Werner Herzog Interview with a Legend
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July/August 2019 Werner Herzog Interview with a legend David Harewood | Alex Scott | The South Bank Show CREATE MAXIMUM IMPACT WITH MUSIC A collection of epic music composed, recorded and produced specifically for film trailers and broadcast programming, from stirring emotional drama to apocalyptic action. AVAILABLE FOR LICENCE AT AUDIONETWORK.COM/DISCOVER/MAXIMUMIMPACT FIND OUT MORE: Rebecca Hodges [email protected] (0)207 566 1441 1012-RTS ADVERTS-MAX_IMPACT-V2.indd 1 25/06/2019 09:31 Journal of The Royal Television Society July/August 2019 l Volume 56/7 From the CEO We have just enjoyed We had a full house as some of televi- creative icon, Werner Herzog. His new two outstanding sion’s most successful storytellers BBC Arena film, focusing on his rela- national RTS events, shared their approaches to their craft. tionship with Bruce Chatwin, is some- the RTS Student Tele- I am very grateful to the event’s joint thing to look forward to this autumn. vision Awards and a organisers, Directors Cut Productions, Don’t miss Simon Shaps’s incisive live South Bank Show Sky Arts and Premier. review of a new book that analyses the special devoted to the I am thrilled that Alex Scott found the recent battle to own Sky, and Stewart art of screenwriting. Many thanks to time to write this edition’s Our Friend Purvis’s account of how the politics of all of you who worked hard to make column. The Women’s World Cup Brexit are challenging news broadcast- these happen. Congratulations to all really did capture and hold the pub- ers and what impartiality means in a the nominees and winners of the lic’s imagination: England’s semi-final fragmenting political landscape. awards, and a special thank you to against the US, shown on BBC One, the hosts, the totally engaging Matt delivered the year’s highest peak-time Edmondson and Mollie King. TV audience, of 11.7 million people. Inside is a full report of the writers’ Our cover story is Pippa Shawley’s evening, presented by Melvyn Bragg. brilliant interview with a genuine Theresa Wise Contents Lydia Noakes’s TV Diary The art of TV drama RTS bursary student Lydia Noakes seeks nocturnal Melvyn Bragg hosted a special event at which top writers 4 inspiration as she prepares for a career in journalism 16 revealed their modi operandi. Matthew Bell reports TV’s Top Five: Grisly ends David Harewood: Defying his demons James Cordell recalls some strange and outré demises The star of Homeland and Supergirl gives an unvarnished 5 20 account of his career to the RTS. Roz Laws is transfixed A verdict on TV Carole Solazzo hears Robert Rinder cast judgement Unsung heroes of regional production 6 on his own life A&E, Channel 5 and ITV all invest in making shows 22 outside London. Tara Conlan travels beyond the M25 Ear Candy: Obsessed with… Killing Eve to see their work Pippa Shawley savours the perfect podcast for 7 summer listening Sky’s second coming Simon Shaps enjoys a new history of Europe’s most Working lives: Location manager 24 successful pay-TV operator but thinks a key question Pippa Shawley interviews Lauren Taylor, filming is ignored 8 and locations manager of the National Trust The perfectionist Auteur, author, actor Ben Dowell meets the co-founder of drama specialist Werner Herzog tells Pippa Shawley how he met Bruce 26 Mammoth Screen, Damien Timmer, whose eye for detail 10 Chatwin, the subject of his latest film – and why lock defines him picking is an essential skill RTS Student Television Awards 2019 Our Friend in Paris Matt Edmondson and Mollie King hosted an inspirational Alex Scott, a BBC TV commentator at the Women’s 29 ceremony sponsored by Motion Content Group 13 World Cup, relishes how football is empowering women RTS news Is Brexit killing impartiality? Events and reports from around the nations and regions Stewart Purvis argues that our fragmented politics 34 14 is challenging news broadcasters as never before Cover: BBC 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 2019. [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 July/August 2019 3 TV diary RTS bursary student Lydia Noakes seeks nocturnal inspiration as she prepares for a career in journalism y week starts the BBC to be assessed for a journal- working on. Its record on exposing the way it has ism apprenticeship. human rights abuses is amazing. We done most I can’t believe it but