Well now, this does look interesting:

https://www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/00000613/danny_cohen_bbc_one_sitcom_pilot_drive/

Hmmm, sounds like a bit of a slap in the face to people who already submit sitcom scripts via the writers room/unsolicited script thing though. And if it's BBC1 you wonder how bland the winning scripts will be.

But yeah, sounds interesting.

It'll probably still be through Writersroom. Most of their open-call stuff is.

Does sounds pretty interesting though.

Deadline in November, too soon for me I think. I'll stick with sketches for the next 6 months or so then I might have a bash at writing a sitcom.

"We don't get enough great sitcom scripts coming through"

Harsh. Surely the laws of statistics suggest the writersroom already gets the best of what he can expect.

Quote: Failed Comedy Writer @ August 29 2011, 7:55 PM BST

"We don't get enough great sitcom scripts coming through"

Harsh. Surely the laws of statistics suggest the writersroom already gets the best of what he can expect.

View original

Well not quite, as obvioulsy not every script is sent to The Writersroom. Many go direct to Prod companies, certainly those who are a step or two up will.

Yep, but is this a call out to the general public to get writing - or is it still going to be a who-you-know affair between the BBC and the indies? Business as usual and all that...

I'm not sure this initiative will change anything - there are loads of scripts out there already. Asking for more isn't necessarily going to unearth something he wants.

Still, shan't knock anything that aims to up the comedy on our screens. Good luck to anyone who's up for this.

There doesn't seem to be any details on how and where to submit though.

I don't think it's actually an open call as such; he's just saying he wants more BBC 1 worthy scripts and is thinking of doing a series of pilots to find new shows.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 29 2011, 9:07 PM BST

I don't think it's actually an open call as such; he's just saying he wants more BBC 1 worthy scripts and is thinking of doing a series of pilots to find new shows.

View original

Yip, that's how I see it. So it's more interest to the prod companies than us writers I guess.

This article mentions a forthcoming announcement about how to submit - and it does sound like it's aimed at writers, so it sounds to me like a genuine call out for scripts.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2011/08/28/13881/bbc1_to_broadcast_sitcom_pilots

And Peter Fincham hinting that ITV could do a comedy season. Good to hear this, and hope it happens.

I don't think this is anything more than usual two-yearly swing of the pendulum.
Whoever's in charge in 2013 will be after 'edgy', you mark my words.

And it absolutely isn't an open submission.
Just a message to the writers out there that this is the kind of stuff they're after.

This year.

Channel controller Danny Cohen said he is not offered enough scripts for the mainstream audience

Surely this is an enough of a clue that simply going for a mainstream audience is wrong? After all, established writers with agents must be pitching him scripts all the time.

Be interesting to see what transpires.