In television, co-production deals come and go. Sometimes they turn sour as the conflicting demands of both parties lead to endless compromise or messy divorces. One of the most enduring - and productive - is the little-heralded partnership signed 10 years ago between BBC Studios and US public broadcaster PBS.
"Top that, Sweden!" joked Kate Phillips, challenging the hosts of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Just a few weeks earlier, a worldwide audience of 162 million – an all-time high – had watched Loreen win the contest for a second time.
Phillips, the BBC’s Director of Unscripted and Eurovision Lead, was talking at a packed RTS event that threw a spotlight on how the corporation staged the Europop jamboree at the Liverpool Arena in such spectacular fashion.
This special episode of Dynasties takes us to Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, where a macaque called Mac has just become alpha male.
With five thrilling new contemporary stories told over ten episodes, the series will see two new recruits joining Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and Jack Hodgson (David Caves).
Aki Omoshaybi (The Pursuit Of Love) will star as the academic, neurologist and pathologist Gabriel Folukoya, who has spent much of his career in innovative research, primarily in the field of data analysis.
In a TV landscape in which demand for new drama outstrips supply, adapting popular shows from abroad is a favoured strategy. It can often be done quickly and cheaply, and can deliver healthy ratings.
The original Swedish version of Before We Die performed respectably when it aired in the UK, averaging 300,000 viewers across its first series on All 4’s foreign language VoD service, Walter Presents.
A live panel seminar to coincide with COP26, with four key leaders in sustainable production:
A panel of leaders from the UK production sector and Netflix consider the rapid changes in the market and explore their possible longer term impacts on audiences, broadcasters and producers.
Chair
Lorraine Heggessey, Chair, Grierson Trust and Advisor, Channel 4 Growth Fund
Speakers
Ralph Lee, Chief Executive, Production, BBC Studios
Brandon Riegg, VP, Unscripted and Documentary Series, Netflix
Sanjay Singhal, Chief Executive, Voltage TV
Jane Turton, CEO, All3Media
"Fist fight” and “a perfect storm” are how producers are describing the current scarcity of crew, kit, studio space and talent in the British TV industry. The situation has arisen primarily due to the pre-Covid-19 content boom driven by the expanding streaming market and the post-lockdown rush back to production. And it is putting production schedules under strain.
If so, check out a BBC Studios’ initiative which is offering 14 one-year contracts to researchers who have a minimum of three researcher credits.
The successful 14 people will be employed and paid as assistant producers and work on productions as well as receive training.
The 14 roles are for different genres and are based throughout the UK. Applications must be in by January 31.
The genres include natural history, history and documentaries, science and arts, factual and factual entertainment, and entertainment and music.
Daniell Morrisey, Senior Editorial Early Careers Schemes Manager, Carrie Britton, Scripted Talent Executive for Drama and Comedy at BBC Studios, and Caroline Carter, Talent Executive for The Documentary Unit at BBC Studios, guide you through each section of the CV, giving their top tips on what to include – and not, and how to make your CV stand out for your next TV job.
