British Comedy Guide

Should I chase him

I put forward 10 pages of my sit-com to Baby Cow Productions. They asked me to send in the full script and other episode ideas. I did so, now 2 months later I received a knock back. It was very polite, but gave me no feedback on the actual sit-com.

Should I chase for some feedback? In your past experiences, do you usually receive feedback from these production companies?

Thanks

Ross Errr

yes.
what have you got to lose?
be polite. tell him you know he must be busy but could he just let you know what was wrong bearing in mind they liked the first ten pages.
at the very least they may remember your name and read the next thing you send in.

I have heard that some places don't give feedback deliberately as it 'promotes a discussion' with writers bouncing emails backwards and forwards between the company and themselves. They've nothing against feedback just that they have little or no time to do it.

I must say the feedback I got from Jan Jung at Screenplay Productions was very in-depth, so I'd recommend sending it there if you want feedback.

The fact that they asked for the rest of the script after 10 pages is a good sign though.

Dan

Thanks guys for your thoughts

Yeah the same happened with me, I sent them 10 pages, they liked it and asked for more, I sent that along but then they said they wouldn't take it any further. So I emailed them asking for feedback and they gave me some very positive words and a couple of things to think about. So yeah definitely email them.

Cant hurt to e-mail, the worst that can happen is that they just say they cant give any feedback, so you might as well. They asked to see a full script of mine about two months ago, so hopefull Ill be getting a response soon if thats how long it took for you; I have to say Ill be a little dissapointed if its a no and they dont give any feedback at all, ill certainly chase them a bit if that happens.

Chase him for defo.

Proceed with caution Rosco,Ric does not like giving feedback, he clearly feels aggrieved when anyone asks,i know, i tried it. By all means ask, but go cap in hand.

Who read you script? John read mine and he was happy to give feedback when I asked.

One of the things I have learned here at BSG is the contagious attitude that these c**ts are doing you a favour by asking to see more material.

There is a pervasive sense of cowardice here evidenced by the thread starter's post: He wonders if he should email to ask for feedback. The implication being that he does not want to upset the producer or appear to be a pest.

These companies need your excellent work more than you need them.

They are the store; they make money by selling produce; they do not create produce, they solicit it and make a show out of what's received and then sell that show (produce). They are not writers; they cannot write. They need written material. Most of what they receive is shite.
Most of what they produce is shite via mediocrity.

If what you are writing (and have written) impresses you, then you can relax and stop behaving & thinking from the perspective that prod companies are gods and you are but a mere piece of grovelling dirt asking them to examine a piece of filthy toilet paper.

Submit with confidence and mark the date and if they don't get back to you within 5 weeks, send it off to another company. If they ask for more material, send it with a note informing them that you want a reply within a month or else you will submit the material elsewhere.

You gotta be polite and yet hard nosed. This is serious business. You don't act like a f**ken wimp when you go to the newsagents or the grocery store or the garage or your job, so why act like it when you are selling your writing?

They need writing. You have it. You send it. If it fits what they are looking for, they'll buy it. If it doesn't fit, they'll reject it. That rejection is not an objective assessment of the quality of your work. It is merely saying, "We are looking for triangles and you sent us a circle".

You have what you believe you can have.

Quote: Martin Holmes @ November 22, 2007, 5:07 PM

Who read you script? John read mine and he was happy to give feedback when I asked.

Only contact i had was with Ric.

Id be careful Skibbington, yes be confident, but don't for a second think that producers are sat around waiting for a script to be sent in from the likes of us. The truth is that most of the stuff they produce will be something they have thought of themselves. If not then there are many professional, experienced writers with a proven track record.

I always think you have to be really careful with how you handle production companies once they have your name, if you give them the wrong impression it will last.

I sent 10 pages of a project to Baby Cow by email a year ago and never had a response. I sent 10 pages of a different project by post at the end of August and got a thanks but no thanks inside a week.

I never thought of asking for feedback, perhaps arrogantly, assumed it was brilliant, but just not for them.

So take some comfort from them asking to see the whole thing.

Although I am quite weedy when it comes to going to the garage Skibbington.

John Hill read my script. He gave a very quick response to my initial 10 pages, then took around 2 months to come back on the overall script which I thought was reasonably quick judging by some of the other comments on this site for various production companies.

Quote: Rosco @ November 22, 2007, 7:35 PM

John Hill read my script. He gave a very quick response to my initial 10 pages, then took around 2 months to come back on the overall script which I thought was reasonably quick judging by some of the other comments on this site for various production companies.

Yeah that's around the same length of time he took with mine, just politely ask for some feedback and I'm sure he'll give you some.

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