The Crown's creators discuss making the hit Netflix series
The creators of Netflix's The Crown explain why sometimes its necessary to forsake accuracy, but never truth, in a drama based on real events
The Crown
The Crown: Deconstructing the Coronation
The lavish ten-part Netflix series became another outstanding triumph for writer Peter Morgan and a distinguished team . Critics noted a “startling attention to detail in everything from costumes to sets” and thought it hard to see how it could be better.
The show set out to tell the inside story of the most famous addresses in the world, Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street, and it did just that, exploring the intrigues, love lives and machinations of post-war Britain.
Making professional productions on the go
The freelance producer and trainer gave a demonstration of the smartphone’s filming capability at an RTS London event in early November.
“No matter how big the tool, it comes down to the person who is actually using [it],” said Mulcahy. “Storytelling is about where the focus is – and understanding how you shoot.”
Watch the trailer for The Crown’s third series
The series takes place during a rapidly changing Britain that faces a failing financial climate and the rise of political agendas against royalism.
The new trailer opens with The Queen reflecting on her reign and the inner tensions within the Royal family as they endure personal struggles in service of their subjects.
RTS London reflect on this year's RTS Cambridge Convention
The late-September event was hosted by the University of Westminster, and chaired by media producer and consultant Aradhna Tayal. It featured Bloomberg media reporter Joe Mayes, London Centre Chair Phil Barnes and James Cordell, a London committee member and first-time attendee at the convention.
The panel noted that one of the key themes throughout was the rise of streaming and whether the already established subscription video on demand (SVoD) companies – with more set to enter the market – will dominate the UK broadcast industry.
Cast announced for new Sky Atlantic drama I Hate Suzie
I Hate Suzie follows Suzie Pickles (Piper), a celebrity whose career is put in jeopardy when she becomes the victim of a hacking scandal that causes a compromising photo of herself to be leaked.
The eight-part series follows Suzie’s excruciating journey to hold her life together alongside her best friend and manager Naomi (Farzad), as she struggles to keep her career afloat and her marriage to her husband, Cob (Ings), begins to hang by a thread.
First look at Olivia Colman in The Crown series three
The new series will see Olivia Colman and Tobias Mezies take over the reins from Claire Foy and Matt Smith as The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The upcoming series will cover The Queen’s reign from 1964 up to 1977 and see the beginning of Prince Edward’s life, the marriage of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips and the celebrations of The Queen’s Silver Jubilee.
Meet the location manager for the National Trust
The film team liaises between National Trust properties and film and TV location managers on projects ranging from daytime shows to big-budget dramas.
They have assisted on several upcoming series including Poldark series 5, The Crown series 3, new Netflix show Watchmen and the BBC’s latest adaptation of A Christmas Carol, starring Tom Hardy, plus the Downton Abbey film.
Production Focus: Who Do You Think You Are
Graham, who founded the programme’s producer Wall to Wall, came up with the idea for a genealogy series in which famous faces discover the truth about their ancestors – but it took a decade and a half for a commissioner to bite.
“This show is 15 years old this year but this year is also the 30th anniversary of me trying to sell it to the BBC,” he said.
Making The Crown: From script to screen
Taking a script and bringing it to life on screen is no easy feat – and when the story is based on the most famous family in the world, the task carries huge responsibility.
“We’re not just recreating history,” said The Crown’s production designer Martin Childs. “It’s our own version of the world – it’s not a documentary. We try and find the mood and tone of our version of it,” added costume designer Jane Petrie.