Quote: charley rance @ December 18, 2006, 12:34 PMSteve by any other name...... I think i may love you. Thankyou for your comment. I would quote it however i will be known as fat head Charley if i do.
Lots of very friendly kisses.xxxxxxxxxxxx.Oh & 1 big sluty kiss X
Lucky me. I knew I was right. You write some really good stuff.
Thankyou hon...
Just clearing up a backlog of unread posts, and I'd like to point out that failing to use correct spelling and grammar is in direct contradiction to the rules. The odd typo or mistake is one thing, but not being bothered to differentiate between "well" and "we'll", or as I have seen recently "our" and "are" is a completely different matter.
At the end of the day, if you don't respect your own words enough to make them readable, then there's really no point in posting them at all, since no one else is going to be bothered enough to read.
Maybe you can get away with bad spelling and grammar, but what that says is that you either can't be bothered to invest in proper spellchecking software, or you couldn't be bothered to use the spellcheck. But maybe you're brilliant. What is a separate issue is bad typing, because it flags you as a complete amateur. Those script readers are looking for the lamest things to pad out their assessment, move on to the next one and collect their twenty quid and you're in competition with Oxbridge graduates whether you like it or not. After a punctuation mark, put a space. Even on a forum.
Grammar and spelling aside, 
I think we really have to address the question that was being asked and in trying to help the original poster. Yes it was rough, it's a starting point. If this was a finished script ready for submission with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes then it MIGHT be a problem, but it's not. I would never reject someone because of their inability to use a semicolon, mind you when I used to look at CVs I paid less attention to qualifications than if I thought the person was suitable.
The idea is sound, but you need an outline of a story. I would sit down and write an outline of what happens in an episode and come back with that. Considering the mastery of the English language by TEACHERS and people who should know better, let's cut them a bit of slack.
As for the Beeb - they gave us Hyperdrive(l) - I would take their advice with a sack of salt. Hey, let's be nice! Nice is FREE.
WOW!!!!!!
Enzo has hit the nail on the head there.
I tip my hat to you Sir!!!!!!!!!
At the end of the day, as stated the origional poster is not submiting a script.
All ideas start with a rough draft.
I wonder how many notes Mr Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart started off with before he completed one of his symphonies?
I wonder how many people said "Fook sake Mowey, hope u r gonna add some more notes there. Oh and sort out the piano tuning before you send that out, jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus"
Can we not just say, we like it or we dont,obviously add your advice, then we can throw in a gentle, (please use a spell checker before sending anything off)...Surely that would be adequate.
I myself am by no means an academic.I will not be belittled or put off by it. Yes i could spell check this little rant before i send it out to you. However i cant realy be arsed. I am addding a comment, my spelling & pronunciation
are not an issue...My written words are. I am sure they are reasonably readable.
I wonder if all the moaners would dare tell Noel Gallagher that he cant possibly write songs seeing as he is dyslexic and all.
Can a dyslexic not write a sitcom?
Bad spelling is not a threat to society, its not a disease and it doesnt mean you are lazy.Its a small harmless weakness amongst a possible hundred strengths.
Stop over emphasising on the crust and look at the filling.
"Love all the people", as the late great Bill Hicks would say.....
Quote: charley rance @ January 17, 2007, 9:57 PMI wonder how many notes Mr Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart started off with before he completed one of his symphonies?
I wonder how many people said "Fook sake Mowey, hope u r gonna add some more notes there. Oh and sort out the piano tuning before you send that out, jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus"
well when comedy coop produces something of cultural genius then you can say that.......
Quote: dyingtolive @ January 17, 2007, 11:47 PMwell when comedy coop produces something of cultural genius then you can say that.......
I can say that & I did. Even Mozart has his critics
Look I was not puttin Comedy Coop and Mozart on the same regard. You know that fore well.
Touchy bugger.
I wonder if John Cleese would like to show you some of his old scripts.I am sure you would take great pride in correcting any spelling mistakes.
Oh dear.
And you accuse someone else of being a touchy bugger.
Quote: charley rance @ January 18, 2007, 12:06 AMI wonder if John Cleese would like to show you some of his old scripts.I am sure you would take great pride in correcting any spelling mistakes.
so you have seen his old scripts have you? becuase you must have, to know there are spelling mistakes in them, what were they like any good?
Having come late into this thread, and after reading some of the comments, all I would say is that despite the plethora of spelling, grammar and typos, I can't really offer up an opinion until I've actually got something to comment about. What I want to see are a couple of scenes.
What I will say, however, is that not all letter crunchers are great when it comes to spelling or using grammer. Johnny Speight was one such writer who was not word perfect but that didn't stop him from creating Alf Garnett, probably one of the most memorable comedy characters in the history of television.
Quote: dyingtolive @ January 18, 2007, 10:32 AMso you have seen his old scripts have you? becuase you must have, to know there are spelling mistakes in them, what were they like any good?
No but look...
Even you have made a spelling mistake, and when making a point about it too.......(look how you spelt because)oooooooooooooooooooops!!!!!!
See how easy it is...
Dont worry,, i wont belittle you...
However i do know that anyone who is a writer, writes.....
Spelling, grammer etc...well that all comes later..
Give it up...I think i win...Based on your quotation.
Yes, Mozart played bum notes but not many of them were in public. We (like Mozart) should practice in private to erase basic errors before putting our work into the public domain.
You can argue that not being able to spell or bothering to read and edit postings before pressing 'send' isn't critical to being a writer however:
A writer's words are his / her trade. You wouldn't hire a bricklayer who couldn't handle a simple brick without dropping it. The end result (a wall) may be the best in town but he wouldn't get your contract if he doesn't look professional from the outset. Protestations that he can work with bricks "but chooses not to at the present time" won't win customers over.
Similarly, for a writer, format and spelling is not elitism. It is a basic requirement. Yes, we all make errors but posting unformatted, error-laden first drafts / posts show disrespect to the very people you want critique from.
Are we not worth the minor effort of one minute's time to re-read a post and amend any errors? When you say you can't be "arsed," it isn't a grand and applaudably cavalier attitude towards the English language, it's more a reflection on your attitude toward fellow writers.
As to the excuse that something is a first-draft. No one should ever read a first draft. Serious writers should edit and edit and edit before sending out work. Compare this attitude with Barbara Cartland's huge but feeble 700+ novel output. Hmm.
The time to practice getting spelling and format right is here amongst your peers, not the moment you decide to send a script out.
Quote: charley rance @ January 19, 2007, 1:21 AMSpelling, grammer etc...well that all comes later..
spelling and grammar are essential to how a script reads and how it is read by fellow people, if the grammar is all wrong then you haven't got a chance of them reading it the way you've intended, but then again judging by your clear love of being a twat you know all this and don't care for grammar (oh and by the way you've ironically spelt it wrong).
OUCH!!!!