BBC Comedy Development

Micheál Jacob

Someone asked me to describe how we in the BBC comedy department develop scripts, and how the commissioning process works. So here's an outline version.

Scripts and ideas reach us from a variety of sources - from writers we know, from agents, from direct submissions, or from the different writing schemes and competitions which the BBC runs.They come to the head of comedy, to me or my fellow editor, to producers, or to script editors in the department. We judge each on its merits.

Whatever the route, someone has to read a script and feel it's worth pursuing as a potential series which would fit on one of the BBC channels.And whoever reads an exciting new project will invariably ask a colleague to read it to confirm their opinion.

At some point - either immediately or after some preliminary work with whoever has read the script first - the project goes to the head of comedy who decides whether or not to commission either that first script, or a new one.

The writer will then work with me, a producer or script editor, on revisions of an existing script, or on a story outline and then a script if it's a new commission.

When the lead person feels that the script is in good shape, they will organise an informal, office reading of the script with the head of comedy, after which there will be a notes session.

If everything appears positive, we will then offer the project to the appropriate channel, and organise a read-through with an ideal cast and a director.

If a project isn't amenable to being read, then we will make a 'taster tape', in other words an eight or 10-minute extract, as a demonstration.

Commissioning decisions involve the channel controller, the channel scheduler, and staff from the entertainment commissioning department. They rest not only on the merits of a project, but also on available slots and budgets.

So, in essence, before a series is commissioned for broadcast, the idea has involved the person to whom it first appealed;generally a script editor; the head of comedy; a comedy expert in entertainment commissioning and the head of entertainment commissioning; a channel scheduler and a channel controller.

By the time it gets presented, a script will have gone through five or six drafts, had at least one informal read, then two days of rehearsal.

The writer will have been involved in casting and, should the show be commissioned, will continue to be involved in casting decisions, as well as with design and costume, and later in the process, with editing decisions. They will be expected to attend rehearsals, and rewrite throughout the production week if it's an audience show, or the shoot if it's a single camera project.

I hope this demystifies the process.

(January 2004)

The Writer's Guidelines are available online at The Writers' Room