I’ve managed to agree to see each other again so we Mondays for beat more than 5,000 applicants. The can discuss making my ideas a reality. the past three day consists of a group exercise, inter- years – sit- view and written assessment. Looking ■ Like the rest of the nation, I’m ting in a uni- around the room, I am reminded that hooked on Killing Eve. Villanelle, versity library. There’s one big now is an exciting time to be starting played to perfection by the awesome Mdifference. At this time of year, there a career in the media industry. Jodie Comer, is shockingly wicked is a veil of calm. The underlying cur- yet somehow disturbingly easy to rent of stress has dissipated. It’s a big ■ Like many people with an over relate to. change from the tensions of exam active imagination, I have developed Not the best female role model but season a month ago. what I refer to as “creative insomnia”. one of the alltime great TV villains. Chairs stand unoccupied and aca- It sounds like the title of a new Net Another favourite is Gogglebox. demic books are tossed aside. I am flix drama aimed at Millennials like Such a simple idea and totally com finally on my last chapter. This one is myself. pelling. I shudder to think what com entitled “The real world of television”. On my bedside table I place a note ments would come from my sofa. book and a pen ready to write, cross Some of the expletives would have ■ It’s been three years since I joined out and generally work up any ideas to be bleeped out. the RTS bursary scheme. Since that – if I’m lucky – might disturb then, I’ve been navigating my way my sleep. For the past year I’ve been ■ Ping! My email goes off again. through the industry, learning to producing a documentary looking at It’s the brilliant Anne Dawson from grow a thick skin and encountering organ donation in the UK. The germ the RTS. She manages the bursary unique opportunities. of the idea emerged from a 2:00am scheme and has the mammoth task Trying to find my way hasn’t always brainstorm. of organising more than 100 students. been easy. At times, it can feel like Despite this, she seems to know you’re a small fish in a shark tank. But ■ I attend a meeting with True every one of us as individuals. being a member of the Royal Televi Vision’s creative director, Anna Hall. This year alone, thanks to Anne, sion Society gives me the safety net I have the RTS to thank for introduc- I’ve gained work experience and an that anyone starting out on a career ing me to Anna. Being matched with apprenticeship. in TV desires so frantically. a mentor is possibly the best oppor- This time, she asks if I’d like to My mantra is: “No matter who we tunity that comes with being a bur- write the TV Diary for Television. are, we’re able to succeed with a help sary student. Without hesitation, I reply that I’d ing hand.” Anna passionately believes that love to. The RTS has given me documentaries should make a differ- another fantastic opportunity! ■ After being introduced to an ence and push boundaries. I agree opportunity by the RTS in 2018, I’m wholeheartedly. She tells me about Lydia Noakes is a graduate broadcast in Birmingham. I’m on my way to the programmes that True Vision is journalist and RTS bursary recipient. 4 TV’S TOP FIVE GRISLY ENDS James Cordell recalls some strange and outré demises Stone me! ants. This ended with Supernova The Mountain took the opportunity 1 The Colour of Magic, Sky propelling the pair into a force field. to grab Martell and knock out his Power-hungry sorcerer Ymper Try- In the commotion, Million Ants sud- teeth. He then grasped the Viper’s mon was on the cusp of learning the denly swarmed into Rail’s mouth and head and inserted his thumbs into final spell of a pow- expanded from inside his body, turn- the prince’s eye sockets. Confessing erful tome, the ing the hero into a fleshy balloon that his sins as he expired, the villain Octavo. First, exploded gorily. In the words of crushed Martell’s skull to pulp. though, he Sanchez: “Oof! Didn’t see that comin’.” needed to kill The dog who waited n o the world’s Mirror, mirror off the wall 5 Futurama, Sky m y worst wizard, 3 Emmerdale, ITV In the 31st century, Philip J Fry r T r Rincewind, After a crashing helicopter was offered the chance to e p by casting a devastated the small village of clone the petrified T m h Y e : spell to turn Emmer dale, sisters Val Pol- 20th-century remains Co gic lour of Ma E him into stone.