Quote: Gareth Stack @ May 16 2012, 10:33 AM BSTDon't you find that second episodes are always funnier? With the exception of shows where a single pilot has been lovingly crafted by it's creator and the rest is handled by additional writers?
No. not noticed that. Certainly not in terms of craft. Have a read of the pilot episode of Dads Army.
Quote: Gareth Stack @ May 16 2012, 9:57 AM BSTTo be clear. The pilot is funny. The second episode is much funnier. The BBC don't make spec scripts anyway - at least I don't know of one they've made. So the point of sending them scripts is really to get hired, or get some kind of development interest, right? What I was asking is do they have any objection to receiving an episode that is not the first one - especially as the show has a narrative arc. It's not a re-set the world at the end of the episode style sitcom like say 'Father Ted', but niether is it a 'comedy drama' like say 'Skins'. The show is closer to something like 'The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin' or more recently 'The Increasingly Poor Decisions Of Tod Margaret' - a single cam, character driven, six episode story arc, which naturally gets funnier the more you know the characters etc.
Understand your point, but as others have said: the BBC writers room is about selling yourself so find the best way of doing that. No sitcom (with the exception of the Smoking Room) has been made as a result of sending it into the writers room.
Great, thanks for the advice folks.
Quote: Gareth Stack @ May 16 2012, 10:44 AM BSTHow? There are 6 production companies I've found in the UK that even accept spec sitcom scripts, and only 4 of those have ever made a sitcom. I'd be delighted to sit down with some commissioning editors. Any advice on that front?
Well, first up, I presume you are sending to those six (once you've made the pilot funny enough)
Secondly a lot ( not all, mind you) of those 'no unsolicited material' conditions are there to put off the faint-hearted.
A well constructed letter of enquiry with enough of a hook to get them interested can often open ups lines of communication.
These people are desperate for good scripts - just not to the point where they're willing to wade through the deranged scribblings of a thousand wannabe's.
Stick at it - get it in front of people.
Most importantly, LISTEN to their notes, act on them and keep talking to them.
But PLEASE be sure it's good - you rarely get a second chance.
Quote: Lazzard @ May 16 2012, 11:43 AM BSTWell, first up, I presume you are sending to those six (once you've made the pilot funny enough)
Secondly a lot ( not all, mind you) of those 'no unsolicited material' conditions are there to put off the faint-hearted.
A well constructed letter of enquiry with enough of a hook to get them interested can often open ups lines of communication.
These people are desperate for good scripts - just not to the point where they're willing to wade through the deranged scribblings of a thousand wannabe's.
Stick at it - get it in front of people.
Most importantly, LISTEN to their notes, act on them and keep talking to them.
But PLEASE be sure it's good - you rarely get a second chance.
Solid practical advice, very much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to write that.
Why has no one quoted the actual BBC site yet?
"You should send the first full pilot episode and a brief outline (1-3 pages) of the remaining series narrative"
It's right there in black and white.
Quote: writer for hire @ May 16 2012, 12:00 PM BSTWhy has no one quoted the actual BBC site yet?
"You should send the first full pilot episode and a brief outline (1-3 pages) of the remaining series narrative"
It's right there in black and white.
Because we don't play by the rules, bro!
Quote: David Bussell @ May 16 2012, 12:06 PM BSTBecause we don't play by the rules, bro!
Well, if you don't play by the rules no one will pick you to play the game :-)
Quote: writer for hire @ May 16 2012, 12:00 PM BSTWhy has no one quoted the actual BBC site yet?
"You should send the first full pilot episode and a brief outline (1-3 pages) of the remaining series narrative"
It's right there in black and white.
That's for comedy series.
For sitcoms:-
"You should send one full episode and a brief outline (1-3 pages) of further episode stories/ideas."
I don't think he's sending in a traditional sitcom though.
From what he's said, his series includes a series arc and character development and all that.
Quote: writer for hire @ May 16 2012, 12:16 PM BSTI don't think he's sending in a traditional sitcom though.
From what he's said, his series includes a series arc and character development and all that.
He said it was his first sitcom, that's all.
I've not read it, so couldn't say what it actually is.
Either way, they're not going to chuck it out of the door on a technicality.
if it's any good they'll take the time to read it.
Personally I'm not convinced Writer's Room is the way forward - more of a way to manage the slush pile that makes it looks like they care.
But I'm an old cynic.
Quote: David Bussell @ May 16 2012, 12:06 PM BSTBecause we don't play by the rules, bro!
I sent mine as 3 hour Morse code recording. Take that BBC!
Quote: Stevie D @ May 16 2012, 12:31 PM BSTI sent mine as 3 hour Morse code recording. Take that BBC!
.-.. --- .-..
Quote: Lazzard @ May 16 2012, 12:39 PM BST.-.. --- .-..
Like it!
-.. --- / -.-- --- ..- / -.- -. --- .-- / - .... . / .-- .- -.-- / - --- / - .... . / - .-. .- .. -. / ... - .- - .. --- -. ..--.. / - .... . / -- --- -. -.- . -.-- / .. ... / ..- .--. / - .... . / - .-. . . .-.-.-
I'm virtually fluent.
DISCONNECTED THOUGHTS
Treatment for a forum post by Mr Writer
Each episode of a sitcom should have the potential to be the first one the viewer watches. You don't want someone turning on at ep 4 and going "I don't understand who these people are". You have to have the explanations on hand in every episode. So why bother writing a whole episode that laboriously wheels everything into position?
Some great sitcoms have set-up episodes: Yes Minister, Arrested Development, One Foot In The Grave. But the vast majority don't bother. Seinfeld? Imagine an episode where Jerry meets Elaine and George and Kramer. Yuck. Fawlty Towers? Imagine an episode where Basil opens his hotel and hires the staff. Yuck.
Part of the problem with the set-up episode is that the audience knows that it's the first of six. It's hard to create any drama around the establishing of a set-up when an audience versed in the grammar of television knows that the set-up has to be established, or you're going to be staring at a blank screen for five further weeks.
Some sitcoms these days do the whole set-up thing in the pre-sig to each episode. So you get who these people are and why we care before the episode proper starts. Friends would be the most obvious example.
Set up episodes are bum.