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TVDRAMA
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APRIL 2018
MIPTV & SERIES MANIA EDITION
Period Pieces / Political Drama / Genius: Picasso’s Antonio Banderas Ay Yapim’s Kerem Çatay / UnREAL’s Stacy Rukeyser
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CONTENTS FEATURES
Conspiracy Theory
30 LOOKING BACK Period drama never seems to go out of style.
30
I have a terrifying backlog of shows to catch up on. Other than the smattering of series that I have to watch live—or, at the very least, close to live—I have fallen tragically behind. And I blame the White House.
38 MATTERS OF STATE Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Joanna Padovano Tong Managing Editor Sara Alessi Associate Editor Victor L. Cuevas Production & Design Director Phyllis Q. Busell Art Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Nathalia Lopez Sales & Marketing Coordinator Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager
Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Drama © 2018 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvdrama.ws
Really, how do you pull yourself away from the nightly coverage of subpoenas and sackings, trysts and tall tales? Porn stars and Russian spies? And of course, the battle between newsrooms for the latest scoop. It is addictive. I’m back and forth between MSNBC and CNN constantly, have subscriptions to The New York Times and The Washington Post, and Google News is my browser’s default address. So much drama! And drama is the key word here because I find myself, frequently, watching news coverage and wondering who is going to play X in the inevitable limited event series on HBO or Netflix or Amazon or [insert prestige drama platform] about the Trump presidency. I’d love to see what Ryan Murphy would make of all this palace intrigue. Or Shonda Rhimes. Maybe the Duffer Brothers, because it does all feel like Stranger Things’ The Upside Down sometimes, doesn’t it? [I’ll take SNL’s Kate McKinnon as Robert Mueller and Jeff Sessions any day.] Political dramas are certainly of the moment, as we explore in this issue of TV Drama, with a wealth emerging out of Europe in particular. They are tricky to pull off, but when done well can be ratings winners at home and abroad, giving audiences an insider’s look at the halls of power. The political- and espionage-themed dramas available on the market right now are largely contemporary, but audiences are as eager to be transported to the past. Another report in this edition explores the enduring demand for period pieces and hears from leading distributors about the kinds of costume dramas that fare best globally. Biographical series are also making headlines, among them National Geographic’s Genius: Picasso, a follow-up to the channel’s series on Albert Einstein. Antonio Banderas tells TV Drama about how he embodied the iconic artist. We also feature Q&As with Stacy Rukeyser, showrunner of UnREAL, the Lifetime drama that tackles gender politics through the prism of a reality dating show; and Kerem Çatay, the CEO of Ay Yapim, one of Turkey’s most prolific production houses. —Mansha Daswani
The demand for political dramas and espionage thrillers is on the rise.
38
INTERVIEWS
44 Genius: Picasso’s Antonio Banderas
48 Ay Yapim’s Kerem Çatay
50 UnREAL’s Stacy Rukeyser
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CJ E&M
Avengers’ Social Club / Because This Is My First Life / Cross Women team up to seek revenge on targets as well as uncover social injustice in Avengers’ Social Club, one of the drama highlights being presented by CJ E&M to international buyers in Cannes. The company is also highlighting Because This Is My First Life, about two strangers who move into an apartment together, and Cross, centered on a young man who becomes a doctor and volunteers to work in a prison hospital to avenge his father’s killer. “The three titles above have recorded great ratings for the channel tvN,” says Jangho Seo, the general manager of CJ E&M’s global content division. “Viewers were immersed in the storylines and [imagined] themselves in the shoes of the characters. These titles are about stories that can happen anywhere to anyone in any culture, which is why they could be appealing internationally.”
Avengers’ Social Club
“After successful remakes of K-dramas around the world, we hope that more buyers are introduced to compelling stories by CJ E&M.”
—Jangho Seo
Fox Networks Group Content Distribution Genius: Picasso / Here on Earth / Mr Inbetween
Following the success of Genius: Einstein, which marked National Geographic’s first fully scripted drama, the anthology series returns with a second installment that details the life and loves of the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. Antonio Banderas stars in Genius: Picasso, which Fox Networks Group Content Distribution is bringing to MIPTV. Two additional slate highlights are Here on Earth and Mr Inbetween. “Here on Earth is a new crime drama and thriller from Latin America, revolving around the complex criminal activity and major secrets of one of Mexico’s most influential families,” says Prentiss Fraser, the company’s executive VP and managing director. Gael García Bernal appears in the series, as well as executive produces. Mr Inbetween, meanwhile, is a drama series, with comedic moments, about a hitman.
Here on Earth
“We are proud to represent such compelling and top-quality drama, and these three titles alone show how international our new slate is for MIPTV.”
—Prentiss Fraser
FremantleMedia
Hang Ups
My Brilliant Friend / Hang Ups / The Miracle
Based on the hit book penned by Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant Friend is an eight-part drama directed by Saverio Costanzo (Private) that is currently in production in Italy. According to Sarah Doole, the director of global drama at FremantleMedia, the series “will be the first of the Elena Ferrante novels centering on the lives of Elena Greco and Raffaella Cerullo to be brought to screen.” The company is also showcasing Hang Ups, a six-part unconventional comedy adapted from the Emmy-nominated show Web Therapy. “Stephen Mangan (Episodes) stars as Dr. Richard Pitt, a therapist with a checkered professional career, who finds himself at a crossroads in life,” says Doole. Then there is The Miracle, which marks the first TV project from best-selling Italian author Niccolò Ammaniti.
“Our slate includes some enormously ambitious, channel-defining scripted titles from some of the best on- and off-screen talent in the industry.” —Sarah Doole 252 WORLD SCREEN 4/18
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Global Agency Sultan of My Heart / My Dangerous Wife / Bitter Sweet The historical drama series Sultan of My Heart leads off Global Agency’s drama slate. It is being co-produced by Russia’s Gazprom-Media and Turkey’s Maya Productions and is set to air in both countries. “In addition to Russia and Turkey, the series is supported by the American industry,” says Senay Filiztekin, the company’s head of drama acquisitions. “The authentic world of Sultan of My Heart was formed with the unique touch of Bobby Roth, the director of numerous national phenomena, including Lost and Prison Break, as the advisory director of the series.” Global Agency also has on offer My Dangerous Wife, a brand-new drama from the producer of the best-selling series Mother. The cast of the drama features one of the leading actresses from Mother as well. “It is a thrilling drama that keeps the audience alive and alert all the time with its storyline, fiction and acting,” says Filiztekin. “I am sure many buyers will be impressed when they see even the very first trailer.” She also highlights Bitter Sweet, which tells the story of a successful businessman, Ferit, and his private professional chef, Nazli. “There are so many distinctive factors,” Filiztekin says of the series. “It has many dramatic scenes, conflicts, love and tragedy and, at the same time, [there is a lot of] fun.”
Bitter Sweet
“Bitter Sweet is not an ordinary romantic comedy series.”
