Showrunner: secrets of the profession from the Head of the Writing for Film, Television + Games Department at Vancouver Film School

All the nuances of the showrunner's work – from the point of entry into the profession to the features of the organization of the work of the large script groups – on September 17 at KYIV MEDIA WEEK in inspiration talk ‘Showrunner. Do you dare?’ by Michael Baser.

Michael Baser is in the business for over 38 years. During this time, he managed to work with such large companies as 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Disney, Columbia TriStar and Warner Bros. Among his projects as a screenwriter are: comedy series Full House, telling about a single father, who brings up three daughters; the series Good Times about a family of African-Americans trying to escape poverty; comedy series The Jeffersons about African-American nouveaux riches who moved to a prestigious residential complex and try to fit into the world of rich whites, and many others.

His speech at KMW, which will be held in the format of inspiration talk, Mr. Baser will devote to the features script writer’s and showrunner’s work. In particular, he will focus at how script writers work in groups and how to organize this process in the best possible way. He will tell about the specifics of the showrunner's work and about who and how comes to this profession. He will also share recommendations on how to develop the talent of the writer, and what to pay attention to when writing a script for TV. 

‘An idea can come to you when you just take a shower. And, if you're lucky, after 6 months 200 people will already implement it’, – Mr. Baser comments on showrunner’s work and continues: ‘Being a showrunner is like being in a baseball team. Such work can not be called stable. There are always ratings and other variables. This is not for the faint-hearted. But at the same time, people who work in the industry and doing what I did before are the luckiest in the world. Because we can do what we love, laugh, work with creative people and change something.’

There is no doubt that Mr. Baser’s insights will be useful and practical, because most of his time in the recent years he’s been devoting to the development of other people's scenario talents – Mr. Baser has been heading the Writing for Film, Television + Games Department at Vancouver Film School, one of the world’s most famous schools in the film, design, animation and other industries.

Founded in 1987, Vancouver Film School provides training in 13 directions, including acting and scenario art, film and television production, sound engineering, interactive and game design, etc. In 2018, it was the first in the ranking of the top 100 international animation schools in the world according to Animation Career Review, and also entered the top-25 international filmmaking schools according to Variety.

Peculiarity of Vancouver Film School, which attracts students from all over the world, is in high quality and practical vector of education, multiplied by efficiency. Training is conducted on an accelerated model, so in just 12 months of an intensive program graduates receive a diploma and real practical experience, demanded in the industry. Vancouver Film School diploma gives an opportunity to continue studying at the third year of study of one of the partner universities in Canada or the US, or you can find job immediately after graduation. This film school is a real entry point to the global film industry for students of any age, nationality and with any prior education.

Michael Baser’s inspiration talk ‘Showrunner. Do you dare?’, organized with the support of Vancouver Film School, will be held on the first day of KYIV MEDIA WEEK (September 17) from 17:20 to 18:00.

The 8th edition of KYIV MEDIA WEEK will be held on September 17-21, 2018 at Hyatt Regency Kyiv (5 Alla Tarasova St., Kyiv, Ukraine). Register here.

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Vancouver Film School is the leading Canadian school of postgraduate education in cinema, television and related fields. At the moment, it presents 13 directions for postgraduate studies in the most popular professions, including acting and scenario skills, film and television production, sound engineering, interactive and game design, etc. Among the graduates of the Vancouver Film School are many professionals who have succeeded in different fields of film and television. For example, the director of Clerks (1994) and Dogma (1999) Kevin Smith and director of District 9 (2009) Neill Blomkamp.