Quote: Seefacts @ April 25 2008, 4:25 PM BSTthat slushy baked potato and those Polos than nearly gave me the shits.
I remember the potato, but not the Polos.
My first contract Page 5
Quote: Winterlight @ April 25 2008, 4:28 PM BSTI remember the potato, but not the Polos.
Ha, ace. I'm glad it was a memorable story.
"Cheese and beans. It was horrible. Really mushy like porridge.
And I ate too many Polos so felt a bit rough after."
Just to re-fresh your mind 
Keep your money. See what happens in the year. Speak to no one.
Quote: Marc P @ April 25 2008, 4:36 PM BSTKeep your money. See what happens in the year. Speak to no one.
and now you'll have to kill him
I've just found out I've got just the 2 sketches going out. Still great news though.
On the other hand I've just discovered I've f**ked up monumentally to the point it could well impact on everything - so that's a pain in the arse.
I'm right up the shitter.
Quote: Griff @ April 25 2008, 6:26 PM BSTOh no ??!! what's happened ?
I sent my sitcom pilot to the BBC - direct to someone important - about six months ago. So now that it's been pitched officially, they've gone back to the producer and said they'd already read it under a different name last year, and it's made him look a dick. His words. He pitched as a new project.
Now he's not happy as I didn't tell him that they'd turned it down. I don't know how this has come about because the guy I sent it to at the Beeb didn't appear to be in the commissioning loop.
Even though the Beeb man in question wasn't keen (I felt it was more that I'd not gone about things the correct way, that's why there was no interest. Basically he said it was quite good, nothing more)
I've f**ked this up big time.
And I mean big time.
I'm going to have to do some serious producer grovelling to get out of this one.
Quote: Seefacts @ April 25 2008, 6:31 PM BSTI've f**ked this up big time.
And I mean big time.
That is a bit bum. Sorry mate.
Ah well, you're good enough to get past this.
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ April 25 2008, 6:42 PM BSTThat is a bit bum. Sorry mate.
Ah well, you're good enough to get past this.
Dan
Yeah, but this is a right kick in the face.
I mean, they may well have turned it down anyway, I don't know.
I'm more concerned with f**king off one of the biggest comedy producers in the UK who'd given the BBC a couple of hits.
I always kind of felt they might look at him and say 'Well, he's done twice before so lets give this a go'.
I'll keep you all informed, but this has broken me.
From your description, sounds like no-one got back to you so you assumed no-one had read it. Did you get acknowledgement that that important someone had even read it?
If not, then what are you supposed to do about it? You can't have known.
Did you tell big producer guy that you'd 'sent it to a few places' but heard nothing (or words to that effect)?
Sorry I can't be any more help though.
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ April 25 2008, 6:52 PM BSTFrom your description, sounds like no-one got back to you so you assumed no-one had read it. Did you get acknowledgement that that important someone had even read it?
If not, then what are you supposed to do about it? You can't have known.
Did you tell big producer guy that you'd 'sent it to a few places' but heard nothing (or words to that effect)?
Sorry I can't be any more help though.
Dan
Yeah, the BBC did read it. But I'd totally forgotten. I thought it was a different pilot.
I told the producer I'd sent it to a few places - which I did, though only one producers read it I think.
Arse.
I don't think you've done anything wrong then.
But I'm no-one in comedy so don't have a big f**k-off ego to offend...
Apologise as much as you can. When he sees you're genuine I'm sure he'll come round.
If nothing else it'll be an anecdote to tell Jonathan Ross later down the line.
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ April 25 2008, 7:03 PM BSTI don't think you've done anything wrong then.
But I'm no-one in comedy so don't have a big f**k-off ego to offend...
Apologise as much as you can. When he sees you're genuine I'm sure he'll come round.
If nothing else it'll be an anecdote to tell Jonathan Ross later down the line.
Dan
Well, it's just it was pitched as a new show but now they've gone back to him saying 'Well, no, we've read it when it was called something else'. And he's gone 'What?! Now some jumped up comedy writer has made me look a tit' or something along those lines.
I hope I get cut some slack, there's no f**king rulebook for getting into creative telly. There f**king needs to be.
All it means now, I guess, is I've got to spring into action my 'BBC turn me down' contingency plan that I was going to bring out in mid-May when it was likely they'd have turned me down.
what's all this to do with the ch4 sketch show?
Quote: bushbaby @ April 25 2008, 7:18 PM BSTwhat's all this to do with the ch4 sketch show?
Well, it's not as such.
But in one day I've gone from finding out I've got my TV break - the one I've worked for 4 years to get, and I've got the backing from one of the UK's biggest producers who produced and directed said sketch show - to finding out I've f**ked him over and made him look a tit re: the sitcom.
He's my own proper contact - I've had a few others but they didn't work out - I was hoping I'd be able to do some proper work with him, but now that's unlikely and I'm back to square one.
Yes, the BBC may well have turned it down anyway, which was more than a possibilty but the prod invested time and effort into shaping up the script and go an dick it up.
Not good.
I sent a grovelling email, it didn't really help.
I can see this setting me back considerably here. My only contact has gone down the pan.
This is very depressing.
You're watching someone have a breakdown live on the internet here.
Quote: Griff @ April 25 2008, 7:41 PM BSTI can imagine how you're feeling.
But sleep on it for a couple of days, think about other things.
Then write the guy an apologetic, honest email (unless there's a chance to do this by phone or in person, which is usually better if you feel up to it). Tell him you can see his point of view and you understand why he's pissed off. Explain why you did what you did, admitting mistakes where you think you made them, but also pointing out where you thought you were acting in good faith. Point out that this is a new world for you and you've still got a lot of learning to do about the way things are done. Then say "I hope we can still work together at some time in the future" and leave it at that.
Fingers crossed for you.
Yeah, I basically did that and he said thanks, but he still didn't seem happy.
I am now ordering a PS3 and GTA4 to make myself feel better.