BBC Executives, and what they want from writers
While having a hunt through the dustier corners of the site archive, I've found some video interviews we did with various BBC Execs.
Some of them have moved on since then, but there's still lots of useful information for writers in the interviews, so I've put them up.
Jane Tranter - Head of Fiction (to 2008)
John Yorke - Controller, Drama Production and New Talent
Jon East - Head of CBBC Drama
Jon Plowman - Head of Comedy (to 2007)
Oh, and the clips are in RealPlayer - if you're having any trouble with 'em, try BBC Webwise to download a free player.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~30~RS~)
Comments
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I really wish the BBC would make this content available in something other than Realplayer. I've tried using it on my Mac and it takes over the whole machine like a virus. Why can't all content not be streamed in cross-platform flash, like some of the Radio 4 stuff?
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As this is archive material, all we have is what was encoded at the time.
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I'm really pleased with this..
It was just what I needed to help me with my project..
Thank you for this valuable info and to the time taken by
Jane Tranter
John Yorke
Jon East
Jon Plowman
Thank's. Again for someone to think about leaving these personal thoughts for writers to think about from the then Heads of Departments.
Fab.
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Hi am a young Kenyan script writer.coincidentally, my name-ombaka- means story teller.I'm also an upcoming actor.supposing I write ascript will it be accepted by the bbc even though i'm not british?Am I allowed to write about anything I want or could you be having guiding ideas to some kind of story you would like?
Thanks.
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I am a young upcoming kenyan scriptwriter.incidentally, my name-ombaka- means a story teller.I am also a talenetd public speaker and actor. supposing I write and submit a script to you, will it be accepted even though I'm not british?I had submitted a script entitled 'the dead man' to the bbc radio's outlook programme earlierthis year since I had not yet known about this link.Am I allowed to write about anything or are there any lead ideas that you may give me .
Thank you.
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BBC writersroom will read scripts from anywhere in the world, so please do feel free to send your work to us.
We'll read scripts about anything, so write something that you'll enjoy.
You can find out more about how to submit your scripts on our script submission page
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I'm pleased that the BBC make scripts available as resources. They do give you a better idea of dialogue and descriptions to use. I once bought the Porridge scripts and my word it really highlighted how well each character was drawn.
All the best
Nick
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I am perturbed by what the BBC wants from writers. I am a comedy writer, and yet having witnessed the embarrassing awfulness of "The Wrong Door", I am left wondering if BBC writers have simply lost the plot.
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well " maybe ,but does your name have to begin with jay ,that's J.
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Loved these videos, they were very helpful... thankyou.
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Hmm, I do wonder if your readers really know what you or they are looking for. Surely good comedy is good comedy and good drama, good drama but I am increasingly getting the impression that all submissions have to have a bang up to date theme or subject just to get a second read. Surely good fiction is good fiction, or am I wrong? Am I right in thinking you have become too obsessed with material that reflects the very latest and fashionable of cultural situations? I feel now that if I don't have some controversy or swearing or minority characters or social issues in my unsolicted script, then it isn't going to get a second look. Am I right? Because that's the impression you seem to be giving out at the moment.
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What do executives need from writers? A good sorting out in most cases.
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(A verbal one, obviously.)
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@Quenby: Personally, I liked it. And I can't abide Seinfeld. Perhaps The Wrong Door is just not to your taste, rather than objectively bad?
@RG2: These videos were from BBC Execs, so they talk about the sort of thing they'd like to commission.
Here at the writersroom we look for the talent of the writer, rather than what execs are looking for right now - so personally I'd recommend working on something that interests you rather than what execs are looking for at the moment. (Or in the case of those interviews, a year or two ago.)
Or, more shortly: No, we're not prejudiced about subject matter. Send what you think is good, not what you think is fashionable.
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well, just a light experience I had last week. I went to this big shopping mall in Nairobi(kenya).I went up through the lift, but on coming down I chose to use the stairs.I had previously gone to another building, and the passage to the stairs was marked 'emrgency exit' at the top.So when I saw a door labled emergency exit in the shopping mall, I went to it thinking that it led to the stair case.The door had the following instruction inscribed on it :push the bar to open the door. but when I pushed the bar, an alarm bell went off prompting me to shut that door quite fast.That's when I saw another instruction written at the top of the door: a bell rings when you open this door. Embarrassed, I approached an attendant and asked for the way to the stairs.
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I'm not sure I see a series in it ombakascript.
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I apologise ,because i forgot to take on board that it's a script and writing for that may be somewhat diffirent than what i know ,which 'is very little.
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