—Senay Filiztekin
Global Screen
The Joshua Profile
The Joshua Profile / Let It Glow: How Pauline Saved Christmas The thriller event movie The Joshua Profile is based on the best-selling book by writer Sebastian Fitzek. “This nail-biting thriller deals with an explosive subject that’s already frighteningly real: predictive policing—data-based crime prevention,” says Alexandra Heidrich, the head of TV sales and acquisitions at Global Screen. “In a race against time, a lawabiding citizen and loving father is chased through the vibrant metropolis of Berlin for a crime he hasn’t committed—yet. Breathless tension is guaranteed.” The company also has on its MIPTV roster Let It Glow: How Pauline Saved Christmas, an event series. When an impostor is chosen as the new Santa Claus, Santa’s gift bag and closest confidante, Beutolomäus, sets out to find the real one. “Live action combined with CGI animation, in 24 short episodes of 15 minutes each, is the perfect mix for families eagerly awaiting the Christmas holidays,” says Heidrich. She adds, “The frosty elements are not the only reason friends and families draw closer around Christmas time. Although many focus more on materialistic gifts, the holiday season reminds us to make time for the important things in life such as spending time with our loved ones. This modern fairy tale for young and old—with well-known and new Christmas figures and full of magic, secrets, fantasy and a good dose of humor—is a great opportunity to bring together the whole family.”
“Global Screen always seeks to deliver high-quality entertainment for adults and kids alike.” —Alexandra Heidrich 254 WORLD SCREEN 4/18
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GMA Worldwide Heart and Soul / The Stepdaughters / Stay with Me GMA Worldwide is presenting to the global market new drama series that have already proven to be successful in the Philippines. Among them, Heart and Soul is about fraternal twins Criselda and Crisanta. Criselda dies, but Crisanta can see her sister’s spirit. Their bond is put to the test when they fight for one man’s love. The Stepdaughters follows two women who become stepsisters and battle over fame, fortune, family and love. Stay with Me tells the story of a young wife’s struggle to keep her family together after being infected with HIV. “We believe that these dramas tell stories that focus on real-life experiences, show strong family connections, and portray love and romance,” says Manuel Paolo Laurena, the company’s senior sales manager.
“GMA Network is a prolific producer of quality dramas.” —Manuel Paolo Laurena
Incendo
The Queen of Sin
Second Opinion / The Queen of Sin / Twisted In the Incendo TV movie Second Opinion, a corrupt doctor is ready to take advantage of an attractive upstart-business owner whose body begins to fail her. The company’s catalog also features The Queen of Sin, about a woman who seizes the opportunity to experience one last fling before settling down with her fiancé, and Twisted, which tells the story of a couple who are planning to get married when an ex-girlfriend steps back into the picture and a twisted catand-mouse game ensues. “We produce for the global market, our themes have universal appeal, and we have the highest production values,” says Gavin Reardon, Incendo’s head of international sales and co-productions. “Our consistency and reliability in creating at this level are at the heart of our success.”
“Incendo is renowned as the best producer of television movies.” —Gavin Reardon
Inter Medya The Pit / Broken Wings / Mrs. Fazilet and Her Daughters The brand-new Ay Yapim-produced drama The Pit is being showcased by Inter Medya at the market. “The Pit is the story of a young man named Yamaç who comes from an influential family ruling over Çukur, a neighborhood in Istanbul,” says Can Okan, the company’s founder and CEO. “Torn between his love, his family and his neighborhood, Yamaç has no idea that his life is never going to be the same when he has to go back to Çukur to become the head of the family.” Another highlight is Broken Wings, a family drama focused on four siblings who are left alone in poverty after their father’s sudden death, and Mrs. Fazilet and Her Daughters, about a single mother who uses her two daughters to achieve success and wealth.
Mrs. Fazilet and Her Daughters
“For this year’s MIPTV, we have been working on the launch of several new titles.” —Can Okan 256 WORLD SCREEN 4/18
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Kanal D International Mehmed the Conqueror / Wounded Love / Price of Passion The historical drama series Mehmed the Conqueror tells the story of a young Sultan Mehmed, who travels to Edirne with the dream of taking over Constantinopolis after he learns that his father, the sultan, has died. “Mehmed the Conqueror is the priority focus for Kanal D,” says Kerim Emrah Turna, the company’s director of content sales and business development. “This will be the biggest hit of the year.” Another period piece in the catalog is Wounded Love, which tests whether true love can survive the most trying conditions. He calls Wounded Love “one of the most beautiful, epic romances ever told.” Price of Passion, meanwhile, tells the story of a hitman and an idealist doctor, two very different people who marry and grow closer to each other over time.
Mehmed the Conqueror
“These three dramas are examples of original, high-quality content.” —Kerim Emrah Turna
Keshet International Sleeping Bears / When Heroes Fly / 7 Faces From Keren Margalit (The A Word) comes the drama series Sleeping Bears. Other highlights from Keshet International include When Heroes Fly and 7 Faces. “Sleeping Bears encourages the viewer to consider what they would do if faced with the characters’ situation, When Heroes Fly raises questions of friendship and loyalty in the face of a big trauma, and 7 Faces addresses contemporary issues that young people in modern Turkey are dealing with,” says Atar Dekel, the head of global original drama. Dekel believes the series “have global appeal because they are very relatable and incorporate universal, compelling themes. There is also a defined creative editorial language that is specific to each of the writers and provides a unique and original look into these stories.”
Sleeping Bears
“This year’s slate enables us to showcase our diverse editorial line and prolific drama portfolio.” —Atar Dekel
MISTCO
The Last Emperor
Mehmetcik: Kûtulamâre / The Last Emperor / The Prisoner of Love MISTCO is launching to the global market the latest epic drama from Turkey’s TRT, Mehmetcik: Kûtulamâre. The series is based on the story of a young man who sacrifices his own life to save the country and people who are in need of help. It is created by the same producer as Resurrection: Ertugrul. “What makes this series successful is the know-how of TRT, as well as the high-production quality and fascinating storyline,” says Aysegul Tuzun, the VP of sales and marketing at MISTCO. Another highlight is The Last Emperor. “With our deal in Albania, we continue to expand its sales in new territories,” Tuzun says of the series. Meanwhile, The Prisoner of Love is a modern drama with a romantic story. The title recently sold into Africa, “and we are very glad to have entered into a new market for Turkish dramas with such a successful [series].”
“Our experience and storytelling method make our content globally attractive.” —Aysegul Tuzun
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Russia Television and Radio/Sovtelexport The Maze / The Captain’s Wife / Climate: Catastrophe Is Inevitable? The modern melodrama The Maze centers on Marina, a beautiful and successful woman who appears to have it all, except for a child of her own. She will go through many trials on her long-awaited journey to motherhood. Meanwhile, The Captain’s Wife is an “adventurous melodrama, telling an exciting story of a young girl who loses everything she loves after a terrible car accident: her carefree childhood, the love of her parents and her cozy home,” says Julia Matiash, the director of Sovtelexport, the distribution arm of Russia Television and Radio. “Now, she has to travel far away and face a life full of challenges and fate’s twists in order to fulfill her dream of a happy life.” The company is also presenting Climate: Catastrophe Is Inevitable?, a documentary.
