Thanks Mac,

I like “story wrangler”! …but maybe needs to also refer to storytelling – they’ve got to watch the production unfold, and be able to tell stories themselves – to potential audiences and marketing teams. You’re right, of course, all of these jobs could be done by a creative producer if they had the time, training and focus to do them, and I know some producers do. But your safety officer analogy is apt, and if we have a screen dramaturge or story wrangler on board, they can watch the producer’s back, too, by making sure decisions serve the drama and the audience. Keep an eye out for Lumina 6 in December – a new manifesto coming forth from me then!

Why shouldn’t the ‘Story Wrangler’ role be filled with the project’s original producer? After all, the roles of:

• concept/script editing and development,
• research,
• vision holding
• talking to marketing people

.. can all be done by the original producer. So why split those tasks off into a new role?

The obvious answer (I guess) is the same reason the Safety Officer is forbidden from sharing any other production role – because that would dilute their primary task which is all important.

Tell you what – add ‘sample craft services’ to the list of tasks and I’ll volunteer for the job !

Thanks for a fascinating article,

Mac