In order to create a long-running series, “there has to be meat on the bone,” “Vikings” creator Michael Hirst said Sundance at Monte-Carlo Television Festival. 

“It 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.” 

You also have to love your characters, whether they are good or bad. 

“In my latest show [‘Bloodaxe’] we have one character, Egil, who was a pathological killer but also the most famous poet that Iceland has ever produced. I love him to pieces,” he noted.

“It’s about doing a lot of reading and thinking, and letting everything tumble around in your head. With ‘Vikings,’ there weren’t many Viking stories out here – just one movie with Tony Curtis in a little skirt shouting out ‘Odin!’ occasionally. When I started following Ragnar [played by Travis Fimmel], I discovered that he attacked Paris, for God’s sake. He was my man!”

Joining Hirst during a panel entitled “From Pitch to Premiere: Inside the Television Creative Process,” “Un Si Grand Soleil” producer Toma De Matteis agreed: “Characters have to surprise you. Otherwise, you’re just pushing buttons, and that’s not what we want. We want the audience to believe in them. It’s a challenge, but a fun one. As Michael said, if you don’t love them, you can’t do what we do.” 

Executive producer Rola Bauer, who steered shows like “The Girlfriend” and “Pillars of the Earth,” made a case for trusting your gut instinct when looking for a new project. 

“Either you believe that the people who are pitching know their shit, or you don’t. If there’s no passion to your story, don’t pursue it. You’re just wasting time. Follow the stories you want to dig into. Make sure it’s something you want to work 24/7 for.” 

She added: “Many people have asked me: ‘What’s the formula?’ There’s nothing, so start with the story and the characters.”

Hirst doesn’t work with a writers’ room – “I’m a writer, so I know I’m crazy. Do you really want to put me in a room with other crazy people?” – and prefers to wait until a producer reaches out, “because it means they have already invested in it.” 

“Truthfully, the only [series] that was my idea was ‘Billy the Kid.’ I always wanted to write a western, and I’ve loved him since I was a kid, even though Yorkshire is far away from New Mexico. When I was running across fields from school, I was riding white horses and escaping the sheriff’s posse.”

He noted: “I’ve been in this business long enough to know what’s produceable. And I like to write things that are, because there’s no point otherwise. Earlier on in the process, you get notes, but even then, you can have a good rapport. Everything about this business is a process and you just have to learn how it works.” 

Bauer, who has collaborated with him before, joked: “Michael has always been very kind with my notes. He nods, and then he does what he wants.” 

“It’s a collaboration, and you also have to think about protecting the authenticity. You need to do that because the audience is sophisticated. They can choose not to watch your show.”

De Matteis argued there’s no point on counting on the network to spell out what they want. “They usually don’t know what they want,” deadpanned Hirst. But a good producer should always think ahead, said Bauer – and wear many hats, just like new creators who come from YouTube and TikTok.

“If a writer is going to pitch, they have to know their characters and have the passion. And please do a little bit of research. Understand what’s being developed and what’s coming out,” she emphasized. 

Hirst added: “I have some issues with U.S. showrunners who think they are the bee’s knees and really want power. Often, they just won’t listen, and it’s a ridiculous way to make art. You can’t do that. You suppress talent and upset everyone on set. It’s ludicrous.”