Lena Dunham to Direct HBO High-Finance Drama ‘Industry’
Lena Dunham will direct and executive produce “Industry” for HBO, an eight-part series following a group of twenty-somethings breaking into the world of international finance.
Variety reported in late 2017 that Jane Tranter’s Bad Wolf production company (“His Dark Materials”) was developing the show for HBO. The premium cabler has now given it a green light. Production on the series is underway in Cardiff, Wales.
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The show follows a group of young graduates competing for a limited set of permanent positions at a top investment bank in London. The boundaries between colleague, friend, lover and enemy soon blur as they immerse themselves in a company culture defined by sex, drugs and ego as well as deals and dividends.
It is the first series for emerging writers Mickey Down and Konrad Kay after their BIFA-nominated feature film “Gregor.” Both have firsthand knowledge of the world of international finance.
“The scripts for ‘Industry’ have an energy and direction that comes from their firsthand experience of the trading floor, and their ear for sharp dialogue immediately captured our attention,” Tranter said. “We’re excited to be making their first TV drama series with HBO, who are never afraid to make bold decisions and support new talent.”
Dunham directed multiple episodes of “Girls,” which ran to six seasons on HBO. She will direct the first installment of “Industry” and exec produce the whole series. There are currently no plans for her to appear in the series. The writers also exec produce, as do Tranter, Lachlan MacKinnon and Ryan Rasmussen.
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