“As a trend for the upcoming season, we have chosen the most dramatic contemporary stories about strong women who struggle for their happiness and succeed.” The Captain’s Wife
—Julia Matiash
Series Mania April 27-May 5 / Lille, France Series Mania is gearing up for its new edition, which will take place in Lille, located an hour from Paris. Series Mania “aims to become the major event in Europe where creators meet with the decision-makers of the TV industry,” says Laurence Herszberg, founder and general director of Series Mania. The event will feature the European Project and Talent Forum, taking place from May 2 to 4. The Forum will gather 1,200 decision-makers, screenwriters and creative talents. Among the highlights are Co-Pro Pitching Sessions for projects in development and new initiatives for writers like SeriesLAB and Series Mania Writers Campus—high-quality workshops for emerging screenwriters and writers’ room sessions. There are also keynotes with A-list showrunners on the planner, alongside sneak previews of upcoming shows.
Series Mania
“Series Mania is the place in Europe to spot the best projects in development and meet the creators of the next big hit.” —Laurence Herszberg
Star India The Wait for Love / Strange Love / This Is Love Sanjeeda Sheikh stars in the romantic series The Wait for Love (Love Ka Hai Intezaar), which follows the story of an actress who falls in love with a prince. Strange Love (Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon) features Arnav, who is rich and arrogant, and Khushi, who is bubbly and well-mannered. Their hatred for each other soon turns into a blissful romance. That series has been Star India’s biggest international hit, according to Gurjeev Kapoor, the president of international business. Strange Love “created history as the first-ever Indian drama series to air in Turkey,” he says. “It broke many viewership records by quadrupling the channel ratings in that slot for our partner Kanal 7. This paved the way for many more Indian series on Turkish television.” This Is Love (Yeh Hai Mohabbatein) is also a highlight.
Strange Love
“Good storytelling can traverse borders.” —Gurjeev Kapoor 260 WORLD SCREEN 4/18
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Viacom18/IndiaCast Media Distribution To Die for Love (Ishq Mein Marjawan) The content library of Viacom18/IndiaCast Media Distribution boasts more than 35,000 hours of programming from its channels that spread across genres such as general entertainment, music, youth and lifestyle, news and infotainment in multiple languages. “After establishing our presence successfully in the Eastern European markets, CIS and Asian countries, we have recently clinched our presence in Africa with one of the biggest distribution platforms,” says Anuj Gandhi, the group CEO of IndiaCast Media Distribution. “We are now excited to establish strategic alliances and business opportunities in the growing market of Latin America.” Among its catalog is To Die for Love, a mysterious story about Aarohi, who has been married into a fake family with con artists playing the roles of her in-laws.
To Die for Love
“While our content is symbolic of the core culture and diversity of India, our approach has always been global.”
—Anuj Gandhi
ZDF Enterprises The Crimson Rivers / Ku’damm 59 / Other People’s Problems With a cast led by Olivier Marchal, Erika Sainte, Ken Duken and Nora Waldstätten, The Crimson Rivers is a crime thriller on offer from ZDF Enterprises (ZDFE). “Each of the episodes remains true to the original screenplay by cult writer JeanChristophe Grangé,” says Fred Burcksen, the company’s president and CEO. “The remake of his best seller remains true to the 2000 box-office hit starring Jean Reno.” ZDFE is also presenting a three-part follow-up to the hit ’50s-set miniseries Ku’damm 56. “Ku’damm 59 follows the women of this generation on their search for a new feminine identity,” says Burcksen. Then there is Other People’s Problems, a short-form Aussie dramedy. “The web series was originally created for ABC iview and showcases a powerhouse of Australian female creative talent,” adds Burcksen.
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“Our topics work internationally, whether breathtaking crime series, shortform drama series or TV movies.” The Crimson Rivers
—Fred Burcksen
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Lionsgate’s The White Princess.
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Steve Clarke explores the enduring demand for period drama. elevision period drama is reaching for the stars. Costume capers, swashbuckling series and romantic romps set in past decades are staples of scheduled TV. As the drama boom continues, and the small screen heads towards what may be a post-linear age, program-makers are mining the past for stories that can engage audiences in a crowded market. For once, money appears to be no object. HBO’s global blockbuster Game of Thrones and Netflix’s exquisite The Crown, the über-expensive reimagining of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, are two of the shows that have upped the ante in TV period drama. They are among the costliest TV shows ever made, setting new benchmarks by virtue of their cinematic quality and the scope and intricacy of their storytelling. Others are in the pipeline as Amazon Studios prepares what is reputedly a $1 billion remake of Lord of the Rings. At this year’s MIPTV, distributors’ catalogs will not be short of period pieces, all of them hoping to be the next Game of Thrones. Expect to see shows set in the 20th century— World War II is a favorite period for commissioners—Tudor times through to the Victorian age and beyond.
THROUGH THE AGES The joint Amazon-Sky show Britannia is set in 43 AD when the Romans invaded Britain. Endemol Shine’s Troy: Fall of a City takes audiences right back to ancient Greece. There are new adaptations of classic novels such as Little Women and Howards End, modern books set in the past like The Miniaturist (located in 17th-century Amsterdam) and racy originals like Canal+’s Versailles, centered on France’s “Sun King,” Louis XIV. The third season of Versailles will open this year’s debut CANNESERIES screenings. There is subtitled fare, such as SVT’s breakout hit The Restaurant, and period stories honed from crime mysteries featuring the world’s great fictional detectives. Did anyone mention Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot and other stories created by Agatha Christie?
Period biopics, based on the lives of famous people and politicians, and period stories of love and class drawn from the pens of Jane Austen or Charles Dickens, have been the subjects of innumerable TV adaptations. But what attracts today’s international buyers to period drama and what are the latest trends in the genre?
FEELING NEW “The essence of a successful period drama is to portray timeless stories of conflict, love or adventure in a compelling fashion, capturing the romance and intrigue of a bygone age, with narratives that remain current and relatable today,” suggests Peter Iacono, president of international television and digital distribution at Lionsgate, which has also fared well with Mad Men and the Starz costume drama The White Princess, a follow-up to The White Queen. The studio’s MIPTV shows include Little Women starring Angela Lansbury and Emily Watson, and Howards End with Tracey Ullman, Hayley Atwell and Matthew Macfadyen. Iacono says it’s significant that these two shows tackle themes that are relevant today. “Both Little Women and Howards End are essentially stories of women’s empowerment,” he notes. “This is very relevant in relation to the current ‘Time’s Up’ movement.” “Despite being based in 43 AD, Britannia feels very contemporary,” says Leona Connell, director of sales at Sky Vision. “The directing, music and graphics lend the series a fresh and modern look, which makes it stand out. The themes of invasion, of people uniting to push back the common enemy, are relevant to today’s audience.” Iacono describes Little Women as “a truly universal coming-of-age story, as relevant and engaging today” as it was when the novel was first published in 1868. “Howards End is a story of two charismatic, smart and strong-minded young women who are fighting for their rights to be independent,” he adds. Buyers want limited-run series that can “be scheduled at key times to help platforms looking to create an ‘event’
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MISTCO is showcasing Mehmetcik: Kûtulamâre at MIPTV.
