As a lifelong film enthusiast who’s witnessed the evolution of the industry over decades, I can confidently say that the current landscape is indeed a challenging one for the BBC and other production houses worldwide. The economic uncertainties have forced us to adapt, innovate, and seek new partnerships – and it seems Europe is stepping up to fill the void left by our American counterparts.

In simpler terms, the challenging financial situation is making it more difficult for BBC’s drama chief, Lindsay Salt, to find American partners for joint productions. Instead, European firms are taking on a larger role, bridging the growing gap.

Salt stated during a panel discussion at Content London in the U.K. on Thursday, ‘Things have drastically changed, and while we’ll still collaborate with the U.S. for some co-productions (such as Michaela Coel’s show and Richard Gad’s new project, which HBO is involved with, as well as ‘The Night Manager’ series 2 with Amazon), it’s a challenging period. However, this situation just means we’re adapting. We’re becoming more open to innovative approaches, and we’re eager to engage with new partners.’

Inquired if it implied that the BBC might focus on collaborations within Europe for future projects, Salt responded with a casual “Absolutely.

“We need co-production at the BBC,” she added. “We can’t afford to fully fund shows.”

A more recent instance of a collaborative project among continental European entities is the YA adaptation “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,” which premiered earlier this year and was jointly produced by the BBC, Netflix, and Germany’s ZDF. This production has been approved for a second season.

Salt described the evolving market by saying, “We can sit here and lament how tough things are, but then we need to ask ourselves, ‘What can we do differently? Who else might be able to help us?’ There are plenty of intelligent minds out there. Let’s experiment with various strategies and approaches. This year, we’ve been having those discussions, and I hope solutions are beginning to take shape. It’s undeniably a challenging period for everyone, but we must get creative and adaptable. We need to discover new rules, new ways of operating, and fresh models, and then dive in headfirst.

Moreover, Salt expressed that he believes BBC is there to assist in fostering these important discussions. Given the challenging circumstances, especially for independent producers, this support is crucial.

I’m thinking along the lines of producing a show that maintains our creative integrity, avoiding situations that could compromise its quality. We made a commitment to both creatives and producers to provide them with the freedom to take risks in their work, and we must honor that promise. This means finding collaborators who share our enthusiasm for this approach, allowing us to secure sufficient funding and ultimately bring these shows to life on screen. The audience is still eager for content, so it’s crucial that we meet their expectations.

Inquired about whether the BBC is still steered more by creativity compared to financial constraints, Salt responded: “To be honest, it’s a challenge everyday….And I think we all feel that strain, don’t we?

I’m not advocating for a complete disregard of practicality. I’m not suggesting that everyone should produce whatever they want without regard for budget. Instead, the question often arises: ‘How many high-budget productions can we realistically create?’

Salt explained that instead of casually saying, “I’ll just give you the funds for everything,” which they don’t have much of, they commission a few high-budget shows annually. This approach seems more equitable than just leaving creators to their own devices, struggling to deliver quality work on minimal resources. Therefore, such discussions are ongoing.

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2024-12-05 16:19