Congrats to the many new commissioned writers. I'm not bitter about you taking my old job at all...

No, seriously, it's great. I've met at least three of the new team and they're all top chaps (glad to hear of the success Griff!)

Quote: Mikey Jackson @ November 3 2009, 8:39 PM GMT

Congrats to the shortlisted few.

I'm delusionally hoping they'll email more writers tomorrow.

If not, I guess they didn't like my Automated Emergency or Coffee Shop sketches.

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Took a look at those.

One problem is that they're both pretty much the same sketch, albeit about a different subject. Even down to having an identical last line. OK, yes, the subject the sketches are attacking is different both times, but the basic framework is the same.

Took a look at those.

One problem is that they're both pretty much the same sketch, albeit about a different subject. Even down to having an identical last line. OK, yes, the subject the sketches are attacking is different both times, but the basic framework is the same.

Yes, I suppose they're both "gradual frustration to the point of screaming" type sketches, but would that alone warrant a rejection?
After all, a lot of the sketches on the previous series followed the same mechanics.

Strange. I don't seem to have trouble getting sketches on other productions. I just can't seem to crack RFTP.

Quote: Mikey Jackson @ November 3 2009, 8:39 PM GMT

Congrats to the shortlisted few.

I'm delusionally hoping they'll email more writers tomorrow.

If not, I guess they didn't like my Automated Emergency or Coffee Shop sketches.

View original

Hey Mikey the one thing that stands out for me about Automated Emergency is that as far as I can tell, it doesn't touch any of the themes - power, idiots, obsolesence, instinct, abundance, lies. I just got a sketch shortlisted which I genuinely feel is bollux but it clearly hit 5 out of the 6 themes yet it pales to your coffee shop sketch (which is supoib) that only really touches abundance.

I'd like to hear from some of the comms on how much they think the brief is adhered to when it comes to selection.

Oh and what are your actual chances at this stage now? They were picking from 2000 sketches weren't they?

Yeah, you're right, they didn't really fit into those "themes".

Regarding chances, I seem to recall last time that quite a few BCG regulars got the longlist email, then less made it to recording, but only a small handful actually made the final cut.

Well done to those leaping the hurdle and commiserations to those who haven't.

No email for me yet. As far as I can work out, the only ones they haven't sent yet are "we love your sketches so much they are straight into the recording". That's right isn't it? Isn't it? Hmmm?

Quote: Mikey Jackson @ November 5 2009, 12:51 AM GMT

Regarding chances, I seem to recall last time that quite a few BCG regulars got the longlist email, then less made it to recording, but only a small handful actually made the final cut.

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Not sure how it worked for everyone last time but I don't think they had a "longlist" email. I just got one out of the blue (having forgotten about it) saying they were recording something of mine the next week. Which was nice. But in general terms Mikey, yes, from a lot of first sift sketches there will be a lot of culling yet. Hopefully plenty of BCGers will remain.

Yeah, it would be nice to see a BCG majority in the series.

Well it was very last minute.com and after seeing so many people get long listed (which is great), it was even better, last night, to finally get the all important holy grail of emails, your work has made the initial sift! WHOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

I knew attaching those digital cheques to my email would do the trick

No emails for me. Looks like my RFTP career is at an end.

Hard lines, Af'.

It's already on your credits list though, so been there, done that!

Dan

Looks like I got one through the initial sift too. *High fives self*

Quote: Mikey Jackson @ November 5 2009, 12:37 AM GMT

Yes, I suppose they're both "gradual frustration to the point of screaming" type sketches, but would that alone warrant a rejection?
After all, a lot of the sketches on the previous series followed the same mechanics.

Strange. I don't seem to have trouble getting sketches on other productions. I just can't seem to crack RFTP.

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You also have to bear in mind that you submitted two types of sketch (esp. a "press 1 for..." sketch) that were probably done by several hundred other sketches both this year and last (and possibly the ones before that). So to get through with one of those you would have to produce a sketch with moments of absolute genius or have a very different angle/situation that the readers won't have seen before. The latter isn't such a big issue for the other productions you probably mean, i.e. NewsRevue, Treason Show, Watsons, where they have to produce show after show focused mostly on only a week or so of news and have to make sure they cover all the big stories.

Quote: Mikey Jackson @ November 5 2009, 12:37 AM GMT

Yes, I suppose they're both "gradual frustration to the point of screaming" type sketches, but would that alone warrant a rejection?

View original

Well, it's worth thinking about whether the two together would get you asked to submit more stuff. And you've only proved you can do one kind of sketch. Equally, neither of them give any clue about whether you can do character - the male is a little generic in both, and the other character is, literally or figuratively, an automaton.

After all, a lot of the sketches on the previous series followed the same mechanics.

True, but that's going to mean that you're covering ground that's already been covered, which doesn't help if they're wanting to move on. Better to try two very different sketches just in case one is something they're not wanting.

Myself and co-writer have also made it throught sift one.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll be more prepared next time.

I've got one through the first sift. They've asked me to re-write it. The cheek. How dare they question my artistic integrity. Of course I've re-written it. I have no morals.