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Post by J.A. Prentice on Mar 26, 2018 16:33:28 GMT
I do recall reading somewhere that RTD regretted not getting Briggs to do a story, but I’m not sure if that’s true.
I think there’s a lot more chaos foing on behind the scenes than we know, especially in the Moffat era. Moffat is generally a very professional man, so I think he takes responsibility for things that aren’t his call. (He recently suggested that he actually might have wanted to ask McGann to be in DotD and the BBC refused. We know Clara was originally Victorian Clara until the BBC threw a fit over non-contemporary companions.) With that in mind, I’d say that the BBC insisting on TV writers seems likely, even if Moffat wanted to take a chance on Dorney or Fitton, etc.
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Post by charlesuirdhein on Mar 26, 2018 17:51:01 GMT
I already did a whole thread on the subject of why BF writers aren't on NuWho (with backup from Johnny Morris), and had a few rows with maulporris on it: notthebigfinishforum.freeforums.net/thread/2210/johnathan-morris-explains-writers-nuwhoHere's one of my posts on why: 1) It's not about progression, but experience. Most of BF's staff are novelists, comic writers or non fiction authors, with little to no TV experience. Production companies and broadcasters won't consider non-screenwriters for projects most times without a track record of some sort. And then there´s the five tons of legal red tape involving solicited submissions and agents, but that would take all day. 2) Competition: compare the two or three dozen BF regulars that we all want to see on the show versus the thousands of UK TV writers who all want to write for Who and have likely pitched for it multiple times. As a showrunner and script editor with superiors and executives to answer to, are you more likely to gamble on novices in this particular field, or go with someone experienced, who can be trusted to meet a deadline and not need potentially time consuming handholding (this is not about who is more talented, but again, experience and dependability)? 3) Schedules: it's no secret that BF make their stuff months before they are even announced, meaning they have to contract writers for however many stories/series they need, which affects how much spare time they have and when they are free (in addition to sometimes doubling up as actors, script editors, directors and producers, as well as outside projects). Same goes for the TV series: Series 10 is nearly all in the can and I imagine Series 11 has most of, if not all, of its staff and stories locked down, so even if they wanted to, Dorney or Morris or Magrs or Smith or whoever you'd want may or would not be able to contribute at this point. Ah, apologies for a technical rehash of your thread, I didn't see it. |
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 26, 2018 18:05:54 GMT
I already did a whole thread on the subject of why BF writers aren't on NuWho (with backup from Johnny Morris), and had a few rows with maulporris on it: notthebigfinishforum.freeforums.net/thread/2210/johnathan-morris-explains-writers-nuwhoHere's one of my posts on why: 1) It's not about progression, but experience. Most of BF's staff are novelists, comic writers or non fiction authors, with little to no TV experience. Production companies and broadcasters won't consider non-screenwriters for projects most times without a track record of some sort. And then there´s the five tons of legal red tape involving solicited submissions and agents, but that would take all day. 2) Competition: compare the two or three dozen BF regulars that we all want to see on the show versus the thousands of UK TV writers who all want to write for Who and have likely pitched for it multiple times. As a showrunner and script editor with superiors and executives to answer to, are you more likely to gamble on novices in this particular field, or go with someone experienced, who can be trusted to meet a deadline and not need potentially time consuming handholding (this is not about who is more talented, but again, experience and dependability)? 3) Schedules: it's no secret that BF make their stuff months before they are even announced, meaning they have to contract writers for however many stories/series they need, which affects how much spare time they have and when they are free (in addition to sometimes doubling up as actors, script editors, directors and producers, as well as outside projects). Same goes for the TV series: Series 10 is nearly all in the can and I imagine Series 11 has most of, if not all, of its staff and stories locked down, so even if they wanted to, Dorney or Morris or Magrs or Smith or whoever you'd want may or would not be able to contribute at this point. Ah, apologies for a technical rehash of your thread, I didn't see it. No problem |
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Post by thethirddoctor on Mar 26, 2018 19:45:13 GMT
Don't know if that is true. Yes we do. A already established writer is going to be a more expensive writer than a non established writer by virtue of already being established and then you compound the expense by purchasing the idea from the non established writer for the established writer to adapt. Steven Moffat co-wrote one script from series 10, and two from series 9. So, I don't see a problem for the Showrunner to co-write with a BF writer. |
