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

Showrunners Training Gap Analysis
1.6 In a second phase of the internship program, include opportunities for writers to shadow
directors or editors to help develop an understanding of their relationship to the
Showrunner.
1.7 Construct financial incentives for independent production companies to follow the best
practice examples of those that have integrated training and talent development into their
business model.
Training takes time. To develop a strong new group of Showrunners, with the requisite
experience of writing and producing, requires an investment of 3 to 5 years. The
recommendations outlined here are directed towards identifying, preparing and accelerating the
progress of writers with aptitude through on-the-job experience.
And in Québec? According to our interviewees, solid work experience is essential to the job of a
Showrunner. If the role is to be further developed in the province, then the preference is for a
mentoring system combined with theory classes covering different aspects of production.
I believe a combination of both theory and practical training is ideal, particularly in a mentoring
system. It’s how I developed my trade: coming in contact with production realities on the field. (a
Québécois producer)
Only retired Showrunners are really in a position to train Showrunners. If INIS, for instance,
decided to develop a program, I believe this program would have to teach the basics, theory. It
would cover what a Showrunner is, but not how to become one. For this, students would have to
be put on set, possibly by making tuition $80,000 per year and having them shoot a TV series.
You can’t be in the field without having been supervised for many years. (a Québécois director)
We should develop a mentoring system and bring future Showrunners into the writing room and,
according to your definition of Showrunner, bring them on set. (a Québécois writer)
If training programs geared towards Showrunners are to be developed in Québec, some have
suggested that a first round of students be sent to study in the U.S. or to English Canada to gain
on-set experience.
Of greater interest in Québec is concentrating efforts on the existing professions of producer,
writer, director and to help in the understanding and the linking of their work profiles. The
Québécois industries of film and television must open themselves to more teamwork.
In order to integrate Showrunners into the Québécois landscape, we’d have to change the way we
do things. We’d have to first develop a team culture. With a little more money our productions
could invest in teams. At this moment, it’s one director, one writer. A Showrunner is useful when
there’s teamwork. Here, we work differently. (a Québécois director)
FORMAL TRAINING
A combination of on-set opportunity and structured coursework may provide the best
environment for bringing on new Showrunner talent, and updating skills in the currently
practicing community. As one experienced trainer stated, structured courses are important to get
the trainee away to a less threatening environment where students can take more risks.
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Deborah Carver and Benoit Dubois, January 2009