Well remembered Jane. Also worth mentioning they don't want anything in BBC Scriptsmart format either (something to do with macros). Just send a simply formatted Word document, and if sending hard copy print it on the back of a large cheque.
Writing for Newsjack (aka 7 on 7) Page 91
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I actually let the BBC use my work for free for the last series of this, I never e-mailed to claim my cash, aren't I nice? (I'm not really nice, they only used one line, so it was hardly worth it)
Quote: Matthew Stott @ December 13 2009, 7:49 PM GMTI actually let the BBC use my work for free for the last series of this, I never e-mailed to claim my cash, aren't I nice? (I'm not really nice, they only used one line, so it was hardly worth it)
Thirty-six quid Matthew. Money you could be giving to starving children, but instead you offer it up as small fractions of a penny each to every license fee payer. Thanks. 
I think they spent Matt's sketch payment on our sandwiches yesterday.
Just wanted to say thanks for sharing all this info from the day, guys - it's one of the things that make this a great forum
Yeah, it was a really great day. Best experience of writing so far for me personally. Quite liked the pressure of the sketch-writing too
Nice to see everyone. Sorry I was only wearing my pants at the time, but JP managed to convince me to 'at least put a vest on' for the read-through...
Echo about the formatting. Jane's said it all really but the format you want *looks* like what a ScriptSmart document looks like, but *not* in actual ScriptSmart format as it makes it really difficult for them to edit and copy across. Also, not in pdf as they can't edit them.
That's the ideal, but as many people have said before here (including me), as long as it's readable and has plenty of whitespace on the page, the formatting is not all-important. Do bear in mind that if around 1000 sketches are being read every week, you want to make the production team's job as easy as possible, so the formats being described will help with that and you're already a point up with them!
Awesome experience though, and big thanks to everyone involved.
Dan
That's crazy that the BBC can't accept scripts in BBC ScriptSmart! It's a real pain in the arse trying to format without a template. I've sent out ScriptSmart docs to different people all the time and no one has had a problem opening or editing them. The only thing I've been asked to re-send was some .docx files.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ December 13 2009, 7:49 PM GMTI actually let the BBC use my work for free for the last series of this, I never e-mailed to claim my cash, aren't I nice? (I'm not really nice, they only used one line, so it was hardly worth it)
Did you get a credit?
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ December 14 2009, 9:29 AM GMTThat's crazy that the BBC can't accept scripts in BBC ScriptSmart!
It's not that that can't, it's that they'd prefer not to. They are a little trickier to edit, imho.
I sent all my sketches last time in Scriptsmart, and I got one in.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ December 14 2009, 9:29 AM GMTDid you get a credit?
Well, they said my name at the end of the episode. Being lazy I didn't actually send anything else in after my one line triumph.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ December 14 2009, 9:44 AM GMTWell, they said my name at the end of the episode. Being lazy I didn't actually send anything else in after my one line triumph.
I think I remember it - wasn't it something pretty surreal or silly?
Email the production team - get your quids!
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ December 14 2009, 9:29 AM GMTThat's crazy that the BBC can't accept scripts in BBC ScriptSmart! It's a real pain in the arse trying to format without a template. I've sent out ScriptSmart docs to different people all the time and no one has had a problem opening or editing them. The only thing I've been asked to re-send was some .docx files.
Yeah, as Kev said -- it's just advice that makes their job that bit easier. If you're not pissing them off with dodgy script formatting, then surely that's better for the writer?
As you well know, all my scripts go out in ScriptSmart, but I'll change on this advice.
For a sitcom it's probably fine, but for a sketch show where a *lot* of cutting and pasting goes on, it's probably beneficial to do what the production team prefer, no?
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ December 14 2009, 10:04 AM GMTFor a sitcom it's probably fine, but for a sketch show where a *lot* of cutting and pasting goes on, it's probably beneficial to do what the production team prefer, no?
Dan
True. They should have said so in the first place though! It's such a pain trying to make something look neat and line up in a plain word doc - it's a shame because the ScriptSmart radio sketch template is very nice.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ December 14 2009, 10:10 AM GMTIt's such a pain trying to make something look neat and line up in a plain word doc
The Tab key is your friend 
Quote: Kevin Murphy @ December 14 2009, 10:12 AM GMTThe Tab key is your friend
Ditto. I didn't realise how easy it was 'til Sat'day.
Ariel 12-pt. "NAME:" (TAB TAB TAB) some dialogue (RETURN RETURN) repeat. (You might even need less TABs as Word figures out what you're doing!
Could even change the spacing to 1.5x and it's basically ScriptSmart format then.
Dan
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ December 14 2009, 9:58 AM GMTI think I remember it - wasn't it something pretty surreal or silly?
Yeah, I don't really do proper satire. Even though I wrote for Newsrevue for a year, it's not my cup of tea at all.