James Gandolfini’s Friendship Transformed My Career: Jane Tranter’s Revelation

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At Canneseries, Jane Tranter, founder of Bad Wolf and creator of shows like “Doctor Who” and “Succession,” reminisced about her professional and personal bond with the late James Gandolfini, star of “The Sopranos.” Their friendship and creative partnership blossomed during their work on “The Night Of.” Tragically, Gandolfini passed away in 2013 before they could complete the project. The pilot episode that they worked on together was his final film role, with John Turturro eventually taking over the character.

The executive recalled feeling uneasy and out of sorts in LA alongside Gandolfini, as they had both found the city overwhelming,” Tranter said. She had taken up the role with BBC Worldwide Productions and Adjacent Productions in Los Angeles after spending eight years as Head of Fiction for the BBC in the U.K. Tranter continued to work in L.A. for another eight years, where she was involved in productions like “Dancing With the Stars” and “Da Vinci’s Demons.

She went on to say, “James enlightened me about numerous topics, making me feel supported for the very first time. This marked a significant shift in my life. Upon getting acquainted with him and becoming fully engrossed in ‘The Night Of,’ I became utterly invested and determined to stay until the series concluded.

Through Gandolfini’s friendship, Tranter’s professional life was significantly shaped. Following Gandolfini’s demise, the producer took over the film crews they had worked together on “The Sopranos.” This experience provided him with a deeper understanding of New York crew structures and history, which eventually played a direct role in shaping the creation of Bad Wolf.

After Jim’s death, his crew continued to collaborate with us on ‘The Night Of.’ I grew fond of them, discovering they were established New York crews whose family members had worked in the same roles for generations. These positions offered steady, well-compensated employment, allowing workers to stay in New York and prosper without leaving. This struck me as remarkable, and I wondered: what if I founded a company with a studio that could generate similar job opportunities?

After departing from Los Angeles, Tranter formed Bad Wolf in partnership with Welsh television producer Julie Gardner. Initially, they established their base in Swansea, but soon moved to Cardiff where they now operate seven soundstages. Some of the shows they have filmed there include “Industry” and “His Dark Materials.

The executive expressed confidence, largely bolstered by ‘Da Vinci’s Demons,’ that we could create top-tier television dramas from Wales. I wasn’t sure if we would attract actors and directors initially, but I knew one thing for certain – what actors crave most is a fantastic script. If I can offer a superb script, captivating characters, and ensure their comfort when they arrive, everything will fall into place. Remarkably, that turned out to be the case.

10-year-old production company Bad Wolf recently established a seventh stage and front lot, making it the unique global studio fully equipped by producers to create their shows. As expressed by Tranter, “We can assure safety in all aspects, and it significantly influences our creative planning. We favor studio-based productions; we seek content suitable for the studio.

Absolutely, nurturing a thriving, progressive industry relies significantly on talent cultivation and accessibility, which is why the producer takes great pride in hosting a learning facility right within Bad Wolf studios. This initiative caters specifically to the need for skills development. “Not only do we offer university students an opportunity to learn here, but we also extend this to schoolchildren. We start as young as seven years old. They step into the studio and gain a feel for how television is produced. I believe it’s crucial in an area like Wales, where our socioeconomic diversity is pronounced, and the television industry serves as a substantial provider of jobs.

Regarding future collaborations, Tranter highly commended her alliance with British playwright Peter Straughan. At present, he’s engaged with Bad Wolf in adapting Philip Kerr’s popular book series “Berlin Noir” for Apple TV+. She expressed, “He isn’t just the kindest individual around, but also one of the exceptionally talented writers I’ve ever had the pleasure to work side by side with.

She mentioned that we’re constantly seeking exceptional screenplays and talented authors. We don’t shy away from fantastical elements or period settings. In fact, while many consider period dramas difficult to finance, we’ve managed to produce no less than three of them.

Tranter ended their discussion by stating that joining Cannes with the Bad Wolf crew signifies a “clear intention” to seek out “new collaborations.” She added that budgets might not remain constant, and funding methods may also vary, but this is a challenge that everyone must face. Producers and writers take up this task because they relish challenges, and although it’s becoming more difficult, excellent productions are still being created for reasonable costs.

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2025-04-26 21:17