Left Bank Pictures has promoted Siân McWilliams to creative director as part of a “renewal” of creative energy at The Crown indie.
McWilliams succeeds Suzanne Mackie in the role, who left two years ago to launch her own indie.
An exec producer for a range of the Sony-owned label’s dramas since 2019, McWilliams will now steer the entire slate and is tasked with developing new projects, identifying fresh talent and forging creative partnerships, while deepening the relationships with broadcasters and streamers. She takes up her role in January.
Her recent credits include forthcoming ITVX psychological thriller Without Sin, produced with Vicky McClure’s BYO Films, and Netflix teen drama The Fuck It Bucket, written by Ripley Parker. Left Bank is also readying Amazon Prime detective drama Three Pines, starring Alfred Molina, and action-adventure Who Is Erin Carter? (fka Palomino) for Netflix.
Chief executive and co-founder Andy Harries told Broadcast that McWilliams’ “youthfulness and excitement” for the younger-skewing programming the indie is developing was central to her appointment.
“There’s a very clear desire from commissioners to focus on younger programming – for audiences in their late teens, early 20s,” he said.
“This is all about the future of Left Bank. It’s about renewal, not changing the slate wholesale but developing a balance of big, international programming like The Crown and younger shows.”
Harries added that for long-established, founder-led indies such as Left Bank, “renewing the energy and creative menu of talent relationships” is crucial to ensure growth.
“You’ve got to keep moving forward,” he said. “Siân’s talent relationships and interests are in line with the age and range of commissioners currently in position at the BBC, Netflix, Amazon etc.
“Ours is a restless industry with an endless appetite for something new and ‘must-have’ and it’s getting harder to get commissions. You’ve got to be sharp and on your game.
“We have landed on our feet with the Fuck It Bucket, a show which Sian essentially picked up and developed. This range of programming is a really important area for us to grow in.”
Broadcast understands the appointment will be the first of further hires.
McWilliams previously served as head of development at Banijay-owned Wild Mercury. As a script editor she worked at Slim Film and TV on Paula Milne’s BBC2 single Legacy, then freelance script edited on Call the Midwife, Mr Selfridge and Humans, before joining Wild Mercury.
“I’ve loved working with Left Bank and Andy over the last few years – it’s been such a wonderful platform to nurture exciting new talent and collaborate with some of the most experienced and inspiring people in the industry,” she said.
This story first appeared on Screen’s sister site Broadcast
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