BBC Writersroom Comedy 2015 Page 3

Yeah, got my rejection as well. Someone should set up a Facebook group, where we can review each others submissions, then at least you would be getting some feedback, at least.

Quote: Mark Gregory @ 6th July 2015, 1:15 PM BST

Yeah, got my rejection as well. Someone should set up a Facebook group, where we can review each others submissions, then at least you would be getting some feedback, at least.

I used to contribute to a forum for music production / songwriting, and posting songs for the other members to critique was commonplace. It's a great way to get (free) feedback from your peers.

There's a subforum in this forum for posting your work and getting feedback:

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/critique/

Quote: Lazzard @ 6th July 2015, 11:20 AM BST

And it's worth remembering that the BBC are not the only player - and are increasingly less important.
Sy make comedy, UK TV make comedy, Dave, HBO, E1 - the net is broadening.
There's things you can do to help your cause, like only sending it to ProdCo's that match your works genre, trying to get a specific name, a polite introductory e-mail etc etc
Again there are threads dedicated to this somewhere on the site.
Good luck!

I'd say Sky have become one of the biggest players since Lucy Lumsden went on board. They've had some great comedies produced in addition to amazing HBO shows like Silicon Valley.

For those who don't know, Sky have a section on their website where they give some great information about what they're looking for from writers and how they work with them.

There's even a section where you can submit your script but they do say that you should ideally have a production company attached to any ideas (like Channel 4).

I found this extremely helpful to read:

https://corporate.sky.com/about-sky/other-information/commissioning-and-ideas-submission/ideas-submission

Thanks guys for the info, I'll contact some prod companies and see what happens.

Quote: woodsy @ 4th July 2015, 1:59 PM BST

I got the dreaded rejection letter in the end.

That'll teach me for not looking in my junk folder, well it was junk after all.

Weird thing though, I would like to know how they assess the scripts as I've had my script looked at some top script editors and they've agreed it's ready to be sent out and developed enough.

This makes me think is the right person reading your script? Mine is quite an old fashioned style comedy with loads of verbal gags and slapstick, probably family viewing. If someone who doesn't find that style of comedy funny is then reading my script it isn't going to have much chance.

That's the thing with open submissions. Try as they might to be subjective, a script reader comes to the table with their own likes and dislikes. One reader might be obsessed with structure and bin anything that's ill-plotted, another might write something off as soon as a female character is portrayed negatively, others still might vomit with disgust because the script they've just opened is the fifteen jobcentre sitcom they've read that day. Even if it's great, they're groaning by the first slugline because certain settings are going to be repeated when it's a pile of hundreds/thousands of scripts.

That's why, when sending scripts out, it's best to target producers who do similar stuff to what you're doing rather than just anyone who will accept them.