Production companies

To date, I've never sent any material to production companies, and I was wondering if some of guys could tell me a bit about the process?

I've had a look here, and checked out some of the websites, but not a lot of the ones I've seen give any details about sending scripts to them.

Yeah. It's better to query them.

If they don't have details on their website do ask before sending in! Some of them can be pretty grumpy.

If you manage to get info on submission policies from any companies do let me know! Later in the year I want to expand that production list that you've looked at to include that sort of thing you see.

Hopefully, over time, we can build up a fairly definitive list of who accepts scripts and who doesn't and the guidelines for each company.

well frosty i basically got some material together and along with a covering letter telling them abit about myself etc. i just sent it to 6 production companies i felt were in the same sort of field i was aiming for. i only sent this stuff a few weeks ago so i havent got anything back yet

I've got a couple more questions:

1. How long on average does it take to get a response from a production company?
2. What's the normal procedure if a company likes your work?

I'l have ago at answering this and if im wrong... il be corrected

1. a responce can vary, from 1 particaular company they got back to me with about 3 days which was nice of them a rejection ofcourse. but it also depends how much mail they get e.g. BBC get loads of people sending in there stuff. and it can in some cases takes months to get back to you... with me it toook about 3 weeks

2. from what ive heard *frown* when a company likes your work they sometimes want more to see your consitancy, and if its really good they may invite you to a workshop (with other writers).

hope this helped... again if im wrong someone correct me

It can take up to four months to a reply from some!

My local beeb, a year on one particular script and still no response - i'm almost too embarrased to ask them now - they either hated it or they're pinching it. We've had better responses from the regional beebs around Britain, 3 days in one case. So don't just think Writers Room and your local, try other Beebs.

Some companies take months to get back to you, whilst others are much quicker to respond. One production company took four months to get back to me and took another nine months to make a decision after they asked to see a second script. Another company got back to me within a couple of weeks of receiving my script.

I was given advice on phoning them after about 3 months. But if its a rejection I could imagine quite an embarrasing convosation.

"we especially hated the racist parts"

always the racist parts

"You can't make jokes about gays, you can't make fun of ethnic minorities."

I get that alot. :D

Quote: SlagA @ October 29, 2006, 10:09 AM

My local beeb, a year on one particular script and still no response - i'm almost too embarrased to ask them now - they either hated it or they're pinching it. We've had better responses from the regional beebs around Britain, 3 days in one case. So don't just think Writers Room and your local, try other Beebs.

If that's BBC Wales, I had a script with them for two years before it was commissioned and broadcast. So, don't loose heart, you're halfway there!!

Pozzitive Productions sent me back their response within a week, and although it was a rejection, the bloke was very nice about it, and genuinely seemed to have read the script. Baby Cow, in contrast, took about nine months, and then it was just a standard form rejection.

One of the best places to get feedback is BBC Radio. I've sent them scripts three times, and on each occasion got a script report back. It takes about nine months, but I learnt pretty quickly that when you're at the bottom of the heap, this industry moves at a glacial speed.