Yes, I read this at the weekend. It's quite worrying.
How To Write About Goodies and Baddies (BBC Style)
Sounds faintly ridiculous. Where's it all going to end?!!
Be fair there's some cracking advice in there, never really thought about expressions before. You could have someone scowling instead of him saying 'I am ruddy angry and no mistake mate' to get across somebody being cross.
Quote: Griff @ November 2 2009, 3:20 PM GMTEspecially if it's on the radio!
No you can still have this device on the radio, the other character would say
'Hey there Phil, why the big frown?'
And then Phill could explain.
Quote: Marc P @ November 2 2009, 3:22 PM GMTNo you can still have this device on the radio, the other character would say
'Hey there Phil, why the big frown?'
And then Phill could explain.
Clever.
Quote: Griff @ November 2 2009, 3:23 PM GMTIs there nothing you don't know about?
I don't know who this Bacon guy is everyone keeps going on about!
Instead of writing that one character shows his anger at another by saying some like "You f**king pus-shitting nonce's cock!!", they could instead just raise their fist and shake it angrily whilst puffing their cheeks out and going red in the face. Then the viewer would know they were angry without anyone being offended.
I think sound effects could be utilised instead. Comedy trombones, swanney whistles, that sort of thing.
Quote: Griff @ November 2 2009, 3:34 PM GMTAnd don't forget to bowdlerise the subtitles in case you upset the deafos. Things like that can easily be overlooked.
Oh dear I just alienated and upset the deaf community with my sound effect suggestion. I am terribly sorry.
God, my heart sinks when I read this sort of thing.
I think the problem is the 'heads will roll' climate of fear at the BBC ie someone down the food-chain makes a mistake - but everyone feels a high profile exec has to get the push/resign(justice must be seen to be done rather than actually being done.)
Consequently these high-end execs live in fear of some 'creative johhny' making a gaff - so put in ludicrous checks to stop it happening.
What do they care if it cramps creativity? - they haven't got a creative bone in their body - or can't remember far enough back to when they did.
Ironically if it was the 'creative johhny' who got the chop, the execs would be much braver about what they put on.
Quote: Griff @ November 2 2009, 3:37 PM GMT*realises there might be a sketch in all this and races off to word processor before other BSG hacks do same*
Mikey J beat you to it. Probably.
Quote: Ben @ November 2 2009, 3:38 PM GMTMikey J beat a fellow writer to death. Probably.
Quote: Ben @ November 2 2009, 3:38 PM GMTMikey J beat you to it. Probably.
Mikey's written a novel, a feature film and twenty sketches on this already. 
Oi! lol 
And oh no! Not the beat to death references again.
Cor blimey. One murder, I commited years ago when I was a cabbie (the punter was 10p short of the fare) and no one will forget it.
"Producers recently tried to get the phrase "Oh, sweet Jesus" removed from a script of My Family"
I applaud those producers.
Wanting three words removed?
Even one word removed from a My Family script is a step in the right direction. 