‘The key to my success? Never second-guess an audience’ – Meet Walter, Channel 4’s master of foreign TV drama
| 8th May 2018
Walter Iuzzolino, the curator of Channel 4’s foreign drama brand, Walter Presents, was in Manchester on Saturday to unveil the first episode of Belgian hit Tabula Rasa, the latest addition to his collection.
Tabula Rasa is a psychological thriller which tells the story of Mie, a woman with amnesia, played by Flemish star Veerle Baetens, who is both the sole witness and suspect in a disappearance case. She is locked in a psychiatric hospital until she can remember what happened, but her mind is tricking her as she struggles to remember a truth that is too difficult to bear.
It is an intense and addictive story that did not escape Walter’s fine nose for good drama. The Italian-born co-founder of Walter Presents, an elegant, impeccably stylish gentleman, is a perfect embodiment of the good taste and quality he is striving for when choosing TV drama. But he is a TV-nerd before anything and his contagious passion has conquered audiences in the UK as well as overseas – Walter Presents is getting big in the US and is about to launch partnerships with Foxtel in Australia and Discovery in Italy.
He talks to us about his passion, with a hint of an Italian accent, and a lot of excitement.
Viva: How did you come up with the concept of Walter Presents?
Walter: We wanted to demystify the complexity of foreign language drama and make it very accessible, to normalise it. We create short videos to introduce the dramas, and it makes a difference to have someone telling you: “if you like Homeland, you’ll probably like this. It is set in Prague, in Paris, it is fun, exciting.” It is a way to reach out directly to the audience and encourage them to consume something they might otherwise be frightened by.
There is also the idea of curation that comes up more and more in the TV industry. There is so much out there, on Amazon, Netflix and the likes, that it’s important to have voices that select for you. In a world of algorithm, where everything is recommended by mathematical equations, Walter Presents is human: it’s all chosen by human beings.
And Channel 4 came up with this very exciting strategic thought that nowadays viewers don’t want to wait 10 weeks to watch a drama. It’s like a book: you want to consume it on your terms. So, we’re launching the programme on Channel 4, using the power of terrestrial to harness an interest and then to drive an audience to All4 where they can access the whole series immediately.
How do you pick and choose dramas? They are always very successful, you seem to be getting it right all the time.
I wish! First of all, this is built around what I like and enjoy as a curator. I never try to second-guess an audience. The only thing you know is yourself, so trust your own instincts! I buy shows that I like to watch, that my colleagues and friends like to watch, and we hope that other people will be following us.
Then, we follow three basic principles. First, we look for shows that were a popular success in their country of origin. We don’t like the idea of going “arthouse”, because there is a fear and anxiety in the UK of subtitles being a bit elitist, so we wanted to prove that they can be big and mainstream.
Second, we look for critical acclaim, because I like shows that elevate themselves in terms of quality and have been appreciated by the critical community. And third there is the sheer quality of the writing, acting and directing. We’re not snobbish, or elitist; we like great stories.
What is special about Tabula Rasa?
It is a psychological thriller unlike anything you have seen before. On the surface, it is a fairly traditional thriller, almost like a retro, 50s, 60s Hitchcock movie like Vertigo. There is somebody who is tortured and tormented and they need to unravel something dark from their past. But then, it is mixed into the language and visual architecture of horror films. It is bold enough to bring to mainstream television this genre which is frequently disregarded and lives mostly in cult cinema. And it does it very elegantly: it’s not a horror series at all, but it uses that visual grammar. It’s unique.
And half way through, the twist is so huge and so sensational that it makes you want to watch it again and again to understand how you could have missed it. It’s a wonderful riddle, an exquisite riddle.
Why do you like Belgian drama?
They have this superb ability, which is captured entirely in Tabula Rasa, to change and shift tone. They are always brilliant at being unpredictable. You think you’re watching a traditional thriller and suddenly it becomes really funny, or dark and sad, or it reminds you of horror. In Tabula Rasa, you’re watching a dramatic story about a woman trying to remember a very tragic thing that happened to her. But you’re also watching a horror, you’re also watching a family story, and some bits of it are really funny.
And the Belgian photograph and film things very well. It’s like beautiful, retro, 1960s design furniture: everything in the photography, the use of colour, is quirky, elegant and very sophisticated.
You are the “face” of Walter Presents. Do you think your character helped attract an audience?
When I first put together the collection, it was never my intention to call it “Walter Presents”, I came up with a completely neutral name. It was Channel 4 who came up with the name, they said ‘you are so passionate about this, you talk about it with such enthusiasm that you persuaded us to make it happen; why don’t you do the same with the audience?’. It was also a way to be distinctive. So there is no construction of the brand around me: this is who I am, this is what I love to watch. Then the brand has had a life of its own, creating a sense of taste for storytelling, passion for international drama, travel etc..
How do you react when you realise people think you’re an actor playing a role?
It makes me laugh! It’s starting to disappear, but the two first years at Channel 4, people were always asking: “who is this guy who is acting Walter?” It’s funny. But I am a real person, and I like to be able to reach directly to the audience.
What do you think of Manchester?
I think it is wonderful. I often say that Manchester is like the New York of the UK. There is something incredibly urban about it. The vibe is very cultural, there is an interesting architecture. It’s frequently bad weather, so people are constantly thinking about how to create ideas, entertainment and communication inside, and I think this gives a real sense of downtown Manhattan. People are very engaged with cinema, literature, languages, culture, there is a real vibe, which I think is really special.
Tabula Rasa is available to watch for free on All4.
Click here to see Walter’s intro.
The screening of Tabula Rasa was part of the Pilot Light TV Festival at HOME Manchester.