Bread Page 2

Quote: Seefacts @ March 5, 2008, 8:27 PM

In saying that, WHEN do you get paid? On script completion? On broadcast. Interesting points.

View original

In the case of Play & Record it was about six months after recording and two months after broadcast. However, the (official BBC) contract said that you were supposed to get paid when 'the last episode of the current series is broadcast'.

A Head of Comedy for a well-known distributor informed me that radio sitcom is about £7,500 per hour. So you're looking at £22,500 for a six-episode series. So it's liveable but not great if you're getting used to a much higher salary in a dull job! I'm guessing you'll be supplementing your income writing sketches for other shows, script-editing, writing columns in magazines and giving your opinion on one of Channel 4's '100 Best...' shows like all those other people you've never heard of do (and, of course, Stuart Maconie -- as Stewart Lee says -- who has an opinion on every thing in the whole universe).

Or you could just write a thousand sitcoms a year like Dan Tetsall and Danny Robbins do...

Dan

Fukkit I'm depressed now.

Quote: Griff @ March 5, 2008, 9:56 PM

And let's not forget if you write in a comedy partnership (as so many great writers have done) you have to half that figure!

View original

Lucky I write on my own.

MINE ALL MINE!!!

Everyone seems to be forgetting the golden phrase..."Repeat Fees!" <cue host of angels singing on high>

You get a large percentage of your initial fee again on repeat, the percentage depending on when and where the show's repeated.

The following info is a few years old but I don't think it's changed that much -

The BBC pay the Writer for the first Peak repeat - 75% of the Fee and for each subsequent Peak repeat - 100% of the Fee

For each Off-Peak repeat - 25% of the Fee

For each Night repeat - 25% of the Fee

The rules change though if your show is repeated on non-terrestrial.

I would also add that if you were successful enough to 'make it', you could secure a regular salary by becoming a consultant to a network or production company. There must be a number of successful writers who have a nominally titled job with companies, in order that the company has first refusal on their work. And never forget advertising. You never see credits on ads but someone's writing them and it's well-paid work.

DVD sales, syndication rights, there are lots of ways a really good piece of work could line your pockets beyond the original payout. Plus getting future work will be easier and you'll probably be able to get a bigger salary than a newbie.

Quote: ContainsNuts @ March 6, 2008, 9:48 AM

Plus getting future work will be easier and you'll probably be able to get a bigger salary than a newbie.

View original

True -- I heard one of a well-known writing double-act asked for £90,000 per hour (of TV sitcom). Needless to say, aforementioned 'Head of Comedy' thought it was too much. He's top-end of comedy-writing, I'd say, so would say that is the maximum. Except obviously for Richard Curtis -- it's not Richard Curtis.

Dan

Quote: Seefacts @ March 5, 2008, 8:20 PM

Oh, and M Lewis - you owe me 60 quid!

View original

come see me when you're trying to buy a house in London on £30k pa and i'll have one of my guys sort you out a mortgage

God, I would never want to work in advertising. The people I've met who have talk about nothing else, about how difficult it is, how talented they are... Certainly just about all the 'humourous' ads I have seen in the last ten years are easily spotable rip-offs of other people's work.

I was warned quite recently by 'someone in TV' that advertisers are all quite bitter cos 'they're not in TV and really want to be'.

Dan

I bow to the late great Bill Hicks' guidance over people in advertising and marketing...

Quote: swerytd @ March 10, 2008, 8:52 PM

I was warned quite recently by 'someone in TV' that advertisers are all quite bitter cos 'they're not in TV and really want to be'.

Dan

View original

Oh everyone is a bitter someone.

Refs are just bitter because they're not footballers.
Internet comedy geeks are just bitter failed comedy writers etc

And never forget advertising. You never see credits on ads but someone's writing them and it's well-paid work.

Ad writing is highly specialised, competitive and hard to break into (I've tried and I have some relevant experience as a copywriter). Not saying it's impossible, but you aren't going to get work as a creative in an ad agency on the basis of having some TV broadcast credits.

I don't know if you remember the Vimto commercial with the 'dads pants' song about the lad who took his dad's pants swimming. That was mine. I got approached after being seen by some ad execs at a gig in Manchester. I thought it would be a top gig. but it was horrible, I've never felt so ridicluous in my life as when I had to sit there and listen to someone explaining their 'vision' for a soft drink.

I'd never do it again. Horrible people.

wasn't that great to be honest. I got a little stiffed with it. Probably why the whole thing leaves a nasty vimto-ey taste in my mouth.

I do remember that!!