If you read Toms post about Armando Iannuci you may have read extracts of his Oxford University lecture on the future of comedy. Worth a read if you didn't. He's basically saying that British television comedy is in a state because well, of a variety of factors.
One he didn't really mention is the recent culture of awarding limited, often non-paying commissions to amateur writers and performers via contests under the guise of the "talent search".
This is the latest from BBC3. My main bone of contention regarding these? Well, apart from the fact that they are simply cheap ways of generating material, taking bread from the table of jobbing writers, these things tend not to be actual searches. It’s the contributor who does all the work. You go to them, so it’s not a search.
I’m not saying that it’s wrong to send stuff into broadcasters and I’m not saying that there isn’t a possibility that these contests will produce good stuff – it’s hugely unlikely, but not impossible.
All I’m saying is that to the BBC or anyone else who is interested in “searching” for comedy talent:
We put on a show, all laid out for you on a plate. An hour plus of stuff every month.
But we can’t seem to get anyone from the media to come and watch.
And it’s a good show. How do we know this? It makes rooms full of people laugh on a regular basis.
But as I said, we have encountered a remarkable reticence on the part of media types to give us a chance, despite the fact that our word of mouth reputation is all glowing reviews.
It smacks to me of arrogance and laziness, or at the very least a media that has ceased to be pro-active in its method of finding new talent.
I mean why come and see a polished show by people who work hard and are talented when you can get some intern to stick up a website inviting all and sundry to post any old rubbish?
4 comments:
Ianuuchi said that the answer to this was that there should be more pilots. thats way, more stuff would be seen and less rubbish would be made into full series. My main problem with stuff like these contests is that it looks like the BBC are "democratising" the commissioning process, when in fact they are sitting around on their lazy fat asses waiting for talent to come to them. I mean, we're already commisioned BBC writers, and yet can't get anyone from Radio Scotland, the comedy unit or BBC Scotland to give us the time of day. I don't think it's being baselessly arrogant to suggest that Glue deserves a pilot, but we'd be happy if they at least came. Even if they didn't like it, we would get a lot out of whatever criticism they gave us.
Have you sent the dvd to any of these people? Another option would be to put a couple of sketches on the site in video format and send the link out to people. If I ever got a copy of the dvd, I could do this for you...
T
I shall bring a copy of the original DVD with me on Sunday night T. You really should have had one by now.
BUT DON'T YOU SEEEEE!?!!?
...that wold be giving in to these swivel chair talent scouts!
but aye, no a bad idea...:)
I'd personally wait until we got a copy of the September show, but fire in.
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