Thursday, March 08, 2007

Abbott blasts commissioners

TV writer Paul Abbott has attacked commissioners for lacking the courage to launch shows with a long run, reports Liz Thomas in The Stage.
“The way the system works at the moment [means that] commissioners give you three or six episodes at first and it is two years before they’ll commit to ten. The commissioners are gutless, because it is expensive to make TV drama and they won’t take the risk. But I think it’s important for us to learn to tell audiences that we have got something good, and if we commissioned 16 episodes straight away then the audience will appreciate that investment, and they’ll feel well looked after.”

1 comment:

  1. Naturally I agree with every word Paul says. What's also scary... and shows how little faith commissioners have in us... is that Channel Five has just
    invited the public to send in their programme ideas via their website! Give me strength. Obviously it's so easy to create world class television that anyone can do it and Five can cut out the middle man: professional writers. Excuse me whilst I bang my head into the nearest wall.

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