The Commissioning Process (Drama)

Drama

Give a summary of the type of content and overview for each channel and what it expects and how does it differ depending on that channel.

BBC 1:

BBC One’s style of Drama aims to be for and about the BBC One audience, providing something for everyone. In other words this means coming up with ideas and problems for the characters that the watchers have to deal with in everyday life.

Drama maintains a mix of established, returning favourites and new and original ideas in either contemporary or period settings, always telling big stories through big characters.

List of BBC1 Dramas:

·      Call the Midwife

·      Casualty

·      Doctors

·      Doctor Who

·      EastEnders

·      Merlin

BBC 2:

BBC Two’s drama aims at appealing to audiences who enjoy looking at the world in provocative and imaginative ways, this can involve telling stories about the past and present.

List of BBC2 Dramas:

·      Cinderella Man

·      Dancing on the Edge

BBC 3:

Drama on BBC Three exists in a very competitive digital landscape and therefore has to be at its most original and imaginative to attract the 16-34 audience.  Being Human, The Fades and Lip Service have all brought distinctive and full-flavoured narrative to this audience.

Drama opportunities are limited on BBC Three, with funding for a maximum of two series, and they must have the potential to grab attention and make an impact.  Concept and high concept pieces have been successful on the channel.

List of BBC3 Dramas:

·      Being Human

·      The Crash

Who are the Audience for each channel for your chosen genre? Give examples.

BBC 1:

BBC One’s drama tries to appeal to all target audiences as it has the widest reach of all the channels (average of nearly 80% of the population tuning in to the channel every week.)

BBC 2:

The audience for BBC Two is mainly aimed at middle aged viewers but also young adults, around about twenty to thirty years old.

BBC 3:

BBC Three’s drama is often aimed more at a younger audience, between 16 – 30.

PTO

Finally explain in your own words the commissioning process. Remember to include what happens to the proposal once submitted and any details on Legal and ethical considerations: copyright; bias; censorship; watersheds; libel; plagiarism  

The commissioning process for the BBC is set out in the BBC Code of Practice. After someone submits their idea to the BBC, all proposals receive an acknowledgement of their proposal within one week of receipt. The relevant Commissioning Editor (Comedy editor for comedy etc.) will then make the decision of either reject or progress proposals for further consideration within six weeks of receipt.

If the idea is good and the BBC is happy they will ask the writer to think about the idea some more and get in contact with an independent production company in order to successfully produce the idea into a film or TV series. After this if all goes well the BBC might accept the idea and show it on a channel and time appropriate for the target audience (e.g. BBC3 at 9:00pm for adult comedy.)

If for example my script I’ve been writing was accepted by the BBC and got past the commissioning process I believe my Sci-fi, fantasy, Drama would fall under the Drama 3 category. This would be because my show would be likely to have high production values with known talent to play some of the main roles. To start off with my series would be a lot like how Torchwood (Doctor who spin off) started out. This type of drama would get me paid about £500k - £630k per hour of screened showing, this basically means if the show was on for 1 hour a week I would be paid about £500k - £630k every week until the show finished.