Gremlins
Unfortunately there have been a few glitches in our manipulation of data relating to Sharps, so apologies for the confusion caused for some people. We are working through them methodically and will have them ironed out as soon as possible. I can confirm that it is fine to use special/recorded delivery to writersroom. I fully sympathise about the waiting game, which is always excruciating. The simple fact is, we've had a lot of interesting scripts and it's making our decisions more interesting but also more difficult. And of course, that's a good thing.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~37~RS~)
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As a suggestion, not a criticism, I think it might just be better in future, where you have have to delay announcing winners/shortlists/etc., to delay it for all. Telling some they have been successful a few days before others only heightens the tension for those waiting.
It would have been better to say it's not going to be until Monday before we can announce the twenty.
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I notice a lot of the screenwriting competitions do run a system where they publish at various stages the list of titles that have made if through each cut. I think that does make it less excrutiating than hanging on the very end to find out whether you 'won' when in fact you may have been eliminated weeks previously. I do feel slightly foolish holding out hope for Monday when in fact my script may very well not have made it over the 'first 10 pages' hurdle.
Having said that no system is perfect and they are all dependent on the hard work and goodwill of the people that have to administer the damn things, which must be a logistical nightmare as it is.
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Yea that's a good idea Debbo, put the titles up of the winning/longlisted/shortlisted scripts
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Yeah I like that idea...there's a certain satisfaction to be had even if you are longlisted!
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"Having said that no system is perfect and they are all dependent on the hard work and goodwill of the people that have to administer the damn things, which must be a logistical nightmare as it is."
It's not rocket science though and these things have been done a million times before. No one is questioning the hardwork done in reading, sifting and judging...but from the comments elsewhere and this actual post it's clear it could have perhaps been done a little more efficiently.
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Good to see that they have recognised that the administration of this initiative was - in common parlance - an almighty C*** up. Is that why Paul has taken over writing the blogs rather than Piers? Poor Piers; hope they give him a decent reference.
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Sharps has been a brilliant initiative. I doubt that I'd have written a 30 minute spec without it. Certainly, I wouldn't have written the one I did, so I don't mind a few Gremlins in the blender. Hope there's another, similar intitiative next year. (May I suggest, 'Blunts' a cave-man theme?)
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Inkyhopeful - anyone who is serious about script/screenplay writing should have a 30 minute long calling card.
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I'm grateful for the experience of writing a spec script - it felt great to get it out there.
I have to ask though, how has WR administrated its decision making process? I appreciate that when offered so much choice decision making is difficult. But why tell some writers before others? I think all writers would have understood delaying the announcement in order to be fair to all.
What does telling some writers on Friday and leaving the rest until Monday imply? That the competition is operated on a first come first served basis? Why else is it necessary to wait until Monday when WR has already decided on some writers? Shouldn’t all writers be discussed and chosen at the same time? What’s going on? How is WR working?
A lot more transparency is needed, and suggestions of operating open competitions like this with the same administrative process as the Kaos Film competition is welcome. What does WR think of that?
In all fairness, being left in an ‘excruciating’ situation would have been easier if all writers had been treated the same.
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Totally agree with comments above. I can appreciate how much work goes in to reading 600 scripts but it's excruciating not knowing how close you came.
I'd be stunned and overjoyed to make the top 20 but if I don't I will never know how close I came. A system showing if you at least survived the 10 page sift would be a huge improvement.
If Paul/Piers et al are reading this and the above maybe you could let us know if this is a possibility? Another blogger on an earlier post even offered to do it for you free of charge!!
Any response appreciated. Meantime, back to biting my nails!
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@ Capitaine_Achab
I totally agree with you that all those selected should have been informed at the same time. Telling some people in advance implies to me that some scripts were 'a level above' all the others and there was no doubt that those writers should be given a place, whereas those who are left in the pot were clearly not so good. What kind of effect might this have on the morale of those attending the workshop? I know I would be thinking I don't stand a chance of getting through to the 8 if I wasn't informed on the Friday. I think it was a very bad decision to inform people at different times.
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My goodness me chaps, will you please stop whinging. If this is what you're like with a very friendly and open process like Sharps, goodness knows what you'll be like if you get into the infinitely tougher professional world.
Just get some perspective, will you?
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Don't get me wrong. I still think this is a fabulous opportunity and if I happen to be one of the lucky ones e-mailed on Monday I will be delighted. I just think that in the heat of the moment, when they realised they weren't going to meet the deadline, they took a wrong decision.
In reality, the lead time from submission date to informing people was just too short and has put those doing the judging and the admin under too much pressure. I really do appreciate the effort they are going to for us.
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I think it's great that we get any info at all, via this blog. I'm sure they're not obliged to bother doing this.
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Zarbi_king's comments are just a little stunted – clearly the 'professional world' acts unprofessionally, and "goodness me chaps" I'm not so naive to assume it doesn't.
But for a public service competition dealing with new writers a fair and decent process can't be expected?
