Post by Vanessa Bailey, Team LSF
‘Wolf Hall’, ‘Downton Abbey’, ‘The Tudors’… even ‘Game Of Thrones’ ALL play well both at home and abroad.
It seems there is a genuine appetite for sexy, violent period drama, drenched in intrigue and characters in conflict. It raises a simple question for all screenwriters too. Should I be writing for TV and for this genre as it demonstrably works AND pays.
Let’s look at Wolf Hall as an example … Co-produced by the BBC/PBS, Wolf Hall is a six-part adaptation of a trilogy by Booker Prize Winner Hilary Mantel. Which very British elements of Wolf Hall created a loyal and committed fan base abroad?
- Magnetic lead characters
Particularly the magnetic leading men. Strong, powerful, complicated, ethically dubious leading men. Mark Rylance (as Cromwell) plays a deeply likeable anti-hero. The American audience warmed to the characters because they drive the story. - Characters with a history
These characters sit within a richly atmospheric, historical setting. Castles, thrones, tapestries, roaring fires and exposed brickwork. It’s all there. Movie studios are not making this type of movie any more, so there’s a gap. - Moral ambiguity
Seething conflict. Strategies and power. It’s the White House in period costume. With executions. And we all love it. No-one is safe, as in ‘Game Of Thrones’ too which creates genuine tension when watching. - Downton Abbey and The Tudors paved the way
Whilst Wolf Hall is very different to these shows, both series established a following for British period drama and now there is an appetite that we can all satiate.
So what can we learn from these observations and the trend?
Producing period drama can be expensive (and writing therefore risky). On the flipside, get it right and you will have a tiger by the tail.
Most of us don’t immediately jump to the idea of developing a period drama for all the obvious reasons (budget / scale etc.)
But there is one element so few writers bring to the equation, and this really sweetens the proposition.
Branded entertainment.
When investing heavily in any project, the producers are going to look for precedent. What is this show like that has already succeeded? And they LOVE branded entertainment as there is tons of precedent of success in place. It helps everyone sleep at night.
It’s one reason why so many things get constantly remade, or sequel after sequel gets produced. Instead of complaining about this, we should use it to our advantage.
So how can you ‘game’ this need for branded entertainment in your favour?
Maybe the brand that you can bring to the table is British History.
I will say it again, British History.
I believe this is its own brand and comes with SIGNIFICANT value IF you find the right historical story and tell it in a compelling way.
So rather than imagine a whole new universe that you need to invent, why not find one that exists in history, research it, and tell that story?
Your most compelling pitch, the one that leads to a commission and a hit series might well be right under your nose. You may well miss it if you obsess about your own original ideas that are very hard to pitch, but you can be sure other writers won’t miss it in due course. Don’t let them have your lunch.
Vanessa Bailey
TeamLSF
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Posted by a member of the London Screenwriters’ Festival team.
