Quote: Seefacts @ October 31 2008, 12:19 AM BSTWhat?!?!
I know. Shocking ain't it?
What the BBC want.... Page 4
Quote: Lee Henman @ October 31 2008, 12:30 AM BST
You could have broken it a bit more gently though.
Quote: Seefacts @ October 31 2008, 12:32 AM BSTYou could have broken it a bit more gently though.
I thought I was being quite upbeat. 
Quote: Lee Henman @ October 31 2008, 12:33 AM BSTI thought I was being quite upbeat.
The truth is you were.
Quote: Marc P @ October 31 2008, 10:25 AM BSTThe truth is you were.
Hey ignore me everybody- I was feeling a tad frustrated last night. It's not like I painted it at all.
It's worse! But you go through all this shit because ultimately seeing your words come out of actors' mouths on the telly is such a ridiculous buzz.
Quote: Griff @ October 31 2008, 11:53 AM BSTI didn't enjoy watching them re-enact me on Crimewatch at all.
Quote: Lee Henman @ October 31 2008, 12:17 AM BSTUnfortunately that attitude isn't just confined to the Writer's Room, or tv in general. Everyone's looking for a reason to say no. The trick is to wear the bastards down and systematically remove every reason for them to say no. It can take forever and you need the patience of Jobe, whoever he is.
And then, just when you've got the perfect script and it ticks all the boxes in terms of being exactly what they're looking for, the person you've been dealing with will suddenly leave for another company and the bastard filling their job will hate your idea and suddenly you're back to square one. Or they'll say they love your new sitcom but you're not established-enough for them to take the risk. Or somebody else has just made something similar. Or blah-de-blah-de-blah.And then when you're just on the very brink of giving it all up and going back to a future of pushing pens or factory work or whatever drudgery you were trying to get of in the first place, somebody just might throw you a lifeline and pull you back from the bottomless pit of pedestrian, humdrum despair, and give you a commission.
But that's unlikely. I think basically you have to be some sort of f**king idiot to want to write for tv. It's stressful and worrying and there's no security.
But, in answer to the thread, I think what the BBC (and the rest of tv comedy) basically want are idiots like us that ignore all of the above and just carry on what they love to do best, which is making people laugh.
Lee Henman... I fookin love you.
Quote: jdubya @ October 31 2008, 1:25 PM BSTLee Henman... I fookin love you.
Oh Warby...so long I've waited to hear those words! Kiss me you mad fool! 
Quote: Lee Henman @ October 31 2008, 12:17 AM BSTUnfortunately that attitude isn't just confined to the Writer's Room, or tv in general. Everyone's looking for a reason to say no. The trick is to wear the bastards down and systematically remove every reason for them to say no. It can take forever and you need the patience of Jobe, whoever he is.
Joab was a nephew of King David, the son of David's sister Zeruiah
The expression refers to Job, rather than Joab. Job (pronounced Jobe) was an early Semitic figure renowned for his patience in adversity. 
That's if my memory serves me right. (The last sentence was my get-out clause 
)
Quote: Griff @ October 31 2008, 5:22 PM BSTHence why they named Job Centres after him.
*stands on table*
Oh Captain my Captain!
Quote: SlagA @ October 31 2008, 5:21 PM BSTThe expression refers to Job, rather than Joab. Job (pronounced Jobe) was an early Semitic figure renowned for his patience in adversity.
Yep. From the Book of Job in the Bible.
Also a very good book by Robert Heinlein.
Quote: Bad dog @ October 30 2008, 10:50 PM BSTIs it better to be business-like, or can you be a bit chummy with them?
I don't think you need to be ridiculously formal, but just polite.
Quote: Bad dog @ October 30 2008, 10:50 PM BSTIs it better to be business-like, or can you be a bit chummy with them?
Just like anyone else, you have to gauge their personalities. For instance I wouldn't email a picture of a halloween pumpkin with a huge dildo sticking out of it to Mr Jacob, (I mean I don't think he'd TERRIBLY mind but I just wouldn't)- but I did do that to a few producers I know today. One of whom replied by asking me when I'd been in her flat to take the picture.
So it's always nice to be friendly with these people - after all one day you might end up working with them.
I wish there had been as much indignation about the BBC's poor recent TV comedy output as there was about the Ross/Brand thing. I have a sitcom at the BBC, but unless they are going to change as an organisation then what is the point? The Beeb relies on the fact that overall we all love it and don't want to see it lost.
They are the most self-induldgent and self-regarding network, however.