Post by annabelleleigh on Oct 29, 2008 14:24:49 GMT -5
Rene Balcer (along with SVU's Neal Baer) each claimed a spot in the shortlist of Hollywood's most influential showrunners, according to an industry survey.
The piece immediately below also quotes CI G/E showrunner Walon Green and CI N/W showrunner Robert Nathan.
Boldfaces mine.
AL
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America's Top 40: Most influential showrunners
The Hollywood Reporter
Oct 28, 2008, 09:28 PM ET
Excerpt:
"Rene Balcer, "Law & Order" (NBC)
Neal Baer, "Law & Order: SVU" (NBC)
Keeping the "L&O" franchise chugging along takes four separate showrunners. (USA Network's "Criminal Intent" splits duties between Walon Green and Robert Nathan.) But all agree that the biggest priority is "protecting the writers," Baer says, "so they feel they can take chances." They mostly eschew the writers room, though Nathan says he likes beating out a story in a group: "It's silly to waste the intelligence of the people we have," he says. In general the "L&O" runners -- all of whom (except Baer) have held other positions in the franchise -- employ various permutations of solitary writing. Balcer doesn't give notes -- "Instead, I just do the rewrite. And I don't jump credit" -- while Green tries to "get the writers to do as much as they can on their own." Baer, meanwhile, has incorporated his medical background into his showrunning, making the rounds to check up on his scribes' progress. He gives notes in purple ink and approval with smiley faces. Now, that's comforting."
America's Top 40: THR's showrunner survey
www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9a67ade749ea6ee9e471cf0313c2c055?pn=1
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Also: about showrunners and what they do.
Showrunners enjoy bigger profile
Blood, sweat and fears in post-WGA strike industry
By James Hibberd
The Hollywood Reporter
Oct 28, 2008, 09:26 PM ET
Excerpt:
"When writers went on strike in late 2007, TV showrunners like Shonda Rhimes became the faces of the conflict. Waving pickets in solidarity with her staffs, the creator and executive producer of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice" began speaking to the press and representing her shows in a way she hadn't been asked to do before.
Then the strike ended, and -- at first -- her front-and-center role seemed over.
"Business as usual," Rhimes says.
That may be true from one perspective: Studios still largely see showrunners as another form of employee. But the clout on display during the strike evidences a recent subtle shift in television. Once anonymous workmen leading their writing staffs, showrunners increasingly have become CEOs of their creative product, showered with accolades when the shows do well but forced to deal with challenges like budget crunches and the industry-wide concerns over falling ratings and the slowing ad market....
...With their profiles raised, the showrunner is now beholden to various shareholders, giving media interviews and taking meetings with underlings in addition to the usual writing-producing tasks...."
Find this article at:
www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9a67ade749ea6ee9e471cf0313c2c055?pn=1
------------------------
And: How top showrunners were chosen.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9a67ade749ea6ee9e471cf0313c2c055?pn=5
The piece immediately below also quotes CI G/E showrunner Walon Green and CI N/W showrunner Robert Nathan.
Boldfaces mine.
AL
-------------------------
America's Top 40: Most influential showrunners
The Hollywood Reporter
Oct 28, 2008, 09:28 PM ET
Excerpt:
"Rene Balcer, "Law & Order" (NBC)
Neal Baer, "Law & Order: SVU" (NBC)
Keeping the "L&O" franchise chugging along takes four separate showrunners. (USA Network's "Criminal Intent" splits duties between Walon Green and Robert Nathan.) But all agree that the biggest priority is "protecting the writers," Baer says, "so they feel they can take chances." They mostly eschew the writers room, though Nathan says he likes beating out a story in a group: "It's silly to waste the intelligence of the people we have," he says. In general the "L&O" runners -- all of whom (except Baer) have held other positions in the franchise -- employ various permutations of solitary writing. Balcer doesn't give notes -- "Instead, I just do the rewrite. And I don't jump credit" -- while Green tries to "get the writers to do as much as they can on their own." Baer, meanwhile, has incorporated his medical background into his showrunning, making the rounds to check up on his scribes' progress. He gives notes in purple ink and approval with smiley faces. Now, that's comforting."
America's Top 40: THR's showrunner survey
www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9a67ade749ea6ee9e471cf0313c2c055?pn=1
--------------------------------
Also: about showrunners and what they do.
Showrunners enjoy bigger profile
Blood, sweat and fears in post-WGA strike industry
By James Hibberd
The Hollywood Reporter
Oct 28, 2008, 09:26 PM ET
Excerpt:
"When writers went on strike in late 2007, TV showrunners like Shonda Rhimes became the faces of the conflict. Waving pickets in solidarity with her staffs, the creator and executive producer of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice" began speaking to the press and representing her shows in a way she hadn't been asked to do before.
Then the strike ended, and -- at first -- her front-and-center role seemed over.
"Business as usual," Rhimes says.
That may be true from one perspective: Studios still largely see showrunners as another form of employee. But the clout on display during the strike evidences a recent subtle shift in television. Once anonymous workmen leading their writing staffs, showrunners increasingly have become CEOs of their creative product, showered with accolades when the shows do well but forced to deal with challenges like budget crunches and the industry-wide concerns over falling ratings and the slowing ad market....
...With their profiles raised, the showrunner is now beholden to various shareholders, giving media interviews and taking meetings with underlings in addition to the usual writing-producing tasks...."
Find this article at:
www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9a67ade749ea6ee9e471cf0313c2c055?pn=1
------------------------
And: How top showrunners were chosen.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9a67ade749ea6ee9e471cf0313c2c055?pn=5
