Comments on: Good enough isn’t good enough http://blog.twelvepoint.com/?p=384 Julian Friedmann, writers' agent and editor of screenwriting website, TwelvePoint.com, shares the inside view Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:18:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Simon Lipson http://blog.twelvepoint.com/?p=384&cpage=1#comment-4261 Simon Lipson Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:35:41 +0000 http://blog.twelvepoint.com/?p=384#comment-4261 BBC1 asked me (and my then partner) to write up a sitcom treatment and pilot a couple of years ago, based on an idea we'd developed in our live sketch show. They loved the concept and we had a whole department championing it. It went to offers and breezed through the various departments, but foundered at the desk of the then Controller. He concluded that, although it was extremely funny, a failing drama - a drama, mind - with which our sitcom vaguely shared a theme, rendered it a non-starter. Hmm. I subsequently submitted a sitcom proposal about the insignificant lives of a pair of middle-aged Welsh twins who'd had a lone hit in the 70's, completely faded from view and were now on the comeback trail. I was told that as Gavin and Stacey was set in Wales, it couldn't even be considered! At the SWF, an agent told me to write about what inspired me, but maybe it's best to at least try and pinpoint the likely flavour-of-the-month genre and write something up quickly before those on high change their minds! I hope I know what my strengths are by now - I've been writing and performing comedy for 15 years and have numerous TV and radio credits - but pursuing a career as a scriptwriter feels like a terribly thankless task at times! BBC1 asked me (and my then partner) to write up a sitcom treatment and pilot a couple of years ago, based on an idea we’d developed in our live sketch show. They loved the concept and we had a whole department championing it. It went to offers and breezed through the various departments, but foundered at the desk of the then Controller. He concluded that, although it was extremely funny, a failing drama – a drama, mind – with which our sitcom vaguely shared a theme, rendered it a non-starter. Hmm.

I subsequently submitted a sitcom proposal about the insignificant lives of a pair of middle-aged Welsh twins who’d had a lone hit in the 70’s, completely faded from view and were now on the comeback trail. I was told that as Gavin and Stacey was set in Wales, it couldn’t even be considered!

At the SWF, an agent told me to write about what inspired me, but maybe it’s best to at least try and pinpoint the likely flavour-of-the-month genre and write something up quickly before those on high change their minds! I hope I know what my strengths are by now – I’ve been writing and performing comedy for 15 years and have numerous TV and radio credits – but pursuing a career as a scriptwriter feels like a terribly thankless task at times!

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