FACTUAL TV
GENRE REPORT
KATE PHILLIPS, DIRECTOR OF UNSCRIPTED, BBC
It’s been four months since Kate Phillips took up the newly created role of director of unscripted at the BBC, responsible for around 3000 hours of broadcast TV each year, with a digital first strategy. Gone is the separation between
entertainment and factual. The BBC has adopted the American way. “What I’ve noticed is just what sense it makes,” says Phillips. “Entertainment runs through the heart of everything. For me, entertainment is about engagement.” She might be from an entertainment background, but wants to reassure that she won’t be trivialising factual: “We have huge commitment to massive, hard-hitting and public service pieces. But they do need to utterly engage the audience.” She cites BBC Studios’ Frozen Planet II and upcoming Once upon a Time in Belfast from Keo Films. With such a huge slate, Phillips relies
on her senior team “The commissioning power is very much with the heads.” There is now a weekly meeting with all the heads of departments where ideas are discussed. Phillips’ brief from BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore means driving more value from collaborations between genres and with Nations commissioners. For example, a project might switch departments, “if one genre has more flex with its budget, or a commissioner that will be particularly good on it.” Heads of commissioning in the nations and regions join the regular heads meeting. “I don’t want it to feel like the power is in London,” says Phillips. Eddie Doyle, head of content commissioning for BBC NI recently presented to the team. Right now, there’s a need to reflect
the cost-of-living crisis. “For me we are in three different areas” she says. Number one: “we want the immediate documentaries, reflecting the tough times the UK is going through” Number two: “helping our audiences,” consumer- first content, how to save money. Number three: “the massive joyful, escapist pieces to help people forget.”
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Sean Doyle, director of unscripted content,
EMEA, for Disney+ said that the commissions are “reflecting the UK’s status as an unscripted powerhouse and establishing Disney+ as a destination for unscripted titles.” As the traditional UK broadcasters raise their
own streamer game, there are further opportunities. First factual commissions for ITVX include The Royal Family from 72 Films and true crime docuseries Rolf Harris: Hiding in Plain Sight (w/t) from Optomen and A Murder in the Family (w/t) from Knickerbockerglory TV. It’s also invested in natural history from Plimsoll Productions, now part of ITV Studios and shows fronted by Olivia Attwood (from Optomen) and Love Island presenter Laura Whitmore, (from Rumpus). “In terms of style, streamers are more interested
in stories that have a present tense as well as a past tense,” says Petterle at Pulse, where they are working with platforms including Nordic streamer Viaplay. She describes documentary with present tense elements, plus archive, plus interview, “you’re going through a life and death moment or a big moment in someone’s life while looking at their past and what drives them…There’s a real interest in psychology and inter-generational trauma…We’re bringing that a bit to sport and fashion. What is it that makes a person a champion? What is it that drives them to success?” As well as the gradual increase in different
customers, the core demand from UK broadcasters has bounced back after the pandemic, according to
the latest PACT census. “There are now more outlets for your project, so it feels like it’s worth investing in development,” says Mansfield at Outline. “It’s been a premium factual boom,” says
Anstiss at Wonderhood. The indie, now four years old, has a variety of projects, across traditional UK broadcasters and streamers. “It’s vital that we have a spread,” says Anstiss. Wonderhood has done two big box-set series with Sky and has another project in development with them. So far, Scouting for Girls: Fashion’s Darkest Secret, a co-production with the Guardian, and true crime title Devil’s Advocate. Sky’s focus on original documentary has been responsible for another factual commissioning boost in the UK. “I love their brief,” says Anstiss. “They’re a real producer champion.” Wonderhood, which has an advertising arm
to the business, has also worked with brands on long-form projects, including Waitrose for ITV’s Summer on the Farm and cancer charity Macmillan for Channel 4’s Super Surgeons. “Jonah [Weston, commissioning editor] at Channel 4, is brilliantly agile and open-minded about partnerships,” says Anstiss.
MAKE IT BIG Big, noisy commissions are almost de rigueur in the
2020s. “The need for noise is greater than ever,” says Mansfield. “There is very little room for the small and gentle.” She’s happy that formats are back in the ascendant. The streamers have gone big on formats and reality, especially dating, while Channel 4 is on
MY GRANDPARENT’S WAR
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