June 2020 Michaela Coel Exploring consent Television www.rts.org.uk September 2013 1 Epic. Hybrid. Panoramic. Inspirational. Drawing on everything from classical techniques to modern hybrid production approaches, our music is designed to create maximum impact. From big screen to small, tell incredible stories with Modern Orchestral music. Find out more: Naomi Koh [email protected] +44 (0)207 566 1441 Journal of The Royal Television Society June 2020 l Volume 57/6 From the CEO It has been a busy few Valley have each organised online modern relationships and the thorny weeks for the RTS. discussions about how broadcasters question of sexual consent. We’ve held awards have responded to the crisis. Televi- With the lockdowns easing, global ceremonies at both sion’s news pages carry reports of stockmarkets have been rebounding. ends of the UK and these events, which emphasise the Leo Barraclough considers the most hosted a stellar array challenges of working remotely. likely media mergers and acquisitions of digital events. Last month’s RTS discussion on the in the months ahead. Congratulations to all the winners impact of Covid-19 on TV and related Finally, huge congratulations to Tim of the RTS Scotland Awards, whose industries was stimulating and pro- Davie on his new DG role. The BBC streamed ceremony was presented by vocative. It rightly generated head- has an impressive leader familiar with Scottish actor and comedian Karen lines, so a big thank you to panellists commerce and public service, creativ- Dunbar. Well done, too, to all the vic- Lindsey Clay, from Thinkbox, Claire ity and business, normal times and tors at the RTS Devon and Cornwall Enders, Damian Green MP and Sean times of crisis. Student Television Awards. McGuire, from Oliver & Ohlbaum. The pandemic has had a profound Don’t miss the report in this issue. impact on newsrooms everywhere, Our cover story looks at the brilliant and our centres in Devon and Corn- Michaela Coel’s new BBC One drama, wall, the Isle of Man and Thames I May Destroy You, which explores Theresa Wise Contents Cover: I May Destroy You (BBC) Brian Woods’s TV Diary Mr Fix-it Documentary-maker Brian Woods survives sleepless Roz Laws talks to Jay Blades, presenter of zeitgeist show 4 nights to create a unique portrait of coronavirus Britain 16 The Repair Shop, whose own life story offers inspiration for these troubled times Rising star Matthew Bell asks Lily Newmark – Ruthie in Sex Education Getting inventive in lockdown 5 – about her role in Netflix’s new fantasy drama Cursed Julie Graham shares how she created an original online 18 drama with a little help from some famous friends Working Lives: Make-up artist Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist Lisa Armstrong Our new normal Epic. Hybrid. Panoramic. 6 is interviewed by Matthew Bell Steve Clarke listens to Andrea Scrosati, the COO of 20 Fremantle, as he outlines the shape of the post-lockdown Inspirational. Drawing on Comfort Classic: The Sweeney world for producers Matthew Bell salutes Britain’s best cop show, which everything from classical 8 painted a gritty, vibrant picture of a now-vanished city The people’s writer Sally Wainwright, busy on season 2 of Gentleman Jack, Ear Candy: Grounded with Louis Theroux 22 tells the RTS why her work has to be grounded in reality techniques to modern hybrid Kate Holman downloads a binge-box of the great 9 interlocutor’s encounters with locked-down celebs Predators prepare to pounce production approaches, our Leo Barraclough explains how the pandemic is Personal and provocative 24 an opportunity for certain media companies and music is designed to create As Michaela Coel’s new drama I May Destroy You hits other investors 10 our screens, Matthew Bell hears about her ‘vomit drafts’ maximum impact. The Clinton conundrum The economic impact of Covid-19 An emotional new documentary provides a fresh take An RTS panel examines the fallout from the crisis 26 on the polarising figure of Hillary Clinton. Caroline Frost From big screen to small, 12 on television businesses speaks to its director, Nanette Burstein Crisis shows need for quality journalism Our Friend in Belfast tell incredible stories with ITN Chief Executive Anna Mallett tells Steve Clarke that Vikkie Taggart gives the lowdown on her new normal, 14 her doctorate is less relevant than her people skills 29 running Belfast indie Stellify Media from home Modern Orchestral music. 