Hi, yes I'm sure this has been asked on here before but I can't seem to find a discussion on it. My question really is ... do many (or any) production companies read unsolicited sitcom scripts? And of course, can you recommend the good ones? Thanks!
Where to send sitcom script
Very few and if anyone has an "in" with a prodco they're not likely to share it.
Best bet is rather than sending scripts find a producer you like and send them a nice email, or an actor anyone really. Enter every contest you can. Generally try and build up relationships so that someone wants to read your scripts.
Getting read is half the battle.
Quote: sootyj @ September 2 2013, 10:04 AM BSTGetting read is half the battle.
As much as I love you Soots, I disagree with you on this.
In my view, 99.999999999999999% of the battle is writing something worth reading. The last 0.0000000000000000001% is getting it read.
I have no real knowledge of the industry at large so can just tell you what I did.
1.) Researched producers who a) produced work I liked and b) make shows in a similar style to mine
2.) Worked out the standard company email address - e.g. [email protected]
3.)Emailed producer attaching script in PDF format. Short email with summary of show and polite request to read it.
Although most prodcos say they aren't looking for unsolicited material, what they mean is they aren't looking for crap unsolicited material. Which most unsolicited material is.
So the best thing you can do is work on that script! Get all the feedback you can and pop it up in critique for savaging. Only send it out when it is the absolute best you can produce.
Good luck 
I'll stand by my figures, if only because they illustrate how massive each task is. Writing a producable, enticing sitcom that someone will put into the production chain and will survive the journey. Is a job of years and even then most likely not to happen.
Being in a position that someone with the actual ability to greenline anything more than a cup of tea will pick it up is an equally massive task. It's like climbing Everest, but having to get there by pogo stick first.
And how you went about getting your script read Jennie is great, but c'mon that wasn't easy.
You know more about the industry than me. I can only really speak to my own experience.
My experience was that getting a producer to read it wasn't that hard (although obviously I don't know that they all read it, just the ones that gave me feedback).
Nor do I think they read it all - you can form a view on a script within a page and a half.
Getting it any further than 'just read' is a heart breaking, back breaking, spirit breaking process. If I had balls, I would imagine it would break them too.
But getting them to click on the file? Not that hard in my experience.
Edit: I should define what I mean by 'hard'. The above process took me months of bloody hard work. But I see 'hard' as being 'difficult'. Hard work is a given. If you aren't prepared for that, you might as well give up now.
Exactly what I meant!
I've had a couple of "I'll have a look and if I look what I see I'll slide it under the big knobs door."
Too which the general reply is "Hurrah filler for the cat's litter tray!"
It took me a couple of years to go up the doors, to "Hurrah filler for my posher cat's more expensive litter tray!"
But you're right, getting the script is key. The biggest mistake is struggling to get your script read and it's no good. Getting that script good enough is a massive struggle.
But if all else fails, a well-timed blow job never hurts. 
Unless you are doing it wrong, of course. 
The Comedy Unit and Fresh TV read everything.The CU take ages to get back (about 6 months) and will only reply if they think you can write a bit. They're not being kind .It's to avoid looking silly if you go elsewhere straight away and do a Gervais/Merchant or Walliams/Lucas mega success a year later .I believe the latter 2 were told to eff off at one stage by Jimmy Mulville.Well done Jimmy. Doh! If they think you're a deluded nutter who can't write they won't bother replying.To avoid wasting any time e-mail a production company first with an outline of your proposal.You could be the greatest writer ever and they hate the idea you have.It just doesn't float their boat.Or it's too similar to something they hate.If they reply and say anything at all positive thank them for their interest and keep submitting stuff.
Quote: Jennie @ September 2 2013, 10:41 AM BSTYou know more about the industry than me. I can only really speak to my own experience.
My experience was that getting a producer to read it wasn't that hard (although obviously I don't know that they all read it, just the ones that gave me feedback).
Nor do I think they read it all - you can form a view on a script within a page and a half.
Getting it any further than 'just read' is a heart breaking, back breaking, spirit breaking process. If I had balls, I would imagine it would break them too.
But getting them to click on the file? Not that hard in my experience.
Edit: I should define what I mean by 'hard'. The above process took me months of bloody hard work. But I see 'hard' as being 'difficult'. Hard work is a given. If you aren't prepared for that, you might as well give up now.
I remember that when I started it seemed easy to get people to read and respond. I just used to post them off and it would usually get some sort of response. This was only four-or-so years back, don't know if it's any harder now. I should of course have really sent a polite request first, as that's the easiest way to go from 'unsolicited' to 'solicited', but I never did. God knows why they used to read my stuff.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ September 2 2013, 1:09 PM BSTI should of course have really sent a polite request first, as that's the easiest way to go from 'unsolicited' to 'solicited', but I never did. God knows why they used to read my stuff.
This seems like an unnecessary step to me, particularly in the email age. The answer to a query email is only ever going to be "I'd like to read it if it's good". They can only find the answer to that by actually reading it.
I should also say a "producer" or "production company" isn't God.They can be interested and a broadcaster isn't. This is what happened with the would-be fresh and innovative disabled comedy sketch show that Julie Fernandez,Michael Hughes,me and others were trying to do.I got it to somebody in Glasgow,Mikey spoke to the chief of BBC Scotland ( who blew it out of the water without reading anything) and Julie got interest from Saunders and French and others and still zilch.So producers don't have much power.But you've got to give it a go.Haven't you? Sob!Sob!
Quote: Jennie @ September 2 2013, 10:26 AM BSTAs much as I love you Soots, I disagree with you on this.
In my view, 99.999999999999999% of the battle is writing something worth reading. The last 0.0000000000000000001% is getting it read.
No. You could put plenty of unsolicited scripts through development and have shows as good and better than those going out from established acts.
Editors and producers always say they are looking for the next 'John Sullivan' or 'Gavin and Stacey', but they are being very disingenuous and actually they have zero interest in discovering talent. This applies to every industry where creatives work.
True stuff Godot, as it is I think people don't always get in arts how narrow the diference is between funds available for development and funds needed.
There's a whole industry in developing scripts that are never filmed. Or blowing up the vanity of people who want to get their stuff produced. Like in art there's people getting paid to paint stuff no one will ever buy and others to produce shows that no one will ever visit.
And then those who produce massively popular works that make nothing.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ September 2 2013, 1:37 PM BSTEditors and producers always say they are looking for the next 'John Sullivan' or 'Gavin and Stacey', but they are being very disingenuous and actually they have zero interest in discovering talent. This applies to every industry where creatives work.
I'm not sure it is as calculated as this, but like lots of businesses it is a low risk game. If you think you are more likely to sell a sitcom written by Ben Elton than Joe Bloggs, then that's what you go for. They're scared of getting it wrong, as we all are. As Goldman said "nobody knows anything".
That is why I said the process from the point of reading onwards is difficult. The comment you quoted is with regards to getting your script read in the first place.
It's also a Catch 22.
Friday night dinner is about funny Jews people like it, fetch me more funny Jews.
Your sitcom is about funny Jews were already have Friday night dinner.