A Ppt on commissioning scripts for Btec Y-2

1. 1. Current
Practices for
Commissioning
Scripts

2. Commissioning Bodies
A commissioning body is a part of a production
company who make the decisions of what films
and TV shows should be made/screened. The
decisions are based on scripts that they have
received.
Example bodies such as the BBC and ITV are large
corporations who get sent hundreds if not
thousands of scripts per week, so they choose
their scripts carefully based on the specific criteria
of their channel.

3. Commissioning Bodies
The BBC are a non-commercial commissioning
body, therefore they have more creative
freedom and can be more experimental with
their shows. They don’t have a specific target
audience either so they can choose a different
variety of scripts, meaning they receive scripts
that have a wide range of different genres. Also
BBC1, BBC2 and/or BBC3 may cross pollinate
shows that would fit the tones of the different
channels.

4. Commissioning Bodies
ITV are a commercial channel so therefore they
have less creative freedom when it comes to
choosing scripts. They usually make popular and
entertaining drama shows so that’s what script
writers tend to send to the ITV production team.
ITV 1 has a different tone to other ITV channels
so the scripts they would receive differ from
each channel.

5. Independent Production
Companies
An Independent Production Company is a
organisation that produces and distributes
films outside of the major film studios.
Companies that accept unsolicited script
submissions include: BBC Writersroom, BFI
Film Fund, BabyJane Productions, Blast Films,
Braidmaid Films, Feelgood Fiction, Panther
Pictures, Picture Palace and others.

6. Organisations
Writer’s Guild allows members to network. As it gives
support & advice, events for members, rates & agreements,
free & discounted training, Welfare funds, pension scheme
and contact vetting. It is a platform in which they all work
together to support other writers. Other organisations
include Sundance and Austin Film Festival.

7. Competitions or Festivals
Great way for writers to get their work noticed/commissioned.
Script Pipeline - Evan Daugherty, ‘Snow White and the
Huntsman’.
Blue Cat and PAGE - ‘Contraband’, ‘The Accountant’, ‘Ozark’ and
‘Bates Motel’.
BBC Writers Room and Coverfly - Organisations to support
writers

8. 2. Writer’s role throughout production.

9. Commissioning editors
A commissioning editor is basically a buyer. They look for
materials to publish such as books and other materials. They do
this by scouting for talent and reviewing scripts sent to them.
They will also make sure that the writer meets their deadlines.
They attend book fairs and festivals to find new skills and to find
manuscripts that are publishable.

10. Script editors
A script editor is a member of the production team. The script editor has many
responsibilities including finding new script writers, developing storyline and
series ideas with writers, and ensuring that scripts are suitable for production.
The script editor will work closely with the writer at each draft of the script,
giving the writer feedback on the quality of the work, suggesting
improvements that can be made. Unlike the writers, script editors will usually
be full-time members of the production team, working closely with the
producer, if the script writer isn't a producer.
https://readingagency.org.uk/young-people/003-skills/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-script-editor.html

11. Directors
The relationship between the writer and the director has to be
transparent and have a clear line of communication between them,
it is also important that the writer tell the director what creative
decisions will be accurate to the source material and what will not,
this especially important in the case of novels being adapted into
films.

12. producers
The producers are in charge of essentially making the film happen.
They could even hire the writers, editors etc.
Once production is underway they will be in charge of making sure
things run smoothly and making sure they have everything they
need.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBlPf_OrTls

13. Editors
The editor edits the film and puts it together making it whole. Communication
between the editor and the writer has to be strong. With the communication in
place the editor could get more of an idea of what to add into the scene. The
editor could add CGI effects, audio effects etc…

14. 3. Contractual
considerations

15. Agent representation
● An agent is someone who takes care of the sales and the work
loads of a client. They are genuinely popular among
actors/actresses, music artists and screenwriters. They are
also an intermediary.
● They take fixed percentages of how much the client makes,
due to the work of the agent.
● If a company requires a writer for a programme they will go to
agents to find one.
one.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pdORyAHhEs

16. Royalties
● Royalties are payments that the writer will receive from the use
of the scripts or sales of the books or films.
● For example, for each text the writer can receive a percentage
of the payment which is known as royalty. The payments are
split between the writer, agents and producers etc.
● For script writers, they will also get benefits and protections.

