have to train.

For The Trial of Christine Keeler, what was your biggest challenge? Christine lived in two different worlds. We all know about her mixing with [Conservative Secretary of State for War] John Profumo and the upper echelons of society, but she was also involved with Notting Hill’s black community, which is where she felt The Trial of Christine Keeler

BBC most comfortable. I had to do costumes for scenes in West Indian am Downe designed director, production designer, shebeens – it was challenging to get the fabulous 1960s out- make-up designer and, often now, right but it was also the most reward- fits for BBC One drama showrunner. Actors have input, too. ing part of the job. The Trial of Christine Keeler, If you’re making costumes, you a new take on the Pro- start fabric sampling, producing How has the job changed over time? fumo affair, the sex sketches and getting the costumes Preparation time is shorter and scandal that rocked a British govern- made. Designers don’t do the making; shoots are longer, especially on mentP and was a defining moment in you have cutters and seamstresses for dramas for streamers. that influential decade. She began her that. Finally, you start fitting the career as assistant to Oscar-winning actors. You are constantly creating What are the best and worst aspects? costume designer Sandy Powell on new costumes during the shoot – you When the costume, set and make-up Derek Jarman’s The Last of England. can’t get everything done up front. come together and it looks good visually, [that gives me] so much What does the job involve? Do you make everything? pleasure. [The worst] are late casting Preparation time is anything from six No, you get stock from costume hire and long hours. weeks for contemporary drama to companies and there’s a lot of 12 weeks for period pieces. Scripts, rummaging around antique shops. What would you like to do in future? though, are often written to the wire. Sci-fi would be fantastic, and so When you have the scripts, you do Modern or period? would 1920s and 1930s America – lots of research, gathering together People think contemporary is easier think of Boardwalk Empire – if you had images and thinking about how you but everybody has an opinion on the budget and time to do it richly. n want the costumes to look. I then contemporary because they’re living create mood boards and start the it. With period, strangely, you seem to Costume designer Pam Downe was collaborative process with the get more freedom. I really like both. interviewed by Matthew Bell.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 5 Ear candy

From left: Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer

Office Ladies NBCUniversal With speculation that a 10th season of the US version of The Office is nigh, Kate Holman recommends a podcast based on the mockumentary

ans of the US version When The Office premiered in the US in-jokes, Easter eggs and improvised of The Office, rejoice! in 2005, diehard fans of the British scenes that made it into the final cut. Amid the constant version struggled to get on board the Edging closer towards that long- pleas for a TV reunion, American retelling. However, the awaited reunion, the podcast also the next best thing show came into its own when the welcomes the occasional guest co- has arrived in the script diverted from the UK original star, with Rainn Wilson, who played form of a new pod- in series 2. Dwight, and Brian Baumgartner, who cast, Office Ladies. It didn’t take long for audiences on played Kevin, sharing their experi- FThe Office co-stars and real-life best this side of the pond to fall in love ences of working on the show. friends Jenna Fischer and Angela with the zany characters and the Whether you’re a fan wanting nos- Kinsey take a trip down memory lane hilarious everyday office dramas and talgic second viewings or a devotee of and relive each episode from their mischief of the workers at the Dunder the original UK series finally ready to unique perspective. Mifflin paper company. take the plunge into the much-loved They dish the dirt on cast members Fischer and Kinsey dissect each American remake, Office Ladies comes and reveal what went on behind the episode of The Office in the weekly at the perfect time to brighten up scenes in each episode of the hit series. podcast, revealing the set secrets, cast these long winter evenings. n

6 had got to a point before this happened where I was thinking about retraining. I’d just turned 30 and I thought, I’ve been doing this for so long and I can’t see it happening.” This frank admission by Laurie Nunn might ‘bringI some comfort to the thousands of other aspiring writers, hoping to emulate her apparently instant suc- cess and become Netflix’s next crea- tive wunderkind. On the face of it, hers is a fairytale story of an overnight phenomenon – with just four previous entries on IMDB and all of them including the word “short” in brackets, Nunn is the creator and writer of Sex Education, the zeitgeist-surfing teen sex comedy watched by 40 million viewers within the first four weeks of its release in January last year. The show was almost instantly recommissioned for a second series, which streams this month. But she’s quick to add that the ­sailing, even on this project, wasn’t entirely smooth: “We couldn’t really find a home for it, people didn’t know what to do with it. I thought it had died a death, and then it ended up in the hands of Netflix and it came back to life, which was wonderful for me. “Before that, I’d had lots of stuff in development, and things would get very close to a green light, but then somebody would leave their job, or the money would fall through…,” she shrugs. “That’s just the way it is in the industry, but I do believe that if you keep at it, you’ll have the right story

Netflix for the right moment.” With Sex Education, she definitely offers a show for the moment. It pays nostalgic homage to the ever-popular screen staple of teens going into battle with their hormones, while bringing Horny but it bang up to date with its serious discussions of sexual politics and contemporary attitudes towards relationships. “I realised very quickly that it was heartfelt an amazing opportunity to have a frank but funny conversation with a younger audience,” she says. “The Screenwriting conversations happening at the moment in that area are interesting, and moving so quickly, it felt a timely Laurie Nunn, the creator of Sex Education, thing to do.” invites us into her writers room, where awkward At the centre of the show are Otis, his gay best friend, Eric, and elusive teenage memories are mined for dramatic love interest Maeve. Asa Butterfield’s Otis is as squirm-ridden as you’d gold. Caroline Frost reveals all expect for a 16-year-old schoolboy with a divorced sex therapist for a �

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 7 � mother – Gillian Anderson clearly awakenings that arise, often literally, ‘I HAD THE SKILLS relishing the shock value of her role through the series, Nunn happily har- – but soon turns the knowledge he has vests the collective awkward-­memory IN TERMS OF inherited from her to good use. consciousness of her writers room. WRITING… BUT He provides a sex counselling service “There are about seven of us in the to everyone else in the school, inevita- room, and a lot of the material comes EVERYTHING ELSE bly with one exception – his earnest from that,” she reports. “We sit in that I JUST HAD TO self. Nunn is happy to admit to some room for five weeks – my friend personal inspiration. “Otis is probably describes it as the world’s longest din- LEARN ON THE GO’ the closest to me. I grew up with a ner party. single mum. She’s not a sex therapist, “We try to create a very safe space but the real intensity of that single-­ for people to share, as the content is parent relationship is very familiar very sensitive. But you realise really to me. In many ways, the mum’s the quickly that those teenage stories, bad boy.” they’re all similar. You’re always com- Maeve, a sweet but bruised loner ing back to, ‘What did I want to know played by Emma Mackey, is also when I was 16?’” inspired by Nunn’s own childhood. Despite all the horror-fuelled jokes, “My closest friend in Australia, my best the message of Sex Education is a sincere friend in high school, had the bad end one. “At the heart of the show, it’s just of the stick with her family. She was very much about trying to be more that kid in school who can’t get a break open, to communicate more,” says because of the situation they’re in, so I Nunn. “I’m trying to show (especially wanted a character who reflected that male) characters who can talk to each survivor spirit.” other in an open, honest way.” In thinking up the sexual antics and And, of course, in this era, on-screen

8 School of Grease legend, Nunn was One of those who spotted Nunn’s always aiming for “a larger-than-life college work was producer Sian Robins-­ world” to accommodate her story. Grace, then at production company “I felt the script always had a height- Eleven and working on the seed pitch ened feeling to it, so, when Ben [director for what would become Sex Education. Ben Taylor, fresh from Sharon Horgan From that one fortuitous meeting, and Rob Delaney’s Catastrophe] came Nunn now finds herself in the extraor- on board with that vision, it all made dinary position of not just sitting in a sense to me. We both had writers room for the first a similar love of the teen time, but actually leading genre, so it really came ‘I HAD AN it, and on a massive global out of that conversation.” TV hit. Some of the rare criti- EXTENDED “I’d never been able cisms of the show have PANIC to get into anyone else’s focused on this aspect. writers room, so when I “The conversations about ATTACK… was asked to create my the Americanness of it, I HAD TO own, I genuinely had no that negativity, surprised idea what I was doing. I me. But, as a team, we felt FAKE IT TO basically had an extended strongly about that deci- panic attack that lasted for sion and I still feel good MAKE IT’ about five weeks. I had to about it,” Nunn says, fake it to make it,” is how before rolling off her own teenage she remembers those first heady days. favourites, which clearly inspire her “There have been pros and cons. At work – Freaks and Geeks, Dawson’s Creek, first, I was just making it up, but I’ve all the John Hughes films plus the one been able to create my own way of movie she holds most fondly, 10 Things doing it. I don’t know how other peo- I Hate About You. ple do it, but it works for me. I had the “It’s so funny and very feminist, not skills in terms of writing the scripts, ham-fisted, and also, Heath Ledger is but everything else, I just had to learn just dreamy,” she finishes, suddenly on the go.” sounding just like the teenagers she so Nunn’s future looks bright, with successfully channels. offers dropping in on the back of her It’s tempting to assume that it must unheralded success, and she has one have all been very straightforward for eye freshly on the prospect of return- Nunn, daughter of acclaimed theatre ing to her teenage passion of directing. Sex Education: series 1 finale

Netflix director Sir Trevor and his second wife, For the moment, though, she remains Australian actress Sharon Lee-Hill, to consumed with Sex Education. diversity is key, including black, gay climb up the family ladder to creative With the second series about to air, Eric (played by Ncuti Gatwa) who success. she’s waiting to hear whether there’ll comes out in true diva fashion at the But, while she describes a childhood be a third, but has already started writ- school dance with the belated support surrounded by storytelling and thea- ing. “Nothing much has changed. I’m of his father. tres – “in a pretty non-glamorous way” still living in the brain of a 16-year-old.” Nunn reveals that two writers con- – it also took her to the other side of At home in north London, she tributed to the storyline because of the world, where she began carving describes creating the first draft of her “Eric’s intersectionality – I’m a white out her own path. scripts as the most painful part – “Once female, I wouldn’t presume to know Aged 14 when her parents divorced, I’ve got something to craft and make what he was going through”. Nunn moved to Australia and studied better, I start enjoying it” – and is eas- She goes on: “Eric was the only char- for her first degree in film in Melbourne, ily distracted by true crime documen- acter written so specifically. With before returning to London in her early taries and box sets. “Six Feet Under is my everyone else, we felt that anyone could twenties and embarking on more favourite show of all time, I always go play the characters, but the show is studies. back to it.” about universal experiences, and I felt “When I finished my first degree, I From her current position, she can everyone should be able to see them- realised I was quite young and it was afford to be philosophical about her selves on screen. I wanted to take the hard to get stuff made,” she remem- years of effort before Sex Education genre and update certain parts of it.” bers of her first wake-up call. “I wasn’t arrived. “When I first wrote it, it wasn’t This contemporary attitude, as quite prepared for it, and then that was the right moment but, five years down well as the predominantly British around the time I was getting into TV the path, it was. cast, sits in contrast with the timeless, box sets and I realised this form of “Most things in this industry take US-centric look of the show. While the storytelling was really speaking to me. quite a lot time. You have to have per- bright colours, varsity jackets, swim- “I applied to the National Film and sistence. The hardest things are keep- ming teams and school dance could all Television School for a screenwriting ing up your self-belief and putting have come straight from Fast Times at course and that was a great experience, your ideas out there, but I’m glad I Ridgemont High or the Rydell High very industry-focused.” stuck it out.” n

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 9 Brexit: The Uncivil War Brexit, BritBox and beyond

JANUARY Review of the year seen shows an opportunity for one The year begins and ends with Brexit, SVoD service in each country powered or “breakfast” as one confused sup- by indigenous media brands, as a niche porter dubs it on TV. James Graham, Peter Bazalgette looks competitor to the worldwide operators. the gifted chronicler of our times, cre- back on a year of Households will have, on average, two ates The Uncivil War for Channel 4 and to four of these services, each costing HBO. Graham perfectly captures how cliff-hanging drama less than a tenner a month. There’s this febrile issue divides our nation by clearly room for “the best of British wealth, age and geography. campaign: “Eat them to defeat them.” content” in that mix. I’ve always thought it interesting that Just what a PSB should be doing. But I note that Sky now offers Netflix, and folk on the right tend to regard those the claimed 17 million portions sold thus sees a future for itself as an aggre- on the left as misguided, whereas left- sounds like an awful lot of sprouts. gator of subscription services. Likewise, wingers regard rightwingers as immoral. BritBox in the US sells many subs via the The dichotomy is just as stark over FEBRUARY Amazon platform. And ITV’s blockbuster Brexit. Brexiteers tend to see Remainers It’s finally confirmed that BritBox will drama for TNT in the US, Snowpiercer, is as a bit stick-in-the-mud, but Remain- launch in 2019, with the BBC and ITV as co-funded by Netflix. Could it be that ers think Brexiteers are reckless to the the founder partners. The commentariat we’re becoming the best of frenemies? point of insanity. goes into overdrive about “this com- Graham writes Shakespearian petitor to Netflix and Amazon Prime”. MARCH drama, in the sense that he reflects This surprises me because, the last Unexpectedly, I get more unadulterated all shades of humanity without being time I looked, we weren’t thinking of pleasure from Harry’s Heroes: The Full simplistically judgemental in this way. creating a debt-funded behemoth with English than any other show this year. A great quality. hundreds of millions of subscriptions Yes, England’s old timers beat a team of ITV unveils its vegetable promotion worldwide. The market research I’ve German football veterans in the finale.

10 concession to the much smaller cohort who receive pension credit. In round terms, this will cut the cost to the licence fee from £750m to £250m. Whatever dissembling politicians say now, this was exactly the latitude the government gave Auntie at the time of the last Charter renewal – or shotgun marriage, as some see it. There are, of course, other ways. Our next government could start paying for this scheme again. Alternatively, it could row back generally on the assis- tance the baby boomers tend to receive at the expense of still-working generations. But, either way, why not leave the licence fee for programmes? It is revealed that Sharon White will leave Ofcom for John Lewis. Great for her but a big loss for our industry. I lead a board simulation exercise for talented executives which Sharon takes part in. She grills me intensely on aspects of chairing. The day after, I find out why. Never knowingly undersold… Line of Duty

Channel 4 BBC JULY A bonanza month for sport. The BBC Yes, gaffer Harry Redknapp is almost the new, worldwide rival to Netflix/ gets 11 million viewers for the Wom- overcome when Robbie Fowler scores Amazon, Disney+, is revealed. As a en’s World Cup semi-final between twice. Yes, we see a lot of middle-age group, its profits will go down, but I England and the US. But, like ITV’s spreads diminish as the physical fitness note its share price goes up. Rugby World Cup final later in the message goes home. But the game’s year, the wrong result. final goal is redemptively scored by MAY Then comes an epic Sunday on our Paul Merson. What a revelation Chernobyl is. Funded screens: the Wimbledon Men’s Final, The most memorable part of the by Sky and HBO, from the Jane Feath- the British Grand Prix and England vs series was seeing him fishing on a river erstone production stable, it makes no New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup bank and reflecting on the nature of compromises in casting to deliver some (with, apparently, the Women’s Netball addiction. This chimes perfectly with breathtaking storytelling. World Cup also on). the focus this year on mental health. An additional bonus for me is that it Mass audiences all round. But the gives a major sales boost to the 2018 cricket provides the most bizarre climax APRIL winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for after a tie and a surreal extra over. It A very significant announcement from Non-Fiction: Chernobyl, History of a Trag- rivals an alleged entry in a score book my colleagues at ITV this month: a edy by Serhii Plokhy. I call it a bonus in southern India: a lusty batsman licensing agreement with Amobee (the because I chair the prize’s board. drove the ball out of the ground and global ad tech company now owned As well as the superb series, check into the adjacent bay, where an oppor- by Singtel). out the book – both are hair-raising tunistic shark swallowed it – “bowled In simple terms, this allows ITV Sales accounts of a society built on lies. Patel, caught shark”. Call me Baron to offer brands and media buyers the In this month, ITV ends The Jeremy Munchausen, if you like… ability to programmatically buy targeted Kyle Show after the death of a guest and impacts via our rapidly growing online introduces refreshed processes to AUGUST platform, ITV Hub. ­support the wellbeing of programme Ofcom publishes its second “Media We still have the advantage of the participants. Nations” report, reviewing key trends largest simultaneous mass audience We knew how important this was in TV and online video. More than in the UK, but this adds new, critical when I first produced Big Brother in half of TV households now have their functionality – something that is sec- 2000. But the big differentiators since set connected to the internet. Eight out ond nature to Facebook and Google. then have been the novel pressure of of 10 adults have a smartphone. And In its 65-year history, ITV has done social media coupled with a greater around half of homes have at least one well with broad demographics and understanding of mental-health issues. VoD subscription. geographies, but this is a new era and A great time to be a viewer and an a departure in corporate culture. Now, JUNE unprecedentedly propitious time to be we need to have a relationship with The BBC announces that it will restrict a storyteller, provided you get your each individual viewer/customer. free television licences for the over-75s. model right. People still watched an And things are hotting up all round: From June 2020, it intends to link the average of 3.2 hours of broadcast TV �

