GENRE REPORT


DRAMA


“THERE IS DIFFICULTY IN TERMS OF SUPPLY. THAT IS GOING TO DEFINE 2021”


SIMON HEATH WORLD PRODUCTIONS


Disney+, BritBox and Apple TV+ all launching within the past 12 months. Streaming pioneers Netflix and Amazon, meanwhile, have gone from strength to strength, gaining subscribers during the pandemic and outbidding terrestrials for premium content thanks to their deep pockets.


SUPPLY AND DEMAND The flip side of the opportunities provided by the streamers is that the drama market has become more crowded and competitive, with more scripted producers launching and vying for commissioners’ attention. The success of the streamers has also put


the finances of traditional broadcasters – which remain by far the biggest commissioners of UK


content - under strain. That said, the traditional broadcasters are not taking the threat of the streamers lying down, and are prioritising stand out, distinctive content – in particular drama. Simon Heath, the CEO of Bodyguard and Line


of Duty producer World Productions, neatly sums up the predicament facing the drama sector: “We would all recognise that the demand for content has never been greater. If you’ve got significant parts of the population stuck at home for long periods of time, then the television becomes central…But there is difficulty in terms of supply, and all the challenges around supplying drama. That is going to define 2021.” Indeed, 2021 is gearing up to be a busy but challenging year for drama producers.


A second spike of coronavirus cases and new


national lockdowns in Europe, announced just before Televisual went to press, hasn’t stopped productions filming. This is because Covid-19 safe shooting protocols, introduced in the summer, have been largely successful. Crucially, the government backed £500m Film & TV Production Restart Scheme has finally gone live, allowing dramas to proceed with Covid-19 insurance.


THE LOGJAM Many 2020 shoots have been pushed into 2021 due to the coronavirus hiatus; these will vie to shoot on top of a wave of recent greenlights from broadcasters and streamers. Us and Life producer Drama Republic, for


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