On Tuesday 13 February Directors UK members came to our Covent Garden offices to talk all things BBC Drama. The expert panel featured Ollie Kent, Ben Irving, Tommy Bulfin, Anne Edyvean, and was chaired by the director and Directors UK Board member Jessica Hobbs.
We're looking forward to tonight's member event, "Meet The BBC Drama Commissioners" - follow #DUKDrama from 7pm for the tweets! pic.twitter.com/ebp8B368An
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Now it's time for time to meet the BBC Drama Commissioners, with our panel Ollie Kent (Continuing Drama), Anne Edyvean (Writersroom), Ben Irving (Wales), Tommy Bulfin (Northern Ireland) - chaired by director Jessica Hobbs. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ollie Kent is head of continuing drama at the BBC. He has responsibility for overseeing all five continuing drama shows in BBC Studios’ portfolio: EastEnders, Holby City, Casualty, Doctors and River City.
Anne Edyvean is head of BBC Writersroom. She had made programmes for BBC Radio 1,3,4,5 and World Service, as well as for BBC One and BBC Two.
Ben Irving is head of Drama Development at the BBC. He has previously worked in film development and production at Qwerty Films, and as Development Executive at Heyday Films.
Tommy Bulfin is BBC Drama commissioning editor for Northern Ireland. Tommy was the the in-house development producer at New Pictures, and worked as a script editor at Red Planet Pictures.
Jessica Hobbs is an award-winning director, whose credits include Apple Tree Yard, Love My Way, Broadchurch and River. Jessica is also a member of the Directors UK Board.
Jessica begins by asking the panel to differentiate BBC Studios and the BBC generally. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: From our perspective as Commissioners BBC studios pitch to us as any other production company would. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Tommy: There are five commissioning editors each overseeing a particular region - but we aren't limited to just those regions. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Tommy: Generally we meet with production companies rather than with directors directly. Producers will come to us and pitch their idea and we move from there. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: When we green light something producers agree to our terms of trade and are agreeing we will have approval over some key members of crew - such as director. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: But is just an approval, we don't go out and pick the director. We try to be as helpful as possible and it's very unusual to veto. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Anne tells us that the Directors scheme supported by Directors UK: I wanted a process whereby anyone could apply with a CV and a reel, and where those applications are looked at by working directors. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
We found that a lot of short film directors applied for Doctors, which is a really good decision. Our shortlists will then go on to the shows, and they make the final decisions over the directors they choose. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Of our initial twelve selected directors eleven have gone on to be regular working directors in the BBC - we're really proud of this scheme, it really gets results. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Jessica ask the panel what their approach is as commissioners when presented with a director who is changing genres. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: We listen to the producers, and if they come to us full of enthusiasm for their director, even if it's an unusual choice, that's great. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Anne: When presenting your showreel, it's important to make sure you show the right people at the right time as much as possible. You only get to make that first impression with your work once. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: We play the role of custodian of the editorial side on behalf of the BBC, and while very occasionally we may express concerns we do our best to support the creative vision of the programme. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ollie: With the continuing drama scheme, if a director is struggling in any way a mentor is there to help. With shows like Casualtyits essential for directors to be able to shoot the schedule. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ollie: We are genuinely looking for new talent because, truthfully, programming needs it. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: We're seeing directors coming into the process earlier, joining up with writers in a project - and its exciting to get to that sort of package. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Tommy: It's changing for the better - we're seeing more influence from directors in television and we're getting a higher standard of programme. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Tommy: I've done series when a new director has come onto th second series of a show and blocked two episodes and completely revolutionised it. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ollie: On the other hand, there is sometimes a house style. In EastEnders, if you started using handheld cameras in the caff it would just look wrong! #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ollie: On those programmes we want to encourage people to be ambitious but within the required style of the show. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Jessica moves the topic onto inclusion and diversity. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Anne: The first thing to say with our continuing drama scheme is that no one's getting these jobs as a favour - the shows are asking what voices they need. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Anne: I didn't go to Cambridge, I didn't know anyone in the industry, but I applied to the BBC and I proved a point - if me, an educated white woman felt like i couldn't apply, you can see the issue that was at hand. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Jessica asks Anne if there is and possibility of the BBC Writers Room into bigger productions, like Silent Witness. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Anne: There's an informal element but nothing official in place. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: There's an informal element for us too, we notice people who do a great job on continuing drama. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Anne: Danny Boyle started on EastEnders! #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
#DUKDrama pic.twitter.com/jvHaFEku67
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Jessica asks the panel what their experience is with getting scripts late when working on a drama. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: In general we're trying to help this by commissioning further ahead - we're pretty much commissioned up until the end of 2019 now. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ollie: It has been a problem in long-running continuing drama. The main thing is trying to get our storylines right and signed off earlier. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Jessica: Feeling like you're at the end of the process is hard, because your directing can feel functional. You can do it, but you feel like you could do it so much better. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Jessica: Feeling like you're at the end of the process is hard, because your directing can feel functional. You can do it, but you feel like you could do it so much better. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: We often green light shows on the basis of one episode and a series bible - if we asked for all six episodes in one go we'd be getting it in the neck from producers. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Jessica asks what's changing in TV Drama for directors going forward. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: TV is more open for different programmes and genres, there's more flexibility now - there's room. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
And then it was time for the audience to get involved.
Jessica hands it over to the audience for questions. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
A member asks about the possibility of open applications to the BBC from writers and directors directly, rather than through production companies. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Tommy: Commissioners like Ben and I don't produce, which is why we rely on agents and production companies to approach us. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: BBC Studios are producers who can develop ideas with you - the difference is they now have to get commissioned by our commissioners. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: The flip side is this is more fair as we can treat all indies differently, there's not a reliance on people already known by the BBC. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
A member asks what defines an Indie - what is the level of establishment required from a production company to approach the BBC. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Ben: The precise specifications can be found through our web portal: BBC pitch. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
Jessica: I feel quite strongly that more directors should gain producing experience. #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
And that is a wrap! What a fascinating discussion. Thanks so much to our wonderful panellists Ben Irving, Ollie Kent, Anne Edyvean and Tommy Bulfin. Thanks too to our brilliant moderator Jessica Hobbs. We hope you all enjoyed it! #DUKDrama
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) February 13, 2018
As ever, the discussion continued on Twitter.
Busy room of #directors meeting #bbc #drama commissioners tonight @Directors_UK pic.twitter.com/afwfPCuWt5
— Mike Rymer (@Mike_Rymer) February 13, 2018
Am totally up for joining forces with a director, bit we need a producer too. Any takers? https://t.co/9aW3kCyX3M
— Natasha Moore (@Script_Chick) February 13, 2018
Great hashtag to follow. https://t.co/lR5vKUcVJ3
— Amanda Lin Costa (@TheLoneOlive) February 13, 2018
You're too kind! Thanks to our brilliant panellists for a really informative discussion. Thank you too to everyone who made it down to the event, and to everyone who followed it on Twitter. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.
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