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 11 England vs Australia in the Rugby World Cup quarter finals AP

� a day, but this was 11 minutes down Finally, the value of broadcasting: beyond their present £101bn value on the previous year and 49 minutes “In an era of fake news… public ser- (more than 5% of the economy). down on 2012. This decline is, of vice news has never been more Having had our proposals endorsed course, steeper with younger viewers. important to our democracy” (Caro- by the current industrial strategy, As we swiftly change our models, lyn McCall, conference chair); and there are now investments in nine there’s still an important role for the “Our society is getting more polarised “creative clusters” around Britain and PSBs to deliver universally available, and more tribal, [TV] can bring us further backing for immersive tech scaled services with programmes that together” (Nicky Morgan MP). (virtual reality to you and me). must demonstrate a public purpose. There’s also a new sort of export It’s gratifying for the BBC to have OCTOBER board being set up as a joint venture Ofcom’s report recognise the finales to I’m invited to speak in the City with with the Department for International Bodyguard and Line of Duty as enduring BT, which is launching its “Beyond Trade. We’ve finally got the creative examples of mass appeal. Gratifying, limits” campaign to tackle digital industries on the national map. And, if also, for World Productions, part of ITV exclusion. I ask John Whiston, ITV’s you’ve seen the extraordinary growth Studios, which makes both series. soap consigliere, whether Corrie or figures for TV and film production, Emmerdale have had any recent story- you’ll know this is not before time. SEPTEMBER lines about society’s struggles with To Cambridge for our industry’s bien- the internet era that I can share. DECEMBER nial health check and workout, cour- I’m not disappointed, as they always And so, as indicated, the year ends tesy of the RTS. Here are some have their finger on the nation’s pulse. with the Brexit general election. Tele- Cantab-bytes: “We ordered our Jenny, the current Rover’s Return vision is playing a more central part ­diversity pizza ages ago, it’s time to landlady, reconnected with the Street in the campaign than ever. Some deliver” (Lenny Henry). And speaking via Facebook; there’s been a coercive great reporting on all the news pro- of access: “You’re never going to relationship where bullying Geoff grammes, taking the temperature of make it in TV. Your accent is appall- changed all Yasmeen’s passwords; and, our nation as never before. And a ing” (Lorraine Kelly). over the Pennines, Ryan has created plethora of debate and interview Turning to modern viewing habits: an online platform to help sell Matty’s shows, to which all the leaders submit “I go on trains and buses at 3:00pm to restored furniture. themselves at some point. see what schoolchildren are doing” Truly, Britain’s soap operas are the But lest we get carried away in a (Paul Bojarski); and “[the BBC will be] essence of our national conversation. lather of self-congratulation, what’s the best people to tell the stories of this? A block of ice in place of a poli- the UK to the world… with a distinc- NOVEMBER tician… really? A three-minute piece tive set of British values” (Tony Hall). Mid-month, Creative Careers Week to camera about trust… really? I recall The streaming competition: has 500 employers across our sector being taught as a BBC news trainee “Sometimes, you do your best work opening their doors to thousands of (42 years ago, I confess) to report the when challenged” (Reed Hastings); young people to learn about the story, not be the story. and “Holy shit – we’re in trouble. many rewarding career paths on And with that, a happy 2020 to all What do the other seven guys have? offer. It’s one of many initiatives we our readers. n Go get it. I don’t care what you have recommended to government in to pay” (David Zaslav). order to grow the creative industries Sir Peter Bazalgette is Chair of ITV.

12 OUR FRIEND IN THE WEST

All producers need here was a moment encounter with a hungry polar bear. when I realised that to reduce their With their sea-ice hunting grounds everything had carbon footprints melting, polar bears are forced to take changed. I’d sent a every opportunity to find food and, in team to the Arctic to now, says natural this case, it was the team that the attempt to paddle the creature was stalking. Our editorial world’s largest fjord history film-maker approach to all our films is to capture system two months earlier than would Wendy Darke real people and animals in real places. haveT been possible at the start of my The aim is to discover more about our career – because all the ice had melted. planet and ourselves. Over 30 years, I’ve had a front-row As a company, it is important for us seat as our rapidly changing climate to reduce our environmental impact. pushes the natural world to the brink Expedition was UKTV’s first commission of collapse. to be certified as a carbon-neutral In the late 1980s, I researched the production by Natural Capital Partners, massive corals called Porites on the which provides guidelines on environ­ Great Barrier Reef for my PhD in mental initiatives. marine biology, after which I spent The series offset its carbon emis- more than 25 years at the BBC Natural sions by contributing to funding a History Unit. For the last four of these REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from I ran the unit. Deforestation and Degradation) Now, I have my own Bristol-based project in the Rimba Raya Biodiversity production company, True to Nature. Reserve in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The climate emergency poses chal- This certification really matters for the

lenges for everybody in the television Nature To True team at True to Nature. We’re commit- industry. How do we balance enter- ted to it for all future productions. tainment with raising awareness? underground river systems and I hope this is something that will How do we engage viewers with such descending deep into the caves of grow throughout our industry. a tough topic? How do we make sure the Mayan underworld to kayaking Viewers want to be entertained, not we don’t make the problem worse? Himalayan white water. He scales hectored. But I also believe that we At True to Nature, we aim to previously unclimbed Arctic peaks. have a responsibility, whether in create premium content that puts Our aim is to engage the viewer public-sector or commercial broad- conservation, the climate and the emotionally with nail-biting action casting, to air uncomfortable truths ever-increasing list of endangered while simultaneously building an – and that we can do so in ways that species at the heart of the narrative. appreciation that our natural world keep our audiences engaged. In our recent series Expedition with is at risk. If there is one thing I have learned Steve Backshall, Steve and the team In that Arctic expedition, Steve and during my career, it is that stories embarked on 10 expeditions to differ- the team kayaked through the about wildlife have a unique power to ent parts of the globe. The aim was Scoresbysund fjord in Greenland in touch people’s hearts and to provide to venture into uncharted territory June. What should have been a white a clear window into issues that can in pursuit of new discoveries and blanket of solid sea ice was a huge otherwise feel too abstract. world firsts. expanse of dark blue water. Our aspiration at True To Nature is The series, designed to appeal to a With the Arctic warming at twice to use great storytelling to build life- mainstream audience, has been sold the rate of the rest of the planet, the long relations between people and in almost 150 territories and will sea ice had melted earlier in that year the natural world. ■ achieve a global reach of 500 million. than ever before in human history. Steve takes on epic physical chal- We highlighted the impact of climate Wendy Darke is founder and CEO of lenges. They range from free diving in change on the local ecosystem via an True To Nature.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 13 Impartiality under siege

Election coverage Roger Mosey argues that broadcasters were tested as never before in a rancorous campaign

hatever your exchanges in the early coverage. Widi- view of the ane Moussa, who led the guest booking result, it was a team, should take a bow. wretched and On Sky, John Bercow looked like a dispiriting elec- good hire before the event, but his tion campaign. value crumbled as the scale of his Politicians seldom broke away from opponents’ triumph became clear. churningW out the same sound bites, Coverage of the election campaign and on social media there was a level itself was less sure-footed. It has to be of viciousness that was unbearable. said that, these days, political journal- It’s therefore not exactly a surprise ism is much more difficult than it used that the mainstream media, pressured to be. That’s because the parties are by parties and harried by online trolls, trying to control much more – the had a rough ride in the 2019 general open daily news conferences disap- election, too. It is difficult, as the prov- peared long ago – and also because erb goes, to make a silk purse out of a the scrutiny from social media is sow’s ear. so intense. Could broadcast media have done An error – or worse still, an imagined better, or are we doomed to a grim error – is immediately pounced upon cycle of aggressive politics and bat- and cited as an example of bias or tered journalism? conspiracy. The BBC was absurdly middle part of the campaign. The Without any doubt, the best bit of criticised for two cock-ups: one, when media loves to talk about the media. this campaign for television was when the wrong footage of Boris Johnson at Neil’s interrogations of the party lead- it ended. From the striking graphics of the Cenotaph was used on Breakfast; ers on BBC One were one of the televi- Sky’s realisation of the exit poll and the other when laughter directed sion highlights – first unsettling Nicola onwards, all three of the main chan- at Johnson during a peak-time live Sturgeon and then eviscerating Jeremy nels had an excellent results night. programme was edited out of a subse- Corbyn. Huw Edwards took to the BBC quent news clip. But Johnson’s refusal to commit to anchor’s chair with charm and author- Within the vast amount of BBC out- the same treatment gave the BBC a ity, and the strength in depth of the put, and with journalists working headache. It reacted by first talking BBC’s talent line-up was evident. A under intense pressure, it’s under- tough and saying it would not let him special round of applause to the standable that mistakes happen. It’s take part in the Andrew Marr pro- designers and directors who, working daft to ascribe them to partisanship. gramme if he didn’t also appear with for the first time within the confines of But there were much more serious Andrew Neil. Then, citing the London Broadcasting House, made the opera- challenges to impartiality. The Prime Bridge terrorist incident, it gave in and tion feel big and spacious, even if it Minister sent his apologies for Chan- let the Marr interview go ahead anyway. wasn’t Elstree or TC1. nel 4’s debate on climate change and With Marr obviously under orders to Often, though, the most watchable was irreverently replaced by a melting be super-tough, and Johnson deter- moments were on ITV. Its panels were block of ice instead. The Conserva- mined to bash ahead with a political the sparkiest. Ed Balls and George tives’ bullying response to this, and agenda, it was the most unwatchable Osborne, first paired in 2017, remain a their threats to the BBC licence fee, prime ministerial interview in televi- wonderful combination. The interac- were disturbing. sion history. tion of Labour centrist Alan Johnson It was, however, the saga of John- A few days later, when it was clear with Momentum’s Jon Lansman pro- son’s invitation to be interviewed by that Johnson was a no-show for the duced some of the most telling Andrew Neil that dominated the peak-time programme, Neil delivered

14 But the biggest questions for the broadcasters are whether they missed the actual story of the election. There was an enormous effort to get out and about around the country. It didn’t, however, prove to be par- ticularly illuminating. Too often, a constituency piece majored on voters doing everyday tasks, such as buying Christmas trees or visiting livestock markets, while grumbling about politi- cians in general. One person would be quoted giving one view, while another would then immediately reply with the opposite. It was impartial, in the sense that both sides of an argument were represented, but it lacked insight into which view would prevail. The most common line from corres­ pondents was that both party leaders were equally unpopular and many voters had not decided which way to vote. With hindsight, we know that was untrue. Corbyn was markedly more disliked by traditional Labour voters than Johnson was by potential Conservative supporters; and the Remain versus Leave fault line was the determining factor of this election. More editorial decisions made in the north of England and fewer in metro- politan London would have helped. Some reporters did identify and dwell on the collapse of the Labour vote – Lewis Goodall on Sky was one – but it was never as clearly defined in this

ITV campaign as it was in 1983, when Michael Foot actually won more seats. presenter Julie Etchingham as a piece Accompanying this was a tendency ‘MORE EDITORIAL of political history was made. to spend too much time on the parties’ Etchingham was, as ever, terrific, and agendas, rather than the public interest. DECISIONS MADE Nick Robinson also did a fine job in I have some nostalgia for the days of IN THE NORTH refereeing the BBC equivalent. The the former BBC Director-General John virtues of the two-way debate were Birt’s journalism empire and, subse- OF ENGLAND… reinforced by the unsatisfactory seven-­ quently, the election grids produced WOULD HAVE way alternatives. by Mark Byford as deputy DG. They It is right that all the parties should be ensured that proper attention was given HELPED’ featured, of course, but the more politi- to all the big issues: defence, housing, cians who are involved, the messier and social care and all the rest. It is difficult, more difficult to control it becomes. though possible, to divert the politicians a withering put down of the PM – Similarly, studio audiences can be a from their preferred topics. which was not to the taste of many nightmare to balance. I was struck by This campaign showed that the ter- former senior broadcast executives, the relatively subdued role of the pub- rain for television journalists is tougher who saw it as too much of a political lic in the prime-ministerial debates. than ever. Public service broadcasting is intervention during a campaign. This was in sharp contrast with the under threat as never before. Its imper- There was a happier experience with vociferous BBC Question Time broadcast fections were sometimes glaringly the party leader debates – unless you with four party leaders from Sheffield. apparent, but no one should be in were Jo Swinson, of course. It was good The latter seemed to have an over- any doubt that we’d be worse off for viewers that the two men contend- supply of Corbynites, some of whom without­ it. n ing to be prime minister agreed to take got to put soft questions to their leader, part in head-to-head encounters. ITV whereas Jo Swinson was battered by Roger Mosey is master of Selwyn College, achieved a coup in having Johnson and opponents with no contingent of Lib- Cambridge, and a former head of BBC Corbyn standing alongside their eral Democrats to cheer her on. Television News.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 15 Hell’s own media tribe

he guessing game about close – of the shows based on the Content HBO’s Succession takes demise of Fox News founder and off towards the end of predatory monster Roger Ailes. These the first episode, as the depict Murdochs who are unmistak­ Simon Shaps says that capo dei capi, media ably Murdochs, even if they are played those attempting to tycoon Logan Roy by actors as eccentrically cast as Simon identify the real Roys in (playedT by Brian Cox), suffers a sus- McBurney and Malcolm McDowell: pected brain haemorrhage. It seems the McBurney plays Rupert Murdoch in Succession are missing succession will be a simple coronation. the Showtime limited series The Loud- His son, Kendall Roy, has been est Voice, and McDowell plays the part the point handpicked to take control of Waystar in the movie Bombshell. Royco, the giant “entertainment, news One of the many benefits of not and resorts” conglomerate that Logan attempting to depict the real Murdochs founded. The first episode establishes or Redstones is that it allows the writ- Kendall’s impeccable credentials, as ers free rein – and some of the most he is seen acquiring a Myspace-style vicious, delicious dialogue on television. venture for Waystar run by a CEO who In the same way that nobody in the is not exactly biting his hand off to White House, not even a fully charged, accept his offer of $125 a share. revved-up Barack Obama, could ever “I am not letting you Neanderthals match the wit and rapid-fire repartee rape my company,” the CEO tells Ken- of Aaron Sorkin’s politicos in The West dall. “Fuck you, Daddy’s boy.” The due Wing, no media tycoon of the past diligence on this acquisition presumably 50 years has talked like any of the Roys. went swimmingly. None of the media dynasties has Gradually, however, it becomes clear produced a creature so comically rep- that Logan Roy is going nowhere, cer- tilian as Matthew Macfadyen’s Tom tainly not to his grave, or even a pro- Wambsgans, Logan Roy’s son-in-law, longed period in intensive care. who is given the drama’s ultimate He is defiantly not Viacom boss hospital pass. Sumner Redstone, hanging on to life Obsequious, insecure, cuckolded, but no longer in control of his empire. nakedly ambitious, “the cunt of Monte Shiv, the only daughter among the Roy Cristo”, as the brattish Roman Roy calls offspring jockeying for position at the him, Wambsgans is the man who han- top of Waystar, is also definitely not dles the cover-up of dark deeds in Shari Redstone, Sumner’s daughter. Waystar’s cruise business. So, if the Roys are not the Redstones, The scandal threatens to derail the perhaps they are the Comcast dynasty, entire company and ends up with the Roberts? Or could they be, as some Logan Roy forced into a public mea who know the family well suggest, the culpa, reminiscent of Rupert Murdoch’s Scotts – as in Ridley Scott and the late apology for phone hacking by his tab- Tony Scott and their offspring? loid newspapers. Or are they the Sulzberger clan of The Wambsgans is, at least, allowed one of New York Times? But surely the whole the second series’ best lines: “You don’t thing is a dark satire on the Murdochs? hear very much about syphilis these The guessing game is certainly a fun days. Very much the Myspace of STDs.” spectator sport, but it misses the point. There are no equivalents to the gan- The genius of Succession is that it is gly, permanently bemused Greg Hirsch, brilliantly and defiantly not based on “the world’s tallest dwarf”, who, as a true story, with all of the constraints Logan’s great-nephew, ends up playing that would require. a key role in the scandal Wambsgans In this sense, it is the half brother tries to suppress. Or Roman, the foulest – not quite family, but sometimes of all the foul-mouthed Roys, and the

