I think the main thing to take on board is that everyone gets their writing slated from time to time. I remember one guy at a prod company slagging off Armstrong & Bain to me, which put things into perspective.
How can feedback be so different? Page 6
Thanks to everyone on this thread for the support and encouragement. Yes it hurt, but today is a new day and it's time to brush it off and get back to writing. I was just feeling a bit battered after some critisism which, to be honest I found to be somewhat on the harsh side.
I do appreciate that people are different and what is funny to one may be dry paint to another. I'm not giving up, and I'm not sure where the suggestion of binning my work came from, but that will not happen. With a cooler head I will revisit the work and see if any of the feedback could be used positively to make some improvements. Not sure if it will or not but I will certainly look to reappraise the script with (hopefully) a clearer head.
Anyway, thanks again to everyone on the thread.
Def.
To answer SeeFacts, I'm still around. I lurk at the moment due to being busy in other areas, but log on each day to make sure my section of the board stays polite and helpful. Thanks for asking too.
Glad to see Def is back up already.
Quote: Perry Nium @ May 28 2008, 10:18 PM BSTI once sent Graham Linehan a link to one of my comedy projects. He replied with "Sorry, not my thing." I learned afterwards that Graham's not a big fan of overtly-sexual comedy and this particular project was quite peurile and sweary.
I made exactly the same mistake. I asked Mr Linehan to watch one of my cartoons, and the one I chose ended with a particularly crude sexual gag. He said that that joke spoiled the rest of it for him.
Still, I find it encouraging that Graham Linehan even deigns to look at the work of amateurs and give a response. And he has a point - overtly crude, sexual material has limited appeal, so if one wants to get on the telly it's probably best to tone it down.
You got hold of Linehan?!
Quote: Deferenz @ May 29 2008, 9:58 AM BSTI'm not sure where the suggestion of binning my work came from, but that will not happen.
Def.
I think it was a reference to just binning the letter itself.
But glad your chin is jutting forward again.
Quote: Winterlight @ May 29 2008, 11:16 AM BSTYou got hold of Linehan?!
He has a blog you know.
Apologies if this has already been mentioned, but if you want something really frustrating, try having your script submitted to a PDG (Programme Development Group for Radio 4). Four producers will read your work: one will hate it, one will love it, two will feel supreme indifference towards it.
Quote: Mike Greybloke @ May 29 2008, 10:28 AM BSTI made exactly the same mistake. I asked Mr Linehan to watch one of my cartoons, and the one I chose ended with a particularly crude sexual gag. He said that that joke spoiled the rest of it for him.
Still, I find it encouraging that Graham Linehan even deigns to look at the work of amateurs and give a response. And he has a point - overtly crude, sexual material has limited appeal, so if one wants to get on the telly it's probably best to tone it down.
Has Grey Bloke been on telly yet? He seems to have been around the internet for aeons. Always makes me laugh. I love the understated style and the way you milk humorous pauses. Brilliant stuff.
Quote: Mike Greybloke @ May 29 2008, 10:28 AM BSTStill, I find it encouraging that Graham Linehan even deigns to look at the work of amateurs and give a response. And he has a point - overtly crude, sexual material has limited appeal, so if one wants to get on the telly it's probably best to tone it down.
Tell that to the controller of BBC3. Overtly crude sexual material seems their stock in trade.
How did you guys get hold of Linehan? Just contacted him through his blog and asked if he would take a look at your work?
Some comedians/writers are good like that, whereas others can be arsey. Trevor Lock and Emma Kennedy both took the time out to listen to one of my old podcasts and there feedback was very encouraging and I appreciated it very much. Others just don't seem to like helping 'amateurs'.
To be fair to the arsey ones, you don't know what tits they've had to put up with in the past.
Ah, lovely Emma Kennedy... that doesn't surprise me.
TV's Emma Kennedy was very good in that Richard Herring comedy on Radio 2 about this day in history (that might even be what it was called).
I don't think there's been one on TV, so get it out the bin!