Development models for Australian scripted drama are evolving. Increasingly we hear the term ‘showrunner’ – a title rarely used in Australia a decade ago. So, what is a showrunner? How does the role differ from being a writer? What additional responsibilities are required to fulfil the role? What do writers need to learn to become a showrunner? And who decides if there is a showrunner on a show? What have been the traditional pathways for writers in Australia? What models operate here now? What other models are there? Do they vary according to program type? How has the showrunner affected how productions work and what has been the effect on the way directors work?
Moderator
Leigh McGrath, Showrunner, Harrow & Secrets and Lies
Producer
Owen Johnston, Lead Programmer, SPA
Speakers
Stephen Irwin, Showrunner, Harrow & Tidelands
Vicki Madden, Showrunner, The Gloaming & The Kettering Incident
