Getting Commissioned

Commissioning bodies are companies such as the BBC, Channel 4, Film4 and HBO. These companies will commission a scriptwriter to produce a script to their specific briefs.

The BBC's commissioning website found from their homepage informs prospective writers on their editorial guidelines and development briefs.

You can search for your specifically preferred genre; documentaries, children's TV, arts and culture. This is for television not film.

The website provides commissioning opportunities for you to apply through the e-commissioning system; (BBC, 2013) "the system is designed simply to make the process of tracking your offers more straightforward, so that filtering and comparing ideas is much easier."

However, the BBC (BBC, 2013) states "if you are a member of the public or an individual without broadcast production or online experience as a director, writer or producer for a broadcaster, please do not register for e-commissioning."

The site will then link you if you are in that category to another site entitled 'Ideas from the Public'. This site gives you lots of useful information about contacting the production companies with addresses and contact links.

The BBC also offers the WritersRoom on which unsolicited scripts can be submitted; WritersRoom.

In regards to contractual issues regarding getting commissioned, the The Copyright Act 1994 and the Commissioning Rule (Regulatory and Competition Policy Branch Ministry of Economic Development) states; "Section 21(3) provides that where a person commissions, and pays for or agrees to pay for, the creation of a photograph, computer program, painting, drawing, diagram, map, chart, plan, engraving, model, sculpture, film, or sound recording, the commissioner, not the creator, is the first owner of copyright in the work produced.^{3 "}

Bournemouth University have published an article on the commissioning process which explains how each commissioning body i.e. the company paying for you to write a script, has their own rules for the commissioning process.

They (Bournemouth University, n/a) published this piece in regards of the commissioning guidelines for television:

General summary of commissioning guidelines for television

These are the key factors to consider when pitching for commissions in television:

· Make sure that the idea is right for the channel you are submitting to

· Ensure you can see where the programme will sit in the current schedule

· Understand why people will want to watch this programme

· Identify any interactive or cross-platform potential

· Research your idea thoroughly and define the format

· List actors/actresses or presenters that will appear in the programme

· Ensure your proposal is clear and be able to sell it in the first line

· Make sure your idea is original
 

From researching the commissioning bodies, Channel4 seems to be the more willing to give new writers a go and to commission their work through their branch Channel 4Interactive. On a whole, Channel4 do seem more interesting in discovering new writing and production talent; in terms of camera crew, producers etc. Their demographic may be the reason why; aiming their shows and commissioned work at their audience, which may encourage them to submit their work to Channel4 because as a client, Channel4 may be the writer's ideal commissioning body, allowing their work to fit in with the broadcaster's current programmes in development and in broadcast.

On the Bournemouth paper (Bournemouth, n/a), they gave information on Channel4's main activities, which include;
 

Channel 4Interactive has a remit of extending and building Channel 4's branding in interactive media. Their main activities are made up of:

· Online, which is accessible via a 'supersite', and the FilmFour.com site which supports production businesses and the film channel;

· Interactive TV, which run through enhanced digital TV applications;

· Mobile & Fixed line Telephony, a department which participates in the development of cross-platform properties;

· 4Interactive, which is seeking to work with new and existing suppliers in production.
 

In terms of contracts, the information I received from the Bournemouth article shows that television contracts are generally the same. Jamie Barratt, (Barratt, n/a) Head of Programme Finance and Production, Meridian Broadcasting, stated: "There are various different types of contracts. If you're an independent production company you will be issued a production agreement by whoever's commissioning you...they give all the necessary consents and rights and waivers and what have you...I say, each company works in a slightly different way."

He also said that most companies will have their own agreements which you should be aware of, before jumping at a writing opportunity, you will need to be briefed and thoroughly read through the contracts.

The site also gives you information on how to protect your work and develop your ideas.

The site offers sound bites from interviews with people such as Melanie Leach; Director of Broadcast Development, Twofour Productions Ltd and Richard Higgs: Managing and Creative Director, Big Squid.

Information from those who work within the film and television industry is very valuable as you may not receive that information again or come across it on another occasion. Take the information they give you on board, because those who are in the know, know a lot more than you may do right now.
Researching commissioning bodies' contractual rights and guidelines will also help you to develop your script so you can pitch it to the correct audience and commissioning body. Decide which broadcaster has developed scripts that may be more suited to your script before contacting them. Don't submit a teen vampire drama to BBC when it may be more suited to E4. Decide who your demographic is and again research each commissioning body to view their demographic of viewers; this way you will not waste time by sending your script to the wrong broadcaster, who may immediately dismiss your script as it is not suitable for their audience.

Your pitch will determine whether they will want you to produce a script to their specifications and it may guarantee you a paid job, leading to your breakthrough into the industry.