16 Succession Sky one who inexplicably is often closest say that the Americans do it best. But to the truth. ‘THIS IS BLACK the key creatives behind Succession are This is black comedy, laced with the COMEDY, LACED largely British: Jesse Armstrong, Tony best of US mob drama. Imagine Net­ Roche, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett. flix’sThe Irishman with more laughs, WITH THE BEST Roche and Pritchett wrote for The Thick more psychological depth and fewer OF AMERICAN of It, and Armstrong, of course, co-­ bodies in the wood shredder. created Peep Show, while Prebble’s So where does Succession come from MOB DRAMA’ most relevant writing credit is perhaps and how did it get to be so good? Tele- not Secret Diary of a Call Girl but the vision drama about TV and media has stage plays Enron, with its astonishing a patchy history. The best shows have take on corporate malfeasance, and A been straight comedies: Episodes, Very Expensive Poison, on the killing of 30 Rock, Drop the Dead Donkey, WIA, Alexander Litvinenko. Aaron Sorkin’s Sports Night. The Hour, Different as these writers are, they all Abi Morgan’s Mad Men for 1950s British have in common a fearlessness about television news, ran for two series tackling big subjects and a fascination without catching fire. This was despite with the exercise of power, as well as an a cast that included Romola Garai, Ben ear for profanity, the weaponised lan- Whishaw, Dominic West, Julian Rhind- guage of the entitled and powerful. Tutt, Juliet Stevenson, Andrew Scott, Oddly, the weakest episodes in the Peter Capaldi and Tim Pigott-Smith. first two series of Succession are set in More recently, Apple TV’s tent-pole the UK. It is as outsiders, Brits writing series The Morning Show, feels like work about Americans in their own backyard, in progress: the ultimate “package”, that they are able to take a wrecking with a cast that includes Steve Carell, ball to Waystar and the Roy family. Jennifer Aniston and Reese Wither- They have created a drama that spoon. Its #MeToo storyline is bang on explores how family dynamics play zeitgeist, but the show is bogged down out at the highest levels of corporate by soapy plotting. life, with a cast of characters hewn from Compared with those two series, the same rock as Malcolm Tucker. True Succession is grown-up, mature, peak- stories have much to recommend them, era TV. People working in scripted but Succession gratifyingly offers so television in the UK sometimes like to much more. n

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 17 Content

The Vivienne, The team behind winner of the first RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season of RuPaul Drag Race UK explains how the show successfully crossed the Atlantic

uPaul’s Drag Race enjoyed a triumphant transatlan- tic transplant to BBC Three in the autumn. “Drag queens and TV are like peanut butter and jelly – the perfect combination,” arguedR the show’s creator, Fenton Bailey, to a full house at a lively RTS Futures event in November. US production company World of Wonder, which Bailey founded with fellow film-maker Randy Barbato almost 30 years ago, makes RuPaul’s Drag Race in both countries. The duo first came across the drag artist performing in Atlanta, Georgia, in the 1980s. “What we saw in that moment was that RuPaul was a star,” recalled Bailey. RuPaul’s Drag Race has been on US television for a decade, winning numerous Emmy awards for the show and its host. It premiered on US gay pay-TV channel Logo in 2009, before moving to entertainment channel VH1 in 2017 and finding a mass audience. Over the course of the series, artists compete to become the nation’s drag superstar. “Every gay bar in the [US] plays Drag Race at the same time and that’s part of how the show became so popular – you go, meet friends and watch the show. Its sports for gay peo- ple,” said UK and US showrunner Bruce McCoy. “It’s been extraordinary to watch the journey of the show from targeted LGBT channels – such as Logo, and OutTV in Canada and the Netherlands – which initially picked up the show, and see the show grow,” said Sally Miles, who han- dled international distribution for the US Race to version of RuPaul’s Drag Race and is now an executive producer on the UK series. Bailey recalled the show’s early days in the US: “The first season was out of focus and very low-budget. Logo was a the top tiny network and I don’t think anyone thought to cancel us.” But Miles had more faith in the show:

18 ‘DRAG QUEENS AND TV ARE LIKE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY – THE PERFECT COMBINATION’

“It always had potential – it was so continued: “I knew when we were accessible and relatable to a young filming that it was going to be a great 16- to 34-year-old audience. When we show. So, the rest of it, for us, was just took it to Netflix, it demonstrated that to sell it and build that frenzy. A lot more than this was an [entertainment] show for a “We had a lot of interest in Drag Race entertainment broad audience.” as soon as we announced it and my BBC entertainment commissioning inbox was deluged by D-list celebrities editor Ruby Kuraishe agreed: “On first wanting to be judges.” ‘Growing up was really hard,’ said glance, it’s a subculture niche show; on BBC Three promoted RuPaul’s Drag Owen Farrow, who appeared in second glance, everyone can relate to Race UK at Manchester Pride, where the UK series as Divina de Campo. it; on third glance, it’s funny – why contestants from the show made an He was at school in the north wouldn’t you do it?” eye-catching appearance last summer. of England when Section 28, McCoy said: “People know the show “It felt like a brilliant way to release the which prohibited the ‘promotion’ and our job was to not fuck it up. It’s queens, because… the programme is of homosexuality in schools, really the same show as we do in the regional and diverse in every way,” was introduced by the Thatcher States – it’s a comedy show masquer- said Kuraishe. government in 1988, and which ading as a reality show, with a lot of The lack of commercial breaks on the remained in force for 15 years. heart to it… but [we wanted to] add as BBC has given the programme-­makers ‘All the gremlins in my head are much Britishness as possible.” more freedom, allowing for more back- from kids in the playground push- “We went in with the mindset of, stage chats between the contestants. ing and shoving me, and calling ‘Let’s make it British’, but not to the “[A] scene can be as long as it needs to me a fag and throwing their drinks point of blowing up the show. It’s a lot be, as opposed to eight minutes [maxi- at me.… It did a lot of damage to easier to put together a show that’s mum] because that’s [the gap] between people like me. won Emmys, that people love and commercials,” explained McCoy. ‘For most teachers, [homosex- want to work on.” Navi Lamba, BBC Three head of uality] could not be spoken about Bailey made the point that Britain social, suggested that it was the perfect – so it just erased gay people “has a great drag tradition, from Shake- fit for the online channel: “BBC Three’s completely,’ Farrow told his fellow speare to the [Royal] Vauxhall Tavern, mission has always been to help young competitors on the show. which is where Randy and I saw Lily people navigate their way in the world. The clip from RuPaul’s Drag Savage. Drag is a universal language [Drag Race] is showing usually under-­ Race UK, during which an emo- but it’s different in every culture… each represented voices and showcasing tional Farrow was in tears, was version of the show should have its own them on a huge platform.” shown at the RTS Futures event. character.” A version of the show has run The series was released on iPlayer at ‘[I] had no understanding as a gay in Thailand for two series, with Canada 8:00pm every Thursday, peak time for person that there could be a differ- and Australia set to follow this year. viewing on the platform. “Drag Race is ent way of living. The UK show – with RuPaul as host ultimately event television,” said ‘Now, having been in schools and and head judge – began its run on BBC Lamba. Everyone who works on the worked as a teacher, kids’ attitudes Three in October. Guest judges included social media content “truly under- are completely different. Michaela Coel and Twiggy, as well as stands the show. The fans have been ‘I had an incident where one girl regulars Graham Norton, Alan Carr and watching the [US version of the] show called me a “faggot”. She stomped Michelle Visage, who is also a judge on so long that they would be able to sniff out and everybody else was out- the US programme. out a fraud.” n raged that she said that to me. To It chalked up more than 6.5 million say the kids are different now is to iPlayer requests by the time the series Report by Matthew Bell. The RTS Futures completely underestimate where passed its halfway mark. BBC Three event ‘Start your engines: Bringing we are. has commissioned a second run. “I ­RuPaul’s Drag Race to the UK’ was held ‘It made me feel that all those commissioned a brand-new pro- on 11 November at Tanner Warehouse in kids who were like me had hope gramme [for the UK] but it’s got central London. It was chaired by TV critic – they weren’t going to have the 10 years’ experience behind it.… I’ve and broadcaster Scott Bryan, and pro- same struggle.’

BBC tailored it for us,” said Kuraishe. She duced by Ed Gove and Jude Winstanley.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 19 uiz shows are enjoy- ing their golden age. Never before has the armchair quizzer had so many oppor- tunities to show off Q their knowledge in front of the TV. The Wall and Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? prosper in primetime, but it’s during the daytime and early-evening schedules that quiz shows come into their own. ITV has The Chase; the BBC, Pointless, Eggheads and Richard Osman’s House of Games; and Channel 4, the venerable Countdown and The £100K Drop. For more highbrow viewers, there’s Only Connect, University Challenge and Mastermind. “Audiences love them but, in terms of filling schedules, they’re pretty cost-effective. Because you can [film] four a day, they make financial sense,” said Jo Street. The Channel 4 head of daytime was talking at an RTS early-­ evening event in December that cele- brated TV quiz shows. Anne Robinson – known for her much-imitated catchphrase, “You are the weakest link… goodbye”, which she used to dismiss contestants from her show – was the star turn on the panel. Over 12 years, from the turn of the cen- tury, she hosted almost 1,700 episodes of The Weakest Link, earning herself the title “the rudest woman on television” for mocking the show’s participants. Robinson revelled in her role, embrac- ing The Weakest Link’s format, which encouraged contestants to be ruthless in their pursuit of the £10,000 top prize. “I was incredibly rude to thousands of people,” she said. “Normally, a host [says], ‘Hello, how are you?’ But, right from the beginning, I knew it was Why we love important not to make friends with anyone. We did very well with me being increasingly horrible.” Occasionally, Robinson recalled, she went too far: “Sometimes, I would have quiz shows a go at, say, a student, and I would come off and say, ‘That was killing kittens.’ What you needed was someone cocky, Entertainment who thought they were going to get the better of you. And then you could be seriously rude.” An RTS event answers the The show’s success in its early-­ evening BBC Two slot led to promotion $64,000 question – why are to the BBC One prime-time schedules we so addicted to TV quizzes? – and a jump in the jackpot prize to £50,000. “It was a brilliant format but the format wouldn’t have been what it was without Annie,” said Street, who Anne Robinson in The Weakest Link

BBC worked with Robinson on The Weakest

20 From left: Jo Street, Judith Keppel, Boyd Hilton, Anne Robinson and James Fox Who wants to be a millionaire?

‘Huge sums of money and quite easy questions’ were the motiva­ tion for Judith Keppel to enter Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? She was the first person to win £1m, two years after the show launched on ITV in 1998. Hosted by Chris Tarrant, Million­ aire was an instant success, attract­ ing audiences of up to 19 million. The audience at the RTS early-­

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul evening event was treated to a clip of Keppel’s triumph – one of British Link. “[It] wouldn’t have been a good every series since the show’s launch TV’s most iconic moments. Despite show with a warm and cuddly host.” in 2003. appearing calm and clear-headed So what’s the secret of a successful “You’ve got to have a great format as she pondered the jackpot ques­ quiz show? “The whole family can join but the host, in the end, will be the tion – Which king was married to in and you can sit at home and be thing that really makes the show spe- Eleanor of Aquitaine?* – Keppel clever. And, if you’ve got a good quiz cial,” proposed Fox. admitted: ‘I was like a duck – I show, once you start watching, it’s very “A host can bring an audience as was paddling madly underneath. difficult not to watch to the end,” sug- well – look at Danny Dyer on The Wall,” I wasn’t calm at all. I thought my gested Robinson. interjected Street. heartbeat was so loud that the Familiarity is also important, argued The EastEnders actor’s cockney-geezer mics would pick it up. James Fox, MD of Remarkable, which shtick gives the BBC One Saturday ‘It was an incredibly exciting pro­ has a roster of quiz shows, including prime-time quiz, which started life on gramme.… For the viewer, you can BBC juggernauts The Wall and Pointless. NBC in the US, “a completely different see in their faces whether they’re “When Pointless isn’t on at 5:15pm, flavour from anything else you’ve ever going to take a risk or… whether there’s uproar and the BBC gets more seen”, said Fox. they’re thinking of the mortgage complaints about it than any other And the brainboxes who come up and going to take the money.’ thing,” he claimed. with the questions are as important as Remarkable MD James Fox A good quiz, he continued, is some- the host. “They make or break a quiz, worked on the first series of Mil­ thing “you can come back to, day after because the tone of a question defines lionaire as a researcher: ‘No one day, [where] you know the format”. the show,” noted Street. “It’s one of knew it was going to be that big Street has overseen many quizzes those brilliant, dark arts.” – but it was instantly huge. The over the years. Once, when in charge Is there room for a new quiz on TV? format is genius, because there’s of BBC quiz Eggheads – now in its 17th “It’s really hard to launch a new quiz, enough in there to let people take year – she made the mistake of break- especially in daytime. The ones that a gamble.’ ing the series’ run as a high jackpot we’ve got at the moment are really ITV revived Millionaire in 2018 was building. “The complaints log potent still,” said Street. But, she added, with Jeremy Clarkson asking the crashed, because the result never commissioners are looking for “some- questions, and the odd tweak to played out,” she said. “You disrespect thing that’s got a format that at least the format. Keppel, though, prefers the quiz audience at your peril.” tries to do something different, that the original: ‘I thought Chris Tarrant The Channel 4 exec added: “[Quiz- you haven’t seen before, or – even was so good and it was so much zes] are a way to define a channel worse – isn’t on telly now”. his show. I don’t think Jeremy Clark­ – you know what a channel is by Are there any shows the panellists son is as good… but I’m biased.’ which quizzes are on it. And it’s a way would like to revive? Keppel voted for * Henry II of putting people on telly – people Top of the Form, a quiz for secondary-­ love to see themselves reflected. And school children that ran on BBC One they bring you massive audiences.” from 1962 to 1975. “People watch the highbrow ones, Fox plumped for one of his indies’ such as University Challenge and Master- own shows, Deal or No Deal, which, hos­ Report by Matthew Bell. The RTS early- mind, for the same reasons that [they] ted by Noel Edmonds on Channel 4, ran evening event ‘Why we love… quiz shows’ watch sport – [to see] people being to more than 3,000 episodes. “These was held at the Cavendish Conference really brilliant,” argued Judith Keppel. shows can run and run,” he said. Centre in central London on 2 December. It Her £1m win on Who Wants To Be a Blankety Blank, said Robinson: “I’ve was chaired by Boyd Hilton, entertainment Millionaire? (see box) led to a TV career been on it twice and I haven’t the fog- director of Heat magazine, and produced as an Eggheads expert. She has been in giest idea of how it works.” n by Sally Doganis and Vicky Fairclough.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 21 3 The Crown season 3 streamed on Netflix in November. But in what year do we join the royals? 4 Game of Thrones had its last hurrah in 2019. Fans were left disappointed, however, when plans for a prequel were cancelled by HBO. What was that series going to be called? 5 In May, James Corden made an exciting announcement on Twitter. What was it? 6 In the autumn, ITV premiered its cos- tume drama Sanditon, based on an unfinished novel by which author? 7 The ‘Hot Priest’, played by Andrew Scott, caused a sensation in the second series of hit BBC series Fleabag. But what animal is he afraid of? 8 Which TV detective from BBC drama The Missing got his own spin-off show last year? Christmas on the box 1 On Christmas Day 2018, 25 years after his death in Neighbours, Jim Robinson returned to the soap as a vision in what festive object? Tom Allen and Ria Hebden

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul 2 Dubbed ‘The Queen of Christmas’, which US singer was the star of the 2019 Walkers Crisps Christmas adverts? 3 In the UK, the single biggest Christmas The quiz of the year Day TV audience was recorded in 1989, when almost 22 million people tuned in to BBC One to watch the TV premiere elevision executives and 5 In 2019, Channel 5 aired a new medical of which film? Was it: a) Crocodile Dun- young telly talent joined forces series titled People Like Pus: Zit ER. dee; b) Die Hard; or c) ET? for the annual RTS Futures 6 Iconic TV series South Park started life 4 Singers from The X Factor have had the Christmas quiz – hosted by as an animated video Christmas card. UK Christmas number one seven times. comedianT Tom Allen who was assisted 7 The Queen’s Christmas Message was Who was the last X Factor singer to by TV presenter Ria Hebden –at first televised on the BBC in 1957. have the Christmas number one? Channel 4’s HQ in December. 8 The BBC announced that national 5 Which of the following has not deliv- The team of Channel 5 execs and treasure Mary Berry was due to make ered Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas budding TV talent, the aptly named a guest appearance in the 2020 New Message: a) President of Iran Mahmoud “Beyoncé Know-Alls”, were victori- Year’s Day episode of EastEnders. Ahmadinejad; b) civil rights campaigner ous. They took home the RTS Futures Reverend Jesse Jackson; or c) WikiLeaks Christmas quiz trophy plus priority TV stories of 2019 whistleblower Julian Assange? tickets for a live show of their choice, 1 RuPaul’s Drag Race got its own UK ver- 6 L ast November, Netflix released its first including Dancing on Ice, The Graham sion in October. But how many series of full-length original animated film about Norton Show and The Big Narstie Show. the US version have there been to date the origins of Santa. What is it called? Can you match their performance? and when did the US version first air? 7 Running for six series from 2010, which 2 Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney’s British drama aired its final episode on Telly true or false Channel 4 comedy Catastrophe came ITV on Christmas Day 2015? 1 Before being hired to narrate ITV2 reality to an end last year with the couple 8 In the 2019 John Lewis Christmas show Love Island, Iain Sterling auditioned attending the funeral of Rob’s mother. advert, what is the name of the to be on the first series in 2015. Who played his mother in the series? excitable little dragon? 2 Since it first aired in 1962, highbrow BBC

quiz University Challenge has only ever ANSWERS

Edgar 8 Baptiste Julien 8 1964 3 True had three presenters. 6

Downton Abbey Downton 7 Foxes 7 Fisher Carrie 2 True

3 Cadbury Creme Egg launched its 2019 5 Klaus 6 Carey Mariah 2 Austen Jane 6 series 11 2008, 1 True 4

TV stories of 2019 of stories TV

Julian Assange Julian 5 bauble Special False Easter egg campaign with the first 3

Ben Haenow Ben 4 Christmas A 1 Christmas False

adverts airing on Boxing Day 2018. 2 the box the Dundee Stacey & Gavin 5 False 8 False 1

on Christmas false or true Telly Crocodile 3 Bloodmoon 4 True 4 Film director Baz Luhrmann took his 7 name from TV fox Basil Brush.