17. Time management
Tips for good time management for screenwriters
● Schedule writing time every day, putting an hour out of the day to work on a
script.
● Set deadlines for each draft of the screenplay, make a deadline close to a
festival, then read few it a few times then rewrite and set a second deadline for
that to be finished.
● Make notes of each scene that comes to mind, then write it into the script,
Rewrites are always happening, going over a specific scene over and over until it
seems perfect.
● Have a second person to read over the content giving feedback on which scenes
work and which don't.
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPSj1C4N6Sc

18. Deadlines
● When meeting deadlines it is important to commit to a finished date for a ‘polished script’.
● It is important to be realistic about how much you can get done in a day or week. By finding a
timescale which you can work by you are more likely to be able to commit to your deadlines.
● Writers can often work on more than one script at a time so it is important to be well managed with
time. Working on the script with the nearest deadline is ideal.
● Reviewing (proofreading) before you send off your script is ideal because it can give you time to find
grammatical errors.
● https://www.nyfa.edu/afa/screenwriting.php
Hayley McKenzie founder of Script Angel.com >>>>

19. 4. Legal and Ethical Issues

20. Copyright
The definition of copyright is “the exclusive and assignable legal right, given to the
originator for a fixed number of years, to print, publish, perform, film, or record
literary, artistic, or musical material.”
In March 2017 Disney was up against a lawsuit that claimed they had copied the
ideas of Gary L. Goldman, who wrote the film Total Recall.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/disney-hit-lawsuit-claiming-zootopia-
ripped-total-recall-writer-987660
Below is a link providing how to write a copyright to protect your work.
https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2011/11/08/how-to-write-a-copyright-notice/

21. Bias
● Bias is an important ethical issue. This is usually related to the representation of certain
people/groups in the content.
● If the content is fictional creators may subtly portray their own bias/ideas in their project. If
the work non fiction it is even more important that the creators aren’t writing based on their
own bias/ opinion.
● An example of this is that in 2009 Boris Johnson made a cameo in Eastenders and the show
was accused of having a political bias.

22. Censorship
● The definition of Censorship is ‘ the suppression of speech or deletion of
communicative material which may be considered harmful, sensitive and
objectionable.
● The first recorded censorship was a speech by Socrates about the democracy in the
Greek Government.
● Some material that can be censored is Political, Sexual, Economical and Violent.
● Censorship can be introduced by Government Bodies, Democratic leaders, and
Parents.

23. Watersheds
A watershed is the time limit a television programme or
film containing adult elements such as nudity and
violence can be broadcasted. The designated time in the
UK is 9pm, as this is seen a suitable time to show darker
programmes without exposing it to a young audience.
Material shown after 9 can include themes such as sex,
drugs, violence, gore and strong language. Very mature
films, such as very dark horror films, won’t be
broadcasted till about 11pm.

24. The watershed finishes at 5:30am as this is just before
children who wake up early will be watching television.
Since 2003, Ofcom (the Office of Communications) have
dealt with over three hundred watershed incidents where
broadcasters have scheduled unsuitable programmes. A
majority of these were music videos, that were seen as
being indecent as they were shown in the afternoon.
Watersheds

25. Libel
● Definition- ‘A published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written
defamation.’
● Libel refers to the writing of malicious content about individuals or groups of people in published
text or media. Therefore research has to be meticulous.
● An example of Libel is in the 2013 film ‘Captain Phillips’ it is accused of being mainly lies, in
particular, Phillips’ heroism. Some crew members of the Maersk Alabama filed a lawsuit against the
company that owned the ship claiming that they were not protected when they were steered into
pirate infested waters off the somali coast.

26. Plagiarism
The film In Time was accused of plagiarizing from a book, Repent Harlequin Said The
Ticktock Man as the two had lots of similarities. After the film ended up not making much
money the charges were dropped.
Another film that was sued for plagiarism was The Matrix. Thomas Althouse sued the
creators of the film for $300 million as it reportedly stole some of the ideas from his
unfinished screenplay for a project called The Immortals. Things done in parody can often
get away with it as it is done in a joke.
If you are searching to see if someone has plagiarized your work you can use copyscape, it
searches through Google to see if your ideas had been stolen.
The definition of Plagiarism or Cribbing is “The practice of taking someone else's work or
ideas and passing them off as one's own.”