"Many filmmakers no longer consider doing TV series a comedown: they see that they can make quality products for television "
Robin Nelson, from the University of London, was one of 30 experts from 6 countries who participated in a meeting of the ICS at the University of Navarra
"Years ago, television and film were separate industries, particularly in America and in Hollywood. Somehow, filmmakers considered it a comedown to make series, which were seen as a minor genre. This is no longer the case, because they see that they can make quality products for television, as they require long shoots (filming sessions) that involve a lot of effort." Thus spoke Robin Nelson, a research director at the University of London, at an international meeting on the subject of 'Identity and Emotions in Contemporary Television Series', held by the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) at the University of Navarra.
For Professor Nelson, the supremacy of film is no longer so clear: "Series and films are valued equally. And, in terms of audience, TV has more viewers than films do: there is no doubt that the former is of great significance for culture."
Responding to the concerns of the viewers
Regarding the 'ingredients' of success for series, Robin Nelson insists that the setting must be interesting and the characters attractive. "The narrative is not as important as it was before. A series is more relevant if it echoes life issues related to people's real concerns, such as family, gender, politics, public safety and so on", he noted.
For his part, Kyle William Bishop, a professor at Southern University in Utah (USA.), focused on the fame of series in which the characters are on the borderline between good and evil, such as zombies. "We see series that are the result of massive interest, and now a lot of people are concerned about the idea of the struggle for survival, making tough decisions ..." he explains.
Robin Nelson and Kyle William Bishop were two of the 30 experts from the UK, Germany, Denmark, USA, Belgium and Spain who participated in the meeting organized by the 'Emotional Culture and Identity' project, run by the ICS. Topics discussed included the rise of the antihero, the role of women in the series, metaphors and anthropology in The Walking Dead, and love, fear and desire in horror TV series.