around their programming,” Iacono continues. “They are seeking programming that is channel-defining. With the increase in the standards of CGI and creative programmaking, there is just no limit to anyone’s imagination. We are seeing some extremely ambitious and authentic period dramas being created right now.” Most distributors agree that for a period piece to sell, it must have a contemporary edge. The Miniaturist, a threeparter sold by all3media international, looks like a beautiful Dutch masterpiece by Johannes Vermeer. Great care was taken with the show’s design, but Maartje Horchner, the distributor’s executive VP of content, suggests it’s the story’s relevance to today that helps set it apart. “With the remarkable set dressing, bright coloring and edgy storyline featuring a gay central character, it feels completely not period,” she says.
curiosity over what it might look like on screen. It can go one of two ways. You’re either disappointed because the TV version looks nothing like how you imagined it. Or you are overwhelmed by how beautiful it was because you never thought it would be like that.” Jenna Santoianni, the executive VP of television series at Sonar Entertainment, says that most of the period shows she’s involved with are “strong author-led intellectual property,” arguing that “it’s an important driver of period drama.” Both The Son and the eight-part sequel to Das Boot are based on literature. “It was reading The Son [by Philipp Meyer] that drew Pierce Brosnan back to the small screen after so many years,” Santoianni says. But not all period drama is based on books, celebrated or otherwise. Writer Peter Morgan created The Crown from scratch, relying on his own knowledge (he also wrote the film The Queen and The Audience, a stage play examining Elizabeth II’s relationship with her Prime Ministers) and a team of researchers to help him create and fashion dramatic storylines. Meanwhile, a lot of other, high-end period shows are effectively works of fiction. “Big historical stories based on a key character from the past or a big event will attract wide interest,” Sky Vision’s Connell says. “Our series The Plague [which unfolds against the Black Death stalking 16th-century Seville] and Britannia are not historical series as such; they are fictional series based in times past. Ultimately it’s down to the strength of the writing and directing as to whether a show will travel well.”
BACK TO THE BOOK Like so much costume content, The Miniaturist is based on a novel, in this case, Jessie Burton’s international best seller published in 2014. “One of the trends in period drama is firmly towards book adaptations,” adds Horchner. “It gives broadcasters and platforms a lot of comfort that there is a ready-made market for their shows. They don’t have to worry about how to pitch a successful, well-known book because audiences have already heard of it. It helps the commissioner if it ticks that box.” She continues, “If you’ve read a book, there’s a certain amount of
Sonar’s eight-part World War II drama Das Boot is a follow-up to the 1981 movie of the same name.
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The days of long-running, serial costume drama like the 14-part award-winning Jewel in the Crown, once considered a benchmark for the genre, have largely gone for good. The Netflix commission The Crown comes in a ten-part series but each episode is self-contained, and, of course, viewers aren’t expected to wait another week to watch the next episode. “Perhaps audience attention spans are shorter than they used to be,” says all3media’s Horchner. “For me, The Miniaturist couldn’t have gone on long enough, it could have been a six-part series. “You can usually tell a story well in three or four parts. That way, you’re likely to keep an audience, especially if the pace in episode one is sustained throughout the series and there is no lengthening of the storyline.”
THEN AND NOW
Peter Morgan’s The Crown on Netflix is said to be the most expensive drama ever made.
Sonar’s Santoianni, who brought Taboo, starring Tom Hardy, to the market, pinpoints the biggest change that TV period drama has undergone during the last decade or so. “Ten to 12 years ago, the TV budgets and the craftsmanship didn’t match what they are today,” she says. “The budgets have ballooned. You also have feature-level talent that wants to do these dramas for TV. The production values and the budgets can accommodate that. “I think there is a hunger to see the kind of programming that used to be provided only by large budget films. We’re now able to see that on TV. Also, we’re able to tell the narratives in much longer content.”
The period dramas that travel best are the ones that have authentic stories and authentic production values. “I don’t think there is one period in history that is more popular than others,” opines Santoianni. “Great men, and women, in history, big historical figures, can make great TV. Think of how many shows we’ve seen based on Winston Churchill. But the key is having a universal theme that people can relate to.” Generally, period drama is more expensive than contemporary TV fiction. For the BBC’s Wolf Hall, based on Hilary Mantel’s best sellers depicting the rise of Tudor courtier Thomas Cromwell, a cool £20,000 ($28,000) was blown on paying for candles alone.
BETTER TOGETHER So unless you’re Netflix or Amazon, co-production is essential in Western markets. “Period was something a lot of production companies didn’t want to do before because the budgets could not support doing it well or doing it right,” says Santoianni. “TV budgets are creeping up—$4 million to $5 million an episode and above for certain shows. These budgets allow for much higher production values that are comparable to feature-film quality. With these budgets, coproductions become even more important. To support these shows and to get the right budgets it takes a few partners. We’ve found a lot of success in our partnerships with other companies in constructing co-productions. One company on its own would not have been able to make Das Boot.”
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Global Agency represents the English-language RTVE historical drama Queens.
Sonar’s collaborators on the series, which was filmed in German, French and English, are Bavaria Fiction and Sky Deutschland. “We worked together from a very early stage and developed a lot of trust and respect for each other,” Santoianni says. “You do run the danger of having too many cooks in the kitchen. Alignment, trust and early partnership are really important for a successful co-production.”
SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION “It is easier to find co-producers for period than it is for contemporary shows,” observes Caroline Torrance, the head of scripted at Banijay Rights. “When you’re pitching a contemporary idea as a co-production, people say they want to see it set in such-and-such country. Once you go into period, those rules don’t exist anymore. People are more open-minded, you’ve got more freedom, so it’s easier to pitch the ideas and get partners on board.” As mentioned, Britannia is a co-production between Sky and Amazon in the U.S. “Certainly Amazon’s contribution to Britannia was an important element to the financing of the series,” says Sky Vision’s Connell. In Turkey and other Middle Eastern and Central European territories, the business model is different, according to Global Agency’s founder and CEO, Izzet Pinto. “Our period shows are fully funded by the production companies. They try and cover their costs from the fees from local broadcasters and international sales. International sales are the key to profit,” he says. The series he sells have budgets that are a fraction of the size of Western period drama and are in demand by broadcasters and platforms in the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Latin America. “It’s difficult to sell these shows to
the U.S. or the U.K., although we’re having some success with digital platforms,” Pinto says. “Free-to-air is much more difficult.” Nevertheless, period pieces such as Magnificent Century have been big global sellers. Telling the story of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman over four seasons, the drama sold to 50-plus territories and led to the spin-off Magnificent Century Kosem. Boosted by the success of those series, Global Agency took on the distribution rights to the Englishlanguage RTVE drama Queens, about Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. Another Turkish company that has amassed a slate of period dramas is MISTCO, which is showcasing TRT’s Mehmetcik: Kûtulamâre at MIPTV. “Created by the same producer as Resurrection: Ertugrul, the series is based on the heroic story of a young man who would sacrifice his own life to save the country and people who are in need of help,” says Aysegul Tuzun, the VP of sales and marketing at MISTCO. “TRT is the biggest investor in epic dramas in Turkey, and they have the most extensive know-how in this genre.”
