Writing Television Drama Read online

  In the UK, television drama is commissioned and broadcast by BBC, ITV, C4, Sky and, albeit rarely, Five. Other broadcasters such as MTV and Nickelodeon are also tentatively beginning to commission domestically produced drama for their British audiences.

  The BBC, funded by the licence fee, brings drama to the screen across three of its four channels – BBC1, BBC2 and BBC3. There is also children’s drama aimed at the under-12s that is shown on CBBC.TV drama comes under various guises:

  A drama series is a show that has a regular cast of characters who have episodic adventures but with few or no multi-episode or series story arcs. TV dramas such as Law and Order, Vera and New Tricks fall into this category.

  A drama serial (or mini-series) is a story that is told over a limited number of episodes with a definite end. Shows such as Collision, Injustice, Occupation, State of Play and The Promise are prime examples of a drama serial.

  A single play is a self-contained one-off drama. In recent years the single drama in the UK has manifested itself in biopics such as Hattie and Enid but also in United, Page Eight and Night Watch. These are the equivalent of the US Movies of the Week.

  Continuing drama usually refers to dramas that are also described as ‘soaps’. These shows are the staples of the television schedule and run all year round and include shows such as Casualty, Doctors, EastEnders, Holby City (all BBC), Coronation Street, Emmerdale (both ITV) and Hollyoaks (C4).

  BBC drama slots run to 30, 45, 60, 90 and, occasionally, 120 minutes. The 30-minute slots have included the likes of Bleak House and The Nativity. The 45-minute slot occurs in the early Saturday evening family schedule and has included shows such as Doctor Who, Robin Hood and Merlin. The BBC has also produced weekday afternoon dramas with this running time, including Land Girls, Missing and 32 Brinkburn Street.

  Most BBC drama is broadcast in one-hour slots either at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. on BBC1, BBC2 and BBC3 and includes shows such as Holby City, Hustle and Being Human. In terms of pre- ‘watershed’ drama (before 9 p.m.), Call the Midwife and Waterloo Road have successfully run from 8.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. on BBC1. However, most drama on all channels is for the post-watershed 9 p.m. slot. Feature-length shows that run to 90 minutes or two hours will sometimes be the pilot episode of a new series or event shows.

  One-hour dramas dominate the ITV schedules, usually at 9 p.m., with unashamedly populist shows such as Downton Abbey,

  Whitechapel, Scott and Bailey, Monroe and Marchlands. Some shows such as Vera and Lewis are two hours long. The reality is that because of advertising breaks and programme sponsorship – the advertising and sponsorship after all pays for the dramas in the first place – the running times are a little different. Table 2.1 illustrates the difference between programme slots and programme running times on the various channels.

  Table 2.1 Time slots, ad breaks and running times of drama programmes on the major UK television channels

  ITV has a family of channels with original drama content commissioned by ITV1, ITV2 and CITV. It’s a similar story at C4 which also has a family of channels with E4 the other channel that shows original UK scripted content. Five and its family of digital channels run to a similar ‘commercial hour’ but rarely produce original drama.

  Sky’s drama hour is modelled on the American TV hour which runs 42/43 minutes. Indeed, the BBC’s family 45-minute dramas on a Saturday night, which include Doctor Who, Merlin and Robin Hood, are similar because it is those shows that are expected to have an international market. Sky also produces drama shorts that run for ten minutes and also half-an-hour one-off singles.

  In the USA network television and most cable largely runs to a 42/43-minute storytelling slot and usually has four or five acts depending on the show and network. There have been forays into a six-act structure (by ABC) with the first or fifth act split in two.

  There are exceptions in the US such as HBO, which, with a subscription-based business model, has no ads and is akin to the BBC hour timings. However, that doesn’t mean these channels don’t still write to a five-act structure. They do but without the interruption of advertisers and with an eye on the lucrative syndication market.

  These timings are important because they may affect the script you write. Which slot is your script best suited for? Which channel? Don’t necessarily opt for the commercial stations’ shorter versions because they are short. It may be that your script would sit better at the BBC or on HBO and, therefore, be better for the longer-form hour.

  We will look at structure and storytelling later. However, it is worth stressing here that in television – unlike theatre or cinema – drama must be very structured to fit pre-designated time slots. You have to follow that structure and to fall short is a big sin. On the other hand, the structure of television drama can help you – it should be seen not as imposing creative restraint but as nurturing creative discipline.

  Key advice

  Scripts must be written to fit a standard TV drama format.

  The length of a TV drama can typically vary from half an hour to two hours – most are between 45 and 60 minutes long.

  Formats used by commercial channels such as ITV must accommodate commercial breaks and therefore have a ready-made structure.

  Writing to suit a format need not be a burden – it can help you to organize your story effectively.

  3

  What is a spec script?

  In this chapter you will learn:

  • about the qualities that a script reader looks for in a spec script

  • about the importance of a daily writing routine and of having a designated writing space.

