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

Showrunners Training Gap Analysis
The first cycle of the Banff CanWest Showrunner program in June 2008 included one week of
master classes at Banff with guest American Showrunners who were asked to analyze an episode
that demonstrated resolution of a story issue that arose on set, in post, or as a result of broadcaster
notes. The ten participants then spent a week in Los Angeles, mostly on the set of a sitcom series.
A closing session in Toronto introduced participants to Canadian story teams. The program
targeted writers who had experience in series and story rooms, and was intended to help them
understand the framework of Showrunning and build their professional confidence.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) West has run a Showrunner Program in Los Angeles for 3
years, with financial support from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. It
consists of six day-long Saturday sessions that focus on managing the relationship aspects of the
job, and two more days on budget and pilots. Twenty-five participants are selected from writers
who must be recommended by an experienced Showrunner or a network executive. The WGA
recognizes that Showrunners used to be entirely trained on-the-job through informal
apprenticeship. Networks would only make development deals with very experienced writerproducers.
The program was developed in light of recognition of a new trend in which less
experienced writer/creators are getting in the door to develop series pilots.
The CFC has recently proposed a Showrunner Studio program, to start-up in 2009, in partnership
with CTV. The approach is to build management skills in senior writers who have been tapped as
the next group of Showrunners. The CFC is working with the WGC and WGA to explore the U.S.
showrunner model and adapt it to the Canadian landscape. The proposal is to select a very small
group annually, based on references from production executives, broadcasters and the WGC, to
ensure that the participants are ready to move quickly into a Showrunner role. Ongoing peer
support, based on the strong CFC alumni network, is another important aspect of the program.
Emerging level: Professional development programs
Several professional development programs are credited with developing the emerging writing
talent that is a basic requirement for stepping up to Showrunner. Each addresses a component of
the Showrunner list of competencies.
The CFC CBC Prime Time Television program has trained numerous writers in the writing room
process of television, including exposing them to the role of the Showrunner.
NSI’s Totally Television program works with writer/producer teams who have little to no
dramatic TV series experience to develop a marketable Bible with the aim of securing a
production order. NSI has also implemented one program for APTN in which an experienced
Showrunner assembled a writing room with five inexperienced writers and one showrunner
mentee to develop a series. Separate “bootcamps” developed producer and writer talent.
In Québec, at INIS, the professional producer, director and actor programs are integrating the
concept of the Showrunner.
Entry level: Inventory of offerings
Entry level training for a potential Showrunner exists in a broad range of programs from coast to
coast, provided by organizations, associations, private schools, colleges and universities. Twentysix
providers were interviewed by telephone, in English. See Appendix E for a list of
interviewees. The complete inventory of offerings and their relationship to Showrunner
competencies is reported in Appendix H.
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Deborah Carver and Benoit Dubois, January 2009