Depressing News for Writers Page 9

Quote: sglen @ December 1 2009, 7:15 PM GMT

This sounds like I'm along the right track with the kind of things I'm working on. Sorry if I've missed something on the forum but is there are a list of agents around here somewhere?

Thanks

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Look out something called the 'Writers Handbook' ( known as the Yellow book).
It comes out every year and has all the contacts you'll ever need.
Do read them properly - they state pretty clearly what they do and do not accept.
It's best to narrow your list down somehow - perhaps by finding out who represents writers you admire.
Be prepared for a long old slog though.

EDIT: Just remembered it's called "The Writers Yearbook". sorry!

Quote: Griff @ December 1 2009, 7:40 PM GMT

Which list did you get left off, Dolly?

There was no workshop for Tilt, unfortunately. Bad luck for you I know, as you did well on that show. But you weren't discriminated against, there just wasn't a workshop.

But there were workshops for RFTP and Newsjack. Pretty much everyone who got something on those got invited. And plenty of those people were working class, middle class, older than you, and had families and day jobs. Did you get anything on either of those shows?

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There were other writers who were invited because of Tilt! or the New Talent award - I did well in both - who didn't get stuff on either of those shows. I was asked for re-writes for the other shows, etc. Most of the people invited to the workshops, etc can't seem to understand why they were and I wasn't. I was averaging two sketches a week on Tilt...

Maybe they thought I didn't need to attend a workshop.

F**k it, who gives a shit.

Perhaps the myth of sucking cock to get to the top is true.

Put your lipgloss on guy and girls...

I should really start blowing the right people really, its getting me no where sucking off the bin men...as they do get paid to take my rubbish away weekly anyway..

I've given up on BBC radio sketch shows now.

However I do have a radio sitcom optioned at the moment.

Quote: Lazzard @ December 1 2009, 7:13 PM GMT

To get an agent you've got to bring something to the table.

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Also; you have to think outside the box; hope that they're singing from the same hymn sheet - then you'll (hopefully) touch base at the end of the day.

Quote: Lazzard @ December 1 2009, 7:31 PM GMT

Look out something called the 'Writers Handbook' ( known as the Yellow book).
It comes out every year and has all the contacts you'll ever need.
Do read them properly - they state pretty clearly what they do and do not accept.
It's best to narrow your list down somehow - perhaps by finding out who represents writers you admire.
Be prepared for a long old slog though.

EDIT: Just remembered it's called "The Writers Yearbook". sorry!

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That's really useful! Thank you!

x

The Writers Handbook is actually better IMO.

Quote: Griff @ December 1 2009, 8:16 PM GMT

LOL Morrace did you have JPEG envy for a moment there?

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Ha! You got me. Funny enough, I did consider putting up the large one (Ooh! Matron!) but I thought it would be unfair to take up all that room on the thread -- then I saw your massive thing (Ooh! Matron! - again) and said to myself 'Griff's is bigger than mine - bastard!' - hence the Cyber-Viagra.

Edit: Having said that, and without taking up too much room, this one's good:

COMEDY RESEARCH

Quote: Kevin Murphy @ December 1 2009, 4:22 PM GMT

It's not an "answer", but Northern Laughs and open-door radio shows seem to have got my foot in the door. I'm just waiting for it to slam now.

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Northern Laughs has also got my foot, ever so slightly in the door. Through that I actually got two of my scripts read by a producer and some very encouraging feedback. However, my foot is getting sore because it's currently stuck in the door, I'm on an "invite next" but because I'm such a perfectionist (and I'm also contending with Uni at the same time), I haven't sent that next script yet. I will very soon though, I've got a choice of two scripts to send, both of which I think are the best stuff I've written.

As someone else said earlier, I think talent will always make it through in the end. You just have to be determined and persistent, listen to advice from those that know what they are talking about and keep writing good stuff!

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ December 1 2009, 7:54 PM GMT

However I do have a radio sitcom optioned at the moment.

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Sounds like you're doing alright.

Quote: Morrace @ December 1 2009, 8:01 PM GMT

Also; you have to think outside the box; hope that they're singing from the same hymn sheet - then you'll (hopefully) touch base at the end of the day.

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I'm trying to think of the business-speak for " Knob off, you sarky git" but it escapes me for the moment.

Just remembered: "I hear what you're saying - but lets park that for the moment"

I've been away for a couple of days, and have just caught up with this interesting thread.

Everything starts with a good script, of course, but I - and all my colleagues - have read or developed some outstanding scripts which haven't been made because they don't fit with commissioning or with a channel, some by known writers, some by unknowns.

I think that networking can be over-emphasised. I didn't have a clue who Brian Dooley was when I read the first 10-minute scripts of The Smoking Room, for example. Work always speaks for itself, and the only question with 'unknown' writers is whether they can produce five more scripts of equal quality. Knowing someone just means they will read your work.

It's not impossible than an unsolicited script could turn into a show, though I can't think of an instance. We all dream of a wonderful script arriving out of the blue.

The American system allows aspiring writers to start of as team assistants and work their up, but that's only feasible in a team-writing method, when writers are salaried.

In any exercise which involves a number of script submissions, I'd say that real quality is only evident in one per cent, and that is quality of writing rather than the work necessarily being suitable for production.

Marc is a very kind man.

Quote: Micheal Jacob @ December 2 2009, 2:19 PM GMT

Work always speaks for itself, and the only question with 'unknown' writers is whether they can produce five more scripts of equal quality.

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This is a point that often rears its (potentially) ugly head around these parts, Micheal. In your experience is it a common problem that a "new" writer often struggles to write anything of worth beyond episode one?

I've always kind-of assumed that if I really know my set up and characters well enough in the pilot, then I will be able come up with at least five other stories for them. (I tend to write the "annoying" way, however, where I take a tiny initial idea and develop a plot and a structure as I explore it.) Some producers take the line that if a writer can write one great episode they should always be able to write more. I would presume a new writer on their first series commission also gets a great deal of support and input on the approach to writing episodes 2-6?

Have there been instances where a writer has been commissioned and then simply couldn't write a full series? And is this more common than we hear about?

A friend from college had that exact thing happen. He wrote a brilliant pilot, got it picked up by a decent company, and then was asked to do 4 more scripts. He got stuck midway thru number 2. They kept his version of the pilot and brought in a new team to do the next 4 episodes. The whole thing felt incredibly disjointed and was cancelled after the 2nd episode aired. He wrote it under an assumed name, and won't tell me what it was. I'd love to see it, just to see what happened.

Quote: AndreaLynne @ December 2 2009, 3:09 PM GMT

A friend from college had that exact thing happen. He wrote a brilliant pilot, got it picked up by a decent company, and then was asked to do 4 more scripts. He got stuck midway thru number 2. They kept his version of the pilot and brought in a new team to do the next 4 episodes. The whole thing felt incredibly disjointed and was cancelled after the 2nd episode aired. He wrote it under an assumed name, and won't tell me what it was. I'd love to see it, just to see what happened.

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Depressing. Personally I am pretty useless at plotting out a story and a scene structure in advance. I take a one line idea for a plot and then just run with it, see where it goes. I am aware that this is not a method necessarily favoured by producers, who tend to want to know upfront what the story is going to be about.