In This Issue :

Ken Rock Gives Advice on Selling Your Work
Ronald Wolfe Shares How the Cast of The Rag Trade Came Together
Members Successes

SELLING YOUR WORK
by Ken Rock

To be a successful writer you must act like a salesman and sell yourself. You may be the greatest writer in the world but nobody will recognize your talent if they don’t know you exist. It is no use writing great masterpieces if you are going to file them away in your desk drawer. Have confidence in yourself and tell everyone what a great writer you are. If you don’t believe it, no one else will.

Send samples of your work to anyone in the business who might conceivably offer you work. Then don’t just sit back and wait, keep up the attack. Don’t make a nuisance of yourself but at regular intervals send out new material. If a producer sees several promising ideas he is almost bound to get in touch with you.

Always try to send your work to a 'name'. Look at the credits at the end of programmes and make a note of the producer’s name and the production company. Read the Radio or TV Times, The Stage, Broadcast Magazine, TV Week and Screen International. Look for clues about who might be wanting what. See if you can spot an opening. Send a few samples of your best work (about six items) and include a covering letter stating you would like to write for that particular show. If the programme is not open for material at the time the producer will keep your letter on file and contact you when he is looking for material.

The major script markets in Britain are the BBC and the ITV companies. Many independent companies have sprung up during the last few years. Scripts intended for any of these markets should be sent to the appropriate addresses which can be found in the Writers’ & Artists Yearbook, The White Book or The Blue Book of British Broadcasting.

Once you are sure you have a good script, where do you send it? If you’ve done your homework, you will already know which channel is the most likely to be interested. But often it is better to send to an independent production company rather than directly to a broadcaster, so do a bit more research. Check out the companies that are making the kind of show you’ve written and approach them first. A preliminary letter or phone call can save you time and money because some smaller companies simply don’t have the resources to read unsolicited material. If you feel that a certain production company is absolutely right for your project, write a letter giving a brief synopsis of the project and asking if they will read the script. If they agree, your script will join the ‘solicited’ pile. And if it fits the bill, they may even pick it up and develop it. But don’t expect overnight results. It can sometimes take many months before scripts are even read by small and/or busy companies.

Foreign markets are a lucrative source of income for comedy writers. Some addresses can be found in the Writers’ & Artists Yearbook but your best option is to write to the appropriate Embassy in London. They will be only too happy to provide you with a list of radio and TV companies.

Packaging is important. First impressions mean a lot. If you want a producer to think your script was written by a professional, it has to be set out the way an experienced writer would do it.

Don’t be put off by rejection. When your script is returned it is very easy to become disillusioned. Just because your work has been turned down, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is not good enough. It’s just not right for that person. So long as you are absolutely sure your work is good, keep sending it out. Though your script sent speculatively might not be bought, your potential as a writer will be.

Remember, there is always a shortage of good comedy writers so don’t give up. Have the determination to succeed. If you have the talent it will be recognized, but you must be persistent. No one is going to come knocking on your door.

A quote from Anji Loman Feld from the Writers & Artist Yearbook: 'Writing for television is not generally something that can be taken up as a hobby. It may look easy but huge amounts of work and commitment are required in order to succeed. If that doesn’t put you off, and it is what you really want to do, then go for it. And good luck!!'



And talking of good luck, the following article is taken from the HEYDAYS series of The Stage, published 30/08/01


RAGS TO RICHES

Sixties sitcom The Rag Trade has become a lucrative worldwide hit. Co-writer Ronald Wolfe remembers how the show’s cast came together.

There’s a saying in our business - "If you’ve got the talent you’ll get to the top." I don’t agree with that saying. You need talent, yes, but you also need a fair amount of luck, otherwise no matter how much talent you’ve got, without the breaks you are never going to make it. The Rag Trade was the first TV sitcom that I wrote with Ronald Chesney. We had been working in radio on Educating Archie. We did have one or two setbacks in the beginning, but after that we had an incredible amount of
luck.

Early in 1961 we sent the script of The Rag Trade to one of the commercial TV companies - Associated Rediffusion. I still remember their letter of rejection. "Millions of people spend all day working in a factory. When they come home they want to relax and forget it. They’ll never switch on to watch a series about factory life."