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Post by thethirddoctor on Mar 26, 2018 19:49:38 GMT
Also from the thread: Maybe they just don't want to. Maybe BF writers have been approached before and said no, or don't feel writing for the TV series would be beneficial to their careers. Maybe they feel working on their next original novel or play is more worthwhile than the pressures of scripting for a prime time global series. Maybe they don't like or agree with Moffat or Chibnail's vision, and feel BF is more up their alley. Maybe they don't want a career path into TV. Maybe it's even more personal: perhaps Platt feels he's too old to write for the series, or Smith was burnt out by his early attempts at a TV writing career and doesn't want to go through it again, for example. And furthermore, aztec sort of provides another possible theory on the question of BF writers not moving to NuWho: it's not impossible to also imagine the Beeb don't want a corssing of gene pools, lest they fear The Writer's Guild and others start accusing them of favouritisim. 'Oh, I write x number of soaps and daytime TV, but a guy who's never done that, and writes books and audios instead, gets chosen over me!' I'm sure an audio writer would love the opportunity of a larger pay deal. |
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 26, 2018 19:52:28 GMT
Yes we do. A already established writer is going to be a more expensive writer than a non established writer by virtue of already being established and then you compound the expense by purchasing the idea from the non established writer for the established writer to adapt. Steven Moffat co-wrote one script from series 10, and two from series 9. So, I don't see problem for the Showrunner to co-write with a BF writer. With established TV writers. The showrunner can't hire just anyone he wants. The BBC have full right to refuse it. |
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 26, 2018 19:53:18 GMT
Also from the thread: Maybe they just don't want to. Maybe BF writers have been approached before and said no, or don't feel writing for the TV series would be beneficial to their careers. Maybe they feel working on their next original novel or play is more worthwhile than the pressures of scripting for a prime time global series. Maybe they don't like or agree with Moffat or Chibnail's vision, and feel BF is more up their alley. Maybe they don't want a career path into TV. Maybe it's even more personal: perhaps Platt feels he's too old to write for the series, or Smith was burnt out by his early attempts at a TV writing career and doesn't want to go through it again, for example. And furthermore, aztec sort of provides another possible theory on the question of BF writers not moving to NuWho: it's not impossible to also imagine the Beeb don't want a corssing of gene pools, lest they fear The Writer's Guild and others start accusing them of favouritisim. 'Oh, I write x number of soaps and daytime TV, but a guy who's never done that, and writes books and audios instead, gets chosen over me!' I'm sure an audio writer would love the opportunity of a larger pay deal. Like I said, maybe they just don't want to. Not every writer wants to work in TV. |
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Post by Tony Jones on Mar 26, 2018 20:30:49 GMT
To support a previous post, I heard Rob Shearman talk a year or so ago, he'd already done lots of TV so passed the 'can write for TV' test. The BBC (I believe) has a bizarre rule that newcomers have to prove themselves on a daytime TV show called Doctors (John Dorney was talking about it, so I assume it's true).
I would point out Andrew Smith meets all the criteria, so if anyone were to be called, he a least ticks all the boxes
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Post by mark687 on Mar 26, 2018 20:38:07 GMT
To support a previous post, I heard Rob Shearman talk a year or so ago, he'd already done lots of TV so passed the 'can write for TV' test. The BBC (I believe) has a bizarre rule that newcomers have to prove themselves on a daytime TV show called Doctors (John Dorney was talking about it, so I assume it's true). I would point out Andrew Smith meets all the criteria, so if anyone were to be called, he a least ticks all the boxes Yes I heard something similar that Daytime Drama or Comedy was the only "open door" route for non Award Wining writers at the BBC.
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mark687
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 26, 2018 20:48:53 GMT
To support a previous post, I heard Rob Shearman talk a year or so ago, he'd already done lots of TV so passed the 'can write for TV' test. The BBC (I believe) has a bizarre rule that newcomers have to prove themselves on a daytime TV show called Doctors (John Dorney was talking about it, so I assume it's true). I would point out Andrew Smith meets all the criteria, so if anyone were to be called, he a least ticks all the boxes Yes I heard something similar that Daytime Drama or Comedy was the only "open door" route for non Award Wining writers at the BBC.
