Directors Digest — Friday 27 September 2024

In the news this week, Grierson British Documentary Awards nominees announced, EastEnders‘ Chris Clenshaw to step down as Executive Producer, and BAFTA to add new categories celebrating children’s television.

Read all about it in this week’s digest.

News

•  The Grierson Trust have announced the nominations for their 2024 Grierson British Documentary Awards. As the only dedicated celebration of the documentary genre, the awards are important in recognising the work of factual directors. Congratulations to the Directors UK members nominated for their work this year. The full list of works nominated can be viewed on The Grierson Trust website. (The Grierson Trust)

•  EastEnders‘ Chris Clenshaw has announced he is to step down as Executive Producer next year with Ben Wadey, Commissioning Executive from Channel 4 taking over the role. (BBC)

•  BAFTA is to add three new categories celebrating children’s television that will be introduced into next year’s BAFTA Television Awards and the BAFTA Television Craft Awards. (Televisual)

•  TV diversity body, Creative Diversity Network (CDN), and screen industries training body, ScreenSkills, have announced a strategic partnership, which will include co-siting the two organisations together. (Televisual) 

•  BFI deputy CEO Harriet Finney shared at Screen’s ‘The Future of UK Film’ Summit that she is very optimistic the Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC), or enhanced audio-visual credit for lower-budget film, is on track to be ratified under the new UK government. (Screen)

•  Director James Cameron has joined the board of directors of Stability AI. (Variety)

Features

• “The scripted arms race has catapulted the genre into new territory – but the funding model is creaking”, writes Chris Curtis for Broadcast.

•  The Rings of Power's showrunners and co-executive producers, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, reveal how the move from New Zealand to UK impacted season two. (Screen)

•  Is there an ethical path for generative AI in documentaries? (IndieWire)

Opinion

•  “Lisa Nandy’s conference speech was a love song to the arts, performed with hands in empty pockets”, writes Mark Lawson for The Guardian.

Director Interviews

•  Director Coralie Fargeat speaks to the MUBI Podcast about ripping beauty standards to gory shreds in The Substance. (MUBI)