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Buzz

3 top influential people currently in the non-fiction industry

Members of the 2007 Realscreen Summit advisory panel understandably have different opinions on whom they consider the most influential person in the industry. For instance, Gary Lico, president of Connecticut-based Cable Ready, couldn't name any one person able to single-handedly fill theater seats and spike ratings. "[Morgan] Spurlock worked once, [Michael] Moore polarizes, [Al] Gore is a one-hit wonder, Ben Silverman and Mark Burnett miss as much as they hit." He adds: "I wish there was a hero or power broker today - if there ever really was one." Compare his list to these:
by: Alicia Androich Jan 1, 2007

ED CRICK, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, TLC:
Rupert Murdoch or John Malone have the biggest hands in influencing the world of non-fiction across a variety of platforms in every territory. On the micro scale, it's still the case that any one individual has the potential to shift perceptions with the right message delivered powerfully at the right time.

JONATHAN HEWES, DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE, WALL TO WALL TELEVISION (UK):
I would say that Mark Burnett is still probably the most influential person in non-fiction, partly because he's the most successful producer of reality for US network TV and because of the different financial and production models he's explored, as well as the shows he's produced.

CHRIS PALMER, PRODUCER IN RESiDENCE & DIRECTOR, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY (US):
Al Gore showed that you can take what seems at first glance like a dry and academic subject, and transform it into an influential and commercially successful film. Who knew conservation could be so interesting?