  A spec script, also known as a ‘calling card’ script, is an original script that you send to organizations such as the BBC Writersroom, independent production companies, competitions, agents or people within the industry. The primary function of this script is to get you noticed as a scriptwriter. It is highly unlikely, although not impossible, that a spec script will get commissioned.

  The spec script should be a demonstration of your ability to be original. Original in creating memorable and interesting characters, original in the way you tell your story, original in your dialogue. That spark of originality should leap off the page and arouse the interest of the script reader. It should not be derivative, or a pale imitation, of existing shows. It is all about your unique voice as a writer and your take on the world. A successful spec script could lead you to becoming a commissioned episodic writer or staff writer on another show. This is the reality for the vast majority of scriptwriters – you write an original script as a kind of application to write on other people’s shows.

  The BBC Writersroom’s remit is to look for new and fresh talent. If your script stands out in the slush pile, it could potentially lead to a commission on one of the BBC’s continuing dramas such as Doctors or EastEnders or Casualty. It may lead you to becoming represented by an agent who can get your script and future scripts to the people that matter – the producers, executives and commissioners. An independent producer may become your champion as a result of your spec script and that may lead to a commission.

  Be original

  In the UK, this ‘calling card’ script must be original. Do not write a script for a past or existing show. No one will be interested in that, and indeed it simply won’t be read. Even if your ambition is to write for Holby City, do not write a Holby City script. The producers of Holby City, like everyone else, want original scriptwriters who can create compelling guest characters and stories. If they are interested, the producers may invite you to write a trial script for those shows anyway.

  It is worth noting at this point that the US spec script system is a little bit different from the UK one. Although increasingly producers also want to see original work, scriptwriters are encouraged to pitch for the show that they want to write for. They want to know that you know the style and format of the show and are familiar with the characters. However, don’t rush off and start work on your brilliant script for your f
avourite American show – there are certain caveats to be aware of first and we will look at these when we look at the American system later in the book (see Chapter 18). Let’s first concentrate on your own original creation.

  ‘We want an individual voice. A distinct voice. A writer with something to say and an original, surprising, way of saying it.’

  Paul Ashton, BBC Writersroom

  Writing time and space

  The first thing I want to encourage you to do is to write every day. This is easy for most professional writers to say as they are getting paid and so can get up each day and write full-time (whatever that actually entails). Most of you, however, probably have other distractions in your day such as your job, your family, your friends and the myriad of other things that call on your time.

  Set aside a fixed period of time – around a minimum of 30 minutes each day – to write. Write something – anything; just get in to the habit. It may be at the end of the day after the children have gone to bed; it may be before they get up in the morning; it may be on the train or bus as you commute to and from work; it may be in your lunch hour… whenever, wherever, but the key thing is to find the time – it can be done. Talk to the family and say this is what you want to do: Do not disturb! If people know and understand why you need this, in most cases they will be encouraging – they may even bring you a cup of coffee!

  Another ideal thing to do at home is have a specific place to write – whether it is a designated room or part of a room where you feel comfortable and relaxed. Decorate the area accordingly so that it is clear it is your writing space. It may be a good idea to have a pin board to which you can affix your ideas for scenes, characters and dialogue written on cards so that you can move them about. Another helpful tip is to decorate the area or part of the wall with images of what you are writing about.

  ‘Without the writer, I could do nothing. Ideas can come from all sources, but fundamentally without a writer to turn the idea and the plot into a story, a drama isn’t worth making.’

  Nicola Shindler, Producer

  Every time you sit there you will know your goal is to write your standout spec script. This is what we are aiming for you to do – write a spec script to get you noticed. To give a little light to brighten the script reader’s day and make them want to recommend that someone else higher up the television food chain take a look at it. The standard is high (although there are a great many scripts that are very poor) and you will have to work at it. There will be frustrations, disappointments and you will have to develop a thick skin.

  One final piece of advice for this chapter – watch television drama! Learn to understand and appreciate the medium and analyse your favourite shows. Why are they your favourite? By that same token, why don’t you like other shows? What is wrong with them? Take particular interest in the opening or pilot episodes of shows because that is akin to what you’re doing with your original spec script.

  Key advice

  Look to write an original script, not a script of an existing show

  Write every day.

  Create a writing space.

  Watch television drama.

  Industry interview 1: the script reader

  INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: LUCY HAY

  Lucy Hay is a script reader and writer who has read for agents and industry organizations. She runs her own script feedback service and online community, Bang2write, for new and experienced writers seeking a critical analysis of their work as well as support. In 2012 she was Associate Producer on the movie Deviation and is also one of the organizers of the annual London Screenwriters’ Festival.

  Nicholas Gibbs: How did you start script reading?

  Lucy Hay: I left university with a scriptwriting degree and at that time there was a gap in the market for a low-priced, no-frills script reading service. I was a single mum and I couldn’t afford to pay people £75 minimum for a script report. So I thought there must be countless others like me in the same kind of situation who don’t have a lot of money to spend who want feedback. I’d already worked for a literary agent so I knew that I could do it. It was something I wanted to do and I saw it as my path into the industry. I was limited in what I could do in terms of paid work in getting into the industry. I had a free rein at the agency and looked at everything. That combined with my degree gave me experience and the cheap price meant I was taken seriously quite quickly.

