I am. 
Tonight @ 7pm - see you there
Who's going to the Writers' Guild Sitcom talk?
Moved to Writers Discussion.
It's a long way to London from Northumberland and it was gonna mean an overnight stay, the night before the screening of my major project for my MA, so I'm having to give it a miss which is a real shame as I think it'll be really interesting.
If anyone could be so kind and post a few words of wisdom on here from the talk, that you think those of us unable to make it may benefit from, it would be most appreciated.
To everyone lucky enough to be able to make it-enjoy!
Q!
I'll be there. As will Mark.
Quote: Aaron @ February 12, 2008, 5:21 PMI'll be there. As will Mark.
Are you going together?
Will you hold hands?
Yes.
Have fun!
I didn't see Aaron or Mark but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Very interesting range of people inc. many 'names' in audience too.
Will maybe feedback when conscious.
When you become cognisant...
How many people where there?
Quote: Tuumble @ February 13, 2008, 12:00 AMI didn't see Aaron or Mark but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Very interesting range of people inc. many 'names' in audience too.
Will maybe feedback when conscious.
We were there. Networking. Getting e-mail addresses, meeting nice people, inside info... 
(... But too intimidated to say hello to Beryl Vertue.)
Sounds like there are some interesting projects coming up.
Didn't happen to get one of those DVDs, did you? The guy had disappeared by the time we were looking.
Quote: Tuumble @ February 13, 2008, 12:00 AMI didn't see Aaron or Mark but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Very interesting range of people inc. many 'names' in audience too.
I was the one in the black jumper with blond hair. Aaron was wearing a yellow t-shirt if I remember rightly.
Sorry we didn't get to meet - I wasn't sure who was a website reader there - I think I'd have got a few odd looks if I had gone around jabbing people with the question 'BSG?'! Hi again to those that did come and say hello though!
Anyway, as you say, a very worthwhile evening. Five particular things I think worth feeding back to the writers on here who couldn't make it. You probably guessed some of it already, but nice to have it confirmed:
- No one on the panel could really think of anything the BBC's Writers Room has done in the last few years. In fact they weren't even sure if scripts were being read anymore!
- BBC Commissioner Lucy Lumsden revealed that in a nine month period her team sift through about 280 comedy ideas (this isn't unsolicited scripts... it's at a production level)! Last year just 12 of the ideas sent to them were for live-audience sitcoms though... this is surprising as it is the genre the BBC are really keen on right now. Summary: make your sitcom a live audience one!
- The panel said the best way of getting into sitcom was via writing sketches for the radio. If you can prove your funny in a small way, the BBC are then more likely to listen to your sitcom pitch than if you come to them straight away with a sitcom.
- Fourthly, when sending in sketches to a show only send in your best three. Uber-producer Charlie Hanson (most recently responsible for Extras, Not Going Out and Armstrong and Miller) revealed that, when working on a sketch show earlier in the decade, his team got sent literally piles upon piles of sketches (the stacks covered whole desks). People were sending in everything they'd ever written. The production didn't have the time to sift through it all to find the real gems and so only ended up using about two sketches from the entire pile!
- Hartswood Films boss Beryl Virtue says her company hates 'scripts that come in a big brown envelope with confidential on the front'. They much prefer to be handed a potential script from someone with a recommendation (as it means its been through some filters first). Basically a bit of networking is a good idea...
Which leads me on to the pitches people made. I was impressed by them all - took guts to stand in front of the panel and try and explain your whole concept in 30 seconds.
BSG reader Griff sold his concept particularly well. And, as Aaron mentioned above, I'm not sure if he is a reader of this site (didn't get a chance to chat to him after) but the guy who pitched first I thought was great too. He had the right attitude - the rule was no unsolicited material but he went ahead with handing out DVDs of his pilot anyway. It worked - Charlie Hanson said afterwards that he was going to watch his copy.
Quote: Griff @ February 13, 2008, 2:14 PMThanks for the kind words Mark! It was scary though. 30 seconds is an incredibly short time. I must have gone on for at least 60. It was a definite spot of luck that Simon Wright, who played the lead in my sitcom at The Sitcom Trials when it was filmed, was sitting in the same row as me so I could point him out during the pitch! I wish I'd brought some DVDs to hand out though!
Regarding the BBC Writers Room, Dave Cohen did point out that The Smoking Room came via Writersroom, but that was a little while ago (2004). The message I got was that the best place to send your scripts is the Comedy Development Heads of the various TV prodcos - Baby Cow, Hat Trick, Objective etc etc.
Overall it was definitely a very interesting presentation and I would strongly recommend people to go if they run anything like this again.
The writer of The Smoking Room already had written for a few sketch shows, he may well have had an agent.
Quote: Mark @ February 13, 2008, 11:35 AMLast year just 12 of the ideas sent to them were for live-audience sitcoms
Think she actually said 18 - about 6%.
I was sat directly behind you Griff.
What about the two on the front row with the actress from Allo Allo and her great singing voice.
'We have a script - can we show it to anyone'
'We've ALL got scripts!' 
Quote: Griff @ February 13, 2008, 4:19 PMSorry Tuumble if you'd been wearing the big white hat I'd have recognised you and come and said hello!
Regarding the singing lady in the front row, I'm guessing she must have been the famous "Listen very carefully I will say zis only once" Michelle ?? (Comedy royalty). Did anybody else figure out who she was ?
She must've been one of her cronies in the raincoats I guess. She may have appeared but did she get a line? Seems unlikely.