Get a perspective: I accept Paul Ashton’s apology, but more information on WR's process would both clear this argument up, and be welcome.
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I don't blame anyone at WR....and I had real traumas on Fri 13 when I tried to submit the online submission form to get a registration number. It didn't work. WR very quick in replying to my email saying I should send everything in anyway. Received numerous emails saying they'd received it after that this week!
Great initiative - hope they run it next year as spotted it at the last minute. My submission was rather rushed so not even hoping for monday.
Good luck to everyone else that entered.
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People whinging about people whinging? Isn't that what blogging is all about!? ;)
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I think this is a great initiative and these glitches are no doubt part of the process in getting right. I suppose from a personal perspective, the fact that I've received an email telling me that they haven't got my script either (I posted it special delivery), but believe it is probably there somewhere, worries me simply because WR has already started selecting and hasn't actually got around to reading some of us who have got 'lost' in the process.
Don't know what else to say really... but thanks, Paul, for putting us in the picture.
Have a good w/e one and all.
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What an interesting collection of blogs - and, given the situation , it is only fair that people should be concerned about well about the process of ' fairness' per se.
To those are serious about writing for TV - and that probably includes all of us - there is no doubt that this has been a wonderful initiative; it galvanised me into action and challenged me to write a 30min on a given theme - a wonderful exercise; and, if it doesn't work out I have, as has been pointed out, at least another 30min sample in my back pocket. In addition, where in the world would you find an organisation like' Dear Auntie ' who would promote and support such an initiative and then invite us to berate them through numerous blog sites? Not many BUT…and there is a big BUT -
…there is no escaping the fact the process of script collection and acknowledgement has been an utter disaster. Many of us don't know, and will never truly know, if our script was received and assessed fully unless we were one of the lucky 20. For instance, I got a message saying that if I hadn't heard anything by June 23rd - three days AFTER the winners were to be informed - I was to contact the writers room and they would check to see if had arrived; and given no correspondence can be entered into it will remain for 580 of us, an enduring mystery.
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"In addition, where in the world would you find an organisation like' Dear Auntie ' who would promote and support such an initiative and then invite us to berate them through numerous blog sites?"
This for me is the important point. I live in Ireland, and our national broadcaster (to whom I am obliged to pay a licence fee)has nothing of this sort available. I think it is incredibly fair and open of the BBC (to whom I don't pay a licence fee, but probably gets some of my cable package) to allow applications from Ireland. So I don't mind any of these minor inconveniences, because I'm already ahead.
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Does 'glitches in manipulation of data' mean that the lost scripts are not really lost at all....or that they are and some poor soul is going through the bins trying to find them?
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Every time they done one of these they undersestimate the number of people who will enter, and end up rushing to make a decision on a shortlist. Next time, do us all a favour and give yourself longer to get everything in and make a judgement.
That said, if onmly 600 entered this as opposed to the 1400 who entered the Comedy College, would it be fair to assume there's less competition in drama? I'm not saying it's easier to break into, just that you seem to be up against fewer people?
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How are the 'winners' being notified? EMail or telephone?
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They still haven't found mine yet...
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Still no acknowledgement for mine yet either. At least it will give us plenty of questions to ask during the Writersroom UK tour '08 :-)
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###How are the 'winners' being notified? EMail or telephone###
Email
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"That said, if only 600 entered this as opposed to the 1400 who entered the Comedy College, would it be fair to assume there's less competition in drama?"
That's possible but don't forget you could send any old thing to the college while Sharps required writing something new (although some people might have had something on brief in their portfolio already.)
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I do agree with Zarbi King about getting a sense of perspective in this competition. I write for theatre and through persistence, humour, luck and a lot of hard work, I've had five plays produced, from the provinces to the West End. Some plays I've submitted for consideration have sat on slush piles. Some plays that I've been invited to send have sat on slush piles. Some plays that have been praised, commissioned, green-lit and licked by moist literary managers have, yes, sat on desks waiting for the go-ahead. I've also had plays produced within three months of typing THE END on the MSS.
What I'm saying is this: writing is a waiting game. You write a piece you love, you send it (always to the appropriate place), you forget about it while you write the next piece. You build up a portfolio. You apply to an agent when you are writing good quality work. And you wait. A lot. If you aspire to be a professional writer, you need to develop grace and a thick skin. A difficult combination, but one which separates the doers from the might-do's. If you a a true writer, you don't have (or admit to having) an X-factor attitude towards success. It can take months, years to make in-roads. One 30 minute MSS doesn't mean you put a full stop after your writing. It should be just the beginning of your hard work, not the end.
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Hi All
Just a quick hello to let you know the state-of-play, and hopefully set a few minds at rest.
We know there have been a few problems with receipts, so today we've been going through all of the Sharps scripts to make sure that everyone who posted a script knows whether we received it or not. We've a few more to go, but if you emailed us to say you didn't get a receipt - we're investigating.
Every script that we've received in the office has been processed, receipt or no, and we are currently working through the third reads of the final batch of scripts. These are the last few now, and either Paul or myself will post a blog entry this afternoon with a final update.
