Following our Open Call webinar on 9th December (watch here), we’ve put together answers for a few questions we may not have reached during the session. We have grouped the questions thematically as many of them fell into the same categories - we hope you find this helpful!
Don't forget the deadline for submitting your script to the Open Call is noon on Thursday 13th January. No late submissions will be accepted.
How can I make my script stand out? What are you looking for?
There have been whole books written about this question so it’s a hard one to answer succinctly. But below are few things to think about when writing your script and what we look for when reading:
- Get the story going – hook us in to your story in the first few pages. Get the attention of the reader by hitting the ground running and showing your characters in action. Don’t describe thought / feeling – show it!
- Coherence - Know your world, story, genre and tone. Give us a focused way in and don’t try to do too much.
- Character is everything – they must feel compelling, engage us on an emotional level and make us want to spend time with them. Make them active not passive, distinctive and individual not clichéed or stereotypical. Show us the world through their distinct POV.
- Emotion – stories matter on a human level and must be emotionally engaging – the reader wants your script to stir their emotions. Make us laugh/ cry/ angry. In order to do that you need to tell a story that stirs YOUR emotions.
- Surprise – Cliché / predictability kills story! Think about the most interesting and surprising way to reveal your story and character. Give us a fresh take and unique perspective. What’s different about your version?
- Structure – your story must be going somewhere and there must be a dynamic purpose for each story beat, sequence, scene, moment.
- Dialogue – real people don’t tell each other things they already know in obvious ways. Good dialogue expresses character. Dialogue shouldn’t simply relate information or explain.
When we read any script, we are looking for a distinctive, compelling and authentic voice; characters that engage us, that pull us in and we can relate to via their complicated and nuanced relationships, that bring emotional truth to the scripts. We are always excited to find story worlds and perspectives we haven’t seen before, or maybe a fresh take and surprising look at a world we are familiar with. We want bold and ambitious stories that while being specific are universal, and reflect the diverse world we live in.
But above all – write the script YOU want to write! Write a story you’re excited and burning to tell and write a script no other writer could have written the way you have. Make sure you believe in what you write, and find ways to express that belief through your story.
How do I know what form/medium my story should take?
You may have an initial instinct on whether the idea you’re working on feels like it suits film or TV more - or you may be torn. There may be a version of your idea that could fit both - but which form would serve the story you want to tell most effectively? A question to ask yourself is : how much story does this idea hold naturally? If it can only comfortably stretch to 90 minutes or so, you’re likely dealing with a film and you may be weakening the premise or central dramatic question if you force expansion. If you’re working on a TV spec, plot out the overall idea and all the pivotal story points you’d need to hit, to interrogate if you have enough story engine to sustain beyond your pilot episode. Does your protagonist reach the conclusion of their journey within 60 minutes? Or will there be so many obstacles and complications, that you naturally have a series formulating?
Does background matter in terms of theatre/radio etc or level of experience?
In short - no. Not to us. We work with writers from all backgrounds and levels of experience. All we care about is nurturing and developing exciting writers and voices : they could come from theatre, radio or having never written a single thing before that first submitted script; they could be agented or not agented; they may write full time or be a data analyst/vet/legal clerk by day - none of that concerns us (and the latter will only expand your options of worlds you can write about!). However, seasoned writers will likely have more seasoned scripts - so while you will probably have more success after having written other scripts first, none of these need to be produced/professional (or even necessarily see the light of day beyond your desk drawer!)
Are there any tips for people just starting out?
The biggest tips we can give any new writer is watch as much TV as possible and read as many scripts as you possibly can! We have a brilliant script library at the BBC Writersroom so take advantage of this fantastic FREE resource. The same way an athlete must train everyday a writer must write. Exercise your writing muscle and write, write and re-write!
Keep applying for new writing opportunities via our opportunities page. When you’re starting out it’s about building your experience and writing credits, be it theatre, short film, radio etc. Find opportunities to get your work out there! Theatre is a great place when starting out – look for writing groups via your local theatre. Learn your craft, build a network / peer support group and get your work in front of an audience.
Good luck. We can't wait to read your script!