STAR POWER Distributors stress the need for a successful period drama to be character-driven. “Audiences need to identify with the characters and not feel they’re watching some stale history lesson,” suggests Banijay’s Torrance. “The audience really needs to care about the characters and what happens to them.” Does star casting help? “It always helps when you’re pitching a show,” she adds. “Having said that, there wasn’t anybody in Versailles that was a breakout Hollywood name. People reacted well to the storyline. I think it helped that it was an unknown actor playing the king. Audiences weren’t distracted by thinking ‘This is a famous actor playing Louis XIV.’” Whether it’s the costumes or characters, in such a crowded television market even the most lavish period drama needs that certain X factor to persuade audiences to watch more than one episode, never mind eight or ten. “These days audiences are obviously spoiled for choice,” says all3media’s Horchner. “They’ve seen it all before. Dramas need to grab their attention and surprise them. “Even if they know the story already, it has to be something they haven’t seen before. It has to be told in a way that smacks them in the face.” Ultimately, the success or failure of a period drama is no different from a contemporary drama. The story’s intrinsic strength or weakness and how it’s told are what determines if people will watch. All the money spent on actors, recreating the past and high-end CGI can’t disguise a clunking narrative. “Regardless of whether it’s period or modern, it is all about the story,” emphasizes Pinto. “The storyline is key.”
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Eccho Rights’ Conspiracy of Silence.
Andy Fry looks at the rising demand for political dramas and espionage thrillers. olitics and espionage are not new topics in TV drama, but there’s no question there has been a resurgence of interest in both subjects. House of Cards, Borgen, Prisoners of War, The Americans and The Night Manager are just a few recent titles that prove that the right subject can generate audience interest both at home and on the international market. One obvious question about the current wave of political dramas is whether they are a response to the times in which we live. With the 21st century characterized by complex geopolitical issues, widespread distrust of the political establishment and a 24/7 social-media current-affairs commentary, have audiences become super-politicized? Fredrik af Malmborg, managing director of Eccho Rights, believes this is the case, especially among younger audiences “who are politically engaged. They care about issues like climate change, sustainability and social justice, and I think this political awareness is reflected in a lot of drama.” Robert Franke, VP of drama at ZDF Enterprises, sees the new wave of political dramas partly as a reflection of current concerns in Western society. “There is a growing awareness that things are not right in our Western societies, that the divide between the rich and the poor grows and
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that there is a detachment of the political class from the needs of society as a whole. Fiction is a great way to poke holes in the image of political parties and the motives of politicians and ask the question, Are they working in our best interest?”
GLOBAL CONFLICT Does it help to have a trope that everyone is already familiar with, such as terrorism or U.S.-Russian spy games? “The more international impact the story has, the more widely relevant it seems,” says Alex Fraser, the senior VP of acquisitions at Red Arrow Studios International. “Nevertheless there have been great local dramas, such as Borgen, dealing with very territory-specific politics that have worked well internationally. I think politics on any level is often synonymous with intrigue, conspiracies, scandals and threats, which is all fertile ground for drama. This can work on a local and international level if the story and characters are exciting and the subjects are universal.” This view is backed up by Atar Dekel, the head of global original drama at Keshet International. “The key to any politically themed drama is that you need great characters. Prisoners of War is a very human drama that also looks into the central characters’ family lives.”
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Set in Australia in the near-future and drawing on Aboriginal folklore, Cleverman blends indigenous mythology with a contemporary superhero arc and cutting political commentary, dealing with themes related to socio-political issues such as immigration.” There is also Stella Blómkvist, a new Icelandic drama from Sagafilm where the show’s protagonist, Stella, a smart and ruthless lawyer, often finds herself plunged into political conspiracies. “The show’s themes tackle political corruption at all levels in Iceland, sometimes mirroring major real-life political events,” says Fraser. “We are rolling Stella Blómkvist out internationally and it is gaining lots of interest from broadcasters, with the political themes appealing to buyers as universal topics. The show premiered on Síminn TV Iceland and is now airing on SVOD platform Viaplay in Scandinavia.”
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The lead character in Red Arrow’s Stella Blómkvist is a lawyer who often becomes embroiled in political conspiracies.
Moreover, the one-line explanation of the show—MIA soldier returns home after many years absence and is greeted as a hero, but may now be an undercover spy—is so compelling. “It’s such a relatable and transferable idea—it’s not particularly rooted in the specific Israeli experience,” Dekel notes. “We’ve also enjoyed a lot of success with False Flag, in which five ordinary citizens wake up one day to discover that they have been implicated in a high-profile political kidnapping,” Dekel continues. “That show was picked up by Canal+ in France and also by Fox [Networks Group], which acquired it for broadcast in 127 territories.”
REAL APPEAL Again, says Dekel, part of the appeal of False Flag is that it operates at the intersection between politics and personal lives. “We were also very aware that this idea had international appeal—what would you do if you woke up and discovered your name, face and identity across all the world media?” Red Arrow’s Fraser agrees with Dekel that good political dramas need layers. “Political dramas, especially when based on true events, can limit the way stories develop, and there is a danger that they can come across as history lessons rather than exciting dramas. So it’s important to introduce emotional depth and intriguing characters to find a way of guiding viewers through the narrative without losing the pace and excitement.” Among Red Arrow titles with a political flavor, Fraser picks out “the politically charged series Cleverman, which continues to sell well internationally, including to the BBC.
STUDIOCANAL’s Baron Noir has been referred to by international media as a “French House of Cards.” And while its focus is domestic—centered on a French politician and his mission to take down his enemies—the Canal+ commission has so far traveled to 85 territories around the world, including the U.S. (Walter Presents), the U.K. (Amazon Prime) and Australia (SBS). Beatriz Campos, the head of international sales at STUDIOCANAL, says a big appeal of the series is its “style, tone and clever dialogue. Viewers enjoy being party to an intelligent series where they can see another angle of what happens behind closed doors—beyond what they see on the news. They are also then able to make comparisons between real life and fiction.” Campos, too, believes political dramas do best if they focus on relatable characters. “Many of us are intrigued by and concerned with the personal issues and aspirations of those in power, wherever we are in the world, and the series delivers such insight into how things work inside the most powerful political parties. In Baron Noir there is a vast scope of characters—from political leaders to unionists to students to the press—all demonstrating the terrifying domino effect that politics can have throughout the chain of command. There is also a romance between two of the main characters, which adds an additional layer and complexity to the storyline.” She also believes that the show benefits from its authenticity. “Baron Noir has the great advantage of being able to draw on the real-life experience of one of the writers. Eric Benzekri has an incredible political background and knows so much about behind-the-scenes dramas on many levels. He has 20 years of experience working in politics, having followed and participated in numerous election campaigns throughout his career. As a result, he has created a wonderful cast of characters to deliver the intriguing storylines that make Baron Noir so vivid.” ZDFE.drama’s Franke says that the strength of political drama at the moment can also be attributed to its being used as part of hybrid scripted series. “There is a trend to blend political drama with other genres, in particular crime and thriller,” he says. “A good example from our catalog of a highconcept genre blend is Dengler [a Bavaria Fiction production], which is about a special type of German detective who unveils a cover-up plot driven by the pharma industry and elite political circles, which try to protect their own dirty little
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ZDF Enterprises’ The Fourth Man, commissioned by SVT, looks at the links between a politician and a decades-old terrorist attack.
