I'm just wondering what other people strategies are for trying to sell their work? I ask this because I tend to follow the routine of sending scripts and treatments to the same old people again and again? Are there any more slightly more creative avenues I could follow?
Try sending the sitcom you've wrote to the person you'd like to play the part. Find the actors agent and send them the script direct. A site called Spotlight gives every actors agent and address. Or you could just do a massive green peace sit in outside a production company with a Terry's chocolate orange as a itsy bitsy bribe. Or storm the Richard & Judy Set with a sandwich board advertising your sitcom and wait for the offers to flood in.
Quote: chipolata @ July 4, 2007, 10:55 AMI'm just wondering what other people strategies are for trying to sell their work? I ask this because I tend to follow the routine of sending scripts and treatments to the same old people again and again? Are there any more slightly more creative avenues I could follow?
You could team up with a budding director/producer and produce a movie version of your scripts... get them on YouTube or explore other online avenues.
I personally hate YouTube but that doesn't mean you won't have success going that route.
Quote: Reiss Ellesse @ July 4, 2007, 11:49 AMTry sending the sitcom you've wrote to the person you'd like to play the part. Find the actors agent and send them the script direct.
Is this that likely to work? Have you ever tried this?
A writer friend told me to do so. so I got in touch with Ronni Anconas agent on Spotlight's web site. And she told me to email my sketches because she'd be willing to read them. so I did and i'm waiting to here back. On the site i've also sent my work to a few other actors. Some agents say their clients are too busy (Catherine tate) but most welcome the fact that you've wrote something with their client in mind.
I would have thought the best way would be to send to as many production companies as possible. Aswell as Baby Cow, BBC, CH4 etc.
Maybe I am wrong though.
Now where did I see Colin Farrells email addy?????
Okay, I think I might try passing it around to a few agents. Worth a shot, I suppose. Maybe I'll send a script to David Mitchell's agent. He'll star in anything! 
sending to production companies is still probably the best...it's just another avenue to go...just like the yellow brick road...and...another funny avenue i cant think of at the moment...
I don't know how it works in the UK, but over here in America, you have to know somebody. It kind of blows. You can't just send something in. Luckily, I have about 10 connections to different networks, production companies, and writers. I've definitely been blessed with all those connections, but it's still hard. Because then your connection has to read it, like it, and suggest it. Then whoever he suggests it to, has to read it, like it, and suggest it to someone higher. They do the same thing and if they like it, call a meeting with you. After you pitch the whole idea, they can either pass (most likely), give you a put pilot contract (penalties are paid to you from the network if a pilot isn't made), or give you a pilot order, in which you make the pilot, then screen it for the rest of the network, and then if THEY like it, move on to making 22-24 episodes a season for several years.
Any easier in the UK? If so, I'll be there in a heartbeat.
I've tried sending stuff to America (Amigos garcia company) the bloke that wrote "My Name Is Earl" but i couldnt get onto his site. I've tried a few other companies but still couldn't get on the production companies sites.. so i just bought a box of Quality street and ate them until my face turned yellow and i barfed all ovey my pet hedgehog. I also sent some stuff to saturday night live but you just can't get through I tell ya... it's just hard hard hard
this isn't a thread about terrorism then? right... 
Producers, production companies for me mostly - and a few actors who might well be be able to help.
It all helps I think - I've managed to get contact addresses for people within companies who say 'no unsolicited stuff' so even when things don't go right, at least I feel I'm getting somewhere.