European Showrunner Think Tank

European Showrunner Programme
© iStock/akinbostanci

Overview

Industry Talks on Showrunning in Europe

The European Showrunner Training is flanked by several industry talks – both online and at major industry events. The European Showrunner Think Tank opens the discussion to industry audiences, focusing on core areas such as creative control, legal issues, and social responsibility.  With the European Showrunner Think Tank, the ESP aims to contribute to discussing, defining, and eventually establishing the showrunner position in Europe.

This event is part of the European Showrunner Programme and is supported by the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union, The Film and Media Fund NRW, Netflix, and Series Mania.

Venue

Online and in person at major industry events

Fee

Participation in the European Showrunner Think Tank is free of charge
(in case of on-site panel discussions at industry events, access may be limited to accredited delegates)

European Showrunner Programme European Showrunner Training

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Think Tanks

The first Think Tank of the European Showrunner Programme 2023 will take place on February 2, 2023 at 11 am during the TV Drama Visions Conference in Göteborg.

THINK TANK I | SHOWRUNNING IN EUROPE: SPOTLIGHT ON JULIE ANDEM (SKAM)
Thursday, February 2, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. (CEST)
Part of the TV Drama Visions Cobference at Göteborg International Film Festival

We are delighted to welcome Julie Andem, the creator, writer and director of the groundbreaking and internationally acclaimed hit series »SKAM« as panelist of the first European Showrunner Think Tank in 2023. As one of the region’s most innovative creators in the world of drama series, Andem has not only succeeded in resonating with a global audience of young adults, but also explored and inspired new avenues of distribution and proved how the power of storytelling can travel over social, geographic and generational boundaries. In this fireside stage interview, we’ll dwelve into Skam’s unique storytelling approach and international impact with numerous remakes all over the world, and what's next for Andem. A special focus will lay on Andem's work as a showrunner and the opportunities and challenges she sees for showrunning in Europe.

Guest:
Julie Andem | writer and director (»Skam«), Norway

Moderator:
Andrea Reuter  | Journalist, Producer, Finland

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Previous Events

THINK TANK I

THINK TANK I - Showrunning: A European Approach

Wednesday, March 23, 2022, from 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm, at Series Mania, Lille

In Europe, the definition of a showrunner is not fixed, but differs not only from country to country, but also from production to production. This lack of clarity often causes confusion and frustration for the various parties involved. This panel aims to shed light on the current situation for showrunners and writer/producers in the European series market, focusing on the opportunities and challenges this new approach implies.

Speakers:

  • Jeppe Gjervig Gram | writer and showrunner (»Borgen«, »Follow the Money«), and Head of Programme of the European Showrunner Programme, Denmark
  • Annette Hess | writer and showrunner (»We Children from Bahnhof Zoo«, »Ku’damm 56/59/63«), Germany
  • Frank Spotnitz | CEO Big Light Productions, showrunner, writer and executive producer (»Leonardo«, »Medici«, »The X-Files«, »The Man in the High Castle«), USA/UK/France

Moderator: Marie Roussin | writer and showrunner (»Lupin«, »Mixte«), France

Please watch the recording of the Think Tank below.

THINK TANK II

THINK TANK II - Showrunning in Europe: The Broadcaster’s Perspective

Tuesday, May 24, 2022, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm CEST, via Zoom

The position of the showrunner is still fairly new in the Europe series industry, but the demand is growing. European broadcasters slowly but surely open up to the showrunner model and start exploring options to implement it.
This panel aims to shed light on the broadcaster’s perspective and gives voice to representatives from European broadcasters and streamers sharing their experiences with the showrunner model, the challenges and their visions for the future.

Speakers:

  • Marianne Furevold | Executive Producer, NRK Drama, Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
  • Bettina Alber | Head of Series, SRF Swiss Radio and Television
  • Christian Wikander | Commissioning Editor and VP, Original Programming HBO Max Nordic

Moderator: Torsten Zarges | Chief Reporter DWDL.de, Cologne

Please watch the recording of the Think Tank below.