That was bad luck. But then our luck started to change. Frank Muir and Denis Norden were appointed comedy advisors to the BBC. They loved the idea and got Dennis Main Wilson to produce. We were delighted that they all liked our script, but Ronald and I knew that a good script is only half of a show; the other half is to get the right cast.

Casting is an agonizing, nerve-wracking business and you do need that bit of luck. Those who know the show will remember that Miriam Karlin played the part of the shop steward, Paddy. But why Paddy? Well, the script was first sent to Alfred Marks asking if he would play the part of the boss, Mr Fenner. As an added inducement the part of the shop steward was offered to his wife, Paddy O’Neil. They turned it down. The script was sent to Miriam, but the typist forgot to change the name. Miriam didn’t query it, she thought it was rather amusing that a nice Jewish actress should be named Paddy.

With hindsight we realized we were lucky that Alfred turned down the part. He had his own TV show and was so well known that he would not have fitted into what we thought was a team show with a realistic setting. We needed a good, experienced actor, but one not over-exposed on TV. We chose Peter Jones and at the first read-through we knew we were right.

How was Sheila Hancock cast for the show? Again, there was a certain amount of luck. I had been co-writing a radio show with Myles Rudge called Something to Shout About. One week one of the stars, Joan Sims, couldn’t make the show and Sheila was sent along as a replacement. Sheila hadn’t done a radio show in front of a live audience and was petrified. The rehearsal was a mess and when the show started I could see Sheila’s hand shaking as she held the script. I thought the show was going to be a disaster. But within a minute or two she had settled down and was getting laugh after laugh. Her timing was perfect and she didn’t miss a trick.

One of the major parts was the foreman. We visualized a working-class cockney type, but he had to keep in with the girls on the bench. We had no one in particular in mind, then Ronald happened to be at Bournemouth and saw Reg Varney in a summer show. We looked no further.

Ronald had another bit of luck. He witched on the telly to see an excerpt from Sailor Beware, a farce running in the West End. The star was Peggy Mount, but the character that fascinated Ronald was little Esma Cannon. There wasn’t a part for Esma in The Rag Trade, but we wrote her into the script. She was a great success as Lily, a twittery little spinster, frightened of the boss and just about everyone and everything.

There were several other smaller parts, but Main Wilson was determined not to take any chances. He didn’t hold auditions, but booked actresses who were appearing in West End successes at the time. One day he announced that he’d booked Ann Beach from Billy Liar; Tony Palmer and Barbara Windsor from Fings Ain’t What They Used To Be, and Judy Carne, who was in a West End revue. I said: "How did you manage to get these talented actresses to play such small parts with maybe only two or three lines?" Main Wilson explained: "I told them that their talent would help to make the show a great big success and if they were in a successful show, it could do them nothing but good."

Main Wilson was right. Everyone in the show did amazingly well, but the big surprise was Judy. She never had more than a couple of lines, but was seen by a film casting director who was watching one night. Judy was booked for a feature film and eventually ended up in Hollywood. She went into television and was a fantastic success as Judy Carne, the ‘sock-it-to-me girl’ in Rowenand Martin’s Laugh In.

For the first few episodes Barbara was put in a low-cut blouse showing lots of cleavage, and a very tight mini skirt, with her hair piled up in what was known as the beehive style. But she wasn’t happy with the outfit. I said: "Look, you’re playing a comedy character with not many lines. You want to be noticed? Stay with that one outfit throughout the series." Barbara thought for a minute, then said: "OK Ron, you could be right. I’ll stay with it - tits, bum and beehive!" Barbara did stay with it and that get-up became her trademark, helped her into films, and started her carrying on in many a Carry On.

There was one other problem we hadn’t solved. What did we want the dress factory to look like? We all had ideas, then Denis said: "My father runs a small dressmaking workshop in the West End, in Margaret Street. Why don’t you go and look at that?" We did and George Norden’s little workshop was exactly what we were looking for. One long bench with four machinists on each side and it was that workshop that we copied for the series.

The Rag Trade got off to a flying start. The cast was recognized and mobbed everywhere, especially Miriam, the whistle-blowing shop steward with her catchphrase "Everybody out!"

Although the series started with the BBC, a further series was commissioned by Michael Grade for London Weekend Television. More recently the show has been remade in Scandinavia, Belgium, Holland, Portugal and South Africa.

