Quote: Stylo @ October 9 2008, 9:57 PM BST'Would rather gouge my eyes out with a file than being involved in any capacity with this' - a high profile comedy producer's reaction to a sitcom pilot of mine.
I think I've won this thread, don't you?
Looking on the positives he/she doesn't say they don't actually like it or think it's not funny.
Did it involve anything of a controversial nature?
Maybe we can find the most bland response that even doubts they've read it beyond the title.
"Thank you for sending us your script submission. I'm sorry to say we
have decided not to take it forward into development. Good luck with it
elsewhere."
I wonder how many of us have the same (cut & paste) response
Quote: Tuumble @ October 10 2008, 9:27 AM BSTMaybe we can find the most bland response that even doubts they've read it beyond the title.
"Thank you for sending us your script submission. I'm sorry to say we
have decided not to take it forward into development. Good luck with it
elsewhere."I wonder how many of us have the same (cut & paste) response
Gotta love the Writers Room.
Quote: David Bussell @ October 10 2008, 9:36 AM BSTGotta love the Writers Room.
Nope, a production company...though I can understand your reasoning.
Actually, my reaction to this feedback was probably just as telling...
"That's it - I will polish this turd no more... 
"
I only said that because my Writers Room reply used the exact same wording as I remember. I guess this prod co of yours must be taking their cue from the Beeb.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ October 10 2008, 9:25 AM BSTLooking on the positives he/she doesn't say they don't actually like it or think it's not funny.
Did it involve anything of a controversial nature?
It depends... do you think bestiality's controversial?
Only joking.
And yes, on the positive side the commissioning editor who was at the meeting said I had potential as a writer, which made me put the cyanide sandwich down.
I'm not a big visitor to the Critique section, but does that ever get really nasty? Most times I've visited everybody seems quite supportive and affable.
The odd vitriolic response pops up from time to time but generally people stay on the useful side of critical.
Quote: Lee Henman @ October 9 2008, 2:36 PM BSTActually yes that's right, MJ DID work at Alomo didn't he? I wonder if it was he with the red pen of poison?!
I think you got the thoughts of Maurice Gran, Lee. I don't use a red pen, and never scribble on scripts which are being returned to the writer.
I suppose if I had to dig through a pile of slush room scripts,
Coming up nicely, Jonathon King and Gary Glitter run a school
or
new exiting scifi sitcom, Green Midget.
My fingers would probably reach for the 'ole poison pen.
Hello everyone
My worst ever feedback was receiving a pristine script in its sae, so pristine that I knew the time between opening the envelope I'd sent it in, and putting it back in the sae envelope I'd enclosed, was approximately 3.5 seconds. There was also a compliment slip:
Thank you for your Quiz show idea. Unfortunately etc etc.
I'd sent them a comedy treatment.
I've also had an idea turned down at radio 4 because it wasn't 'aurally interesting enough'.
Quote: Janeyboo @ October 21 2008, 4:23 PM BSTThere was a compliment slip:
Thank you for your Quiz show idea. Unfortunately etc etc.
I'd sent them a comedy treatment.
Perhaps a veiled way of saying they found your treatment puzzling?
Possibly. Time of day usually has something to do with it. When you start out reading scripts you're actually reading them. I would read piles and piles of children's books when I worked at Random House, and started out feeling sympathetic. But by 5.30 and the 138th book about animated vegetables (Caspar Carrot the Organic Hero) or yet another inanimate object coming to life (after The Brave Toaster we had a slew of them), I would pick up Bernie The Brick, think: 'Oh for f**k sake' and stick it back in the SAE, barely reading it.
That's probably what happened to me. Karma.
When I was much younger, freshed faced and utterly deluded, I submitted my first ever script and, with the ignorance and pure hopelessness of the absolute beginner, was convinced it was the comedy second coming.
Feedback - Some funny lines and characters but absolutely no iota of a plot. No one wants to see characters chatting about stuff that only interests you for half an hour.
I also got told off for too obscure pop-culture references (I actually thought the System of a Down joke was pretty good), and too much swearing and drug taking.
Serves me right for using Clerks as one of my main inspirations!
I've also been told under no circumstances to try political comedy again, ever.
Quote: Cherries Jubilee @ October 21 2008, 6:36 PM BSTWhen I was much younger, freshed faced and utterly deluded, I submitted my first ever script and, with the ignorance and pure hopelessness of the absolute beginner, was convinced it was the comedy second coming.
Feedback - Some funny lines and characters but absolutely no iota of a plot. No one wants to see characters chatting about stuff that only interests you for half an hour.
I also got told off for too obscure pop-culture references (I actually thought the System of a Down joke was pretty good), and too much swearing and drug taking.
Serves me right for using Clerks as one of my main inspirations!
I've also been told under no circumstances to try political comedy again, ever.
Cherries, if you honestly got intense feedback like that - political comedy is your forte. Bland feedback is much much worse.
PS: Appropos of nowt - again while at Random House I read a story (for children) that had obviously been written by a paedophile. It had this appalling image of a grown man crawling towards a four year old begging for her love. I was so disturbed I phoned the police and social services who tracked this guy down. And found downloads of child porn on his computer. But he said that he was 'flattered I had reacted so strongly to his book'.
