What do people think is the best route into sitcom writing?
What are the best production companies to contact, which ones give the best feedback?
Has anyone had any success whatsoever?
Best route
Quote: Tom G @ March 14 2009, 10:31 PM GMTWhat do people think is the best route into sitcom writing?
What are the best production companies to contact, which ones give the best feedback?
Has anyone had any success whatsoever?
Sending your work to producers is your best route. That'll get you noticed.
I've had stuff pitched to networks, and had sketches on the telly, all of which stemmed from sending my pilots to whoever will read them.
Good luck!!
Quote: Seefacts @ March 14 2009, 10:35 PM GMTSending your work to producers is your best route. That'll get you noticed.
I've had stuff pitched to networks, and had sketches on the telly, all of which stemmed from sending my pilots to whoever will read them.
Good luck!!
How did you get your work to producers? Any technique? From reading your other posts it seems you have a fair few valuable emails to choose from.
I only have a couple to direct producers which came about from sending to general contact addresses first, I haven't sent scripts off in a long while now, but when I am ready to, is there any smart and quick way to get direct emails to producers rather than going through all the long and frustrating channels?
Thanks.
Quote: Martin H @ March 14 2009, 11:20 PM GMTHow did you get your work to producers? Any technique? From reading your other posts it seems you have a fair few valuable emails to choose from.
I only have a couple to direct producers which came about from sending to general contact addresses first, I haven't sent scripts off in a long while now, but when I am ready to, is there any smart and quick way to get direct emails to producers rather than going through all the long and frustrating channels?
Thanks.
I'd say not. While I do have contacts, I got those contacts by having to grin and bare it and writing to them - as you did.
Pain in the arse, of course - but this is the career path we've chosen!
"Long and frustrating" may as well be the motto of the comedy writing industry.
Quote: Seefacts @ March 14 2009, 11:23 PM GMTI'd say not. While I do have contacts, I got those contacts by having to grin and bare it and writing to them - as you did.
Pain in the arse, of course - but this is the career path we've chosen!
"Long and frustrating" may as well be the motto of the comedy writing industry.
Yep, so true.
I know some people try the trick with finding the producer's name and then adding a '@bbc.co.uk' or whatever to the end of it, but I'm guessing that rarely works and is not the best way to contact someone anyway!
Quote: Martin H @ March 14 2009, 11:26 PM GMTYep, so true.
I know some people try the trick with finding the producer's name and then adding a '@bbc.co.uk' or whatever to the end of it, but I'm guessing that rarely works and is not the best way to contact someone anyway!
I've had limited success (i.e. none) with that and personally wouldn't bother.
No bugger works there anymore anyway.
Quote: Seefacts @ March 14 2009, 11:29 PM GMTI've had limited success (i.e. none) with that and personally wouldn't bother.
No bugger works there anymore anyway.
Yeah, I've never bothered with it and always thought it sounds a silly idea, even if you did make it through to them, you would probably get "How did you get this email?" in response, which is not the welcome you want when trying to sell a script.
I'll stick with my list of production companies, but like I say, it has been a while since I've sent one. I got some really positive feedback on the first script I sent out which encouraged me to carry on and I'm always writing, but in between Uni it is easy to lose focus because it is difficult to stick to one script for a lengthy amount of time. So I end up having first drafts for lots and lots of different sitcoms and sketches etc.
I've got one recently tied up and looking in good shape, but not sure if I'm going to send it out, I'm a bit of a perfectionist. There is another idea I'm working on which is the one I will most likely send out in a few months.
Haven't updated my production company list in a while though. Any that you would recommend sending to?
Quote: Martin H @ March 14 2009, 11:36 PM GMTHaven't updated my production company list in a while though. Any that you would recommend sending to?
I haven't sent anything blindly out to a production company for over a year, so I'm no good!
Good luck though.
Quote: Seefacts @ March 14 2009, 11:39 PM GMTI haven't sent anything blindly out to a production company for over a year, so I'm no good!
Good luck though.
Fair enough.
Thanks. 
Martin, just send it to anyone and everyone; even the ones that say they won't read your stuff. Blanket bomb the bastards and you'll get a response eventually from someone.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 14 2009, 11:42 PM GMTMartin, just send it to anyone and everyone; even the ones that say they won't read your stuff. Blanket bomb the bastards and you'll get a response eventually from someone.
Yeah, put yourself in their shoes. Wouldn't you take a peek, just in case you missed something good?
If they get a handful of unsolicited stuff, they probably read it anyway. In fact, I know they do.
"Most of the stuff we get is shit though" - that's an exact quote however.
Quote: Seefacts @ March 14 2009, 11:44 PM GMT"Most of the stuff we get is shit though" - that's an exact quote however.
Well, not everyone can be shit hot. 
just ring the company up and ask who the producer is and what is his email address or phone number
Quote: Seefacts @ March 14 2009, 11:23 PM GMTI got those contacts by having to grin and bare it
All is revealed!
Quote: Tom G @ March 14 2009, 10:31 PM GMTWhat do people think is the best route into sitcom writing?
What are the best production companies to contact, which ones give the best feedback?
Has anyone had any success whatsoever?
The best route into sitcom writing is to get very good at writing sitcoms and then send them to people who make sitcoms. If your stuff is good, you'll get noticed and they'll want to work with you. Then it's often a question of building a profile within the industry until you're enough of a "name" for somebody to take a chance on you and write a cheque for a million quid, which is roughly how much it costs to make a series. (Although budgets are being slashed now, even for big, successful shows).
Profile-building I've learned is very important. So you send stuff into sketch shows, radio comedies etc, anything to get your name known a bit more. Go to workshops and industry events. Talk to people. Make friends. Good contacts are absolutely invaluable. If you have to spend 50 quid on a train fare to London to get to a BBC script workshop that has experienced producers etc attending, then do it. And when you're there, TALK to them.
As for TV companies, I've had dealings with Hat Trick and Baby Cow and both have been really good, feedback and encouragement-wise. Also BBC Comedy North have been VERY kind to me. Honestly, they've been the light at the end of the tunnel, stepping in and giving me work just as I was about to chuck the towel in. TV is replete with arseholes but they're not in that category at all. So I'd definitely start with Hat Trick, Baby Cow, and the good old Beeb.
Success-wise I've worked on a few sketch shows, had an original sketch show taster reel filmed by Hat Trick, a sitcom in development at the BBC, got a fancy agent...but I'm still skint and doing the day job. In one way it's like chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
This time next year, Rodders...