22 n one way, the career of David Abraham has come full circle. He began his working life in advertising – and, in his latest role, ­running his own company, The WonderhoodI Studios, he is once again involved in producing TV commercials, as well as making TV programmes. With his trademark heavy-rimmed glasses and carefully judged wardrobe, mould Abraham still looks like he might have stepped out of the pages of ad bible Campaign at its 1980s’ peak. At the RTS London Christmas Lec- ture, he was guided back through his breaker career by Broadcast editor Chris Curtis, who began the retrospective with the media executive’s role as joint-founder of the pioneering advertising company St Luke’s in the mid-1990s. Judged by a Channel 4 Cutting Edge documentary about the agency – a clip was shown to the RTS – St Luke’s was very much ahead of its time. The company’s HQ – not unlike those of today’s tech giants, not least Google – was designed to somehow blur the edges between work and play. There were bunk beds, a pool table and chairs straight out of a film cele- brating the swinging sixties. Even “reading” The Sun’s page-three feature was apparently regarded as being part of the daily grind. St Luke’s offices bore more than a passing resemblance to a 1990s’ nightclub and the company was founded on certain fashionable principles, according to Abraham. “We basically chucked every bit of management theory at it,” he said. “It brought out both the best in people and also the worst. It became really ungovernable once it got to about 200 people.” This willingness to take risks and to try and do things differ- ently would become a hallmark of his career as he headed into the less freewheeling world of TV. When Abraham joined Discovery in 2001, as general manager of Discovery

Wonderhood Studios Networks Europe, the company was still very much under the influence of its far-sighted, public-spirited founder, Christmas Lecture John Hendricks. “It was a really special moment,” Former Channel 4 CEO David Abraham Abraham said. “John was a visionary, effectively taking the best of UK PSB reflects on a working life encompassing content into the US. For me, it was a advertising and running TV networks formative experience to join Discov- ery as 9/11 happened.… on both sides of the Atlantic “Everyone tried to respond to that event via the medium of documen- tary. TV was at the very centre of �

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 23 � events. It was an extraordinary time he noted, adding: “It was a complete to be in telly.” one-off. The brilliant thing about Dave Discovery was at the cutting edge of was that it was a cracking business Abraham on… the brave new world of multichannel success.” When Virgin sold its share of TV, as audiences could now access up UKTV to US media company Scripps, … Fighting privatising of Channel 4 to 30 channels, not just five. Dave’s popularity enhanced the price ‘In the run-up to the Brexit referen­ As a non-programme-maker and as that Virgin was able to ask. dum,’ recalled David Abraham, an outsider coming to TV from adver- Did it make sense for BBC Studios ‘there was a letter from John tising, his critics called out Abraham to eventually become UKTV’s sole Whittingdale [at the time, culture for being a pseud. How did he react owner? “I think there’s an industrial secretary] to Tony Hall, Adam to this? logic to that,” said Abraham. Crozier and myself, effectively like “I was always a great friend of TV,” Succeeding Andy Duncan as CEO of a headmaster’s letter, giving us a he replied. “I’d had various interactions Channel 4, he tore up his predecessor’s warning about the concept of due with the TV world at St Luke’s. There’s policy of attempting to win a public impartiality.’ always been a brilliant cultural subsidy for the station and set about ‘The notion… was [that] one was exchange between the driving the network obligated to give equal airtime to two worlds of adver- forward into the all points of view. In parallel with tising and TV.… I’ve ‘FILLING fast-emerging world that, every weekend in the Sunday always been at the of digital data. Times were stories along the lines commercial end of THE GAP… “Data is the new of “We’re going to review the BBC creativity.” LEFT BY “BIG oil,” was David Abra- licence fee”, “We’re going to priva- His next job was BROTHER”… ham’s mantra. This tise Channel 4”. running the Discov- strategy enabled ‘I’m not a conspiracy theorist, I’m ery-owned cable WAS BLOODY Channel 4 to forge a just describing what was going on channel TLC in the SCARY… LIKE new relationship with at that time.’ US. He succeeded BBC its audience and He added: ‘If you decide to pri- executive Jana Ben- BEING ON A advertisers. In retro- vatise Channel 4, you cannot have nett, so had a hard act PLANE THAT spect, this initiative the delivery of its entire remit. The to follow. “That was a was ahead of the unprofitable parts of the schedule, scary moment,” LOSES AN curve and predated such as Channel 4 News and Dis- admitted Abraham. “I ENGINE’ how the streamers patches, would disappear if Chan- was running a cable and Sky got to know nel 4 was privately owned. network with 90 mil- their subscribers’ ‘You have to re-educate people lion homes and I’d only been in telly tastes via their own crunching of digital as to how the thing actually works.’ for about three years.” data. Today, Channel 4 has 20 million TLC needed a new hit. Fortunately, registered viewers. … On the future of the UK PSBs its new head found one in Miami Ink, On the content front, Abraham won ‘They are, first and foremost, cultural set in a tattoo parlour, which survived plaudits for Channel 4’s high-profile institutions and remain massively six series and gave Abraham the kind coverage of the 2012 London Paralym- influential… The business models of long-term success required by the pics and, eventually, filling the enor- that support the PSBs are more voracious US TV market. mous gap in the schedules left by Big challenged than they’ve ever been. Returning to the UK in 2007, he faced Brother’s demise. ‘I think that both the BBC and another problem. Appointed CEO of “It was bloody scary, a bit like being Channel 4 have the ability to multichannel provider UKTV (then on an aeroplane that loses an engine,” keep producing and being known owned by the BBC and Virgin), his task he recalled. “You’re looking at the globally for extraordinary content, was to beef up the company’s profile overnights and wondering where that storytelling­ and journalism. and reboot its channels. The solution next hit is coming from.” ‘Look at the impact of Chan- came with the marketing masterstroke Despite the challenges, Abraham nel 4’s Cambridge Analytica of rebranding male-skewing G2 as said he was fortunate to have had Lord investigation.… – you guessed it – Dave. Burns as Channel 4’s new chairman. ‘I see a weakening of political Abraham was lucky in nailing the And, ultimately, the new CEO believed will around the licence fee, and it zeitgeist for lads’ TV, typified by shows that, provided the network performed potentially being an issue, which such as Top Gear. Dave helped UKTV well creatively, commercial success has to be guarded against. I’ve stand out from the crowd in what was would follow. never bought the trope that says becoming a very crowded sector. His experience at TLC identifying the BBC licence fee can’t survive.’ “My experience in advertising gave shows with the potential to survive me the confidence to make that call,” several seasons was vital, he said.

24 Abraham on…

… Relocating C4 outside London Did you spend so much time fight- ing privatisation that, when relo- cating Channel 4 became an issue, you were still stuck in battle mode? ‘It’s definitely something people have said. I’m not a historian. Other people will write that up,’ replied David Abraham. ‘Remember, we were in that weird period when we went into another general election [2017] where the Conservative manifesto said, “We will not priva- tise Channel 4 but we will forcibly relocate the entire organisation”… ‘No one had come to talk to me British Paralympian Tatyana McFadden: Channel 4’s Paralympics coverage won plaudits

Public domain Public or the board about that. ‘After that election, we entered Working alongside his chief creative synergies between both activities. The into a conversation about the art of officer, Jay Hunt – now at Apple TV venture has got off to a promising start. the possible. – Abraham successfully refreshed the An ad made by Wonderhood promot- ‘By then, I had decided that it broadcaster thanks to shows such as ing Comic Relief, starring Peter Mullan was time to move on. I worked as Gogglebox, Educating Yorkshire, Black Mirror as a granddad caring for his newborn diligently as I was able to in order and, later, The Great British Bake-Off. grandson, was recently selected as one to provide a toolbox of analysis Poaching Bake Off from the BBC of Campaign’s top 10 ads of 2019. To that the team subsequently used caused controversy, especially since produce a commercial with this level to make the decisions they made Channel 4’s remit was to innovate and of emotional engagement is unusual. after I left.’ to take risks. Abraham told the RTS Its message struck a chord, as the He added: ‘The thing I was very that, at the time, the show was “leaving film suggested that, despite the divi- vocal on was forcibly moving the the BBC” and it was either going to go sions of Brexit, we all have much more whole of the organisation. I’m really to ITV or Netflix. in common – not least the capacity for pleased that didn’t happen. I think “That would have hurt us [commer- giving to charity – than the things that Channel 4 is quite a delicate thing. cially],” he explained. “What we under- separate us. ‘The interaction between sales, stood, rather brilliantly, was how to At the moment, Wonderhood is marketing and content is carefully refresh the show. When you have a concentrating on factual shows. Its first stitched together.… In the circum- hit, it’s a real dilemma, [how] to keep documentary, in which Heston Blu- stances, I think that what has it fresh. menthal revealed some of his darkest happened is a good outcome.’ “As a result of the changes that were thoughts, was shown on BBC Two in made, audiences felt that they could December. Provided the company … Protecting British creativity fall back in love with the show for continues to find investors, a move ‘The British creative culture is very another few years.” into drama looks possible. distinct. American creative culture He added to audience laughter: “On For someone who likes to shake up is brilliant, but American corporate every level, that was brilliantly executed existing models, Abraham’s ambition for culture can be problematic.’ – although I think Jay and I were the his latest venture sounds refreshingly only people in the country who thought straightforward: “Whatever I’ve done, … The survival of linear-TV that for a few days.” my ambition is to do great work.” n ‘In 10 years’ time linear-TV will be Which brings us to Abraham’s latest distributed by IPTV, but scheduled TV venture, the immodestly named Won- Report by Steve Clarke. The RTS London will still be important; this more pas- derhood Studios. Christmas Lecture with David Abraham sive way of consuming curated con- The company is breaking the mould was held at the Cavendish Conference tent will have a very important role, by making high-quality­ commercials Centre in London on 4 December. The not least in news and entertainment.’ and TV content, and seeking to find producer was Terry Marsh.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 25 The soap sage

riter and pro- Young noted that, on average, a net- ducer Mal Drama work such as CBS takes 600 pitches a Young has season and buys up to 200 scripts. Of revealed how Mal Young, who gave those, 15 are made into pilots. Five are he made picked up for a series. Two or three $200,000 British viewers soap’s might make it past episode 3 before inW a few seconds – by swearing. The first lesbian kiss, treats the show is axed. showrunner, whose credits range from He added: “It is changing, though. Brookside and EastEnders to Holby City and the RTS to a drama Streaming channels bypass the pilot Doctor Who, was giving an RTS Midlands system because it’s so expensive, and drama production masterclass in masterclass go straight to series, relying on big- ­Birmingham, where he explained name writers and stars. I can be sitting the process of piloting a show in the thorough market research. “We blew in reception, waiting to pitch, next to hyper-competitive US TV market. things up and had helicopters,” Young Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern He had moved to Los Angeles after recalled. “We finished the final cut at with their production companies. leaving the BBC, where he was respon- noon. At 2:00pm, they showed it to a “Pitching is tough. They ask: ‘Why sible for such programmes as East- panel of people paid to give their opin- this, why now and why you?’ And you Enders and Casualty. In 2008, Young ions on every line of dialogue and have to answer robustly with why you pitched a drama, Austin Golden Hour, to what the characters were wearing. should write it. They are brutally honest, the CW Network. The storyline was “The channel [executives] watched stopping you mid-pitch to say, ‘It’s not based on a group of young Texan para- from behind a glass wall and said ‘Cut for us’. You have to grow a thick skin. medics trying to save lives in the vital that scene’ if it didn’t get a good reac- “A lot of people, especially in the US, hour following traumatic injury. He tion. It was all very picked over and think there’s a magic formula to good explained:­ “It played out in real time, horrible. It took a year of my life and drama, but it doesn’t exist. The best like 24 meets ER. I wrote 18 drafts of $3m. Then, they just said: ‘No, we’re dramas break all the rules. Look at the pilot script, which is about average. not going with it’.” Succession, my favourite show of the “They rang me to say the pilot had past year. been green-lit but said it was going to “Every character is hateful, which be low budget – only $2.8m. I said, shouldn’t work, but somehow it makes ‘Fucking hell!’, meaning ‘That much?’ ‘THEY WANTED TO us care about this screwed-up family. But they thought I was complaining [BRING PEOPLE] And, all the time, it shows bad people and said, ‘Oh, let’s go with $3m’. It’s the getting away with horrible things.” easiest $200,000 I’ve ever made.” BACK FROM THE Young, 62, started as a graphic Stunts were elaborate and, by British DEAD… ALMOST designer for Littlewoods in his native standards, expensive, and the show Liverpool but was besotted by televi-

was immediately subjected to some EVERY WEEK’ sion. At 27, he got a job as an extra on

26 Brookside, radical in 1994 Channel 4 Roz Laws

the new Channel 4 soap, Brookside, a village in Spain but it just wasn’t good Young left the soap earlier this year. playing a taxi driver, before becoming enough. Viewers could smell the cyni- He is now pitching new dramas in the a runner at Mersey Television and cism. They lost all their confidence and UK and US, and working with former working his way up to producer. it damaged BBC drama for many years.” soap writer and RTS award-winner He remembered: “Corrie started when Twenty years after he shook up UK Daran Little on a new drama to be set I was three and my mum watched soaps, he did the same to a US stalwart, and filmed in Birmingham. every single episode until the day she CBS’s The Young and the Restless. He was “It was either going to be set here or died. The TV was my babysitter and my showrunner for three years and oversaw in Liverpool, but it felt better in Bir- window on the world. I was obsessed 700 episodes of the number-one-rated mingham,” he told the RTS audience. by TV and I still am. I’m an addict. My daytime soap. “We’re very hopeful it will get made.” training was watching TV.” “When I got there, it was in its 44th Perhaps one of Young’s biggest suc- Young came up with two of Brook- year and felt very old-fashioned,” said cesses was overseeing the return of side’s most controversial storylines Young. “I introduced the first writers Doctor Who in 2005, after a gap of – the lesbian kiss and the body under room and took the action beyond the 16 years, but it almost didn’t happen. the patio. The famous kiss between sound stage for the first time, with He revealed: “I knew it couldn’t look Anna Friel and Nicola Stephenson hand-held and single cameras. It was like it used to, it had to be high budget. looks so innocent now, but it caused very driven by logistics, having to keep We didn’t have enough money to huge ructions in 1994 as UK TV’s first moving all the time to make six epi- make it properly, so Russell T Davies pre-watershed lesbian kiss. sodes in four days. and I took it round all the US compa- “It captured something and crossed a “I ruffled a few feathers. I had nies, and they all rejected us. They line,” said Young. “The Daily Mail called domestic abuse storylines and a les- wouldn’t touch us, even Syfy, which for my resignation. One woman accused bian kiss 20 years after I did them on ended up buying it from us rather than me of teaching her daughter how to be Brookside, but it was all new and shock- being a co-producer. a lesbian. Years later, it was part of the ing to them. “We needed £800,000 to make a 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, so it “I know I brought Dirty Den back good-looking Doctor Who episode but was shown in countries that had origi- from the dead in EastEnders, but they we could only get £500,000. For the nally banned it. It was thrilling that it wanted to do it with characters almost first time ever in my career, I said, was having an impact again.” every week on The Young and the Restless. ‘Don’t worry about the budget’. I knew He explained: “Soaps are organically “I reined that in, and drew the line at it would do well and they could sell it born out of a particular time. You can’t doppelgängers and evil twins. The one to get the money back. And I was leav- just cynically say ‘Let’s create one’, that’s thing they wouldn’t let me get rid of ing, so what could they do, fire me?” n too formulaic and it won’t work. That’s was the music. It’s all scored, and they what happened with Eldorado. When I even used to have an orchestra in the Report by Roz Laws. Mal Young was in got to the BBC, they were still reeling corner playing live. It seemed very conversation with Dorothy Hobson, who from that – they called it the E word. schlocky to me but they insisted the also produced the masterclass at the IET “They’d thrown £10m at it and built music stayed.” in Birmingham on 29 November.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 27 A labour of love

