Your take on 2022: Catalyst’s Julie Bristow and Good Caper’s Alison Dammann

With 2022 having drawn to a close, Realscreen offered industry professionals from around the globe the chance to sound off about the year that was by taking part in our annual, and somewhat irreverent, year-end reader’s survey. We begin our wistful and occasionally whimsical look back with Catalyst founder and executive producer, Julie Bristow (pictured left), and Alison Dammann (pictured right), SVP at Good Caper Content, an ITV America company.

JULIE BRISTOW

My favorite unscripted/non-fiction program of 2022 was:

Small Town Pride — an amazing documentary made by Chelle Turinga and Riley Sparks and supported by CBC Gem and Pink Triangle Press. The doc is an intimate look at the joys and challenges of being queer in a small town. The story takes the viewer to small towns across Canada as they prepare for Pride celebrations.

The program/series/doc people will be talking about in five years is:

Love on the Spectrum.

In 18 months, no one will be talking about:

Impossible to ever predict. Never say never.

The most positive development in the non-fiction/unscripted content industry this past year was:

Meaningful relationship meetings in person, anywhere.

The most troubling development in the non-fiction/unscripted content industry this past year was:

Consolidation.

The idea I wish I thought of was:

Love on the Spectrum.

If 2022 taught me one thing it was:

Evolve. You can’t step back into the same river twice.

The buzzword I don’t want to hear in 2023 is:

“Virtual.”

My New Year’s resolution for 2023 is:

Fewer projects, more meaning.

ALISON DAMMANN

My favorite unscripted/non-fiction program/series of 2022 was:

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey… is it cheating to say one of my own projects? Also, Fire of Love.

The program/series/doc people will be talking about in five years is:

Fire of Love.

In 18 months, no one will be talking about:

Crypto.

The most troubling development in the non-fiction/unscripted content industry this past year was:

I think everyone would agree on the answer to this: consolidation, budget cuts, buying freezes, lay-offs.

The idea I wish I thought of was:

Worst Roommate Ever. Relatable, repeatable, ripe for spin-offs.

My New Year’s resolution for 2023 is:

Drink more water. Sell more shows. Wear less sweatpants.