The Commissioning Process- Drama

 

Q3. How to get a script commissioned.

First you need to know what you should include in your proposal. It must include the following;

• You must include how your programme idea would fulfil the BBC's wide audience. 
• If you will run your programme infront of a live audience, you must think about accommodating disabilities according to the BBC. (Disability Act 1995)
• You must think about how your production team will fulfil the health and safety act. The BBC must apply with the Health and Safety Act so if you have concerns about how safe your programme will be, how will you address those concerns.
• Cross-genre ideas are accepted into the BBC however you must only choose one genre for the programme so choose the most appropriate genre and explain why you chose that one.

Proposal Responses 

(The BBC reminder: 
"All proposals for TV and online content ideas from registered suppliers must be submitted online through e-Commissioning for BBC network content.
Proposals will not be accepted via email.  Find out more information on the e-Commissioning system and if you are eligible to register. If you are a member of the public or an individual without broadcast production experience, please do not register for e-commissioning. You can find out more about your options in the ideas from the public page.")

• One week after you have submitted your proposal, you will receive an acknowledgement of your proposal. This lets you know that the BBC have received your proposal.
• Within six weeks after the acknowledgement, the relevant Commissioning Editor will reject or accept the proposals.
• Accepted proposals will be funded (prices below). The external supplier and the BBC must now agree a contract.
• The final decision will be made no  later than twenty weeks from receipt/ acknowledgement. Then the relevant Commissioning Editor must then give his/ her approval.

When writing a Drama, it would be common for you to write for either category one or two. This is because you wouldnt have contacts so you couldnt get any well known named actors in the programme and you wouldnt have big stunts because it would be too costly for a beginner writer. To get the higher pay, you would have to keep the audience entertained and want to watch every week or day. For drama one, you are looking at a wide target range which would be easier to accommidate for as everyone watches popular programmes such as Eastenders, Doctor Who etc. Drama two would be on at a later time so would attract a smaller tagret audience however these programmes allow the writer to be more free with the style of writing. For example, the programme can have provocative scenes, more violence, etc. Drama two can also be on for a longer time, For example, your programme can run for sixty minutes where as drama one can only run for about therty minutes.

I think my drama would come under Drama 3 as my drama would have known actors in it and be a popular programme for my age range. It would come on air the same time once every week, with sunday repeats,  to keep viewers interested. It would be on over the watershead time so either nine o'clock with a +1 channel of ten o'clock.

(+1 channel eg itv 1+1 or BBC 1+ 1)

BBC Website: Costs:

Drama Genre Tariffs for Independents

Daytime and Low Cost Drama
Indicative Tariff Range: £50k - £500k per hour
Within this range, programmes tend to fall into the following categories:

Category	Specification
Drama 1 Up to £375k per hour	This category covers a range of low cost output primarily for Daytime together with long running series for BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Three.  Producers will use innovative techniques and clever ideas to maximise the funds available especially for BBC Four. New talent will launch and grow here.
Drama 2 £375k - £500k per hour	Series at 30' and 60' of lower volume for BBC Three; singles and cross genre collaborations will fall into this category as will longer running and late night series for BBC

Lower to Mid cost Drama
Indicative Tariff Range: £500k - £700k per hour
Within this range, programmes tend to fall into the following categories:

Category	Specification
Drama 3 £500k - £630k per hour	Likely to be contemporary and less contained in setting both series and serials will have high production values with known talent. Low cost period series remain an ambition for this Category
Drama 4 £630k - £700k per hour	This category covers a mix of serials and returnable series. These productions would allow for more locations or higher cast aspirations; in period or contemporary settings.

High cost Drama
Indicative Tariff Range: £700k - £900k per hour
Within this range, programmes tend to fall into the following categories:

Category	Specification
Drama 5 £700k - £790k per hour	High levels of cast; stunts; foreign locations and period settings all drive this category. Cast will be large and talent established
Drama 6 £800k - £900k per hour	Heavy combination of multi-location; period; high cast and short runs in serials and event singles. CGI and effects may be significant here.

Premium Drama

Category	Specification
Drama 7 £900k+ per hour	Pieces in this category will be very exceptional and would be either Bank Holiday Events; Specials or Landmark commissions for BBC One. Pieces are only likely to fall into this category when there are no opportunities for major third party investment.