Would you say that there was more chance of you getting your material produced if you actually filmed your own pilot rather than just sending a script to producers?
Filming pilots
Quote: Tom Cartin @ June 14 2008, 8:23 PM BSTWould you say that there was more chance of you getting your material produced if you actually filmed your own pilot rather than just sending a script to producers?
Depends what you want to achieve.
Your work still lives and dies by the quality. So if it's filmed and shit, it still gets nowhere.
Doesnt hurt to have a go if you think you can produce something of quality. Doesnt have to be broadcast quality, and of course it wouldnt be, but if it manages to represent the script well, then of course it could be helpful. But, like said above, if you were to send something ropey, it would ruin the shows chances. Reminds me of something Tarantino did, whereby he made his own film before he was famous, but he thought it was so poor that when he was looking for backers for Reservoir Dogs, he pretended hed never done anything because he knew it could ruin his chances.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ June 14 2008, 9:04 PM BSTDoesnt hurt to have a go if you think you can produce something of quality. Doesnt have to be broadcast quality, and of course it wouldnt be, but if it manages to represent the script well, then of course it could be helpful. But, like said above, if you were to send something ropey, it would ruin the shows chances. Reminds me of something Tarantino did, whereby he made his own film before he was famous, but he thought it was so poor that when he was looking for backers for Reservoir Dogs, he pretended hed never done anything because he knew it could ruin his chances.
Most of Tarrantino's output is garbage so it's no true marker for me.
Didn't Gervais and Merchant make a very rough pilot of The Office on video camera?
Quote: Alan C @ June 14 2008, 9:06 PM BSTDidn't Gervais and Merchant make a very rough pilot of The Office on video camera?
Yeah, but in conjunction with the BBC, as Merchant was on a BBC directing course at the time.
Quote: Seefacts @ June 14 2008, 9:05 PM BSTMost of Tarrantino's output is garbage so it's no true marker for me.
Well, everyones aloud to be wrong, dont feel bad about it. 
QTs made some belters, but is a magnet for haters. About time he set about anew Dogs or Jackie Brown though, rather than his exploitation stuff. Theyre fun, but I want his earlier self to re-surface.
If the material's good, yes.
Caroline Ahern acted out the Royle Family as no one would accept it but she was 'in' at the time and they listened
Quote: Matthew Stott @ June 14 2008, 9:08 PM BSTWell, everyones aloud to be wrong, dont feel bad about it.
QTs made some belters, but is a magnet for haters. About time he set about anew Dogs or Jackie Brown though, rather than his exploitation stuff. Theyre fun, but I want his earlier self to re-surface.
allowed*
sorry thought i was Aaron there
Quote: Alan C @ June 14 2008, 9:13 PM BSTallowed*
sorry thought i was Aaron there
soree.
It might be easier for a producer to visualise how a good script could work than for him to see the potential in a bad film.
Quote: Timbo @ June 14 2008, 10:35 PM BSTIt might be easier for a producer to visualise how a good script could work than for him to see the potential in a bad film.
I'm not too sure. I wa under the impression that if they actually saw a rough idea of how it could go rather then reading things that perhaps wouldn't be funny unless they saw them. I understand where your coming from but producers don't raly take too well to unsolicited scripts all the time. most don't get read.
Quote: Tom Cartin @ June 14 2008, 10:46 PM BSTI'm not too sure. I wa under the impression that if they actually saw a rough idea of how it could go rather then reading things that perhaps wouldn't be funny unless they saw them. I understand where your coming from but producers don't raly take too well to unsolicited scripts all the time. most don't get read.
No, they DO read them if you go about it the right way.
whats the right way then?
Quote: Tom Cartin @ June 14 2008, 10:48 PM BSTwhats the right way then?
There's a thread just below this one.