secrets. It follows the proven formula of starting with a seemingly ordinary crime case and developing from there into a more political sphere.” Another example, says Franke, “is Watchdog, which we are developing together with Fisher King from Finland. This one is a political thriller about whistleblowing and excessive statedriven surveillance. This is arguably the most topical issue we have in our modern technology-driven society, where questions about the right of individual privacy collide with state interest in the name of security and protection.” It is also a genre, Franke says, that tends to travel well. “Even though political dramas might be rooted in one country, the underlying principles of what makes a good political drama are pretty much the same everywhere. The problems are always related to power abuse and corruption, which pretty much all boils down to greed. If you look at the tropes being used in political dramas all over the world, you’ll find these issues in most cases are the core motivation of the characters involved, which is why the genre is so relatable.” For this reason, he sees the potential for cross-border business models in the genre. “There is a growing trend in coproduction here because people have started realizing that patterns of power abuse are similar across all countries. The SVOD platforms are also a perfect environment to stimulate interest in this subject matter because they make content available which might not have been available to users before.”
PASSING THE CENSORS To some extent, one factor that needs to be taken into account with political drama is that countries with a tradition of censorship are less likely to sanction the commissioning or production of contemporary political dramas, especially if they involve some commentary on the ruling class. Turkey, a prodigious exporter of drama, only tends to produce political series with a pro-government perspective (for example, Star TV’s The Reaction). Russia, another growing force on the international drama scene, deals primarily with political subject matter
connected to the 1917 Russian Revolution, with occasional forays into the Khrushchev era (such as The Optimists, described as Russia’s answer to The Americans). By contrast, there is little commentary on the Putin era.
KEEPING AN OPEN MIND That said, it’s important not to view all political drama from a rose-tinted Western perspective. Eccho Rights’ af Malmborg points out that dramas regarded as pro-government spin in one territory might very well be viewed as objective truth in another. The company distributes Trotsky, a Sreda Production for Channel One Russia. As the name suggests, Trotsky is the story of Russian Revolution hero Leon Trotsky. The series explores various periods of his life from the late 1890s to his assassination in 1940. According to af Malmborg, it is “a quite edgy series that introduces viewers to a side of the Russian Revolution they may never have seen before. It also tells the story of Trotsky’s inner life and love affairs.” Red Arrow’s Fraser, meanwhile, believes there is also a degree of pushback among audiences. “I think interest in these subjects depends on the territory. Some U.S. networks seem to be turning away from political dramas while other territories are commissioning more, particularly as the political issues and themes seem increasingly global. The breadth and volume of drama being commissioned mean political drama is well and truly in the mix. But there will always be a big demand for escapist content that just entertains, offering an alternative to what we see on the news.” ZDFE.drama’s Franke says producers are also attuned to the possibility of viewer boredom with such issues. “So I also see a trend to be more subtle in the way political dramas are told because there is a kind of fatigue when it comes to news—in particular, bad news. That is why genre blends that mix political drama with other genres like crime or thriller generate interest.” This may also explain the longevity of a show like HBO’s Veep, which gives audiences the chance to laugh at political machinations.
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Antonio Banderas started his career working with director and compatriot Pedro Almodóvar on movies such as Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. It wasn’t long before Hollywood took notice, and Banderas was starring in The Mambo Kings, Philadelphia, Evita and The Mask of Zorro, among many others, as well as providing his voice talent to animated hits like the Shrek franchise. While the vast majority of his work had been in film, when the opportunity came along to play Pablo Picasso in National Geographic’s Genius series, Banderas couldn’t say no. By Anna Carugati TV DRAMA: How did you hear about Genius: Picasso? BANDERAS: Ron Howard and Ken Biller were in contact with me. I had just finished watching the first season of Genius, about Einstein, with Geoffrey Rush, and I loved it. It was surprising to me. I didn’t know the full dimension of Einstein’s character until I saw the TV series. I thought it offered very good [lessons] about history and physics, of course, but at the same time about the human dimension of the character, which makes you reflect about yourself, and I think that is the primary purpose of any art piece. Ron and Ken called me to a meeting in London, where I live. I went to the appointment and they talked to me about the Picasso project. They offered it to me and I thought, Oh my God, of course, I want to do it now because I saw the Einstein project and the quality television that they were doing. I felt like I was in good hands. Why do I say that? I was offered to play Picasso a couple of times when I was younger and then there were a lot of projects with Carlos Saura, which I rejected, in part because it was a responsibility for me to play a character that was born in my hometown. But for whatever reason, that meeting with Ron Howard and Ken Biller was very convincing! TV DRAMA: What research did you do to prepare for the role? BANDERAS: I read a lot. I read practically every book that has been written: the biography by John Richardson and then probably the book that is more detailed about certain aspects of Picasso’s personality, Life with Picasso, by Françoise Gilot [an artist who lived with Picasso and had two children with him]. She is alive and living in New York; she is now 96 years old. Charlie Rose interviewed her in 2012 and she was in perfect shape. I don’t know how she is now, but at that time she was still in perfect shape. And then I painted. I wanted to get familiar with brushes and oils and acrylics and all the stuff that surrounds the little things—the manual gestures and mannerisms. I watched some footage; there is not too much footage of him, but there are a lot of pictures. And then I read the scripts, of course! TV DRAMA: How old is Picasso at the start of the series? BANDERAS: The first scene that I have, Picasso is 56. He’s still with Marie-Thérèse Walter and already in a relationship
with Dora Maar. That is the time of the Spanish Civil War, 1936 to 1939, and there’s the International Exposition [of Art and Technology in Modern Life] in Paris and he’s painting Guernica. That’s the first time that we see the character, and from there, the series goes back and forth in time with flashbacks for the whole series. It’s almost like a Cubist painting during the entire show. TV DRAMA: As an actor, do you approach a character that existed in real life, such as Picasso or Pancho Villa or Che Guevara, differently from a fictional character that the writer invented? BANDERAS: Yes, it’s a different approach because there are certain rules you have to respect. And the research is greater because you want to know about the personality of somebody who has existed, especially if you are working with National Geographic because they love to be very factual. Many years ago I did And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself, directed by Bruce Beresford for HBO. It was interesting because I studied practically every book, every biography. I talked to historians in Mexico. But the key to my character came from one picture. Pancho Villa was going to be executed one morning—the execution was actually a stunt by President Madero of Mexico at that time—but he was in front of a peloton with weapons pointed at him. The picture shows the attitude that he had in front of the peloton and in front of death; the expression on his face as he was defying these people, I thought, Oh my God! I saw in those eyes and that face all the material that I needed to play that character. TV DRAMA: With Picasso, who is so iconic, did you feel an extra responsibility in portraying him? BANDERAS: Absolutely yes, but I feel it before and after a scene. Once they say, “Action!” to me, Picasso is in me. I am Picasso, period, and it lasts until they say, “Cut!” If I am in the middle of a scene, thinking, “The responsibility! I am painting the Guernica!” I couldn’t perform, I would be blocked. You cannot do that. You have to liberate yourself at some point and say, Picasso is me.
