Obituary: Dorothy Viljoen

Dorothy Viljoen, who has been part of EAVE as negotiation expert from 1991-2009, has died.

Dorothy Viljoen, who has been part of EAVE as negotiation expert from 1991-2009, has died.

EAVE recently received the very sad news that Dorothy Viljoen has passed away. Dorothy had been with us on the European Producers Workshop as an expert on negotiation from 1991 to 2009. She worked with over 1000 Workshop participants from every corner of Europe during that time and no doubt all of them will tell you that Dorothy’s sessions on negotiation and role play were the highlight of the Workshop. 

Dorothy was unassuming but highly professional, she had a light touch concealing a steely toughness and numerous negotiating tricks and techniques, which she happily shared. A warm and generous colleague, a valued member of EAVE’s team, a lovely companion for dinner and a glass of wine. She loved also to cook. We will miss her. 

Dorothy was one of the most influential figures in media business affairs and over her professional career she worked in the UK with the Independent Broadcasting Authority, ITV and the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television where she was the Business Affairs Adviser working with hundreds of independent film and television companies as well as playing a central role in negotiating ground breaking terms of trade between independent producers and broadcasters. 

Dorothy authored two indispensable books on film and television deal making – “The Key to Negotiation of Audiovisual Co-Production Contracts” (Council of Europe Press 1994) and “The Art of the Deal” (PACT 2002).   

Page published 27 March 2014.