After 40 years the royalties are still coming in. when Frank and Denis first booked the series, little did we know that they were giving us a pension. Now that’s luck!


SUCCESS STORIES from BSCW MEMBERS

It just goes to prove that if you are prepared to work hard and persevere, the luck and the rewards will come, as the following BSCW members can testify:

Dear Ken,

Just read the last E-zine, and thought I'd send you my recent successes.

1. Had a few sketches on the recent Llwyth o Docs II for S4C. Nice bit of money, but not half as much as the now Millionaire, Terry Adlam!

2. Before Christmas 2000, I did a test script for a soap opera down here in Wales. From that I was asked to do some shadow writing for a group of would be actors who are going to make their own film backed by the production resources of HTV. It will be a non-broadcast half hour film, but if it's good enough it will be sent on the rounds of the film festivals. Fingers crossed!!

3. In September, my writing partner and I shall be on the writing team of a Satirical News Prog for BBC Wales.

4. Last, but by no means least, again, my writing partner & I have been commissioned to write a four part sit-com for BBC Radio Cymru.

Just thought I'd blow my own trumpet for once.
Keith Rees

Congratulations to David Hoyle of Grange Over Sands, Cumbria, who will have the pleasure of having his debut surreal comedy novel, GRINT'S GATE, published later this month.

Jane James has been asked to contribute to a special theatre show for Hallowe'en, presented by Dragon's Tail Productions, whose previous work in London and Birmingham has received excellent reviews. The show is called Howl and is on from 30th October to 3rd November at the Old Joint Stock, Temple Row West, Birmingham.

Keith Lindsay has been appointed as a storyline writer for Crossroads. Keith has also been commissioned by Stage Further Productions to work on a stage play with Ken Rock. He is also a Radio Four commissioned writer.

In addition to working on the aforementioned stage play, Ken Rock has been appointed as a Script Reader for the Black Film Makers (bfm) international film festival. Ken is working with a group of Asian writers developing a version of Ronnie Wolfe and Ronnie Chesney’s THE RAG TRADE with a mainly Asian cast.

BSCW Honorary Member and former Coronation Street producer John Temple has been appointed series producer for BBC Scotland’s new soap, due to launch early next year. John will be joined by former This Life script editor Maggie Boden as producer. BBC Scotland head of drama Barbara McKissack will executive produce. The soap is as yet unnamed and will have a production team of around 100.



This is a reminder about the Comedy Scriptwriting evening class that BSCW member Geoff Parfitt presents at Stratford-upon-Avon College. There are a few places available for the next term which starts on Tuesday Sept 18th for ten weeks. To make sure of a place you should phone the college to enroll (01789-266245).

Geoff says, "These writing workshops are great fun, and provide opportunities that writers working alone do not have, such as reading/performing full sitcom scripts and discussing them in depth. Group members have recently put on a stage show in Birmingham of three 30 minute sitcom scripts that were worked on in my classes (see
www.funnyinplaces.com ).

"I keep the group aware of sketch writing and other opportunities. Earlier this year, all members of my class submitted material for "Smack the Pony". We also wrote and filmed some sketches for a showreel to use to promote the writing of group members. I am also presenting a new ten week evening class at the college to get aspiring comedy performers started as stand-up comedians. If you want more information about either of these courses, you can contact me on 01564-779576 or via geoffparfitt@lineone.net."



FREE 7 Part SCREENWRITING COURSE + 5 Free gifts
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Best wishes,

Nick Dunning
The Script Doctor
www.thebritishscreenwritinginstitute.co.uk/

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The British Screenwriting Institute
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. (R.A.D.A - Dip Hons)
Member of the New Producers Alliance.
Member of the Hollywood Film Institute.
Member of British Actors Equity Association

FREE 7 Part Screenwriting course
scripts@getresponse.com

Join the BSI
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CONFERENCE REMINDER

Don't forget to look on the BSCW website for all the latest Conference details. With representatives of 21 companies from 7 countries already confirmed and more joining everyday, it's not to be missed!

Bookings are already up on last year and rooms are going fast. If you want to be part of this unique networking event, make contacts and find out the latest industry news, reserve your place now.