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his own skills, to not be normal, to break the rules of his own paintings.
In its second season, National Geographic’s Genius—sold by Fox Networks Group Content Distribution— explores the life of Pablo Picasso.
TV DRAMA: As you learned new things about Einstein from seeing the first Genius, what did you learn about Picasso? BANDERAS: He was a very complicated person. Like all human beings, he had his greatness and his miseries, maybe more pronounced than anybody else. He was a very capable human being, very skillful, and that gave him a tremendous amount of security, sometimes even arrogance. On the good side, he was a very creative, curious, free, passionate, impulsive, intelligent and persuasive person. And on the dark side, probably arrogant, egotistical, selfish, vain and conceited. Above all, he was very sincere, and that is a source of a lot of problems sometimes. When you confront life by being absolutely honest and saying what you think at the moment you think it, that can create problems. TV DRAMA: Is it correct to say that his art was autobiographical? He often painted what he was experiencing, didn’t he? BANDERAS: Absolutely, you can follow his life through his paintings, even his changes in styles [were triggered by life events]. He got into the Blue Period because of the death of Carlos Casagemas, his best friend who committed suicide in a bar in Paris; [as a result, Picasso] got into a depressive mood for years. Then he went through the Rose Period, which was a happier time. [In protest of] the Spanish Civil War, he painted Guernica and The Weeping Woman. You can see everybody who shared their lives with him, how they influenced him. You see the story of his life as you go through his works of art. TV DRAMA: He was constantly breaking molds in his art and his personal life. He was not a conventional human being. BANDERAS: Definitely not, and he was highly criticized for that, too, not only in his time but in our times, too. People look back and have judgments about Picasso that are very strong about his behavior with women and a number of things that he did. He was controversial because he did not play by the rules. He broke them constantly. He was a perfectionist and in a way very unhappy continuously. At times he said things like, I create naturally balanced and beautiful paintings and I have to find something that destroys them. So he was fighting against
TV DRAMA: What creative challenges and opportunities does a ten-part series offer you that you don’t have in a two-hour movie? BANDERAS: Time is the thing that comes to my attention the most. I had done television only once, the Pancho Villa project I referred to before, but I had never done a series of ten episodes. For me, the difference is the time that I have to get deeper into the character, to provide him with more colors. It’s more three-dimensional. If you are telling one specific event, then a movie [provides the] perfect timing, you can explain a lot of things. But if you are telling the life of somebody from beginning to end, the format of ten episodes is perfect because you have time to reflect on the different periods of the person’s life and all the progress and everything that happens. TV DRAMA: What types of roles interest you? What connection do you need to feel to a character? BANDERAS: A dramatic connection. I don’t always want to play good guys. Good guys, in fact, are way more boring than villains! Bad guys have more colors, more depth and complexities and are more interesting to play. I’ve played many characters in my life that I didn’t like at all; I wouldn’t even want to be close to them. I would be fearful to be close to somebody like that! But I have to recognize that when I played them they were interesting. For example, in Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In, that was a character [plastic surgeon Robert Ledgard] that I wouldn’t like to be close to at all. But from my point of view, he was incredibly interesting to play. TV DRAMA: What was it like working with Ken Biller? BANDERAS: Ken is a producer on Genius: Picasso, but he directed the first two episodes so he established the bible of the show, the style, how we were going to photograph Picasso young—with cameras in movement—and then the established Picasso, me, with the cameras on tripod, it’s all more academic. Ken was open to listening. Sometimes directors become too overdone with the work. When I see a director who opens an iPad and says, “You have to go to the right and the actress on the left,” ooh, bad! I prefer somebody that comes and talks to the different chiefs of the departments and the actors and then allows different energies on the set. Of course, he is the director and will make the final decision and will establish where the boat has to go. But the boat can go with sails, or we can row, we can go forward in different ways. Ken was the type of director who was open to listening to everybody [about how we would do] a scene. TV DRAMA: Have you enjoyed Genius: Picasso? BANDERAS: It’s more than enjoying. I know that I am doing one of those projects—you know when it’s happening—that I will remember forever. I felt that with some Almodóvar projects, playing Zorro, in Evita, [maybe] seven times in my whole life, and I feel that now.
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ast November, Ay Yapim became the first Turkish company to score an International Emmy Award when Kara Sevda (Endless Love) nabbed a win in the telenovela category. The company, led by CEO Kerem Çatay, has emerged as one of the busiest and most successful producers in Turkey’s highly competitive drama scene. Working with Inter Medya, Eccho Rights and others, Ay Yapim productions such as Heart of the City, Insider and Phi have traveled across the globe. New showcases from the company include Stiletto Vendetta, on offer from Eccho Rights, and The Pit, which is being highlighted by Inter Medya. Çatay tells TV Drama about the latest trends in Turkish drama.
