Open Sesame! Cracking the access code and storytelling in documentary

TIME & LOCATION

Tuesday 11 November, 3:30 pm

End Time: 4:30 pm

Upstairs Theatre

About

Open Sesame! Cracking the access code and storytelling in TV documentary

As audiences crave authenticity wrapped in cinematic storytelling, join us to hear how top programme makers gain access to the worlds and turn that access into unforgettable TV.

Leading documentary makers unpack the craft, ethics and strategy needed to produce some of TV’s most ambitious factual storytelling.

From negotiating trust with contributors to weaving narrative arcs that can rival scripted drama, we explore how premium docs are redefining what good access means – not just getting through the door but telling great stories from what lies beyond it.

Chair

William Crawley

SPONSOR

Panel

Colin Barr

Creative Director, Factual & Factual Drama, Expectation
Colin Barr is a BAFTA and Emmy-winning Executive Producer/Director who works across Factual and Drama. He is one of the most decorated factual creatives in the industry, delivering premium documentaries, global TV formats, and multi-award winning dramas. He is Creative Director at Expectation TV, where he’s overseen hit shows like “Murder 24/7” and ‘House of Maxwell”, two of the top performing factual shows on the BBC. The true crime brand, “The Essex Murders” is one of Sky Documentaries most watched shows ever. Expectation has also been responsible for “The Grand Tour” and ‘Clarkson’s Farm”, Amazon’s biggest hits of recent years.

Aaron Black

Director, Carson Black Films
Aaron Black is a DP and Edit Producer working for over 20 years in documentary. He has extensive experience making complex but characterful narrative based films. He has made observational, archive-based and retrospective docs for BBC, C4 and HBO. After the critical success of the series, 'On Drugs' for BBC NI, Aaron has teamed up to set up an Indy with journalist Rory Carson.

Natalie Maynes

Series Producer
Natalie has an extensive track record in producing and developing premium singles, series, box sets and talent-led documentaries. At Walk On Air, Natalie helped secure the commission of Death of a Showjumper for Sky which she went on to Series Produce. Previously, Natalie worked at Blast Films and Dragonfly TV. She also spent several years as a documentary maker and journalist at the BBC. Past credits include working as Series Producer on BAFTA Cymru nominated The Disappearance of April Jones for Channel 4, RTS award winning Forensics: The Real CSI for the BBC, and 999: What’s Your Emergency for Channel 4. She produced and directed RTS NI award winning Patrick Kielty: 100 Years of Union for the BBC. She was Executive Producer on the first series of Night Coppers for Channel 4, and helped develop Italia 90: 4 Weeks That Changed The World for Sky.