Drama production Creative collaboration was key to bringing His Dark Materials to the screen, hears an RTS audience

veryone who has ever He admitted: “I didn’t know if it was worked in television doable. In this show, there is an unpre­ knows that one of the cedented amount of creature-based essential qualities special effects without an unprece- required to produce dented budget. And that is a bit of a outstanding TV is the game changer.” abilityE to collaborate. Fellow panellist, writer Jack Thorne, At an RTS discussion, held in early who adapted Pullman’s stories for December with key members of the the screen, told the RTS how he, too, production team of BBC One’s ambi- approached the project as very much tious His Dark Materials, the extent to a collective endeavour. which different groups worked together He said: “It’s not me alone at my to complete the series was made abun- desk but a lot of people working His Dark Materials dantly clear. together. That’s what makes these “Jane [executive producer Jane Tranter shows. Largely, it was the six of us and co-founder of Bad Wolf, the show’s talking [the sixth key individual, script been bought by New Line Cinema. In producer] uses the term ‘Loving it on to editor Xandria Horton, was absent fact, after the disappointing 2007 fea- the screen’,” noted the VFX supervisor from the panel] and working out how ture film The Golden Compass, starring on His Dark Materials, Russell Dodgson, to do it. Then I’d go away and write it.” Nicole Kidman and based on Northern creative director of Framestore. Production designer Joel Collins Lights, many people thought that turn- He told his new colleagues from the referred to the show’s “group mind” ing His Dark Materials into compelling beginning that working in isolation was and “the importance of the group rela- TV was mission impossible. not an option. As pre-production got tionship”. He emphasised: “A show like She claims she felt relieved, reason- under way, Dodgson made it clear to this involves a very big set of relation- ing that a TV series made then would them that the only way His Dark Materials ships. There’s a lot of trust involved – have been a perfectly good BBC TV would work was “if you don’t treat us as a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. Sunday teatime series, but her ambi- a vendor that is going to deliver shots”. “I’d feed Jack the visual information tions were greater. He asked them to “let us into the and the scripts would feed back into Despite the rights being unavailable, process and get us involved in the the visuals. It was a kind of tag team six she continued to think about adapting script process. Get us in the mix. months before the show was green-lit.” the stories. She was encouraged when “From day one, they were true to Tranter, a former head of BBC drama, the film rights weren’t picked up for their word. This meant that we could explained how she’d wanted to make the second and third books. focus on the characterisation of the His Dark Materials for TV since the first She recalled: “I began to circle like daemons and do that with a lot of trust book of the trilogy, Northern Lights, was a shark waiting for blood. I was lucky – which allowed us to squeeze every published in 1995. enough to be in LA at the time. A few penny on to the screen.” “If you read them, it was not a big drops of blood began to appear and I For fans of Philip Pullman’s books, step to think: we could make this for went for it.” one of the delights of the series is the television. But, when these books were Game of Thrones was the decisive animated daemons (animal representa- published, TV was way behind feature factor in taking Pullman’s work and tions of the characters’ souls) painstak- film,” she said. putting it on the small screen. “Game of ingly assembled by Dodgson’s team of When Tranter originally asked about Thrones showed us what we could do digital animators. the rights, she discovered they had on TV. It was a game changer, due to

28 ‘WE DID 46 DRAFTS OF EPISODE 1… IT’S HARD TO DO JUSTICE TO GENIUS’ BBC the way it did visual effects on TV,” Black Mirror. As Collins explained, much on board. “The BBC trusted Bad Wolf said Tranter. of His Dark Materials was filmed indoors to go out and raise the rest of the “I never doubted that we could do on purpose-built sets at Wolf Studios in money,” she said, adding: “The BBC it, because I knew that people like this Cardiff. Location filming took place in is one of the few broadcasters in the [pointing towards the rest of the panel] the Brecon Beacons and Iceland. world that makes shows that are would make it happen. All I had to do “What you see in the show is mostly equivalent to this, programmes such was find them.” built, which is a testament to Bad Wolf as Blue Planet and Planet Earth. Securing Thorne’s services was a and the idea of filming in a studio,” he “I don’t think His Dark Materials has vital part of the development process. said. “The Oxford rooms are mostly got a neighbour in British television in But the in-demand screenwriter, fabricated. Oxford didn’t have that terms of its production values and described by The Economist recently as magic we needed to create another themes, which are on an adult scale akin to British TV’s Charles Dickens, world.” but can be enjoyed by audiences from needed convincing. The difficulties involved in produc- nine years old to 90.” Not only was his wife, Rachel, preg- ing His Dark Materials were all the greater She emphasised: “Rather than think nant, he was preoccupied by writing the because, once the series was given the you’ve got all the answers, you need stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed go-ahead, a decision was taken to film humility when you approach a project Child. A four-and-a-half-hour conversa- two series (based on Northern Lights and like this. The other way, absolute disas- tion with Tranter persuaded him that The Subtle Knife novels, respectively) ter lies. You need a mix of confidence, this was an offer he couldn’t refuse. back to back. passion and fear.” “I loved the books so much,” he said. It remains to be seen whether there And, of course, teamwork. n “We did 46 drafts of episode 1 because will be a third season. Tranter hopes we struggled to find the correct path. that as many as six more TV adapta- Report by Steve Clarke. The RTS screening It’s hard to do justice to genius.” tions of the writer’s work could even- of His Dark Materials episode 6 followed Turning Pullman’s magical world tually be made by Bad Wolf. by a Q&A session took place at London’s into multi-episode TV was also chal- Her confidence in the project was Mayfair Hotel on 5 December. The panel- lenging for production designer Collins, such that filming began before His Dark lists were interviewed by journalist and who had worked with Dodgson on Materials’ main co-producer, HBO, was broadcaster Caroline Frost.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 29 Television distils two days of expert advice from leading television practitioners RTS Masterclasses 2019

humanity and love.” She added: “In the went freelance, working at Warp Films RTS Craft Skills edit process, he’s amazing. I didn’t [maker of Meadows’ films].” know how controlling he would be Lysaght and Gray were interviewed Masterclasses – it’s a Louis Theroux film, after all. But by Ruth Pitt, director of the Creative he was incredibly open.” Cities Convention. 2019 Gray, the recent winner of an RTS Craft & Design award for Meadows’ The Sound Virtues, shown on Channel 4, first Editing worked with the director on This Is England ’90. “Shane’s work is very per- Matt Bacon sonal, autobiographical. You have to be Matthew Gray sensitive to the material and see if you Sound recordist Editor and can take it to places that perhaps you and location sound didn’t expect it to go to. supervisor and “Sometimes, that feeds back into Emma Lysaght what’s going on. He’s got a very clear Editor idea of what he’s looking for.” Kate Davis Lysaght’s father was a film editor, so ditors Emma Lysaght and Mat- she grew up watching him cut film. Head of sound at thew Gray spoke about how Even so, establishing herself as a suc- Directors Cut Films they had each worked with cessful editor was challenging: “It was distinguished programme-­ quite a male environment, I was very att Bacon records sound on Emakers, Louis Theroux and Shane nervous and very shy. I didn’t get into location, often having to Meadows, respectively. the cutting room until I was 19. battle the noise of the mod- Lysaght, a documentary specialist, “My dad knew of one female editor. ern world to obtain a pure worked on Louis Theroux’s Altered States: She needed an assistant, so I stepped track.M “We strive to do as best we can. Choosing Death, in which terminally ill in and became her assistant.” Sometimes… we have to compromise,” people prepared to take their own lives. Gray read philosophy of film at the he admitted to former factual pro- “It’s a sad subject but, within those University of Leeds, before working as gramme-maker Helen Scott. “On a dark moments, there is always some a runner at Yorkshire Television (YTV) daytime show, you’re going to be less lightness,” she recalled. “When I first and then being offered a post as an concerned about it than in a period Skyped Louis, I was terrified. He asked editor. “I was thrown in at the deep end drama, where you cannot have a plane me what I thought the film was about. and had loads of time to edit material. flying [overhead].” I said it was about the strength of I was at YTV for… three years and then Mumbling actors or poor sound? “A

30 Camera RTS Student Sara Deane Programme Director of photography Masterclasses Mike Robinson 2019 Cinematographer Comedy rama specialist Sara Deane studied at Bournemouth Film School and the National Nerys Evans Film and Television School, whereasD documentary cinematogra- Creative director of pher Mike Robinson was self-taught. comedy, Expectation “I blagged my way in as a camera assistant,” said the Emmy award-­ erys Evans, creative director winner (for Ten Days to D-Day), “and of comedy at independent I learned on the job”. producer Expectation, Robinson, who runs Man Friday explained how she had Films with his identical twin brother workedN her way up from secretarial and fellow documentary cameraman, work at the BBC to become one of the Steve, specialises in single-camera UK’s top comedy TV practitioners. shoots. “Whenever you film anything At the BBC, she produced Miranda, From left: Nell Butler, in the factual world… you affect what Jonathan Creek and French and Saunders, Mike Robinson and you are filming,” he said. “[With] a while at Channel 4 she commissioned Sara Deane single camera, you are as discreet as shows such as Catastrophe, Flowers and you can be and the impact on what Derry Girls. lot of the time, the recordist isn’t to you’re filming is as little as possible… “I’m from a very small town in blame – a lot of artists do mumble,” Allow the action to unfold – generally, Wales,” Evans told Sarah Asante, ses- insisted Bacon. “Part of our role is people forget you’re there within min- sion chair and commissioning editor to say, ‘We can’t hear them; I’d like utes of [starting] filming.” for BBC Comedy. “No one I knew ever another [take]. Often, you are overruled.” Zombie movie Anna and the Apoca- worked in TV. I had no in. I just fol- He went on to warn: “You can repair lypse, which was shot by Deane, is at lowed my dream and worked really [poor sound] in the edit, but it will take the other end of the spectrum. For hard to get my foot in the door.” you longer and cost you more.” one musical number, she ordered She’d always been obsessed by com- “If we’ve got good sound, we’ll use it, 800 coloured bulbs to light the scene; edy. As a student at Liverpool John said Kate Davis, who mixes sound in and planned every shot meticulously. Moores University, where she read post-production. “But, a lot of the time, Discussing the cinematographer’s politics, Evans got involved with the we can make it better if we add some- creative influence on a drama, she said: student radio station. “There were com- thing. Obviously, it depends on the “I come to a [project] with my own edy shows on the radio, so I worked budget how much time we have to ideas but, essentially, there is one person with a lot of comedians. After univer- accentuate the soundtrack.” – the director – who is running the sity, I joined the management agency “Dialogue is the most important show. My [role] is to understand their Avalon as a receptionist. I thought I’d thing in any soundtrack,” she added. “If vision. Before we get anywhere near the won the lottery because I could go and you can’t hear the dialogue, then you set, we will spend a lot of time together see lots of live comedy for free.” might as well not bother [watching].” talking through ideas.… [I try] to enhance Her next job was at the BBC, as a PA Smooth sound is the objective of the their project – if you’re not working in the comedy department, working dubbing mixer. “It’s not just about together, you will always be in a battle.” for Little Britain producer Myfanwy making any clip as clean as possible, it’s The best photojournalism and street Moore. “It was an extraordinary insight about smoothing it into all the elements photography offer valuable lessons to into the editorial process of comedy,” [of the show], so the sound washes over the cinematographer. “Seeing how a she recalled. your head,” said Davis. “Sound is so moment is captured when the compo- Evans then joined Comic Relief, subliminal – I don’t want anyone to sition is just perfect… I try to learn from before becoming an associate producer ever think about what I’ve done.” that,” said Robinson. for BBC producer Jo Sargent, whose Sound technology has changed dra- “When I get a script,” said Deane, “I shows included French and Saunders matically during the duo’s working will spend quite a few days watching and Ab Fab. careers. “But”, cautioned Bacon, “while films… so that I can send a load of “I learnt a huge amount from work- the equipment is getting smaller, references to the director.” ing with her,” said Evans. “Jo had put cheaper, lighter and more complex, Deane and Robinson were in con- Miranda Hart in a French and Saunders technology will only take you so far versation with factual entertainment sketch. She was brilliant and I ended – trust your ears.” executive Nell Butler. up doing the pilot for Miranda. �

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 31 � “It was a big, brave thing to do. Phoebe Waller-Bridge takes all the credit for talking straight to camera, but we did it on Miranda, which was a story of a woman who felt out of place but was trying to be herself.” On the difference between being a producer and a commissioner, she said: “As a producer, you’re first in, last out. Your DNA is in every part of the show… As a commissioner, you’re part of the creative process, but you don’t get your hands dirty. You don’t go home and cry.” News

Rageh Omaar From left: Carolyn Reynolds, International affairs Daniel Fajemisin-Duncan editor, ITV News and Marlon Smith

ageh Omaar is international local fixers. These are journalists who affairs editor, ITV News, and work as local production staff to sup- Drama one of British TV’s most dis- port international news crews. Without tinguished foreign corre- them, to quote our Prime Minister, Rspondents. He reported on the we’d be dead in a ditch, literally. Daniel Fajemisin- invasion of Iraq and the fall of Baghdad They’re our guardian angels and know Duncan in 2003 for the BBC, and won a Bafta the places that have to be avoided.” for his BBC coverage of the invasion of Omaar has seen the horrors of war Writer Afghanistan, where he was the only many times. In these situations, it is western TV journalist to report from vital that reporters keep their emotions Marlon Smith Taliban-held Kabul. in check: “You always have to think Educated at Oxford, where he read practically when you’re telling a story. Writer history, he was born in Somalia, having What you’re witnessing on the ground moved to the UK as a child. Omaar told may be heartbreaking, but you’re outh Londoners Daniel the students not to be put off if their always thinking: ‘What shall we film?’ Fajemisin-Duncan and Marlon families had no contacts in journalism. “It’s not callous, but, when you’re at Smith started writing together “There were no other journalists in the centre of a humanitarian crisis, at sixth-form college. “We the family.… Journalism is very hard such as the drought in Somalia, you Sdiscovered we were very much into to get into without contacts. It is still have to make calculated decisions movies; not just watching them but a somewhat opaque calling,” he said. about what would look good on TV actually wanting to make them – and, Dedication and hard work reap divi- and get you more time on the bulletin. specifically, to write them,” recalled dends, as does the ability to work as “Of course, you empathise [with the Fajemisin-Duncan. part of a team. “Viewers don’t realise victims] but, at the same time, you “It was mainly Tarantino [-style] that reporters don’t just pop up in have to think: ‘How can I make this monologues,” added Smith. “Spike global hot spots and start reporting. story come to life so that people back Lee was also a big thing for both of Nothing could be further from the in the UK can relate to it?’” us, especially Do the Right Thing.” Their truth,” he said. Rageh Omaar was interviewed by break came with the gritty Channel 4 “They’re only there, able to operate Nuala McGovern, who works for the drama Run, which starred Olivia Col- and, hopefully, stay safe because of the BBC World Service. man and Lennie James – and went on

32 ‘YOU GET VERY EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED AND YOU NEED TO HARNESS THAT’

One, which used to make a lot of Cutting Edge [documentaries] for Channel 4.” Cary’s break in documentary came with a Cutting Edge film about four eight-year-olds going to boarding school, Leaving Home at 8, which Cary developed and worked on as an assis- tant producer. BBC Two doc Louis Theroux: Savile, Cary’s first major directing job, revisited Theroux’s relationship with the mon- strous DJ, first captured a decade and a half earlier in When Louis Met… Jimmy. “You get very emotionally involved and you need to harness that – films that I make are as much a reflection of my emotional response to a subject as they are an intellectual response,” admit­ted Cary. “You don’t want to shut off emotion; equally, you need to be able to function while you’re making films.”

