Atlanteans, Barbarians, Bards, and the Ahwen: Jeremy Boreing returns to Pendragon

The bright and glorious Atlantean Kingdom contrasts with the barbarians that must battle to survive. This contrast is a clear theme in how The Pendragon Cycle is constructed, because many of our main characters are thrust into new conflict as they go from Atlantis to what becomes Britannia, and a world that feels safe into a world that feels to be in constant flux and danger.

Jeremy returns from his work in the US promoting Lady Ballers (which he also directed) back to his European production diaries and key scenes that carry the characteristic tone. Finding this tone is going to be necessary in order to set this series apart and accurately communicate the nuance of Lawhead's story.

The sun-drenched southern Italian location gives a feeling of order and opulence that stands apart from the barbarian hordes who may not even have the energy to clean their villages in between violent struggles for power. But we are reminded too that this opulence is being invaded by barbarians not just in threats of violent conflict, but also in their very presence at dinner.

This may be fodder for some comedy in the show, as both cultures clash over the "Thanksgiving meal" that we just personally experienced weeks ago. Fresh wounds, no doubt.

We have a new director who's been invited to dinner now! Jesse V. Johnson appears to have assisted the production as director in Wolf Unit (Italian Set) while Jeremy was gone, and Jeremy appears to come in for key scenes after his return.

I understand if this makes it a tad confusing to hear of three "directors" on a set, but this confusion may be in the instance that we are not as familiar with the differences between TV and film, or simply because they don't appear to want to call Jeremy the "Showrunner." I think it's a simple-enough problem to solve by calling him one, however, and they ought to start doing this because people who will see this show will likely have seen other fantasy shows like Game of Thrones, in which we got to hear about their prominent showrunners, Benioff & Weiss. So, this will likely clear up some things.

So, yes, in a traditional Hollywood series they'd have what may be seen as a "head producer" and a "head creative" who is typically called the EP or "Showrunner." He/she may even be the head writer, as well. Anyone who has worked in TV understands that the "head producer" (or Executive Producer) can be just as creative of a role as a director, even to the point of writing and heading up the entire creative thrust of the show. This means that the director (or directors) on these shows can be more like hired hands, and not in charge creatively (as much) as we typically think of when we think of film directors. But in TV, the showrunner is the creative and executive thrust of a large series like this, and shouldn't be thought of only as a simple co-producer or co-director.

So, if we look at it this way, we can see Jeremy Boreing as head director, head creative, and head executive, with advising producers like Dallas Sonnier and directors to fill in when he is not present. This means Jeremy oversees the entire operation, and directs where needed. I could be wrong but that's what I'm seeing here.

And since this is a multi-set, multi-location, multi-national show, something more complicated like this is required to run the operation well. After all there are many moving pieces, and this is an epic, multi-generational story that has deep, abiding truths it is trying to communicate.

The fascinating nature of how they view these themes, the cultural conflict, and the use of magic (The Ahwen) is going to really bring nuance to this production, and it makes me even more excited every time I watch another one of their production diaries.

These have been available on YouTube, but now DW+ has them all available on a Pendragon Cycle page on their site, here, as well.

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