Creative Producers “nudge writers, directors”

At the Australian Director’s Guild Conference this week there was some discussion about the diminishing role of the Director and greater emergence of Director-Producers.

Some Directors had to fight to get credit for their work, or had found their work had been re-cut by producers.

ADG Executive Director Kingston Anderson said, “One of the areas we’ve had a lot of discussion about in the Guild is the role of directors in Television Drama and the lack of power they have in the system.”

But Director Glendyn Ivin who has directed Puberty Blues, Beaconsfield and Offspring spoke in favour of artistic partnerships, having worked on all three for producer John Edwards (pictured).

“I think he’s successful because he employs people to do their jobs. He’s a creative producer and he gets the right people involved. He nudges writers and nudges directors but he never really tells people what to do,” he said.

“So as far as the showrunner idea is concerned, the successful producers I’ve worked with in television are the ones who let directors be directors.

“They allow them to have the vision they want and do everything to support the director’s vision and do to get that up on screen, rather than just be a technical person who gets the call sheet done, day after day.”