Thursday 9 February 2012, 16:17
Image of a stop sign.
Writersroom will soon be launching a fantastic new, improved, more efficient, more effective script system. Full details will be announced when our website is relaunched in early March 2012.
So all writers who are planning to send a script, please do this one thing for us: HOLD ON TO YOUR SCRIPT and WAIT until all the details are announced in March. If your script is eligible to send in now, then it will still be eligible to send in then. Please don't rush your script in before 1 March - if you do then it will simply go into the current system. But it would be better off in the new system.
We want to reassure all of you that the new system will continue to accept TV, radio, film and theatre scripts from writers in the UK, whether or not you not have experience, agents or contacts - just as it does now.
So:
- Please don't ask us for further details - everything will be published early March.
- Please don't send us a script for the new system until full details go live in March.
- We will continue to process scripts currently in the system - if you wish to hold yours over for the new system, please email your request ASAP stating your script reference, name and script title with the subject header 'RESERVE MY SCRIPT' to: writersroom@bbc.co.uk. (Please note we can only do this if your script has not already been looked at by a reader.)
- Eligible scripts received as of 1 March will automatically be considered for the new system only.
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Tuesday 7 February 2012, 12:46
Tuesday 13 March 2012, 14:28
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Comment number 1.
zz99th February 2012 - 22:38
Will this new process involve stapling £20 notes to the pages of the script we send in? 'Cos that could be a problem. I can offer a £10 Rumbelows gift voucher and a coupon for free fries with a Big Mac....
Link to this (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
John_from_Hendon10th February 2012 - 22:53
This is the result of perpetual revolution.
Story ideas and plots will still be rejected and will be at risk of mysteriously reappearing in a subtly modified way a while later from a more established and inside source. Nothing of course will be provable and there will be no smoking gun.
A bit like the music arrangement rights system where the more prestigious arranger or original author gets the biggest share of the rights. That is to put it simply: if I had a good idea and it was edited by Bill Shakespeare of Stratford on Avon he would get the dosh and I would get the crust - if I was lucky!
There really is no possible way the BBC can possibly modify its unsolicited ideas and scripts system that will change this situation. The only possibility would be if the BBC would start buying complete programmes from third part sources as completed projects - where the producers and writers were not previously on the BBC staff!
Link to this (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
zz911th February 2012 - 2:35
John, I genuinely believe Writersroom exists to find writers. Story idea and plots are ten a penny. The BBC wants writers. So why would they steal a story idea and reject a great writer? That's like finding a diamond ring in its case and throwing the ring away but keeping the case. If they find someone who can come up with a great plot, great characters and great dialogue then they want them. Tony Jordan sent his spec into the BBC, they never made the script but hired him, and he's done pretty well since.
I have had great ideas have written appearing almost exactly the same in produced TV and movies, but it has happened to me lots of times where I know I have never sent my script out to anyone yet. It isn't stealing. It just happens. If you can think of an idea then so can hundreds of other writers. Chances are something inspired it, a newspaper article, another TV show, whatever. Any other writer could be inspired by the same thing.
I'm a writer. I write more stuff just as good.
Link to this (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
dorafromthedump11th February 2012 - 10:00
what the heck do I do. Didnt know the system had changed.
posted (1st class) on Feb 1st so naturally havent got a reference no
given to go along the 'Reserve My Script' line of action.
Link to this (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
Paul Ashton13th February 2012 - 13:42
zz9 - I don't think Rumbelows vouchers are still valid ...
john_from _hendon - not entirely sure of the point you are making, but theft of material is something which does not happen here - if you think it has, then contact us direct (rather than anonymously in a blog...)
dorafromthedump - if you've just posted it and have no reference number, then email us anyway and say as much in the email and we'll deal with it
Link to this (Comment number 5)
Comments 5 of 93