Regards
mark687
While that's true to a point, as it's a common career path, there are plenty of TV writers who never came up through the soaps, and instead via films, plays and even writing on non-BBC shows, via an external production company or another broadcaster. Not even necessarily award winners, just modest ratings sucesses with modest budgets. |
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Post by Audio Watchdog on Mar 26, 2018 21:35:48 GMT
Yes we do. A already established writer is going to be a more expensive writer than a non established writer by virtue of already being established and then you compound the expense by purchasing the idea from the non established writer for the established writer to adapt. Steven Moffat co-wrote one script from series 10, and two from series 9. So, I don't see a problem for the Showrunner to co-write with a BF writer. But you staying with your idea, they are still paying to buy the original story concept. |
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Post by thethirddoctor on Mar 27, 2018 10:29:21 GMT
Steven Moffat co-wrote one script from series 10, and two from series 9. So, I don't see problem for the Showrunner to co-write with a BF writer. With established TV writers. The showrunner can't hire just anyone he wants. The BBC have full right to refuse it. Perhaps, they've been blacklisted? |
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Post by J.A. Prentice on Mar 27, 2018 14:53:17 GMT
They haven't asked me to write an episode either, but I'm not about to assume I've been blacklisted.  |
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Post by thethirddoctor on Mar 27, 2018 15:53:28 GMT
They haven't asked me to write an episode either, but I'm not about to assume I've been blacklisted. Well, I don't know who you are, and you probably wouldn't know if you had been blacklisted. |
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 27, 2018 18:50:56 GMT
They haven't asked me to write an episode either, but I'm not about to assume I've been blacklisted. Well, I don't know who you are, and you probably wouldn't know if you had been blacklisted. Though why would they be? There's no practical reason for the BBC to do so, and many BF staff work on BBC Radio or in other corporation departments. Blacklisting would only happen if a writer had said or done something criminal, inappropriate or offensive. Being a writer without TV or film credits doesn't fall under the bracket. |
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 27, 2018 19:01:18 GMT
To support a previous post, I heard Rob Shearman talk a year or so ago, he'd already done lots of TV so passed the 'can write for TV' test. The BBC (I believe) has a bizarre rule that newcomers have to prove themselves on a daytime TV show called Doctors (John Dorney was talking about it, so I assume it's true). I would point out Andrew Smith meets all the criteria, so if anyone were to be called, he a least ticks all the boxes Likely John's refering to the BBC 'Shadow Scheme': agented writers with no TV credits do an unpaid dry run on a soap like Easties, and then if that goes well, gets commissioned to write a real episode. As for Andrew, while it'd be cool to see him on, he hasn't written for TV since the 80s so that's a little fuddy-duddier. Does he even still have an agent, considering he quit writing for 30 years to join the police? |
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Post by J.A. Prentice on Mar 28, 2018 0:42:55 GMT
To support a previous post, I heard Rob Shearman talk a year or so ago, he'd already done lots of TV so passed the 'can write for TV' test. The BBC (I believe) has a bizarre rule that newcomers have to prove themselves on a daytime TV show called Doctors (John Dorney was talking about it, so I assume it's true). I would point out Andrew Smith meets all the criteria, so if anyone were to be called, he a least ticks all the boxes Likely John's refering to the BBC 'Shadow Scheme': agented writers with no TV credits do an unpaid dry run on a soap like Easties, and then if that goes well, gets commissioned to write a real episode. As for Andrew, while it'd be cool to see him on, he hasn't written for TV since the 80s so that's a little fuddy-duddier. Does he even still have an agent, considering he quit writing for 30 years to join the police? I'd never heard of the 'Shadow Scheme' before. Isn't that a tad... illegal? |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2018 0:48:55 GMT
Likely John's refering to the BBC 'Shadow Scheme': agented writers with no TV credits do an unpaid dry run on a soap like Easties, and then if that goes well, gets commissioned to write a real episode. As for Andrew, while it'd be cool to see him on, he hasn't written for TV since the 80s so that's a little fuddy-duddier. Does he even still have an agent, considering he quit writing for 30 years to join the police? I'd never heard of the 'Shadow Scheme' before. Isn't that a tad... illegal?
More like an unpaid intership.
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Post by J.A. Prentice on Mar 28, 2018 4:30:06 GMT
I'd never heard of the 'Shadow Scheme' before. Isn't that a tad... illegal?
More like an unpaid intership.
Well, I'm of the opinion unpaid internships should also be illegal, so at least I'm consistent. |
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Post by nucleusofswarm on Mar 28, 2018 11:19:55 GMT
Likely John's refering to the BBC 'Shadow Scheme': agented writers with no TV credits do an unpaid dry run on a soap like Easties, and then if that goes well, gets commissioned to write a real episode. As for Andrew, while it'd be cool to see him on, he hasn't written for TV since the 80s so that's a little fuddy-duddier. Does he even still have an agent, considering he quit writing for 30 years to join the police? I'd never heard of the 'Shadow Scheme' before. Isn't that a tad... illegal? Read for yourself: www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/about/continuing-drama |
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