Survival of the Fittest - Does Darwin’s Natural Selection Theory Also Apply to TV Programs?
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm Tuesday, Dec. 2
This year we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birthday and the 150th year since Origin of Species was published. When a major event inspires producers and broadcasters around the globe, a multitude of proposals spawn, evolve and mutate. Which ones have survived? Are they better, more focused, different, original or simply made by the right people? Science and history commissioning editors will present projects that they have supported and explain why others were rejected. Producers will present their tactics to beat the others in their survival of the fittest in the television jungle.
Sponsored by ZDF Enterprises
Session Producer:
André Barro, Producer, Factual and Co-Production, Cirrus Communications (Canada)
Moderator:
Daryl Karp, Managing Director, Tattooed Media (Australia)
Panelists:
Michael Allder, Executive Producer, Science & Natural History Unit, CBC (Canada)
Paula Apsell, Senior Executive Producer, NOVA and NOVA scienceNOW / Director, Science Unit, WGBH (USA)
Hélène Coldefy, Head of Specialist and Factual, ARTE France (France)
Martin Davidson, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual, BBC (UK)
Bridget Whalen, Vice President, Development, Co-productions, and Acquisitions, National Geographic Channel (USA)
Participants:
Sue Clothier, General Manager, ScreenWorld (Australia)
David Dugan, Chairman, Windfall Films (UK)
Jill Fullerton-Smith, Creative Director, Specialist Factual, BBC Scotland (UK)
John Lynch, Head of Science, BBC Vision Productions, BBC (UK)
Dirk Neuhoff, Head of Documentaries, NDR Television (Germany)
Eike Schmitz, Director/Writer/Producer, Atlantis-Film (Germany)
Stuart Scowcroft, Executive Producer, Intomedia Limited (Australia)
Werner Vennewald, Producer, Mocaco Films GmbH (Germany)