Authors
Kicking off Comedy Room 2019
Our latest Comedy Room writer development scheme kicked off last month. We caught up with John Hickman and Stephen Robertson, a writing duo who are part of this year's Room to find out how things went on Day One.
Me and Mrs Jones
Oriane Messina and Fay Rusling, writers of brand new comedy, Me and Mrs Jones, blog about developing the series for BBC One.
Developing Father Brown for BBC One
Writers Tahsin Guner and Rachel Flowerday blog about developing the new BBC One daytime drama, Father Brown
Social Media and TV Drama
Ben Rawson-Jones is a Social Media Producer who began by working on entertainment shows like Big Brother and The Great British Bake Off before moving into drama. He describes the increasing importance of Social Media in promoting and extending the world of drama and in reaching a younger audience.
The Interface - A Reader's Perspective
Somewhere out there in a distant universe is the land where TV drama gets made. For most writers, even highly experienced ones, successful in the field, it's a mirage on the horizon. Does it really exist? How the hell do you get there? All of us readers are people who work in one guise or another within the world known as the 'industry'. With this comes as an awareness of how hard it is to break through to that promised land. The sinking feeling that you get when you read a covering note saying something along the lines of, "I think Judi Dench/ Valerie Singleton/ Joan Rivers would be great in the part of Mrs X" is tangible. What this attitude implies is that we are destined to be the bearer of bad timings. Not only is Judi Dench not available, but neither are Val Singleton, Joan Rivers or even Joan Collins. One of the hardest things to deal with as a reader is the knowledge that writers are going to be disappointed with the feedback we give. They're going to be disappointed because they're approaching us with false expectations. The land of TV Drama Production does exist, but it's distant, remote, and most of the time there aren't even any signposts. As I say, even the most experienced of writers will struggle to arrive there and see the green light. For the inexperienced writer it's even harder. That's where we come in. We are a port of call. We are the interface. There are certain basics which if they're lacking in a script make a reader groan. An understanding of character, structure and story. A grasp of dialogue; the understanding, frequently lacking, that every story, no matter how avant-garde, has a beginning, a middle and an end. The sense of a world which is inhabited by the characters of the piece, a world which might exist in the real world, beyond the confines of the author's head. An understanding of genre and medium. All these things are essential, and frequently lacking, and it will be the ones which fail to come to terms with these basics which are unlikely to make it through the first ten-page sift. But when you enter the full-read stage, there's something else that we're looking for. The chances of unearthing the next Pinter or Potter are unlikely. But we're looking for potential TV writers. TV is a team game, and TV writing has own particular requirements. These include the ability to respond to notes; an awareness that even the submitted draft, whilst at the time seemingly the very best the writer can deliver, still has scope for improvement. And also, finally, sheer perseverance. On every sift day, when the readers come in to do the initial ten page read, there's a script meeting, where we feed back on the scripts we took away the last time which we feel have real potential. The writersroom is, in my experience, unique in encouraging this forum, where most organisations have a highly impersonal relationship with their readers. This opportunity for the reader to talk about why they liked the script in question is one of the most satisfying aspects of the job. Over the years of reading, certain names of aspiring writers become familiar. Satisfying as it is to talk about someone whose script you've just read and liked, it's even more satisfying when another reader champions the script of someone who you read six months or a year ago, call them Mrs T, and gave notes to. At which point you think - Great, Mrs T is sticking at it and maybe the notes I gave them helped and maybe they didn't, but something seems to be functioning, both for Mrs T and the system. At which point Mrs T's work will go on to be read by people who are slightly closer to the distant universe where exists the land where TV Drama gets made. They've still got a long long way to go, but they're on the road. As a reader, you've done all you can. We are not the wizards or gurus of the promised land. We're just the interface. But we aim to interface as well as we possibly can. Find out how to submit your script to BBC writersroom.
Writing Radio Drama
Dan Rebellato is a playwright and the writer of over twenty BBC Radio Dramas. As his adaptation of the 19th century play Lorenzaccio hits the BBC iPlayer, he explains how radio is the ideal medium to bring out its contemporary resonances, a home for experimentation and a "writers' medium".
C.S.I. CBeebies: A fur-ensic look at perfecting storylines for Nuzzle & Scratch
Nuzzle & Scratch are back for a third series on CBeebies. For the uninitiated and/or the over 6's, Nuzzle & Scratch are two idiotic, accident-prone puppet alpacas with two very funny series under their belts already. Having written for series two, I can't wait to write more for these guys; c...
The view from inside BBC Writersroom's Comedy Room
Katie Redford is part of our second Comedy Room development scheme. She gives an update on what's happened so far including some top tips and passes on a Public Health Warning *WALK AWAY FROM THE BISCUITS*
My experience in the Writers' Access Group
Writer Mandy Redvers-Rowe speaks about her experiences as part of our Writers' Access Group
The Worst Witch - adapting classic books for CBBC
Emma Reeves is the screenwriter of CBBC's new adaptation of the much loved The Worst Witch stories. She explains how she found a fresh new take on the stories by talking to and getting to know the books' author, Jill Murphy.
Daly Grind - Bringing a pilot for a new sitcom to the screen
Dominic and John Reynolds are two comedy-writing brothers who were previously part of our Comedy Room writer development group. We spoke to Dom about creating the pilot for their new sitcom, Daly Grind, which launches on BBC One Scotland and BBC Scotland next week.
How I made the move from the UK to the US, writing on shows including Riverdale spinoff Katy Keene (now on BBC iPlayer)
Leo Richardson is a former actor and playwright who spent several years writing for the BBC's EastEnders. He explains how he made the leap to working in the USA, how the pilot season works and what it's like to be part of a writers' room on a US show.
Alfred Bradley Bursary Award 2011
Today, BBC Radio Drama have launched our bi-annual Alfred Bradley Bursary Award. It is a fantastic and unique opportunity for Northern writers interested in writing for radio. It seems to be harder than ever at the moment for writers to get their big break in any medium, be it radio, TV, fil...
Susan Riddell: The Last Post
It’s a farewell entry from Susan Riddell, our Fast & Funny blogger who’s kept us up-to-date with the team’s progress from day one...
Dramatising Saturday Night and Sunday Morning for radio
Robert Rigby blogs about dramatising Saturday Night and Sunday morning for Radio 4's New Wave Season.
RTS Story Conference 2023 - Highlights and Insights
Writer, Paul Rigby from our Write Across Liverpool scheme shares his highlights from the inaugural RTS Story Conference at The Liverpool Everyman Theatre.
Dramatising 'Tales of the City' for Radio 4
Sue Roberts (Editor Audio Drama North, The Verb Radio 3) blogs about producing Armistead Maupin's classic Tales of the City, dramatized by Bryony Lavery, for Radio 4.
Writing My First Episode of 'The Dumping Ground' for CBBC
Christine Robertson was one of the writers selected for our very first Comedy Room development scheme back in 2015. She explains how that led to taking part in a shadow writing scheme for the hit CBBC drama The Dumping Ground and eventually her first commissioned episode.
BBC Wales Radio Drama: Working with new writers
James Robinson is a Producer of Radio Drama for BBC Wales. He blogs about working with new writers and "My Mother Taught Me How To Sing" - a recent drama for Radio 4 by Daf James.
Writing 'Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully' for Radio 4: From Script Draft 0 to 8
Ed Robson blogs about the writing process for Series 2 Epiosde 3 of Radio 4's 'Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully'- he shares his script drafts from 0 to 8.
