Category: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT
Production’s virtual future
As Star Wars series The Mandalorian paves the way for new technology to shape how TV series are made, DQ looks at the impact virtual production is set to have in the next few years.
The Trek goes on
Executive producer Alex Kurtzman reveals how one of TV’s most storied franchises was brought back to the small screen in the shape of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard, and how the latter takes the sci-fi juggernaut in a new direction.
Intimate relations
Having worked on series including Sex Education, Gentleman Jack and Normal People, intimacy coordinator Ita O’Brien explains why television’s approach to sex scenes has to change.
Art under attack
Adam O’Neill, art director and the chairman of the British Film Designers Guild, tells DQ how art departments have been affected by the current production shutdown and outlines the biggest changes to his on-set role.
Production shutdown
In part two of a focus on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on television drama productions, DQ speaks to three more producers to see how their latest series have been affected and how development has been pushed to the fore.
Dramatic downturn
In the first part of a focus on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on television drama productions, DQ speaks to three leading producers and writers to find out how they have been affected as filming around the world is put on hold.
Character study
While series have a shelf life, some characters become immortal. DQ speaks to a group of writers about how they create the people we watch on screen.
Must CEE TV
With a number of drama productions from Central and Eastern Europe drawing critical acclaim in recent years, DQ finds out what’s coming next from the region and why it’s ripe for a breakout international hit
Direct action
DQ speaks to a number of television directors about their latest work and how their role behind the camera is evolving, from working closely with writers to penning and even acting in the shows themselves.
Seeing is believing
As visual effects become a more prominent – and expensive – part of television, DQ hears about how writers and producers are aiming to meet cinematic standards in high-end dramas and how VFX can enhance storytelling.
Beyond Borgen
Writers Adam Price, Jeppe Gjervig Gram and actor Birgitte Hjort Sørensen made their names on Danish political drama Borgen. DQ finds out what they’ve been up to since and how the series shaped their careers.
Story time
It’s been seven years since Netflix first broke into original programming, transforming the way viewers watch drama forever. But how has the arrival of streaming platforms changed the way stories are told? In this special report, DQ explores storytelling in the digital age.
The best of Belgium
On the back of thrilling series such as De Dag (The Day), Tabula Rasa and 13 Geboden (13 Commandments), Belgium is proving to be the latest global creative hotspot for television drama. DQ hears from those in the business to find out the secret to its success.
Appy days
There’s more drama than ever – but small-screen storytelling is not just being confined to television. DQ speaks to some of those involved in changing the way drama is made and watched.
Long haul
International coproductions are nothing new, but as more globally ambitious dramas are emerging, DQ speaks to the producers behind some of these long-distance series to find out how stories spanning multiple countries are made.
Just one more
In the age of binge-watching, what makes a compelling drama that demands viewers watch the next episode immediately? DQ speaks to a host of writers to find out how they keep audiences hooked to the very end.
Latin flavour
Buoyed by the success of its US counterpart, HBO Latin America is celebrating its own golden age of drama across the region. Roberto Ríos, VP of original production, looks back on 15 years of storytelling.
Wonder women
A host of female characters are rewriting the rules for women on television. DQ explores how they are being brought to the small screen to front series ranging from contemporary crime dramas and thrillers to period and historical series.
Following procedure
Procedural series were once the bread and butter of US broadcast networks. But international buyers are finding them harder to come by amid the appetite for increasingly serialised storytelling. DQ examines the future of the story-of-the-week format.
On the right track
As the battle for the best projects becomes ever more fierce, leading drama commissioners and producers open up about their own development processes and reveal how they work to bring new series to air.