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TV DRAMA: Tell me about the background of Ay Yapim and your journey to becoming one of Turkey’s leading drama producers. ÇATAY: We launched in 2005. Like almost all Turkish production companies, it’s family run. It’s my father and me. For the last two years we have had another partner, Pelin Diştaş, who used to be the general manager of Kanal D. We mostly do TV drama series. We’ve done some sitcoms as well, but the flagships are always dramas. Making so many TV shows gives us the luxury to make feature films as well. We are excited that we’re going to shoot a new movie based on a famous old Turkish novel called Madonna in a Fur Coat [by Sabahattin Ali]. TV DRAMA: And the feature films give you the freedom to tell different kinds of stories? ÇATAY: For sure. Actually, we have that luxury for TV as well. We are partners in an OTT platform in Turkey called Puhu. We produced our first original digital production, Phi, for Puhu. This March, our second digital production, Persona, launched. It’s 60-minute episodes and edgier content. So we do the conventional TV for the mainstream broadcasters, but we are planning to have at least one original OTT series each year where we can have different ways of storytelling. TV DRAMA: For the mainstream channels, how are you able to produce these two-hour episodes every week, especially given the volume of series you make? ÇATAY: It’s like going to the gym! When you go every day you get used to it. [Laughs] It’s maybe because we’re Turkish, it’s fast-living here. [The two-hour episodes] happened because of competition, the audience and the ad revenues. The ad prices are not so high, so you have to have longer episodes to get the budget you need. And the Turkish audience tends to watch TV up till 12 o’clock. If your episode finishes at 11, the audience is not turning the TV off, they’re moving to another show that is still airing. This makes producers increase the duration of episodes. TV DRAMA: Tell us about your process for coming up with ideas. Are you looking for IP to adapt, such as formats, books and movies? ÇATAY: It’s not just one way of working. In our case, most likely we’ll come up with our own ideas. Every two or three years we do a format. A few years ago we did The O.C. from Warner Bros. under the name Med Cezir. Sometimes it’s an old Turkish movie or novel. We’ve done quite a number of Turkish novels as dramas. There are no boundaries. Ideas can come from anywhere. We’ll spend around eight months developing an idea and how we tell the story and from
which characters’ point of view. Sometimes we’re so lucky that it’s quick. Sometimes it takes a while. You change it, try it from another character’s point of view, etc. When you have eight, nine months, you lower the risk because you try each and every version of it. Along the way, time makes it better. TV DRAMA: Turkish shows have sold widely but have become particularly popular in Latin America. Why do you think that is? ÇATAY: In most of the Latin American countries I’ve been to, the rhythm of the people looks like the rhythm of the Turkish people. Maybe they don’t have the same traditions, but the way of living is similar. Patricio Hernández from Mega in Chile was the first one to try Turkish content. He told me that when he first watched one, he noticed that the buildings were similar, the clothing was similar, people’s reactions were similar. So he said, I need to try one. The interesting thing with the Turkish storytelling is, it works in the Middle East, it works in Latin America, it sometimes works in Northern Europe and Asia as well. We have a way of storytelling—and it wasn’t on purpose, to be honest—such that someone in Vietnam likes it and someone from Dubai likes it. The way we tell the stories, everybody can find something they can connect with. We are focusing more on emotions and family than U.S. or British content does. TV DRAMA: Are you looking at co-production opportunities outside of Turkey? ÇATAY: We’re always looking, but it has to be about the story. You need to have a story that makes sense for a coproduction. If you write a story just to make a co-production, it’s not going to work. We tried some ideas, like having a love story with a girl from MENA and a boy from Turkey. The story needs to be logical and natural. We haven’t done one yet, but we are always working on it. TV DRAMA: Some of your shows have been remade in other countries. Do you offer any input to those producers who are adapting your scripts? ÇATAY: We are always ready to offer input. You tell them about the story and they tell you about their audience. You need to come to an understanding. In the end, it’s their project. We do give our advice, but if they want to take the chance of changing it, we let them do that. We have a show called The End. It is successful in Spain, it was successful in Holland. A pilot was shot in the U.S. In the U.S. case, they changed the storyline, they focused on the gun trade. They felt it needed to be more in the action genre, which was the preference of that broadcaster’s audience. We said OK. I’m not sure how well it worked. You always learn something from the format adaptations. TV DRAMA: What are you working on now? ÇATAY: We have four shows going on. We’re going to end up with five new ones for this season. Phi ended this March. We’ll have a new OTT one. And we are going to shoot three movies this year. Madonna in a Fur Coat is going to be shot in Germany. It will be in two languages. It is something different from what we’re used to doing. And we do have a plan to remake one of our old shows in the U.S. with a partner. It will take some time, but we’re working on it.
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from Serena, or what the producers are trying to get them to get from Serena. You start from that deeper, more emotional psychological place and then little by little, now you’ve got an Everlasting story, now you’ve got these crazy characters, now you’ve got these intense situations, then the fun and the zingers and the one-liners come too. It’s a fun writers’ room because you get to deal with all of that. It’s sort of like this poisoned cupcake, you’re talking about the frosting and the sprinkles, but you’ve also got these deeper, darker things that are happening on the inside.
By Mansha Daswani
UnREAL, the Lifetime drama that chronicles the machinations behind a Bachelor-style dating show, returned to screens earlier this year after a long break. Its protagonists, Rachel and Quinn, have been on a mission to turn around ratings at the fictional Everlasting reality show, which this time features its first bachelorette, Serena, a successful tech entrepreneur. Stacy Rukeyser, who took on the showrunner mantle for UnREAL in season three, tells TV Drama about her writers’ room and offers a glimpse at the already ordered fourth season. TV DRAMA: What was your vision for season three? RUKEYSER: In season two there had been a lot of big plot points, but we hadn’t had the chance to explore the consequences of those things in a meaningful way. I didn’t want to ignore the things that had happened; I wanted to sit in the hearts and minds of Rachel and Quinn and take the time to deal with the aftereffects, emotionally and psychologically. That is a lot of what we do this season. At the end of last season, Rachel had a mental breakdown. Quinn has brought this shrink in to be a safety net for Rachel. He takes her on this journey...to look at where the darkness within her came from. That is something that thematically we’ve been looking at since season one. TV DRAMA: How do you run your writers’ room so that you can grapple with those themes and the incredibly complex relationship between Rachel and Quinn? RUKEYSER: We start with the Rachel and Quinn story. We look at the season-long arc for Rachel, for Quinn, and for Serena and the theme of gender politics that we are interested in exploring with her character. But then you have to break the Everlasting story too. The guys and the power plays and the machinations in terms of what they want
TV DRAMA: Why did you decide to have a female suitor this season who is an accomplished woman in her own right? RUKEYSER: The story was personal to both Sarah Shapiro [co-creator of the show] and to me. I was 37 when I met my husband. My career was going well, but I had thought, maybe it’s not going to happen for me. I’m probably not going to get married, I’m probably not going to have kids, and that’s OK because my career is thriving. That’s the position Quinn finds herself in. I know how frustrating and painful that felt to me. So that was an interesting thing to explore with Serena. And to take it a step further. How are we supposed to be as women? We are encouraged [in the workplace]—“You go, girl! Demand equal pay! Reclaim your time! You can get a seat at the table! Lean in!” But then when you go on a date, you’re expected to magically transform into this other creature who is much more demure. That’s maddening and also very confusing. That’s what Serena is dealing with, too. She has come on this show to find a husband. She’s tried everything else and it hasn’t worked. She honestly believes that maybe this is the way. TV DRAMA: Tell me about your approach to mentorship. RUKEYSER: I try to set a good example. I have a lot of phone calls and coffees and lunches with aspiring writers. And we have a very extensive list of female directors that goes beyond the standard list that existed with the studios and the networks. And that list is expanding even more now. It’s also important how you speak about female directors. When men are “strong-willed,” or they have a “strong vision,” or they are “demanding,” those are seen as positive things. Women who are doing the same thing can be described as “emotional,” “irrational,” “difficult,” “bitchy,” “hard to get along with.” It’s really important that we just change the way we talk about people and make sure we don’t have our own gender bias when we’re doing that. TV DRAMA: What can you tell us about season four? RUKEYSER: It’s Everlasting All-Stars, so certain people are coming back. I don’t watch The Bachelor, but there were a couple of things that happened that came into the cultural conversation. One of them was what happened on Bachelor in Paradise, when a producer made a complaint to the studio. That show has been on for a long time, and no one has ever made a complaint. So the fact that they did, that they even got the phone number for the studio (oftentimes when you’re working on a crew, you don’t know who to call), this whole issue about the contestants being drunk and the sex that happened and if she was too drunk to consent and should they have stepped in and done something—that was all fascinating to me and was a bit of an inspiration for season four.
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