Quote: Kevin Murphy @ November 30 2009, 3:12 PM GMT
But I am Stuart Murphy's nephew.
The number of people clicking through from that post to my blog is shocking.
Depressing News for Writers Page 3
Quote: Kevin Murphy @ November 30 2009, 5:00 PM GMTThe number of people clicking through from that post to my blog is shocking.
Who's Stuart Murphy again? 
Quote: Tim Walker @ November 30 2009, 5:01 PM GMTWho's Stuart Murphy again?
I have no idea.
Quote: Kevin Murphy @ November 30 2009, 2:59 PM GMTWithout wishing to devalue the man's achievements, which I'm sure are as impressive as you say, it can't have hurt that he's Tom O'Connor's son.
"Are you a sardine?"
Quote: Martin H @ November 30 2009, 6:10 PM GMT"Are you a sardine?"
Quote: Elise Bramich @ November 30 2009, 2:37 PM GMTBut again, I agree, talent will find a way.
It's also interesting to note how easily lack of talent will find a way.
Bitter, moi?
Quote: Griff @ November 30 2009, 8:56 PM GMTOK so via my nepotistic old boy's network of Masonic connections the question has been asked to Brian Dooley.
His reply (oh and if you're reading, thanks Brian):
"I was unsolicited and had no contacts at all. I'd had two plays on R4 in my twenties and had sold some sketches but that meant nothing. Went to Cambridge but wasn't in Footlights and am too Northern to network! I honestly was commissioned on merit ... so tell them it CAN happen but it's rare and it's just as tough after. It's a ruthless business!"
I'm now hoping to get somewhere because I know Griff.
EDIT: Now I've read the Chortle article, I have to say it sounds like very sensible advice and nothing unexpected. But I'm still hoping to get somewhere because I know Griff.
Would you send something unsolicited anyway? I always presumed that was a waste of time.
Stand up could get you places as a writer though, as far as I can tell from the local circuit. It works as self-promotion.
I was given the email address of a big comedy writer recently because someone I know knows someone I know who knows him....(yeah...) But even that seems like a bit of a waste of time to me. I'll probably still write to him but presumably it's the producers you need to get to know?
But HOOOOOOOOOOW?!
I send things out all the time. I'm always at it. It's part of the process and I've been lucky enough to get options and contacts that way. My options are in the horror genre, but they're for full length screenplays and anything connected to writing is very hard to come by.
It's a creative industry, so I look for creative ways around things and often colour outside the lines. I don't dwell on the negatives, just love writing
Quote: Jude @ December 1 2009, 6:15 AM GMTI don't dwell on the negatives, just love writing
I often dwell on the negatives, but I guess I must enjoy the writing enough, otherwise I wouldn't have been up all night doing it. *big yawn* 
Isn't it obvious where all these failed submissions are going wrong?
I'd be willing to bet five pounds that most of those binned scripts were totally lacking in directions re canned laughter.
Honestly! The naivety of some writers is amazing.
Have they learned nothing from decades of watching TV? Do they not realise that TV comedy is not funny unless and until the viewer is told when and where to laugh?
Put canned laughter into your script. That way everybody reading it will know where the funny bits are.
Success to all in 2010.
As some of you well know, I often put (PAUSE FOR LAUGHTER) into my scripts but... nothing.
Dan
There is nothing new in that article. Think about it, there must be tens of thousands of unmade scripts floating around all the production companies. How many new sitcoms are made a year? Someone do the maths and work out the percentage. It will be around 0.000(something)% getting made.
The opposite of unsolicited doesn't mean you have to be in the industry. It just means that you've made contact with someone in the industry before submitting your script. This isn't as hard as it seems, you can actually phone up a lot of these production companies and tell them about yourself and pitch a project. Or meet these producers at events such as the Screenwriters festivals.
Also, you have to be realistic and appreciate that your first paid project is very, very, unlikely to be on your own sitcom. Try and get a writing career to support you by getting on sketch shows and other comedies. If you do you'll know loads of producers and won't be unsolicited to them.
I didn't think it was a particulary negative piece.
He clearly states they are desperate for new talent.
It's just that it's thin on the ground.
They didn't turn all those scripts down because they were unsolicited.
But because they weren't any good.
I think,sometimes, we are in danger of forgetting how hard it is to write really good stuff.
Even shows we don't like take talent.
Quote: Lazzard @ December 1 2009, 10:41 AM GMTThey didn't turn all those scripts down because they were unsolicited.
But because they weren't any good.
He said they got sent hundreds every year, of course some of those are going to be good. If they got four hundred scripts in a two year space, the idea that not one of them was good and worthy of broadcast after a bit of extra work is obviously not true. Can't be. And I'm sure, even if they haven't put any of the scripts on screen, they will have picked up writers for other things through the process.