THINK TANK III

THINK TANK III - Embracing Diversity & Social Responsibility

Tuesday, September 6, 2022, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm CEST, via Zoom

Showrunners are the lead creatives overseeing the entire creation and production process – a position that combines huge responsibilities with unique opportunities. In our European Showrunner Programme we want to encourage a more diverse and societal approach to producing and telling stories. Showrunner can make a real difference and have a lasting impact by considering those factors, spreading them among cast, crew and audience. This panel aims to showcase opportunities and discuss challenges that come with implementing societal issues in TV series.

Speakers:

  • Nataly Kudiabor | Executive Producer »All You Need«, Managing Director UFA Fiction, Germany

  • Lauren Schmidt Hissrich | Executive Producer »The Witcher«, Writer, Producer »Private Practice«, USA

Host: Marike Muselaers | Chief Content and Partnerships Officer, Lumière Benelux Group, Belgium

Please watch the recording of the Think Tank below.

© ifs

THINK TANK IV

THINK TANK IV - PRODUCING IN THE SHOWRUNNER MODEL | Thursday, October 20, 2022
Part of the »European Series Day« at Film Festival Cologne
11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m. (CEST) | Cineplex Filmpalast, Hohenzollernring 22, Cologne

Guests: 
Maria Cervera | producer (»Elite«, »Cable Girls«), Vice President, Content Development EMEAA, VIS (a division of Paramount), Spain
Petja Peltomaa | writer and showrunner (»Syke/Nurses«), Finland
Andi Wecker | producer, writer, and showrunner (»Start the Fck Up«, »The Team«), Germany

Moderator: 
Marike Muselaers | Lumière Benelux Group, Belgium 

The position of the showrunner is still fairly new in the Europe series industry, but the demand is growing. European productions slowly but surely open up to the showrunner model and start exploring options for implementing this new work structure.
This panel aims discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with producing series in the showrunner model. Three experienced professionals share their experiences with various types of the showrunner approach and discuss how this model benefits not only the quality of the show but also their work as producers.
This session is the fourth panel of the European Showrunner Think Tank, a series of industry events aimed at discussing, defining, and eventually establishing the showrunner position in Europe. It is part of the European Showrunner Programme. 

A recording of this session will be available online shortly after the event.

Think Tank V

THINK TANK V
»Showrunning in Europe« | December 13, 2022 | 4.30 – 7.30 pm CET | online 

It was a unique experiment: for the first time ever, twelve aspiring and first-time showrunners from ten European countries came together to examine, study and discuss the showrunner position from the European perspective. For six months they broadened their knowledge and honed their skills in the European Showrunner Training with the aim of finding their personal – and possibly a uniquely European – showrunner model.
This panel gives a glimpse into their findings, discussing the possibility of a sustainable, truly European showrunner model.
Norwegian showrunner Julie Skaufel (»Home for Christmas«) and aspiring showrunner Tijs van Marle (»Dirty Lines«), both established and renowned series writers, discuss their take-aways from the "newcomers'" position, while Head of Programme Danish showrunner Jeppe Gjervig Gram gives an insight into how the aim of the programme's concept met with reality.

Guests:
Jeppe Gjervig Gram | writer and showrunner (»Borgen«, »Follow the Money«), Denmark
Julie Skaufel | writer and showrunner (»Home for Christmas«, »I Do«), Norway
Tijs van Marle | writer (»Dirty Lines«, »Mister Twister«), The Netherlands

Moderator:
Marike Muselaers | Lumière Benelux Group, Belgium

Thanks

Funders and Partners

Funded by

Industry Partners

Media Partners

Questions? Contact us!

Carolin Groẞe Hellmann

Head of Serial Storytelling

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Head of Professional Training Screenwriting

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Programme Manager European Showrunner Programme

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