Paul Hampartsoumian Paul Discussing The Last Survivors, Cary said: “I’m not Jewish, so I felt a respon- to win an RTS writing award. It told has done and he rewrites mine, and sibility as an outsider making this “stories about people that we grew up you keep doing that until it finished.” film.… You’re really struck… at how with. At that time, they were seldom “We’re friends… I’ve known [Daniel] important it is to the community to seen on screen and, in some respects, since I was 12 or 13,” said Smith. “We make films that chime with how they still aren’t,” said Fajemisin-Duncan. do have disagreements and it helps feel and do justice to the subject.” Sky Atlantic series Save Me followed: that we can have an all-out, crazy Film-makers have to represent their “[Lennie] had three scripts and we argument and be joking a couple of contributors fairly: “[They] watch it worked with him to plot out the rest minutes later.” before it is broadcast.… They don’t have of the series, and wrote episode 4 as Daniel Fajemisin-Duncan and Mar- editorial control, but they can check well,” continued Fajemisin-Duncan. lon Smith were interviewed by drama for factual inaccuracy and fairness.… They have just finished working on producer Carolyn Reynolds. You [have] a responsibility to make series 2, Save Me Too. something they feel is fair and an hon- Success in the UK has caught the Documentary est reflection of [their] story.” attention of studios in the US, where the Documentary film-making, he writing duo have two movies in devel- added, can be relentless: “You’re think- opment. But Smith admitted that they Arthur Cary ing about it 24/7.… there’s no separation had had disappointments – “things that and that can be tiring. You need a we’ve developed for a couple of years Documentary film-maker break… [to] start engaging with the have never made it to the screen”. world [again]… to work out what you “We have similar tastes – I think rthur Cary tackles difficult want to make a film about next.” that’s important when you’re looking subjects in his work, which Arthur Cary was interviewed by the for a partner to work with,” he added. includes BBC Two Holocaust film-maker and creative director of “We work together, plotting and documentary The Last Survi- True Vision Yorkshire, Anna Hall. n outlining… and then we carve that up Avors, with great sensitivity. into an act structure and go away and His first job in television was at Reports by Matthew Bell and Steve Clarke. write,” said Fajemisin-Duncan. “We Endemol, as a runner on the reality The RTS Masterclasses were held on come back together and critique, and shows Celebrity Scissorhands and Big 5-6 November at IET Savoy Place, in come to a consensus on what the Brother: “I exploited every connection central London, and were produced by rewrite will be. I rewrite what Marlon I had at Endemol and got a job at North Helen Scott.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 33 RTS Craft & Design Awards 2019 Sponsored by Hosted by Ahir Shah and sponsored by Gravity Media, the awards were presented on 25 November at the London Hilton, Park Lane

Chernobyl Sky

34 Don’t Forget the Driver BBC

Costume Design – Drama Design – Programme Content Design – Trails and Packaging Odile Dicks-Mireaux – Chernobyl Sequences BBC Sport, BBC Creative and Park Sister/The Mighty Mint and Word Games Studio AKA, Steve Small, Nikki Pictures – Fifa Women’s World for Sky Atlantic and HBO Kefford, Artworking and Animation Cup 2019 ‘Unflinching attention to detail and Team – Black Earth Rising BBC Sport, BBC Creative and Park perfect characterisation, a total immer- Forgiving Earth for BBC Two Pictures for BBC Sport sive, cinematic experience.… The col- ‘[The] Striking, emotive and artistically ‘Gutsy, modern, dynamic and, most laboration between departments [was] ambitious… animations were impactful importantly, memorable, this well- quite extraordinary.’ and moving… conveying upsetting thought-out campaign unapologetically Nominees: events in a sensitive and beautiful way.’ placed women’s football centre stage.’ Tom Pye and Nadine Clifford-Davern Nominees: Nominees: – Gentleman Jack, A Lookout Point BBC Studios with Lola Post Production BBC Creative – BBC Two rebrand, Production in association with HBO for – The Planets, BBC Studios for BBC Two Superunion for BBC Two BBC One Made in Colour – Holocaust: Finding My Nick Meikle, Sarah Gerona, Laura Whittell Charlotte Holdich – The Long Song, Family, Made in Colour for CBBC and Natalie Fox – Dynasties, BBC Studios Heyday Television/NBC Universal for Creative for BBC One and BBC Earth BBC One Design – Titles Matt Willey – Killing Eve Director – Comedy Drama/ Costume Design – Sid Gentle Films and BBC America for Situation Comedy Entertainment and Non Drama BBC One Nida Manzoor – Enterprice Sam Perry – Don’t Forget the Driver ‘A clever idea beautifully executed, Fudge Park Productions for BBC Three Sister/Hootenanny for BBC Two with bold typography and punchy ‘Mining comedy from small moments ‘The characters were believable, realis- colours, perfectly reflecting the chilling and real environments, a limited bud- tic and appealing, without falling into nature of the programme.’ get did not hold it back from achieving the trap of caricature. Wonderful Nominees: a truly distinct and memorable style.’ attention to detail and subtlety.’ D8 – The Cry, Synchronicity Films for Nominees: Nominees: BBC One Tom Kingsley – Ghosts, Monumental Orla Smyth-Mill – Brassic, Calamity Ben Hanbury, Hugo Moss, Paul Television in association with Them Films for Sky One McDonnell and Tamsin McGee – The There for BBC One Vicky Gill – Strictly Come Dancing, BBC ABC Murders, Mammoth Screen Ltd/ Alex Winckler – This Way Up, Merman Studios for BBC One Agatha Christie Productions for BBC One Television Ltd for Channel 4 �

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 35 Director – Documentary/ Factual and Non Drama Wendie Ottewill – David Harewood: Psychosis and Me Films of Record for BBC Two ‘An invisible subject matter made vis- ible in a powerful and emotionally engaging film that clearly evidenced sensitive and brave directing skills.’ Nominees: Arthur Cary – War in the Blood, Minnow Films for BBC Two Anthony Philipson – 8 Days: To the Moon , BBC Studios for BBC Two and Back The Virtues

Channel 4 Director – Drama Shane Meadows – The Virtues Director – Multicamera Editing – Entertainment Warp Films for Channel 4 Bridget Caldwell – The Royal British and Comedy ‘It felt completely real and was head Legion Festival of Remembrance Simon Whitcombe and Christine and shoulders above anything else.’ BBC Studios for BBC One Pancott – The Heist Nominees: ‘Very sympathetic direction wonder- Shine TV for Sky One Toby Haynes – Brexit: The Uncivil War, fully captured all the action to bring the ‘A visual assault on the senses. A tech- House Productions for Channel 4 audience a mesmorising experience.’ nically challenging edit… demonstrating Johan Renck – Chernobyl, Sister/The Nominees: it to be the model of how to do this sort Mighty Mint and Word Games for Sky Nick Wood – Not Going Out, Avalon of thing without putting a step wrong.’ Atlantic and HBO Television for BBC One Nominees: Marcus Viner – Jazz 625 Live: For One Mike Holliday – Ghosts, Monumental Night Only, Somethin’ Else for BBC Four Television in association with Them There for BBC One RTS Special Editing – Documentary/Factual Tom Hemmings – Don’t Forget the Claire Guillon – Egon Schiele: Driver, Sister/Hootenanny for BBC Two Award Dangerous Desires Sky AdSmart BBC Studios PQP for BBC Two Editing – Sport ‘The breathtaking and wonderfully Lukas Musil and David Snowdon – Uefa anarchic style of editing brought a Champions League Final – Official Film ‘Over the course of TV history there 100-year-old subject instantaneously IMG Media for Uefa/BT Sport have been many significant techno­ and convincingly into the 21st century.’ ‘Great storytelling, classy, clever, ambi- logical milestones, but very few led Nominees: tious and with brilliant shot selection.’ by an advertising development. Sunshine Jackson – 100 Vaginas, Burning Nominees: ‘What was originally planned as a Bright for Channel 4 Joe Snell, Tim Mackenzie-Smith, project to deliver relevant promos, John Steventon and Ed Horne – Sacred Jay Gill, Pete Burton and evolved into a seven-year, £100m Wonders, BBC Studios PQP for BBC One Frank Callaghan – project that fundamentally changed Women’s World Cup, TV advertising for good. Editing – Drama Input Media (now ‘A major technical achievement able Matthew Gray – The Virtues renamed Gravity to seamlessly, with frame-by-frame Warp Films and Big Arty Productions for Media) for BBC Sport accuracy, replace ads in live, linear Channel 4 Kevin Evans, Ian content across millions of homes ‘At times it was hard to watch, for all Grech, Joe Snell, Mike simultaneously… effectively turning the right reasons.… Flashback material Osborn and Jordan set-top boxes into local ad servers. at just the right points [hinted] at the Buckingham, BT Sport – ‘Addressable TV has democratised reasons for the lead character’s actions.’ Wretch 32: Road the advertising landscape.… It has Nominees: to Madrid 2019: delivered on its promise to make TV Gary Dollner – Killing Eve (Series 1), Uefa Champions advertising available to businesses Sid Gentle Films and BBC America for League Final of all shapes and sizes. Channel 4 BBC One VT, (SDR and BBC will use the technology, too.’ Matthew Cannings – Brexit: The Uncivil Production), War, House Productions for Channel 4 BT Sport �

36 1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9 All pictures: Richard Kendal

1 Costume Design – Drama: Chernobyl 2 Costume Design – Entertainment and 3 Design – Programme Content Non Drama: Don’t Forget the Driver Sequences: Black Earth Rising 4 Design – Titles: Killing Eve 5 Design – Trails and Packaging: Fifa 6 Director – Comedy Drama/Situation 7 Director – Documentary/Factual and Women’s World Cup 2019 Comedy: Enterprice Non Drama: David Harewood: Psychosis and Me 8 Director – Drama: The Virtues 9 RTS Special Award: Sky AdSmart

Host: Ahir Shah

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 37

Make Up Design – Entertainment and Non Drama Lisa Armstrong – Strictly Come Dancing BBC Studios for BBC One ‘Consistently impressing audiences and fans, never failing to entertain and constantly exhibiting an amazingly varied array of skills and techniques.’ Nominees: Bean Ellis – Don’t Forget the Driver, Sister/Hootenanny for BBC Two , The Bay Jo Jenkins – Year of the Rabbit

ITV Objective Fiction for Channel 4

Effects Music – Original Score One of Us – The OA: Part II Hildur Guðnadóttir – Chernobyl Lifetime Plan B Entertainment for Netflix Sister/The Mighty Mint and Word Games ‘The originality of thought, the atten- for Sky Atlantic and HBO Achievement tion to detail and the design aesthetic ‘The score was utterly unique, totally that went into… all the on-screen integral to the drama and, as a result, Award effects were hugely impressive.’ completely terrifying.’ Mike McCarthy Nominees: Nominees: Effects Team – Les Misérables, A Lookout Murray Gold – Years and Years, Red Point/BBC Studios Production, co- Production Company for BBC One produced with Masterpiece for BBC One Isobel Waller-Bridge – Fleabag, Two Axis Studios – Happy! (Season 2), NBC- Brothers Pictures for BBC Three Universal/Netflix UK for Syfy Music – Original Title Lighting for Multicamera Samuel Sim – The Bay Tim Routledge – Stormzy: Glastonbury Tall Story Pictures for ITV Tawbox for BBC ‘Haunting and atmospheric, this beau- ‘The boldness of creative choices tiful theme lent an ominous quality to ­created a very special performance.’ the opening montage. The music gave Nominees: a Nordic noir feel to Morecambe.’ Nigel Catmur – The Royal British Legion Nominees: Festival of Remembrance, BBC Studios Lorne Balfe – The Cry, Synchronicity for BBC One Films for BBC One

Richard Kendal Tim Routledge – Chris: Live from the Nainita Desai – Extraordinary Rituals, Salle Pleyel, Done and Dusted for BBC Natural History Unit for BBC Two ‘Our winner was a BBC staffer at the Apple Music dawn of Television Centre’s con­ Multicamera Work struction. He has since become an Make-Up Design – Drama Giuseppe Bianchi – Master of incredibly popular freelancer. In a Daniel Parker, Chernobyl Photography career spanning six decades, he has Sister/The Mighty Mint and Word Games Ballandi and Sky Arts Production Hub for worked on an incredible list of shows. for Sky Atlantic and HBO Sky Arts ‘We have heard so much praise for ‘Painstakingly crafted… using a sleight ‘The multicamera work and planning his professionalism, for his willing­ of hand and subtlety that sensitively brought life to the subject matter.’ ness to make things work with the portrayed the devastating tragedy.’ Nominees: minimum fuss: “He’s the best of the Nominees: Paul Dugdale and Simon Fisher – Taylor best”; “An absolute legend”; “The Lin Davie – Gentleman Jack, A Lookout Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour, Den of Peter Pan of sound designers”. And, Point Production in association with Thieves for Netflix to this day, he still has a hand in the HBO for BBC One Camera Team – The Royal British sound of Saturday-night television.’ Meinir Jones-Lewis – The Durrells, Sid Legion Festival of Remembrance, BBC Gentle Films for ITV Studios for BBC One �

38 1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9 All pictures: Richard Kendal

1 Director – Multicamera: The Royal British 2 Editing – Documentary/Factual: Egon 3 Editing – Drama: The Virtues Legion Festival of Remembrance Schiele: Dangerous Desires 6 Effects: The OA: Part II 4 Editing – Entertainment and Comedy: 5 Editing – Sport: Uefa Champions League The Heist Final – Official Film 9 Sound – Entertainment and Non Drama: Married To a Paedophile 7 Lighting for Multicamera: Stormzy: 8 Make Up Design – Entertainment and Glastonbury Non Drama: Strictly Come Dancing

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 39 Production Design – Drama Luke Hull – Chernobyl Sister/The Mighty Mint and Word Games for Sky Atlantic and HBO ‘Rich, realistic, beautiful and horrible, all at the same time. Astonishing research that was real, sensitive and with unmatched passion for design.’ Nominees: Kristian Milsted – Killing Eve (Series 1), Sid Gentle Films and BBC America for BBC One Maria Djurkovic and Tatiana Macdonald – The Little Drummer Girl, The Ink Factory/BBC/AMC for BBC One

Production Design – Entertainment and Non Drama Dominic Tolfts – Michael McIntyre’s Big Show Hungry McBear for BBC One ‘The jury was blown away by the intri- cate set changes and impressed by the versatility of the production design.’ Nominees: Richard Drew – This Time with Alan Partridge, Baby Cow Productions for BBC One Samantha Harley – Year of the Rabbit, Objective Fiction for Channel 4

Sound – Drama Stefan Henrix, Joe Beal, Harry Barnes Black Earth Rising and Michael Maroussas – Chernobyl

BBC Sister/The Mighty Mint and Word Games for Sky Atlantic and HBO Multicamera Work – Sport Photography – Drama and ‘Original use of sound design and effects Rhys Edwards, Matt Roberts and Comedy that worked seamlessly with the score.’ Laura McManamon – SailGP Jakob Ihre – Chernobyl Nominees: Whisper and BT Sport Sister/The Mighty Mint and Word Games Ronald Bailey, James Ridgway, Rodney ‘Brilliant to see something of this scale for Sky Atlantic and HBO Berling, Robert Brazier and Chris delivered so well. Made the event enth­ ‘The cinematographer’s… revolutionary Roberts – Pure, Drama Republic for ralling to watch and exciting to follow.’ approach to lenses and filming tech- Channel 4 Nominees: niques made this drama immediate, Nigel Edwards, Glen Marullo, Lee Matthew Griffiths – Six Nations: Wales powerful and totally authentic.’ Critchlow and Linda Murdoch – Black vs England, BBC Sport for BBC One Nominees: Earth Rising, Forgiving Earth for BBC Two Andrew Clement – Wimbledon 2019: Chloë Thomson – The Long Song, Heyday Men’s Final, BBC Sport and Wimbledon Television/NBCUniversal for BBC One Sound – Entertainment Broadcast Services for BBC Stuart Bentley – I Am: Kirsty, Me and and Non Drama You Productions for Channel 4 Greg Gettens, Kim Tae Hak, Chad Photography – Documentary/ Orororo and Andy Paddon – Married Factual and Non Drama Picture Enhancement To a Paedophile Daniel Dewsbury, Stuart Bernard and Matt Brown – Brassic Brinkworth Films for Channel 4 Jonny Ashton – The Mighty Redcar Calamity Films for Sky ‘Anyone tuning in halfway [would not 72 Films for BBC Two ‘The picture enhancement was a have] realised that the original audio ‘The strikingly executed photography masterclass in measured grading, using had been resynced to the actors mim- subverts expectations by giving the multiple layers applied on a shot-by- ing. An incredible technical feat.’ town and its characters an evocative shot basis to create moody, yet bold, Nominees: cinematic flair.’ scenes that popped with colour.’ Ben Ormerod, Marc Wojtanowski and Nominees: Nominees: Duncan Paterson – 8 Days: To the Moon Lindsay McCrae – Dynasties: Emperor, Aidan Farrell – Summer of Rockets, and Back, BBC Studios for BBC Two BBC Studios for BBC One Little Island Productions for BBC Two Christian Henson, Paul Freeman and Arthur Cary and Johann Perry – The Last Dan Gill – The Mighty Redcar, 72 Films Adam Tandy – Inside No 9 Live – Dead Survivors, Minnow Films for BBC Two for BBC Two Line, BBC Studios for BBC Two n

40 1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9 All pictures: Richard Kendal

1 Music – Original Score: Chernobyl 2 Multicamera Work – Sport: SailGP 3 Photography – Documentary/Factual and Non Drama: The Mighty Redcar 4 Photography – Drama and Comedy: 5 Picture Enhancement: Brassic Chernobyl 6 Production Design – Drama: Chernobyl 8 Sound – Drama: Chernobyl 7 Production Design – Entertainment and 9 Multicamera Work: Master of Non Drama: Michael McIntyre’s Big Show Photography

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 41 Do you need £4,000 for a history of ­television project?