  NG: Then you started your blog?

  LH: Originally I started the blog as a way to prove to the writers that when I was saying something about their script I was not just saying it for the sake of it. Problems happen with all kinds of scripts, all kinds of movies and all kinds of TV programmes. It goes right across the board; it’s not just you. There weren’t that many blogs at the time. The only other one was Scriptwriting in the UK which was quite useful for finding out about the craft, and there were all the American ones. So I saw a gap in the market there, too.

  NG: Are there common problems you see in new writers?

  LH: Writers struggle with too much dialogue. They should think about how the scene works and how the dialogue works in that scene. Otherwise dialogue can run away with you quite quickly. If you want to use ten words, use five. If you want to use five words, use two. If you want to use two, use none. As writers we want to use as many words as possible, but less is more. It’s an old cliché but nevertheless it’s true.

  NG: What other problems have you seen?

  LH: They don’t know who they are writing for and why. Some write solely for the marketplace, in which case it has no soul and no heart. Equally, if you don’t write with the marketplace in mind at all, then it can go completely off and nobody knows what you’re going on about! Remember who you’re writing for – your audience. Lots of people don’t know who their audience is, never mind what they want. They don’t challenge themselves enough and as a result they don’t challenge the audience enough. It’s not a question of tick-the-box screenwriting. It’s not as simple as that. You can’t just have these checklists. You’ve got to really love your idea, you’ve got to love your characters and you’ve got to know why you’re doing it.

  NG: Spec scripts are about showing you off as a writer.

  LH: You’ve got to have that script that proves what you can do, so you can write someone else’s idea. It sounds terrible when you say it like that but that is the reality of what happens. I think there are so many television writers who are so in love with their spec that they have lost touch with the reality of the likelihood of it being produced, which is very unlikely. I know writers who have had hundreds of hours on screen and they are no closer to getting their sample script, their dream project, made.

  NG: You’ve got to enjoy writing and love more than your spec.

  LH: One of the Head Writers on Coronation Street said in our session at the London Screenwriters’ Festival that it really makes him annoyed when he sees writers trying for various television jobs just because they think it will be an easy access to getting their sample made. It shouldn’t be about that. You should go for those television jobs because you love television and you love the idea of writing for this particular channel, this particular show and you believe in it a hundred per cent. Otherwise it is a waste of their time. It is a waste of your time. It is a waste of the audience’s time. It is a waste of everyone’s time because they are faking it. I can totally see his point. I think a lot of newer screenwriters need to wake up to the fact that a sample is a sample and not necessarily ever going to be made, which is possibly a good thing because in five years from now you’re possibly going to look at that sample and go that’s not the best that I can do.

  NG: Do you have any advice on handling rejection?

  LH: The only person who stands between you and getting somewhere is you. So if you want to fail because ‘the producers don’t like me’ or ‘the script readers won’t let me through’ or ‘I didn’t get past the first round of a scriptwriting competition’, you can find any number of barriers. You jus
t have to dust yourself off and get on with it. Don’t go off to your blog and whine about it.

  NG: Do you find writers are too quick to send their work out?

  LH: We live in such an immediate age now with email and such like that people are finishing the script, not letting it settle in their brain, and firing it off straightaway. If it’s a spec script or a sample script, there is no time limit even if a producer or agent has said to you that they’re interested in reading it at some point. People think: I’ve got to finish it in the next week or they’ll forget about me. What do you think the agent or producer is doing? Are they frantic about not receiving an email from so-and-so writer they just met? No. They have other stuff to get on with and they would prefer to see it at its best and not rushed.

  NG: Do you think writers can sometimes focus on the wrong goal?

  LH: For a long time getting on the BBC Writers’ Academy was my goal. I wanted to do that. I had a lot of friends who had got on it or had interviews for it. I felt I was as good as them. I love television and I’ve literally watched soap opera since I was a child. Why wouldn’t they take me? In my arrogance, I thought: Why can’t I get on the Writers’ Academy? I ended up not getting on for about four years in a row. I went: Right, I’ve had enough now! So I wrote to Ceri Meyrick who kind of oversaw the application process and said, ‘Look, you know that I love soap; you know that I can write; you know I understand the industry; why the hell do I never get past the first round of the Writers’ Academy?’ She writes back to me and says: ‘We don’t doubt that you’re passionate, we don’t doubt you know your stuff but, to be honest, when we read your stuff, we think films and not TV.’ At the time I was really angry but then I realized she was right because all the projects I wanted to be involved in are films. So I asked myself what I was trying to do. I love soap and I’d actually mistaken my love of soap for wanting to do that job because I wanted the money. For me the money was a validation but that is one of the worst reasons for doing any job.