European Showrunner Programme

ended

The showrunner position is of crucial importance for high-quality series as the showrunner ensures the creative integrity of the project. The showrunner model is an evolving market practice that is being implemented in more and more series productions in Europe today. It defines a new creative process in which the writer has a wide set of additional responsibilities which span the entire production workflow from screenplay, casting and production to the supervision of directing and editing. Showrunners need to be excellent series writers with a strong creative vision, and a vivid understanding of both the medium and the world around them. They need to have a producer’s mind-set, exceptional communication and leadership skills. While the vast majority of series writers do not have these skills, the demand for showrunners is high and steadily growing in Europe. The European Showrunner Programme (ESP) is a 6-month advanced training programme designed to provide experienced European series writers with the opportunity to acquire and refine the skills needed for taking on the challenging role of a showrunner. Through online and residential seminars as well as one-on-one mentoring the programme supports each participant in cultivating the mind-set and self-awareness necessary for becoming a successful showrunner. Besides this strong focus on Creative Leadership, the programme also conveys hard skills in key areas of head writing, directing, and producing drama series. Moreover, it encourages showrunners to embrace the social impact of their work – both on and off screen, and provides them with a vast and reliable professional network. As the introduction of this new work model not only concerns individual series professionals but also the European series industry in general, a series of accompanying satellite industry events – the European Showrunner Think Tank – aims to contribute to discussing, defining, and eventually establishing the showrunner position in Europe.