Grants will be given to assist in the long-­standing member of the Apply now for ­completion of new or unfinished RTS. The Shiers Trust grant is now projects, work or literature specific in its 20th year. the 2020 Shiers to the objectives of the Trust. Trust Award ‘Literature’ is defined as including Application procedure audio-visual media such as DVDs Applications are now invited and and websites. It is essential that The Trust can make a should be submitted to the applicants read all the conditions Trustees by Friday 27 March 2020 grant of up to £4,000 and criteria, which can be found on the officialapplication ­ form. towards publishing online at the address below. work on any aspect George Shiers, a distinguished www.rts.org.uk/ of TV history US television historian, was a shiers-trust-award

8 Image: Coronation Street characters Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant), Ena Sharples (Violet Carson) and Martha Longhurst (Lynne Carol), 1971 © Allstar/Granada/ITV RTS NEWS Showrunners visit Falmouth

Emma Frost and the Second World War. She ­Matthew Graham – also developed the Emmy- creators of historical and Golden Globe-nominated

Devon and Devon Cornwall drama The Spanish Prin- series The White Queen, an cess – discussed their careers adaptation of Phillipa Grego- at an RTS Devon and Corn- ry’s historical novels, origi- wall event in late November. nally commissioned by the The two showrunners BBC with US network Starz talked about their work, from as a co-producer. A sequel, writing episodes of UK soap The White Princess, is now staples EastEnders and Casualty shooting its second series. to the development of hit Frost and Graham spoke in dramas This Life and Life on detail about their most recent Mars, to their contribution to work – the Starz drama The established shows Doctor Who Spanish Princess – which is and Shameless. currently shooting its second They described television series. These historical shows as being a writer’s medium, saw the pair shift from writ- and how their writing credits ers to showrunners, a role for US multinationals opened that Frost described as “the The Spanish Princess

the door to their current roles creative lens for a show”. Starz/Amazon as producers. The duo offered tips on Frost adapted Philip K writing and career advice to Falmouth University. They broader representation of Dick’s The Man in the High the “inspiring, clearly very also discussed a writer’s class, race, gender and sexu- Castle for Amazon. It imagines talented and wonderful” responsibility for creating ality on television. that the Axis powers had won student audience at characters that offer a Kingsley Marshall Bristol hosts Futures and music events

The RTS Futures Festi- talks featured industry pro- of students who attended to “get smart now”– audio val returned for a fessionals sharing insights – from colleges to universi- recognition for ads, using fourth year in Novem- and passing on advice. Con- ties, there was representation Soundmouse’s music-­

West of England ber, at a new venue, servationist and presenter across the region, reinforcing recognition technology, has M Shed on Bristol’s harbour- Niall Strawson, production the message that the TV arrived in the UK. In the next side. This year, RTS West of co-ordinator Candice Hayden industry is inclusive and few years, it will be extended England partnered with and researcher Emily Aitken accessible to all.” to TV and film. Bristol Unesco City of Film discussed how to get into TV n Later that month, Anne She reviewed the ap- and welcomed 17 companies and stand out in such a com- Miller, director of TV and proaches to music open to from the creative commu- petitive industry. film at Accorder Music Pub- producers, including com- nity to meet those hoping to Other talks looked at idea lishing, gave a wide-ranging mercial, composer, buy-out break into the industry. generation and development, workshop on music rights at and library options, adding: Edinburgh TV Festival talent post-production and produc­ the Square Club, Bristol. “People don’t think about scheme The Network and BFI tion management. At the RTS West of Eng- [music] early enough in the Network South West high- Rachel Drummond-Hay, land event, she discussed production process.” lighted opportunities along- co-founder of Drummer TV copyright, the Independent Miller offered advice on side indies such as Aardman, and RTS West of England Production Companies how to approach a composer, Icon Films, True to Nature and Vice-Chair, said: “This year’s licence, fair dealing and fair pointing out that composed RDF West, as well as a range event was as full and buzzy use of parody. music can become valuable of post-production facilities. as ever, but we were particu- Miller also looked to the IP for producers. A series of sold-out short larly pleased with the range future and advised companies Suzy Lambert

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 43 RTS CENTRE AWARDS

Russell T Davies was honoured with the Judges’ Award at the

North West North West Centre RTS North West Awards in late November. The screenwriter accepted the award from Russell Tovey, who starred in his chilling dystopian drama Years and Years. The BBC One series, made by the Red Production Company, bagged three awards at the ceremony, which was held at the Hilton Deansgate in Manchester. Years and Years took the Drama award, together with acting gongs won by Rory Kinnear and Jessica Hynes. Granada Reports also picked up three awards on the night. The ITV News programme won the Regional News Pro- gramme award for its inves- tigation into the North West’s high suicide rate, plus the prize for Digital Content. Its sports correspondent Chris Years and Years

Hall was named Regional BBC News Journalist. Timewasters – Big Talk Pro- ductions’ ITV2 sitcom about a group of south London time Years and Years triumphs travellers – went home with two awards: Comedy Pro- gramme and Performance in Tony Marchant-penned ITV “Over the last year, there the region,” said RTS North a Comedy for one of its stars, drama Butterfly. has been a huge amount of West Chair Cat Lewis. “It Samson Kayo. The North West Awards growth in the North West’s was fantastic to celebrate Dragonfly’s BBC One series, were hosted by former Coro- TV sector and we are the achievements of our Ambulance, was another dou- nation Street star Sally Lindsay, extremely proud of the local industry and the tal- ble winner, scooping the who was assisted by Hollyoaks breadth, quality and creativ- ented individuals within it.” Factual Series prize and the actor Ruby O’Donnell. ity of content coming out of Matthew Bell Production – Craft award. Coronation Street actor Rob RTS North West Comedy•Timewasters•Big Talk Current Affairs•Life After My Brother’s Mallard, who plays Ken Bar- Productions for ITV2 Murder•Blakeway North for BBC Three Awards winners low’s son Daniel, won the Performance in a Comedy•Samson Daytime Series•Moving On• Kayo: Timewasters•Big Talk Productions LA Productions for BBC One award for Performance in a Judges Award•Russell T Davies for ITV2 Single Drama or Series•Years and Sports•The Kennedy Who Changed the Continuing Drama, while the Entertainment•Sam and Mark’s World•BBC Sport for BBC Two Years•Red Production Company for Big Friday Wind-Up•BBC Children’s ITV Studios soap also took BBC One for CBBC Breakthrough Talent•Callum Booth- Red Production Com- Performance in a Single Drama or Ford: Butterfly• the prize for Continuing Factual Entertainment•Teen Mom pany/Aenon for ITV Series – Male• Rory Kinnear: Years UK•True North Productions for MTV Drama Storyline for the and Years•Red Production Company Children’s – Pre-School•YolanDa’s for BBC One Factual Series•Ambulance•Dragonfly Band Jam•BBC Children’s for CBeebies heartbreaking death of for BBC One Performance in a Single Drama or Children’s – School Age•My Life: Sinead – Daniel’s wife in the Farther and Sun: Series – Female•Jessica Hynes: Years Single Documentary• Blood Sugar Brothers•Nine Lives programme – from cancer. A Dyslexic Road Trip•Platform Produc- Media for CBBC and Years•Red Production Company tions for BBC Four LA Productions’ BBC One for BBC One Animation/Puppetry•Clangers• Regional News Journalist•Chris Hall • Factory Create/Coolabi for CBeebies drama series Moving On won Scriptwriter•Nick Leather: Mother’s ITV News Granada Reports for ITV Day•BBC Studios for BBC Two Digital Content•Granada Reports• the Daytime category for the Regional News•Granada Reports: ITV News Granada Reports for ITV Performance in a Continuing Suicide Investigation•ITV News second year running. Drama•Rob Mallard: Coronation Granada Reports for ITV Production – Craft•Ambulance• Street•ITV Studios for ITV This year’s Breakthrough Regional Story•BBC North West Dragonfly for BBC One Talent was Callum Booth- Continuing Drama Storyline• Tonight: The Church that Changed: Post-production – Craft•Mark Briscoe Coronation Street: Sinead’s Cancer• Lizzie’s Legacy•BBC North West Tonight (audio): The ABC Murders• Farm Ford, for his performance as ITV Studios for ITV for BBC One Manchester for BBC One a transgender youth in the

44 Acting gong for Vicky McClure

Nottingham-born 20th anniversary this year, Vicky McClure and secured the Drama award. Coventry’s Guz Khan ITV News Central journalist

Midlands Centre won the top acting Matt Teale, who presents its prizes at the RTS Midlands evening news programme, Awards in November. won the On-screen Person- McClure won hers for her ality award, while BBC Mid- role as DI Kate Fleming in lands’ Jonathan Gibson was World Productions’ hit BBC named Journalist of the Year. One police corruption thriller Birmingham-born poet Sue Line of Duty. Brown, who presented BBC Khan not only took the Four doc The First Black Brum- Acting –Male award for his mies, won in the Outstanding performance in Tiger Aspect’s New Talent category, and BBC Three comedy series Man Birmingham indie Gosh! TV Like Mobeen, but shared the picked up the Popular Fac- Line of Duty star Vicky McClure receiving her award

Writer prize with co-writer tual award for BBC One’s Nick Robinson Andy Milligan for the same River Walks: The Severn Valley. show. The gongs brought TV and radio presenter Documentary•Gemma: My Murder• RTS Midlands Hey Sonny Films for BBC Three Khan’s tally to five RTS Mid- Trish Adudu hosted the Awards winners lands awards in just two years. ­ceremony at Birmingham’s Specialist Factual•Surgeons: At the Baird Medal•Barbara Slater Edge of Life•Dragonfly TV for BBC Two BBC director of sport Bar- International Convention Drama•Doctors•BBC Studios News Programme•Midlands Pub bara Slater was awarded the Centre, which was attended for BBC One Bombings•BBC Birmingham Journalist of the Year•Jonathan Gibson• Baird Medal for outstanding by more than 300 guests. Acting – Female•Vicky McClure: Line BBC Birmingham of Duty•World Productions for BBC One services to sport, particularly “This year has been an Current Affairs•The Pub Bombings• Acting – Male•Guz Khan: Man Like BBC One West Midlands for championing women. outstanding year for the Mobeen•Tiger Aspect Productions for BBC Three Short Form•Amazing Humans•BBC The Birmingham-born exec- Midlands in terms of TV and Three, Birmingham Writer•Guz Khan and Andy Milligan: utive, who represented Great digital production. The Man Like Mobeen•Tiger Aspect Pro- Digital Creativity•EastEnders: The Real Britain in gymnastics at the breadth and diversity of the ductions for BBC Three Stories•BBC Three, Birmingham Montreal Olympics in 1976, content is a true reflection of On-Screen Personality•Matt Teale• Promotional Content•Breck’s Last ITV News Central Game•Affixxius Films celebrated a decade in the the talent and creativity of Outstanding New Talent•Sue Brown Craft – Production•Perjeet Aujla: Great British Menu•Optomen TV for BBC Two top job at BBC Sport last year. the region,” said RTS Mid- Popular Factual•River Walks: The ­Severn Valley•Gosh! TV for BBC One Craft – Post-production •Peshawar BBC One daytime drama lands Chair Caren Davies. Zalmi•Affixxius Films Doctors, which will mark its Matthew Bell

Tradefair won the award for Contribution in a Tech- Centre rewards local community nology Support Role. For three decades, it has man- Charlotte Wheeler was to Amsterdam or Las Vegas”. audio-visual specialist Jon aged broadcast shows glob- named Thames Valley Mama Youth Project, which Pratchett. The judges said: ally in partnership with the Media Hero at the RTS trains young people from “Jon’s knowledge is second to Department for International

Thames Valley centre’s second annual under-represented back- none. With a positive ‘can-do’ Trade and TechUK. technology and community grounds to succeed in the attitude, [he is] someone you “We have clearly demon- awards in late November. media industry, won the have to have on your team.” strated we are engaging an “Without the heroic pas- Community Improvement The Thames Valley Young audience well beyond our sion” shown by the event award. Over the past 12 years, Technologist prize was won traditional broadcast manu- director of the Media Produc- the project has trained more by Techex technical consul- facturing roots,” said Thames tion & Technology Show, said than 520 people from schools, tant Mark Couto, who was Valley Chair Tony Orme. the judges, “it is likely that, to colleges and homeless ref- described as having “a thirst The awards were presen­ enjoy high-quality, world- uges, as well as ex-offenders. for learning and an amazing ted at the centre’s winter ball class trade shows, we here in The Production/Craft enthusiasm for getting to grips in Reading. the UK would have to travel award went to TV and web with modern technology”. Matthew Bell

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 45 RTS NEWS

Leading animators look for is body mechanics in drew an optimistic a showreel: whether you can picture of their indus- move a character correctly,

RTS London London tips try at an RTS London get them to settle, get them to event in late November. look natural and organic,” “Apply and pitch for stuff, said animation director Will even if you feel out of your for toon talent Cook, who has been working depth,” said 2D animator and on The Adventures of Paddington, film-makerElmaz Ekrem. Blue Zoo’s new pre-school “Someone will eventually series for Nick Jr. take a chance on you.” Her Cook, who has worked for film (made with Dominika Blue Zoo for the best part of a Ożyńska) about the refugee decade, is part of the Access: crisis in Europe, The Law of the VFX initiative, which pro- Sea, was part of Channel 4’s motes diversity in animation. short-film strand Random Acts. The key to a good career in The panel offered advice animation, agreed the panel, to the many young anima- was to develop. “If you keep tors in the audience. “Insta- learning, you never get gram is probably the single bored. Because you’re always most important tool for an learning new things, it sparks animator looking for work,” your imagination and cre- said Neil Kidney, who co- ativity,” said MacKay. founded London animation “I learn through doing… studio Seed 16 years ago. letting the magic happen and In contrast to “polished” not being scared of software,” showreels, Instagram posts said Ekrem. “When I was a didn’t “necessarily look good, student, I had a fear of fail- but they give an insight into ure, which prevented me The Law of the Sea how [animators] are thinking 4 UCA/Channel from even trying to start.” and how they approach work. The young animator, who It’s like a second reel but it’s “Comic timing” was also runs Eton- and Dundee-based now classes herself as an a more truthful reel about useful, he added. “We have business-to-business anima- “anti-perfectionist”, added: their inner animator.” to get in people who [can] tor Salamandra.uk, agreed “Knowing my work will Kidney urged animators to really hit the beat of a gag on the need for across-the- never be perfect has allowed build a broad set of skills: perfectly… I think people board knowledge: “Most of me to let go and learn better.” “[Doing] a little bit of every- either have it or they don’t our animators… can do dif- “How to get ahead in ani- thing [gives] a good founda- – it’s an extra skill [on top of] ferent types of animation.” mation” was chaired and tion, across the board, for being a good animator.” “Whenever I’m recruiting produced by Terry Marsh. every step of the process.” Christine MacKay, who [a graduate], the first thing I Matthew Bell

zoom functions of professional cameras, requiring operators to Smart film-making on the move move closer to the action. Mulcahy compared the n ‘Storytelling for everybody is for BBC News in many of the To demonstrate how smart- practicality of shooting on a here in your pocket,’ said Deir- world’s hotspots, underlined phones can be used profes- smartphone with using a pro- dre Mulcahy. The producer and the importance of the basic sionally, Mulcahy showed a fessional camera: ‘Technically, trainer was demonstrating the craft skills of framing, focus, clip from Steven Soderbergh’s the [Sony] FS5 is better, but, for smartphone’s filming capabil- exposure and sound: ‘Once psychological thriller Unsane, practical purposes, I don’t carry ity at an RTS London event in you’ve cracked that, it starts starring The Crown’s Claire Foy. the FS5 in my pocket, and it November. ‘No matter how big making the material shot on Unsane was shot on a takes rigging and time.’ the tool, it comes down to the your mobile phone far more mobile phone, using the Filmic ‘I’d be very happy to shoot person who is actually using professional looking.’ Pro app. ‘There’s no zoomed-in and mix and match. I think the [it],’ she said. ‘Storytelling is But she warned: ‘You need shots in the whole film,’ said future is a mixed economy about where the focus is – and to know what platform you’re Mulcahy. ‘[A smartphone is] – because the cameras are understanding how you shoot.’ making your content for – if I a great storytelling device as getting so good on the mobile.’ Mulcahy, who became a shoot in landscape and we put long as I’m shooting wides.’ She ‘Production in your pocket’ video trainer after working that up on a vertical interface, I said the flaw with smartphones was produced by David Thomas. for years as a camerawoman have lost two-thirds of [the shot].’ was their inability to match the James Cordell

46 Legendary film pro- ducer Robert Watts visited Norwich in RTS news

East Centre November for a special screening of BBC Four’s The IN BRIEF Galaxy Britain Built, followed by a Q&A session. Watts’s credits include the original Star Wars All change in trilogy, the Indiana Jones films and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. the regions Watts was one of the con- Rick Horne is the new Chair tributors to presenter/pro- of RTS Devon and Cornwall. ducer and Star Wars superfan The Plymouth-based head of David Whiteley’s affectionate technical facilities at factual and look at the British talent entertainment indie Twofour has behind Star Wars. replaced Dan Adamson. Chris An audience of 75-plus, Bailey, a senior lecturer in film including two stormtroopers, and digital media production enjoyed a screening of The at Plymouth College of Art, is The Empire Strikes Back

Galaxy Britain Built, which won Fox Century 20th now Deputy Chair. In Northern two prizes at last year’s RTS Ireland, Stellify Media director East Awards (for Factual Pro- of operations Vikkie Taggart has gramme and Post-Production). moved into the chair vacated by They learned how the 1977 Norwich feels Kieran Doherty. film, which nobody expected would make much of a splash, came to be filmed at East hosts event Elstree Studios. The docu- Star Wars force for film-makers mentary covers the pre- production and filming of from film students on how The morning session on RTS East’s networking evening the movie, and speaks to to get on in the industry. mobile journalism, taken by in the Ruskin Gallery at Cam- director Gareth Edwards His advice to aspiring film-­ Marc Settle, gave them the bridge’s Anglia Ruskin University about how he used the same makers? Whatever you do, skills to go out into the city attracted cinematographers, style and locations for spin- do it with passion. and shoot and edit a film sound designers, directors, off Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. n Earlier that month, entirely on their phones. journalists, actors and writers, as Sporting a Yoda badge on 50 students took part in The afternoon sessions well as new talent. The Novem- his lapel, Watts reminisced the centre’s “Breaking into covered radio production ber event was held against the with Whiteley about his broadcasting” event at Nor- with Fran Acheson and Jim backdrop of an exhibition – career as a production man- wich University of the Arts. Davis of BBC Radio London ‘Storytelling in the Fourth Indus- ager and producer on some Run by the BBC Academy, and Magic FM, and how to trial Revolution’ – which offered of the biggest films of the the event aimed to give boost your CV and get on a a useful means of exploring 20th century. students an insight into recruitment shortlist. traditional and new forms of Watts fielded questions working in the industry. Tony Campbell storytelling across existing and new platforms.

