The Caucus for Producers, Writers & Directors | Members

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: DOROTHEA PETRIE
Caucus Steering Committee

QUESTION: What was your “big break” into show business?
DOROTHEA PETRIE: I didn’t have one Big Break, but several. Probably the one that sticks out the most for me came about once my children went off to college. There would be time now to develop my own work. Having worn many hats -- actress, casting director, literary and theatrical agent -- I felt that the best way to combine my background and knowledge of material was to be a Producer. Since my husband (Daniel Petrie, Sr.) was a prominent director, I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be trading on his name and reputation.
I found a small item in a local newspaper about an old gentleman who had come across the country on an orphan train. He was chosen at a small town in Iowa where my mother was born. He told me his story. In researching orphan trains, I learned that there were more than 100,000 orphans placed in homes across America. “Orphan Train,” eventually an award-winning 3-hour Sunday night film for CBS, opened the door for me to tell the kind of stories that I enjoy best.

QUESTION: What first brought you to the Caucus?
DOROTHEA PETRIE: The invitation to join the Caucus excited me. To join an organization that represents and brings together writers, directors and producers was a wonderful opportunity to better understand the challenges and benefits that each discipline presents.

QUESTION: What is the most radical, most notable change in the television industry between the time you began your career and where we find TV today? More specifically: what effect, if any, has vertical integration (network ownership of programming) had on the creative community in general and your career in particular?
DOROTHEA PETRIE: For me, the most notable change in the television industry is the diminished input and influence of the creative community. Ratings and the bottom line have always have been, and are, very important. But recently those two elements have become the end-all, be-all. What seems to have been forgotten is that quality programming and great ratings have almost always walked hand-in-hand.

QUESTION: The past few years has seen a tidal wave of reality programming. What’s your take on TV’s current love affair with so-called non-scripted reality shows? Where do you see this trend going? Was Paddy Chayefsky correct? Should the audience be “mad as hell and not take it anymore?”
DOROTHEA PETRIE: For a time, the half-hour sitcom was the fashion. Then hour-longs became popular. Two-hour programming was always important. In recent years, the demand has been for reality programming. It will be interesting to see what is waiting on the next horizon.

QUESTION: Advertisers seem to be taking a greater role in programming, reminiscent of their roles in TV in the 50s. Branding is more apparent, and more and more advertisers are trying to step in as production partners and even owners of programming. Is this a good thing for the creative community?
DOROTHEA PETRIE: Having mainly produced sponsored films, my relationship with sponsors has been more of a partnership. Product-placement and “branding” hasn’t been my experience.

QUESTION: Final thoughts for young up-and-comers.
DOROTHEA PETRIE: We are depending on the young, up-and-coming creative voices to lead the way, and keep the extraordinary invention of television moving forward in new and innovative directions. Having said that, the guidance and experience of senior creative voices offer a dimension that is both historically and creatively invaluable.
My greatest concern lies in the hundreds of channels and choices we have. The four major networks, and cable-channels big and small, offer audiences an overwhelming “meal” that seems rich in choices, but in fact is quite limited. Let us hope that the future promises programming more vigorous in its exploration of new forms, diverse in subject matter, and innovative in its technical reach.