At the end of the cliche, no producer wants their show to be crap, so they use the material they think works best.

Of course. It's their opinion. At the end of day, more cliche, that's what it always is.

The point is you never really get complacent as a writer, certainly a jobbing freelancer, because you are ALWAYS having to prove yourself. Even to people you've done successful stuff for in the past. They don't really care. They're just interested in what you've done in the last five minutes.

Yeah, I don't think you can ever blame the commissioned writers for a show's substandard quality - they're just doing their jobs. The buck has to stop with the producer cos in the end it comes down to the choices that they make.

I was wondering where this 90% figure for the 'percentage of non-comm submissions that are crap' has come from though. Is it based on any insider knowledge/experience? It's no wonder they don't make shows that are comprised solely of non-comm submissions if this is the case, but that seems a little high to me. Perhaps that's just misplaced optimism on my part (optimism isn't my strong point!).

Well, I'm sure it varies, but based on my experience of working on non-comm shows, seeing the slush pile and talking to script editors and producers, that figure isn't far off for most cases. Whichever way you look at it, it just means most stuff submitted isn't usable. I've seen some people send poems in to topical shows. And not funny poems, limericks and the like. Just poems. A good chunk of submissions are made up by people who can't write, people who haven't read the brief and people who have mental health issues.

The main reason open shows don't exist in the way they used to is that a vicious circle has now built up around them. The powers that be don't like open door shows, and so most comedy programmes are a closed shop. So budding writers are starved of ways of getting noticed. So when the powers that be decide to open up a show after all, the thing gets absolutely swamped with submissions. The people running the show thing 'God, this is a lot of work' and subsequently close it again.

I realise that RFTP and Newsjack were specifically designed to be open door shows, but it's a far cry from the days when most topical programmes, particularly on radio, were open to submissions as standard. 90% crap or not, it was the most direct way to find the next generation of writing talent, and then sustain those people with some sort of career.

I was wondering where this 90% figure for the 'percentage of non-comm submissions that are crap' has come from though.

Everybody knows that 73% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Being a newbie myself and looking to send off some scripts myself what's peoples thought on safe guarding your ideas and what's to stop people reading your ideas thinking 'thanks very much, I'll have that'.

Please be gentle.

The simple answer is you can't safe guard your ideas. There's nothing to stop people pinching it or being influenced by it. Equally, if you've thought of a gag, chances are fifty other people have thought of exactly the same thing.

What I will say is the chances of a BBC producer, or any other producer, stealing an idea and then not giving you credit (even if the idea is then reworked to such a degree that it stops being your idea), is pretty much nil. They would never take that risk. If they genuinely like something they will let you know, and if they use it they will always give you credit in some form.

Many thanks for that R.J. that's put my mind at ease a little.

Cheers.

Years ago I sent the BBC a sketch about a bloke up against a wall facing a firing squad. He gets a last-minute pardon from the prison governor just as they take aim. He's obviously relieved and wipes the sweat from his brow. Then, just as he's about to be led away the wall falls on him.

I thought this was HILARIOUS.

Never heard anything from the BBC. Not a flaming dicky bird. Then, six months later, the self-same sketch turns up on The Russ Abbott Show. I wrote a furious letter to the Beeb. They never replied. It was some small comfort to me that soon after this the show was cancelled.

Poems into topical sketch shows? #Massages eyes and shakes head disconsolately#

Who are these people?! (Cue light-hearted intra-forum accusations!) Cos they really do mess things up for the people who maybe do have some potential and do pay attention to the brief. Nowt you can do about it obviously but frustrating none the less!

Quote: Speckled Jim @ October 9 2009, 1:56 PM BST

Poems into topical sketch shows? #Massages eyes and shakes head disconsolately#

Who are these people?! (Cue light-hearted intra-forum accusations!) Cos they really do mess things up for the people who maybe do have some potential and do pay attention to the brief. Nowt you can do about it obviously but frustrating none the less!

View original

It's idiots like that who don't stick to the brief
Who give us all a bad name at least that's my belief.
You can't do a sketch with a poem or song
Pam Ayres for example that shit's simply wrong
To find the best writers takes such a hunt
And people like this well they're just a waste of time.

Quote: Crusty427 @ October 9 2009, 4:43 PM BST

It's idiots like that who don't stick to the brief
Who give us all a bad name at least that's my belief.
You can't do a sketch with a poem or song
Pam Ayres for example that shit's simply wrong
To find the best writers takes such a hunt
And people like this well they're just a waste of time.

View original

#Copies, pastes and saves for use at a later date#

Anybody heard anything back from RFTP?

Not that I'm even thinking about it. Honest.

Nope - but thanks for reminding me.

Once people have heard back they'll post on here, so don't feel too down til then.

They're still sorting through the non-comm pile. Bumped into 2 of the script editors recently.

P.S. Think that might be my nose on the left of Ben's picture (If anyone's curious about what I look like).