Editors triumph RTÉ doc follows artists’ fortunes at Bristol quiz Acclaimed RTÉ One It was the first time that developed, financed and A team of freelance editors –

documentary Exhibi- cameras had been allowed filmed the documentary. Rudolph the Red Nose Render – tionists: Road to the RHA access to the judging process Fennell looked for artists held off 11 other teams, including

Republic of Ireland was screened by the at the 196-year-old Royal with interesting stories to Keo Films, Plimsoll Productions, RTS at a late-November event Hibernian Academy. The film tell. Her subjects include a Drummer TV, The Farm and Off in Dublin. In the one-hour was broadcast on RTÉ One 92-year-old woman who the Fence, to win the RTS West film, director Hilary Fennell in June 2019. believes printmaking keeps of England Christmas quiz in followed seven artists At “Behind the scenes of her young, a sculptor who early December. TV and radio attempting to have work an arts documentary”, which makes art from recycled presenter Steve le Fevre, who accepted for Ireland’s most was held at RTÉ Television bicycle tyres and a former won the On-Screen Talent prize important open-call art show, Centre, Fennell and director cannabis dealer who learnt at the RTS West of England the Royal Hibernian Academy of photography Steve O’Reilly to paint in prison. Awards 2018, hosted the quiz at Summer Exhibition. discussed how they Charles Byrne the Folk House in Bristol.

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 47 RTS NEWS Leading animators Annie Campbell, the struck an optimistic owner of Glasgow-based note at a Scotland Campbell Medical Illustra-

RTS Scotland Centre event for young tion, said: “It’s the small animators trying to break details that matter.” Working into the industry. at a medical animation stu- “There are skill shortages dio, she added, there were across the board,” said only so many animated Sueann Rochester, MD of femurs she could see before Red Kite Animation and the repetition began to take hold. Scottish representative of Jim Jagger, director of Animated Women UK, which animation at Rockstar organised the event with the Games, which has studios RTS at Edinburgh College of around the world, stressed Art in November. the importance of producing Speakers from leading a professional show reel. Scottish animation houses “[From] the font, the colour offered advice to the many scheme, the composition, XxxxxxxxxxMarvo the Wonder Chicken, made by Red Kite Animation

students in the audience. Beano I can tell if [he or she] is Rhona Drummond, who going to be a good animator,” owns Edinburgh production he said. studio Eyebolls, said: “For us Discussing the RTS/Ani- [as a smaller studio], what Animators paint mated Women UK event, matters is meeting the Jagger said: “It was a great person.” event because all of the Jill Wallace, head of HR speakers came from differ- and facilities at Axis Studios, a bright future ent backgrounds. which has bases in Glasgow, “It’s good to engage with Bristol and London, said: the thing that doesn’t get you “It’s important that we get the students… and help peo- “The CV is not what’s going hired… You can work your enough granular detail to get ple get jobs.” to get you hired but it may be personality in. to know your work.” Corrie Young

Children’s winner Buid- Dunbar heagain, said she appre- ciated the recognition the Dublin dips into archives RTS Awards gave to people working in the TV industry: TV archives came

to host ‘What I loved about it was under the microscope that it felt very much for the at RTÉ in Dublin.

awards Republic of Ireland practitioners. The red carpet Film-maker Sé Merry stuff is great, and we all love Doyle recently donated n RTS Scotland launched its that, but this felt it was for much of his work – the 2020 Awards at the Glasgow the people at the coalface.’ Loopline Collection – to the Art Club in late November, The 2019 awards received Irish Film Institute (IFI). Vol- announcing Karen Dunbar as a record 232 entries for the ume 1 of the collection host. The comedian and 24 categories and, with the includes Doyle’s 1999 film actor described her career as arrival of the new BBC Scot- about the lives of Dublin an ‘unscripted journey’, land channel and Channel 4’s street traders, Alive Alive O: A The Irish promising the awards would Glasgow Hub, a high number Requiem for Dublin. The direc- Revolution

feature similar spontaneity. of submissions are antici- tor discussed his decision to IFI/RTÉ A number of 2019 award pated for next year’s awards. donate his archive to the IFI. winners appeared at the The online awards portal RTÉ series The Irish Revolu- can be expensive to use. event, including talent from is open until 31 January 2020 tion, produced by Martha Máire Aoibhinn Ní Ógáin, STV Productions, Hello Halo and the a wards ceremony Moloney, makes extensive who looks after TG4’s rapidly and Sorbier Productions. will be held on 3 June at the use of archive material. She growing archive, completed Sorbier founder Patsi Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow. said that archive is an impor- the panel at the event, “Raid- Mackenzie, who produced Donald Matheson tant part of programme- ers of the (lost) archives”. making, but warned that it Agnes Cogan and Charles Byrne

48 Your guide to upcoming events. Book online at RTS EVENTS www.rts.org.uk Wednesday 5 February Wednesday 5 February SOUTHERN National events The Future of TV RTS Scotland Student Thursday 16 January 6:30pm for 7:00pm Television Awards 2020 Freelancers’ Fair RTS FUTURES Venue: Deloitte, 2 New Street Supported by STV, which will Venue: TBC Wednesday 12 February 2020 Square, London EC4A 3BZ film the ceremony and show RTS Futures Television ■ Phil Barnes highlights on its digital platform, Wednesday 5 February Careers Fair 2020 ■ [email protected] along with the winning and Meet the Professionals Tickets: £10. 10:00am-4:00pm nominated films. Hosted by STV Join some 200 production- Venue: Business Design Centre, MIDLANDS presenter Laura Boyd. Recep- based students from southern 52 Upper Street, London N1 0QH ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 tion 6:00pm, ceremony 7:00pm universities to meet media ■ [email protected] Venue: Everyman Cinema, professionals for panel discus- RTS AWARDS Princes Square, Buchanan Street, sions and networking. The event Wednesday 26 February 2020 NORTH EAST AND THE BORDER Glasgow G1 3JN is now in its 11th year. RTS Television Journalism Saturday 29 February Venue: Bournemouth University, Awards 2020 RTS North East and the Border Thursday 20 February Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Sponsor: Avid 2020 Awards The Network Speaks – with Poole BH12 5BB Venue: London Hilton on Park 7:00pm the Creative Diversity Network Lane, London W1K 1BE Venue: Hilton Hotel, Bottle Bank, RTS Scotland is hosting an hon- Friday 6 March Gateshead NE8 2AR est and practical conversation RTS Southern Professional and RTS AWARDS ■ Joanna Makepeace about how we can invest in the Student Television Awards Tuesday 17 March 2020 ■ joanna.makepeace best talent from a diverse pool. 7:00pm RTS Programme Awards 2020 @sunderland.ac.uk This will be a safe, facilitated Venue: Guildhall Winchester, The In partnership with Audio space for people to ask any Broadway, Winchester SO23 9GH Network NORTH WEST questions they may be nervous Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel, Monday 27 January about. Topics include: Thursday 12 March London W1K 7TN Masterclass with Frank Spotnitz ■ How you can spread the net In conversation with Dan Snow With the writer and co-creator wide during recruitment Venue: TBC of The X-Files, Medici: Masters ■ Dos and don’ts on set Local events of Florence, The Man in the High ■ What is talent? Thursday 26 March Castle and Ransom. 6:30pm ■ Language and terminology Working in Journalism DEVON AND CORNWALL Venue: Digital Performance Lab, ■ Culture and behaviour Venue: TBC ■ Jane Hudson University of Salford, MediaCityUK, Venue: TBC ■ Stephanie Farmer ■ RTSDevonandCornwall@rts. Salford Quays M50 2HE ■ [email protected] org.uk ■ Rachel Pinkney 07966 230639 Thursday 5 March ■ [email protected] Inspirational women THAMES VALLEY EAST Panel discussion to mark ■ Tony Orme Wednesday 4 March NORTHERN IRELAND International Women’s Day on ■ [email protected] RTS East Awards 2020 ■ John Mitchell 8 March. Jointly organised by Venue: The Assembly House, ■ mitch.mvbroadcast@ RTS and Hello Halo TV. WALES Theatre Street, Norwich NR2 1RQ btinternet.com Venue: Glasgow, TBC Wednesday 15 January ■ Jayne Greene 07792 776585 Screening and Q&A: Sex ■ [email protected] REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Wednesday 6 May ­Education series 2 ■ Charles Byrne (353) 87251 3092 RTS Scotland Television Awards 6:00pm ISLE OF MAN ■ [email protected] 2020 Nominees Party Venue: Chapter Arts Centre, ■ Michael Wilson 6:00pm Market Road, Cardiff CF5 1QE ■ [email protected] SCOTLAND Venue: Glasgow Art Club, ■ Hywel Wiliam 07980 007841 Thursday 23 January 185 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4HU ■ [email protected] LONDON AGM and Burns celebration Wednesday 22 January AGM 5:30pm; Burns celebration Wednesday 3 June 2020 WEST OF ENGLAND Are the Kids Alright? 6:30pm. More details soon RTS Scotland Television ■ Suzy Lambert 6:30pm for 7:00pm Venue: Glasgow Art Club, 185 Awards 2020 ■ [email protected] Venue: Hogg Lecture Theatre, Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4HU Presented by Karen Dunbar. University of Westminster, Drinks reception 5:45pm; YORKSHIRE 35 Marylebone Road, London awards ceremony 7:00pm ■ Lisa Holdsworth 07790 145280 NW1 5LS Venue: The Old Fruitmarket, ■ lisa@allonewordproductions. 87-101 Albion Street, Glasgow co.uk G1 1NQ ■ Cheryl Strong ■ [email protected]

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 49 OFF M E SSAGE

ll eyes are on ITV Chernobyl grabbed six trophies, while searing and often hilarious. If you as it prepares to the addressable advertising platform haven’t yet seen it, you have a treat launch what it Sky AdSmart received a special in store. hopes will be a award in recognition of how it had ratings juggernaut, “fundamentally changed TV adver- ■ Oh, to be part of the club of the The Masked Singer. tising for good”. senior “Janes” in the UK TV industry. The reality Congratulations to Sky Studios’ Not only is there the previously singing show is based on a South boss, Gary Davey, and to Chernobyl’s mentioned drama doyenne making AKorean format, King of Masked Singer, producer, Sister Pictures, run by the waves with Chernobyl, Jane Feather- and goes one step further than The brilliant Jane Featherstone. stone, but also Jane Millichip, in her Voice in hiding the identity of those Davey had a busy evening con- senior leadership role at Sky Studios; who’re flexing their vocal chords. gratulating his colleagues at the Jane Tranter, riding high with His The contestants appear in elaborate awards, but Featherstone, alas, was Dark Materials and Succession; and disguises inspired by Japanese manga, unable to attend. She was busy else- All3Media CEO Jane Turton, recently mythical creatures and superheroes. where, overseeing production on The appointed Chair of the RTS. Critics have described the show as Power, a 10-part series based on “bonkers” and “hallucinatory”, but it’s Naomi Alderman’s sci-fi novel, com- ■ Finally, Off Message bids a fond proved a global smash, especially in missioned by Amazon. farewell to Channel 4’s head of cor- the uber-competitive US, and in Off Message hopes to see her at porate relations, the well-connected Australia, too. some of the TV awards ceremonies to Sophie Jones, who has announced New prime-time, shiny-floor hits be held in the weeks that lie ahead. that she’s stepping down after are few and far between – so Off The betting is that Chernobyl’s success 12 years at the broadcaster. Message is very excited about this at the RTS Craft & Design Awards is a Sophie, whose presence brightened newcomer hitting our screens. foretaste of further prizes to come. up many an RTS event, will take a short break before pursuing new ■ Few could deny that 2019 was a ■ Staying with the very best in opportunities. good year for Sky. The announce- scripted shows, the scale of Netflix’s During her time at Horseferry Road, ment of the company’s plans to ambition and dedication to film- she worked closely on Channel 4’s build a Hollywood-style film studio making of the highest quality con- nations and regions strategy, its at Elstree in north London, creating tinues to amaze. approach to inclusion and diversity, more than 2,000 jobs, capped a Not only is there series 2 of Sex and helped secure its latest public memorable 12 months for ­Jeremy Education to look forward to, the service licence. Darroch and his team. remarkable Marriage Story – nominated CEO Alex Mahon echoed industry Coincidentally, the news of Sky’s for six Golden Globes – is regarded as sentiments in her statement about Elstree project came just days after a potential Oscar winner. Adam Sophie. She said: “I’m immensely Sky Studios enjoyed an unprece­ Driver is outstanding as Manhattan grateful for the support she’s given me dented night of success at the RTS playwright Charlie Barber, juggling over the past two years, and we wish Craft & Design Awards. work and divorce. Noah Baumbach’s her all the best with whatever chal- The Sky Atlantic-HBO drama script is compassionate, emotionally lenge she decides to take on next.”

50 January 2020 www.rts.org.uk Television RTS PATRONS RTS Principal BBC Channel 4 ITV Sky Patrons

RTS A+E Networks International Netflix International CGTN The Walt Disney Company Patrons Discovery Networks Viacom International Media Networks Facebook WarnerMedia Liberty Global YouTube NBCUniversal International

RTS Accenture EndemolShine KPMG STV Group Major All3Media Enders Analysis Motion Content The Trade Desk Patrons Amazon Video Entertainment One Group UKTV Audio Network Finecast netgem.tv Vice Avid Freeview OC&C Virgin Media Boston Consulting Fremantle Pinewood TV YM&U Group Group Gravity Media Studios YouView BT IBM S4C Channel 5 IMG Studios Sargent-Disc Deloitte ITN Spencer Stuart

RTS Autocue Isle of Media Mission Bay Raidió Teilifís Éireann Patrons Digital Television Group Lumina Search PricewaterhouseCoopers Red Bee Media Grass Valley

Who’s who Patron Chair of RTS Trustees CENTRES COUNCIL Education at the RTS HRH The Prince of Wales Jane Turton Lynn Barlow Graeme Thompson Phil Barnes Vice-Presidents Honorary Secretary Tony Campbell RTS Futures David Abraham David Lowen April Chamberlain Alex Wootten Dawn Airey Agnes Cogan Sir David Attenborough OM Honorary Treasurer Caren Davies RTS Technology Bursaries CH CVO CBE FRS Mike Green Stephanie Farmer Simon Pitts Baroness Floella Rick Horne Benjamin OBE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Cat Lewis AWARDS COMMITTEE Mike Darcey Lynn Barlow Will Nicholson CHAIRS Greg Dyke Julian Bellamy Tony Orme Awards & Fellowship Lord Hall of Birkenhead Tim Davie Vikkie Taggart Policy Lorraine Heggessey Mike Green Fiona Thompson David Lowen Armando Iannucci OBE David Lowen Michael Wilson Ian Jones Anne Mensah Judith Winnan Craft & Design Awards Baroness Lawrence of Jane Millichip Anne Mensah Clarendon OBE Simon Pitts SPECIALIST GROUP David Lynn Sarah Rose CHAIRS Programme Awards Sir Trevor McDonald OBE Jane Turton Archives Wayne Garvie Ken MacQuarrie Rob Woodward Dale Grayson Gavin Patterson Student Television Trevor Phillips OBE EXECUTIVE Diversity Awards Stewart Purvis CBE Chief Executive Angela Ferreira Siobhan Greene Sir Howard Stringer Theresa Wise Early Evening Events Television Journalism Bursaries Manager Keith Underwood Awards Anne Dawson Simon Bucks

Television www.rts.org.uk January 2020 51 Gravity Media is a brand-new company with a 30-year pedigree, formed by the coming together of four broadcast and production houses you may already know: Gearhouse Broadcast, HyperActive Broadcast, Input Media and Chief Entertainment.

Our 500 people serve clients across the sport, media, news and entertainment industries from bases in the UK, Australia, USA, France, Germany and Qatar. We’re world leaders in providing complex live broadcast facilities and production services to content owners, creators and distributors. Contact us today to see how we can help with your next production.

+44 20 3104 0000 [email protected] gravitymedia.com

GM-INBROADCAST.indd 1 31/10/2019 16:42