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 Find out more: 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 Naomi Koh [email protected] [email protected] W: www.rts.org.uk [email protected] +44 (0)207 566 1441 Television www.rts.org.uk June 2020 3 TV diary Documentary-maker Brian Woods survives sleepless nights to create a unique portrait of coronavirus Britain ockdown begins five ■ We need to get three types of editors. The Other Planet in Leeds has weeks early for me. material: footage that we will send given us all its edit suites, so we can Not due to Covid-19 shooting producer-directors (PDs) cut socially distanced. PDs watch but because, on to film properly; footage that people screens in other suites on Zoom. 18 February, I become will shoot on their phones, but set a dad. Welcome, Ros- up in advance, with guidance and ■ Saturday 4 April. We’re way coe. I plan to avoid direction from us; and all the other behind schedule; Channel 4 is looking at email for the first month. user-generated content (UGC) that worried – 3,185 clips have been LThree weeks later, on 11 March, I will be a surprise – it will be what- uploaded by the public, and every give in. Louisa Compton, editor of ever people send in. single one has to be watched. Channel 4’s Dispatches, wants quick By the early hours of Sunday ideas on coronavirus. I send her a ■ We bring in PDs we know and morning, we have a great part one barmy notion about shooting a film trust to work alone; they are based – filmic, funny, beautiful, moving. in one day, editing it in a week, and in Glasgow, Belfast, London, Wales, Somehow, 30-ish hours later, the broadcasting seven days after filming. Norwich, Birmingham, Leeds and other three parts are just as good. rural Yorkshire. A team of producers ■ It is 16 March, my 57th birthday. focuses in parallel on specific UGC ■ Monday 6 April, 2:00pm, I head for Louisa calls as I am driving Roscoe sequences, while Harry Lock works home. I’ve not slept much, but the to hospital for a jaundice check (he through the night creating a public adrenaline buzz gets me back to Lon- turns out to be fine). C4 likes the “in- upload website. don safely. a-day” idea, but can we shoot it one Our absolute deadline is that the film day and broadcast the following night? ■ Friday the 3rd dawns. I film the has to be uploaded by 5:00pm, other- Only a newsperson would ask this. lack of rush-hour traffic on the A4, wise it will be dropped. At 5:21pm, I Anna Hall, our creative director, and but much of the remainder of the get a WhatsApp: “Red Bee confirms I confer – we just can’t do it justice day is strangely quiet. After two that it has a complete recording.” in a day, but suggest a compromise: frantic weeks, all I can do is wait. shoot on a Friday, broadcast the fol- Someone sends in a video of Lean ■ At 8:30pm, 32 of us convene lowing Monday. on Me – it’s brilliant. We check the on Zoom for a pre-transmission rights and find that Bill Withers’ party. Anna and I both make little ■ On 23 March, Britain goes into passing is on the lunchtime news. We speeches. Mine is to the effect that I lockdown, and Channel 4 commis- send out an appeal for people to sing had hoped we could pull it off, but, sions the film. The Monday chosen along to Lean on Me, and this becomes in the end, what we produced aston- for broadcast is 6 April. We have two the last three minutes of the film. ished me and is one of the best films weeks. I have ever been involved with. Our team at Candour Productions ■ Three weeks into lockdown, I feel in Leeds evacuates the building and like a naughty schoolboy driving to Brian Woods is founder and director of we quickly learn out how to use Leeds along deserted motorways. True Vision (London and Cambridge) and Zoom, to try to figure how to make We have 48 hours to cut the film, Candour Productions (Leeds). A Day in the this project happen in lockdown. and a fantastic team of shift-working Life of Coronavirus Britain is on All4. 4 didn’t feel too far removed from our Lily Newmark own reality – it’s just that the clothes as Ruthie in are a bit different and it was more Sex Education normal to carry a sword.” Not that Newmark got to wield a weapon, which was a serious disap- pointment.