Sending your Scripts Page 3

I dunno, I've made notes (for what they're worth) on a fair few scripts myself that people have sent me and it's as easy as marking the notes in a nice bold red font in Word, saving it, then sending it back to them. No reams of paper used, no ink, and most importantly it's all conveniently-saved on my PC.

If you make notes in pen on a hard copy, that's it. One copy, no backup, easily-lost. I fail to see why the Writer's Room can't just make notes on submitted scripts on their computers. It's quicker, easier, cheaper, more environmentally-sound, and easier to catalogue and track.

Quote: Lee Henman @ March 17 2009, 12:43 AM GMT

I dunno, I've made notes (for what they're worth) on a fair few scripts myself that people have sent me and it's as easy as marking the notes in a nice bold red font in Word, saving it, then sending it back to them. No reams of paper used, no ink, and most importantly it's all conveniently-saved on my PC.

If you make notes in pen on a hard copy, that's it. One copy, no backup, easily-lost. I fail to see why the Writer's Room can't just make notes on submitted scripts on their computers. It's quicker, easier, cheaper, more environmentally-sound, and easier to catalogue and track.

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I agree completely. Wouldn't the BBC save a lot of money by not having to mail scripts back? As it is it's a fair amount of pocket change for both the BBC and the writers. They could still do the ten pages and out thing. I think they do what they do, because that's the way it's always been done. It's just how they are.

Quote: Little Jersey Devil @ March 17 2009, 1:17 AM GMT

I agree completely. Wouldn't the BBC save a lot of money by not having to mail scripts back? As it is it's a fair amount of pocket change for both the BBC and the writers. They could still do the ten pages and out thing. I think they do what they do, because that's the way it's always been done. It's just how they are.

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To be fair the cost of mailing is a moot point as the Writer's Room insists (or used to) that you enclose a SAE. But I think you're right in your assertion that they do it simply because it's been done like that for decades.

Whichever way you look at though, it'll change soon I imagine. Obviously there's always going to be a need for paper scripts in rehearsals and read-throughs and all that, but surely the initial task of processing the vast amount of scripts the writer's Room gets each year would be made easier by going digital?

Everyone else has.

If I was a reader I'd prefer to read a hard copy because I could read it whilst sunbathing.

Another reason for insisting on hard copy, me thinks, is precisely because printing/ posting is such a pain in the rsss these days. Thus, in theory, the system weeds out those less serious who might otherwise fire out any old crap. If they had an e-mail system, I'd guess their submissions influx would 'rocket' (a four fold increase).

Dolly half jests. An awful lot of scripts are read on trains to and from work, or taken home to be read over the weekend.

Plus it looks more like a script when printed out, you can see the whole page you get a better sense of it. And it's a preferable read. The readers at the writers room, particularly, have to read hundreds of them! It's doing the non commed writer little favours if they go paperless because it makes it so, so much easier not to go too far into the script if they haven't been hooked on page one.

Quote: Marc P @ March 17 2009, 8:35 AM GMT

Dolly half jests. An awful lot of scripts are read on trains to and from work, or taken home to be read over the weekend.

Plus it looks more like a script when printed out, you can see the whole page you get a better sense of it. And it's a preferable read. The readers at the writers room, particularly, have to read hundreds of them! It's doing the non commed writer little favours if they go paperless because it makes it so, so much easier not to go too far into the script if they haven't been hooked on page one.

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listen mate, nonsense, all of it,you say

'it looks more like a script when printed out'

you living in the dark ages mate, a script looks like a script on a computer screen to me, and in 30 years time producers, actors and every other thing will be holding thin handheld screens to read and learn scripts, it makes more sense,

the writers room needs to move with the times, its our licence money, they need to get all teched up

trees are good things, lets stop wasting them

Henry, haven't you got another 198 calls to make?

Quote: Henry Thurston @ March 17 2009, 10:33 AM GMT

listen mate, nonsense, all of it,you say

'it looks more like a script when printed out'

you living in the dark ages mate, a script looks like a script on a computer screen to me, and in 30 years time producers, actors and every other thing will be holding thin handheld screens to read and learn scripts, it makes more sense,

the writers room needs to move with the times, its our licence money, they need to get all teched up

trees are good things, lets stop wasting them

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That would have been funny, on paper.

Quote: Henry Thurston @ March 17 2009, 10:33 AM GMT

'it looks more like a script when printed out'

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Well, it does. It looks all nice, like.

Quote: Henry Thurston @ March 17 2009, 10:33 AM GMT

trees are good things, lets stop wasting them

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Trees, puh; I wipe my rear on them.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 17 2009, 10:44 AM GMT

Well, it does. It looks all nice, like.

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It's a technical point not just an aesthetic one. Scripts are laid out in a certain way for a reason. Seeing the whole A4 page in one go rather than having to scroll through is helpful.

Quote: Marc P @ March 17 2009, 10:50 AM GMT

Seeing the whole A4 page in one go rather than having to scroll through is helpful.

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Plus it looks nice.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 17 2009, 10:52 AM GMT

Plus it looks nice.

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Oooooh yeah!

Quote: Marc P @ March 17 2009, 10:34 AM GMT

Henry, haven't you got another 198 calls to make?

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have you got any accident insurance?

Is that a threat or a cold call?