Industry creators discuss whether banking show is meant for ‘TikTok brain’

The creators behind hit banking show Industry say they want to make an “entertaining” series that keeps people’s attention.

About graduates pursuing a career in finance, the series was discussed at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Tuesday with creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, actor Sagar Radia and Bad Wolf chief executive Jane Tranter.

Game Of Thrones star Kit Harington is joining the BBC and HBO series as Lord Henry Muck, the chief executive and founder of a green tech energy company, named Lumi, which is about to go public.

When asked about how Harington was persuaded to get naked in the new season, which has begun airing in the US, Down said: “It didn’t take much persuasion.”

He added that the British actor asked “can I be naked?”

Kay said that each season of the show, they are unsure if it will be renewed so that is why there is always a culmination at the end.

He said: “If we burn all our best ideas and we give the audience a satisfying conclusion, we might even have the challenge of, then how do we write our way out of this, which will be even more fun.”

Kay also spoke about people saying the show is “designed for dealing with short attention spans”, and is for a “TikTok kind of brain”, referencing the social network which has short videos.

He added: “Me and Mickey never discussed that apart from I guess the editing style in the first season, that kind of speed of editing and making score and stuff.

“But we feel like that is the most compelling way to… people ask us all about the themes of the stuff, what is the show about.. we literally start (writing) it (as it) has to be entertaining. That’s literally all we care about.”

Elsewhere, Radia spoke about how the show had created opportunities for diverse people like him.

He said “as a South Asian man, it’s difficult” not to be aware of the issue of portraying marginalised characters on TV.

Radia added: “You don’t get to see characters like me on TV anymore that are.. alpha.

“So when that opportunity came to me where I could run with it a bit more, especially going into season two, I was (going to) run with both arms and run with it as best I can.”

During a preview clip, played at the session, his strong market maker character Rishi Ramdani appears to have a downfall, which leaves his face looking beaten-up as he defends himself against accusations from his colleagues.

Elsewhere, Tranter – whose company has produced His Dark Materials, A Discovery Of Witches and Doctor Who – says despite shows like Industry proving hits, the TV world is facing a lot of issues at the moment.

She said: “I think it’s really important at this moment in time to do a call to arms to ensure that when the industry is contracting a little bit and it is going through a crazy, difficult time at the moment that we remind the commissioners and the broadcasters that new writing doesn’t have to be marginalised, it can occupy the mainstream, it can.

“You can just give people a chance.”

She said that you do this by giving people chances in the industry, before promoting them onto their own projects.

Returning cast members include Myha’la as Harper Stern, Harry Lawtey as Robert Spearing and Conor MacNeill as Kenny Kilbane, and Back To Black actress Marisa Abela as Yasmin Kara-Hanani.