Showrunners - Training Gaps Analysis - Cultural Human Resources ...

Master’s Degree: 2
Doctorate: 1
Showrunners Training Gap Analysis
The series used as case studies were:
VIRGINIE
The TV series Virginie, written and produced by Fabienne Larouche of Aetios Productions, has
been running for more than a decade and has produced more than 1500 thirty-minute episodes.
According to many, Fabienne Larouche is the person in Québec who comes the closest to
fulfilling the role of Showrunner.
Anouk Brault, executive producer
LES HAUTS ET LES BAS DE SOPHIE PAQUIN
Produced by Sphère Média, this TV series has been enjoying considerable success since its
beginning in 2006. So much so that an English language version has been created. This case is
interesting since the French language and English language versions are made differently; the
English version has a Showrunner, while the French version is produced without.
Jocelyn Deschênes, producer
Richard Blaimer, writer
Claude Desrosiers, director
JARDIN D’HIVER (working title)
This TV series is currently in development. Its creator is a young screenwriter and INIS alumna,
Mylène Chollet. An aspiring Showrunner, she has enlisted the assistance of renowned director
François Gingras. One potential producer for this TV series is Microscope.
Mylène Chollet, writer
François Gingras, director
Luc Déry, producer
PRODUCTION MODELS
The list of Showrunner competencies developed by the Expert Working Group for the CHRC
covers the maximum number of competencies that a Showrunner may have, or should be ready
and able to perform. An individual Showrunner may exercise a subset of these competencies on a
series. Appendices D1 through D6 chart the competencies exercised by Showrunners in the
English Language Case Studies. Two of the case studies (Flashpoint and Degrassi: The Next
Generation) did not employ a Showrunner and therefore the senior writer/producer’s
competencies have been recorded.
The interviews revealed that in Canada the division of responsibility between the creative and
production tasks differs widely, so much so that it is difficult to say that there is a “typical”
model. Given the complexity of the task, many shows are organized so that more than just one
hand is guiding the creative side. The approach is affected by who has developed the creative
idea; whether the broadcaster has preferences in how the show is to be organized; or whether the
Showrunner has particular skills or capacities. It is frequently a question of how to best maximize
people’s talent.
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Deborah Carver and Benoit Dubois, January 2009