sglen
Tuesday 12th November 2013 4:52pm
Manchester
599 posts
Hi
I'm in the 'development group' at BBC North. I got there through the Laughing Stock competition. It isn't necessarily those who submit unsolicited scripts up get through, it's people who are 'found' through scouts going out and about to festivals and also through comps like the one I went into where your script goes through the usual writersroom rigmarole anyway (read by several writers etc).
I haven't made the best use of my Writersroom connections yet, to be honest, (though I have personal reasons to blame!) and it really is up to what you do with it. No one will chase you or keep in contact, you're in a group that receives invitations to talks, courses, festivals etc., you get dibs on commissions for new writesr as well.
In my case, I got a commission for a ten-minute comedy play and then dropped off the radar a bit after completing it (personal problems, like I say...) but I did receive emails asking if I'd like to go to the TV Writers' Festival with a recommendation from the Development Manager etc because I didn't have a TV credit (which is a prerequisite) so they try to help you out.
My first meeting with the Development Manager just consisted of an informal chat where they try to suss out whether you're a wanker or not, and get an idea of what you want to do. They gave me feedback on my sitcom then said to rewrite it and send it to independent production companies. Some things do get commissioned through the Writersroom, but from what I can tell, you're mostly advised to keep sending elsewhere.
Oh, and if you want to get through the writersroom, bear in mind the readers only look at the first ten pages of script. So cram them with funnies and leave them wanting more. Best to also leave them with a slight mystery over what will happen next. If they like the first ten then you're through the first stage and they'll read your full script. Obviously, the full script needs to be good too, or you fail the second stage....what I mean is, don't give them a slow burner because they don't have time!