The Writer in Modern TV

June 15, 2010 — scriptwriting, TV, writing

An interesting debate took place at the BFI last night called: Second Coming or Looming Apocalypse – The Writer in Modern TV.  The panel discussed the state of British television and how the future looks for a new generation of writers.

Here are some highlights:

“I think what’s interesting is that the quietest people on the panel so far have been the writers.  It used to be that people were interested in what writers had to say, but that seems to have shifted now so we’re more interested in what commissioners and producers have to say.  Writers feel that shift and they are self-censoring with regards to what they think the market wants or the commissioners want.  The exception to that is Jimmy’s, The Street.  That should have shown how writer-led programmes that are low concept and high character can be a critical success and be a hit with audiences.  But it hasn’t had that effect.  It’s seen as an exception.  Broadcasters and executives talk to each other, not to writers.  Writers don’t ask what am I passionate about?  They ask, what can I sell?  They do at least need to be asking, how can I sell what I’m passionate about.”  ~Donna Franceschild

“You’re not going to get a good idea from invoking a golden age, but we can learn from TV history and take lessons from that.  The truth is, what makes a hit is risk.  People’s careers are made by TV that no-one thinks they want.  Risk can define great TV drama.  And tomorrow matters more than yesterday.”  ~Ben Stephenson

“Writers coming up through television now are being asked to go through the sausage machine of continuing drama and writing for Casualty and Holby City means they lose their voices … I would argue for a return to TV plays but “play” in relation to telly has almost become a dirty word.” ~Tony Marchant

“I get lots of approaches from theatre writers who want to write for The Street or whatever and I’m telling you, a lot of theatre writers are crap.  It’s boring.  You don’t learn story structure writing in the theatre.  Stay away from the theatre, it’s the worst thing you can do if you want to write for TV.  Fight to get on a soap, get on Corrie, get on Emmerdale.  That’s where you’ll learn.” ~Jimmy McGovern

READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT 

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