Interview with Mike Ellen (Executive Producer)

Why did you want to adapt Summerwater into a television series?

Freedom Scripted is based in Glasgow, Scotland and so we obviously have a particular interest in anything that comes out set here or written by a Scottish author. We really loved the book. It's in a space that we really like led by character, moral complexity, and didn't conform to any straightforward genre, which is something that we're really interested in. On top of that, the book was very well received critically and drew the attention of authors as illustrious as Hilary Mantel, who spoke very highly of it. We first read the book in lockdown, summer 2020. It had been written off the back of Brexit happening, so those two events, which have shaped the world we're living in now, were very much on people's minds. Summerwater's exploration of community, coexistence and how we all live together or respond to a crisis seemed particularly relevant.

What is Summerwater about?

Summerwater is about five holiday cabins, 24 hours and one fire.  We have an ensemble of characters who are stay-cationers living together and over these 24 hours, all their stories interact and interweave whilst having a sense of something quite catastrophic in sight that will affect all the holidaymakers and possibly mean that there's one less person at the end of the show.

What drew us in was the incisive drawing of the characters, the wit, a slight sense of mischief, the attention to detail about how characters, families and communities interact with each other, sometimes rubbing up against and irritating each other. Also, that fun thing of being on holiday, being preoccupied with your own household, but also if we're all honest, somewhat people watching, and commenting on how other people choose to live their lives and live their holiday.

Why was it so important to film Summerwater predominantly in Scotland, with a predominantly Scottish cast and crew?

It was important to make the show in Scotland as the action takes place and was inspired by a holiday on the outskirts of Glasgow next to Loch Lomond. Regarding the heart and soul of the show, it was important to shoot it, to all intents and purposes, where it was set and where it was written, with people and the best in the business from all over the UK, but with a predominantly Scottish crew and predominantly Scottish creative leadership. The very best of British TV drama is often creatively led from the place and the region or the nation that it's set in. I think that goes for any number of shows, be they set in the Ireland or Manchester or in this case, in Scotland.

What kind of audience do you hope this story will reach? And what do you hope it leaves them thinking and feeling? 

I hope Summerwater appeals to a big, wide and multi-generational audience, because it's about all of us. It absolutely sets out to entertain and to grip with thriller elements that at times send chills up our spine with nods to horror. However, alongside the edge-of-your-seat thriller moments, the series features several heartwarming and emotional moments. Hopefully, it leaves an audience with something to think about, be that on an individual episode basis or after what I think is a powerful and thought-provoking ending. 

What are some of the themes in Summerwater?

We're living in a time of hyperbole and angry politics where the smallest difference or personal slight can turn into a war of words or worse. There is a line of dialogue, “there is an ordinary violence in all of us” – and that line does stick out and is a cautionary message to all of us that we shouldn't be triggered and work ourselves into a sort of state of anger too easily. We should build bridges and not walls.

The setting is a huge part of the series in itself… 

The landscape and natural environment of Summerwater, in the novel, is a huge part of the story. Whilst community between the characters is important, their coexistence with nature is also very important. There's a beauty, but also an unknown, of the forest and the depths of the loch and throughout the series those elements are very important from a story point of view, but also important from an environmental point of view, reminding us that we're not alone and we need to think about nature and our environment in our everyday lives.