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 funded by the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union.

Venue

Online or 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

The European Showrunner Think Tank explores and discusses the advantages and challenges of showrunning in Europe.

next event:

European Showrunner Think Tank meets TV Beats Forum @ Black Nights Film Festival Tallinn

»One Vision, Many Traditions: How History and Politics Shape the Showrunner Model«

Date: Monday, 16 November 2026
Time: 2 p.m. EET / 1 p.m. CET
Venue: TV Beats Forum @Black Nights Film Festival Tallinn, Estonia

Please note that an accreditation is required.

As the showrunner model spreads across Europe, its reception has varied considerably. National histories, political cultures, media traditions, and concepts of authorship continue to shape how creative leadership is understood and practised. Part of the European Showrunner Think Tank series, this panel explores how these factors have influenced the reception and evolution of the showrunner model across the continent. From public service broadcasting cultures and traditions of collective authorship to attitudes towards hierarchy, authority, and creative responsibility, the discussion examines how national and regional contexts shape the role of the showrunner. Bringing together perspectives from Eastern, Central, and Northern Europe, the panel compares how different regions have embraced, adapted, or challenged the model, and what these approaches reveal about creative leadership and the future of European series.

Panellists: Aleksandra Chmielewska & Maciej Kubicki (»Glitter«, Poland), Johan Fasting (»Makta / Power Play«, Norway), Teodora Markova (»Soviet Jeans«, Bulgaria)

Moderator: Marike Muselaers | VP International Financing & Coproductions at Nordisk Film Production (Denmark/Norway/Sweden)

Presented in cooperation with the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

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