BBC Three opportunity for a sitcom writer.... Page 9

Quote: don rushmore @ October 14 2011, 3:43 PM BST

To be fair, I don't think this Andrew Newman is claiming to be the Andrew Newman from Channel 4.

So let's not tar and feather the guy on that particular point.

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Well, it's the only authentic sounding thing about the entire ad so if it has been set up to scam/humiliate/rile people then I don't think it's terribly unlikely that the name was chosen as a common enough sounding contact name that also had a potential ring of truth to it.
Of course, my apologies if someone actually called Andrew Newman is offering a genuine opportunity from an aol address by a company with no online presence that no-one's ever heard of with a list of dreadful ideas in a manner no professional organisation has ever encountered.

1) Just wanted to add this was one of the most entertaining threads I've ever read. Well done everyone involved.

2) It looks like a scam. Boo!

3) Courses/workshops/festivals work for some and don't for others. These are facts, not opinions. Plenty of people have built careers off the back of them and plenty have without them. So suggesting you HAVE TO go on them is wrong and suggesting YOU SHOULDN'T is also wrong. What ever works for the individual.

Echoing ContainsNuts, just wanted to add my thanks and congratulations to all those involved in this top-notch thread. Well done, guys, excellent work.

This is exactly the type of thread which one doesn't see nearly enough of on the BCG nowadays - and one of the things I miss most, now that I no longer ever post on or browse the site.

Quote: Tim Walker @ October 14 2011, 4:18 PM BST

Echoing ContainsNuts, just wanted to add my thanks and congratulations to all those involved in this top-notch thread. Well done, guys, excellent work.

This is exactly the type of thread which one doesn't see nearly enough of on the BCG nowadays - and one of the things I miss most, now that I no longer ever post on or browse the site.

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Good to see you not browsing or posting Tim.

Quote: AJGO @ October 14 2011, 3:54 PM BST

my apologies if someone actually called Andrew Newman is offering a genuine opportunity from an aol address by a company with no online presence that no-one's ever heard of with a list of dreadful ideas in a manner no professional organisation has ever encountered.

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Perhaps it's a very early start-up company?

'dreadful ideas'? - subjective.

'in a manner no professional organisation has ever encountered' - this guy could be a pioneer.

Quote: AngieBaby @ October 14 2011, 2:47 PM BST

I Marooned, sorry didn't mean to suugest that at all.

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Well, thank you very much.

Quote: Johnny26 @ October 14 2011, 10:49 AM BST

having trudged through all posts on this thread, I am just left wondering what, if this is a scam, is the benefit to the people running it?.

Apparantly ideas are easy, it's the writing that's the skill so what's the point of collecting ideas, unless as suggested its to pitch them all to the Beeb, which is surely what we all want anyway.

If there is no cost involved, what's the worst that can happen?

And thirdly where do unpublished writers go to have thier efforts even looked at these days ( apart from writers room), even prodco's that were reading my stuff a couple of years ago don't want them now, even the one's that were quite positive.

Of course that might be just because I have got worse which when you consider the starting point of my writng; is very worrying.

To any of the people reading this, who are in a position where they have sold stuff already this won't affect them anyway,they don't need to enter, to anybody else, it would be interesting to know the split on that , surely it can't hurt.you might just get a break, surley we deserve it , it's not fair to deprive the world of future classics such as "Our lady of the duck pond" or the never to be remembered "Kensington Smiths dream"

just a thought
J26

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Completely agree. The worst that could happen is you waste a bit of time...

Quote: don rushmore @ October 14 2011, 4:25 PM BST

this guy could be a pioneer.

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with an AOL email address?

If it were a real comedy production company they'd have LOL as the email domain address.

But the plot thickens, as this guy says he's received permission from Andrew Newman to repost the advert:-

http://phillbarron.wordpress.com/

So, at least one person has been in contact with these people. I still haven't heard anything.

So basically Andy Newman never even intended us to see the brief...a dull looking ad on Mandy.com is all he's guilty of at the moment m'lords.

This whole thing looks to me like a textbook load of bollocks.

And for the "at worst it's a waste of time" crowd, I can just sitting here come up with five more useful ways of potentially wasting your time:

1) Write an uncommissioned script and send it to a production company that really exists.
2) Write an uncommissioned script and send it to a producer at the BBC. By being prepared to read your script or referring it to someone who will, they've already given you a "blank commission" that's just as valuable as the ones these guys have.
3) Write an uncommissioned script and send it to the real Andrew Newman, who works for Objective.
4) Write an uncommissioned script and send it to a comedy actor or comedian who'd be perfect and might help push it forward.
5) Write an uncommissioned script and perform it yourself with friends. It'll teach you more than this will, and get you just as far in the industry.

I honestly believe that nothing will come of this. And if you want to go to the effort of proving me wrong, I suspect it'll be more than the effort the people who posted this ad will go to to advance your writing career.

Can I just say that although I reposted the ad on my blog, I'm not connected with the company or endorsing them in anyway. I just thought it sounds interesting and is listed as a paid job - it might be (probably is) a load of balls and I definitely wouldn't write anything new for it; but if you've got something similar or something you can adapt (like a completed entry for the Last Laugh competition a few years back?) then It might be worth a shot.

I've met a lot of time wasters on Mandy.com, but I've also met a start up company who've gone on to hire me for four features and a TV show - you just can't tell. As long as there's no money involved and you're not working for anyone else ... might be worth a gamble.

Might not, mind.

Phill: I'm just so lost now I don't know who I can trust.

Trust no one.

Anyway who thinks courses are a good idea?

Horses?