Alfred J Kipper
Saturday 29th January 2011 4:45am [Edited]
Aldershot
8,385 posts
[quote name="Griff" post="721252" date="January 28 2011, 6:32 PM GMT"]
Why on earth would the BBC take Sitcom Mission into account in their planning?
Because they know what they are doing, as any hugely successful business should. This alternative competition provides an extremely useful service for the BBC comedy dept. SM are showcasing eight sitcoms on stage, that's akin to giving eight potential new sitcoms a pilot and saving the BBC much money and effort. If these shows turn out to be good, then the BBC will want them! By getting the same scripts in and recognising something good in them themselves, they can see how they perform on stage and assess their potential.
With a 'major' competition closing a week later, this gives a welcome reprieve to writers who just missed the deadline for SM or buggered up a scene. There is absolutely no coincidence at all about the planning of the BBC's deadline. They'll be expecting, welcoming many SM submitted scripts. IMO.