'Vikings' Creator Michael Hirst Shares Insights on Building Long-Running TV Series at Monte-Carlo Festival
By
Marta Balaga
Hot, fresh, and worth queueing round the block for.
Summary
At the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, 'Vikings' creator Michael Hirst, along with Rola Bauer and Toma De Matteis, discussed the art of creating long-running television series. Hirst emphasized that successful series need rich, meaningful worlds that connect past and present, and that creators must love their characters regardless of moral alignment. The panel explored the challenges and rewards of sustaining narrative depth over multiple seasons in the television industry.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIt has to be a whole world, rich enough to satisfy the requirements of your imagination, as Henry James used to say.
The subject needs to be about real things, things that matter, and when working with historical material, you have to be able to connect the past with the present in meaningful ways.
In order to create a long-running series, 'there has to be meat on the bone.'
You might also wanna read
EU-Backed Programme Selects 12 European Writers for Showrunner Training Led by Borgen and Doctor Who Creators
A dozen experienced European TV writers have been selected for the EU-backed European Showrunner Programme, designed to help them transition
Deadline·10d ago
Wallander Producer Reveals Months-Long On-Set Arguments With Gustaf Skarsgård Over Character Protection
Wallander reboot producer Glenn Lund revealed at Seriencamp that there were intense, months-long arguments on set with lead actor and execut
Deadline·5d ago
Netflix & Deadline's 'The Visionaries' Event: TV Creators Discuss Their Creative Process
Netflix and Deadline hosted "The Visionaries" event where top TV creators discussed their creative processes. Jack Thorne, who adapted Lord
Deadline·4d ago
Skins Co-Creator Bryan Elsley Says Multi-Strand Storytelling Has Become Rare in UK TV
Skins co-creator Bryan Elsley discusses how "multi-strand" shows — series that follow numerous storylines per episode — have become uncommon
Deadline·5d ago
Monte-Carlo TV Festival's 65th Edition to Honor Kurt Russell and Kristin Scott Thomas
The 65th Monte-Carlo TV Festival blends public and industry events, opening with Season 3 of The Walking Dead: Dead City. Kristin Scott Thom
Deadline·7d ago
'Outlander' Showrunner Matthew B. Roberts on Series Finale Decisions, Cut Storylines, and the Legacy of Jamie and Claire
An interview with "Outlander" showrunner Matthew B. Roberts discussing the series finale, the challenges of wrapping up the beloved Starz dr
IndieWire·28d ago