With regards to some writers being invited to the workshop ahead of others, I've already mentioned that we have been passing things through to the next level of reading as soon as we can. Being contacted on Friday does not necessarily mean that you're a better writer than someone who's contacted today - just that your script happened to be processed earlier.
As I'm sure you're aware, there's been a very tight turnaround for Sharps, so thanks for bearing with us as we move into the final stretch.
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For Paul Ashton
I await with anticipation as to wether you have recieved my script or not.
I am greatful that you posted this blog saying there were some problems, but please try and sort out the people who havent yet recieved confirmation that their scripts did actually arrive.
I have emailed in twice saying that my script was posted on the 13th june, and still no one has got back to me. I hope this can be resolved, as a lot of effort has gone in to writing these scripts, and I know there are a few others who are still also waiting.
My script, was The Hurt Inside, I am Dawn Chapman. ref number 401135239
PLEASE PLEASE, can someone email me back today....... it is excrutiating this....
Thanks Dawn
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Thanks also to piers.... Dawn
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So... has anyone else heard they're in yet?
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rightwright, thank you. I think you've nailed this situation. The grace and thick skin thing is a tough one, but every time you put yourself through an 'excruciating' process like this, the skin gets a little thicker, the heart pounds a little more quietly and you can see past your disappointment to the next project a little more clearly. Personally, I agree that the best possible way to deal with this uphilll struggle is to write all the time. Always have at least one piece of work to get on with when you've submitted another. Speaking of which, how about looking at the link for the Rise Films' Summer Project and expand your 30 minutes to 90. You never know, it could be the big one for you!
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Well said rightwright.
I have had confirmation - my script has been found, so now I can be rejected fairly and squarely.
Thanks to Piers and Paul for the updates. This has been a great initiative. Yes it is hard not making it, but nobody said writing was ever going to be easy. I am sure it is much more satisfying to finally make inroads with an impressive clutch of rejections behind you. I mean really, who'd want instant success?
I know that with each 'no' I get - and there have only been a couple so far - I become even more determined to get better.
I admire John Truby's philosophy. He's says 'Write something that will change your life' because if it gets rejected, at least you've changed your life.
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hi ,has anyone heard from the sharps this morning?i don't even know if they received my script,no confirmation as yet................not looking good.
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1.00. Guess that's it then. Good look you lot going to London.
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Re.36 - I haven't received confirmation yet either and just got standard FAQ reply (twice actually) to my request for a receipt.
And now it's 1.05. I have no problem with not making it through to the final 20 but it's really annoying not even knowing if your script was received.
Best of luck to all you lucky short-listers though.
Rest of us are off to lick our wounds!
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Don't lick your wounds for too long word_scribbler. Start scribbling something else - even if it's a short film about the agony of waiting for an email from the BBC!
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Oh - and you could write yourself a happy ending too!
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I can't agree with rightwright.
Some of us have had success in other areas (mine was newspapers) and have learnt to come to terms with rejection. Probably, for some here, it is their first ever submission.
This competition is for fledgling TV scriptwriters, and the BBC know that because they set it up that way.
Telling a bunch of beginners/non-professionals to be professional about it isn't going to work - I would expect that most here aren't professional writers of any form.
The BBC *are* professionals, and I would have expected that when a script arrived, it would be booked in by matching the script ID on the covering email to the same number on a computer system. This would automagically send an email to the registered address.
At the very least you would expect that between arriving and being passed to a reader, it would get booked in.
There are only two scenarios I can see:
a) a backlog of unprocessed scripts was (maybe still is) hanging about - this seems unlikely since it would be so easy to send out the remaining confirmations - or
b) scripts are getting passed to readers without being booked in and now the BBC are having to scrabble about trying to find what went where.
As for informing some people early, then you can't (with 600 scripts) pick winners until at least 581 have been read because the last 20 might be the best 20, so unless the BBC were down to 19 unread scripts on Friday afternoon, they can't, if they wanted to be completely fair, pick anyone at that point..
It would have been easy to have a simple tracking system where entrants could follow their script's progress - it's in the region of 2 weeks work for a programmer (which is what I have done for many years). It would cost in the region of £2000 which, compared to the combined salaries of the DG and deputy DG of over a million, is not a great deal of money in the overall scheme of things.
The bottom line: I don't think you can expect the entrants to be professional about it because by definition they aren't professional TV scriptwriters - but I would have expected a professional organisation like the BBC to have had a better system in place.
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Can we have word from WR as and when the shortlisted writers have all been notified please? Given the confusion, I think I'll cling on to dear hope until then.
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yep, until i see that final Update that we were promised earlier i'm still allowing myself the teeniest sliver of optimism!
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Hi all. I still haven't received confirmation that my script arrived, but not sure how to report this. Does anyone know the appropriate email address?
Thanks
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writersroom@bbc.co.uk
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It's writersroom@bbc.co.uk.
I'd link to it, but there's something weird going on with our blog software.
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