What Comedy Producers Want (Vanessa Haynes Interview)

This is a great downloadable interview with Vanessa Haynes, who at the time of interview was the Head of Development at Baby Cow. If you don't know of Baby Cow this is one of THE great UK comedy production companies. The company is owned by Steve Coogan (who is probably best known for creating and playing a character called Alan Partridge), and over the last decade has produced shows including Gavin & Stacey, The Mighty Boosh, Ideal, Human Remains, Nighty Night, Saxondale, Marion and Geoff - and many many more. In this interview Vanessa talks to Sally Brockway of Screenwriting Goldmine about the best way to get her attention as a writer!

Vanessa has worked in television for well over a decade.  Like practically everyone else in the British industry she served a substantial time on The Bill - and by way of a change, was instrumental in bringing back a certain rakish fox called Basil Brush for his successful revival.

In this 20 minute interview Vanessa talks about the job of Development Producer:

• How you should approach her with your comedy script (Because Baby Cow accept unsolicited scripts!)
• Exactly what she is looking for - what do you submit?
• How rewriting is central
• Why you shouldn't submit a sample episode of an existing show
• What she means by having a unique voice
• The different types of comedy show and what distinguishes them
• The difference between comedy drama and comic drama
• The problems of writing both

And much, much more!

Just press the Play button to hear the interview in the site player:

Once again, please feel free to download it to your computer and burn it onto CD, or drop it onto your MP3 player.

To do that just right-click here and save the file to your desktop.

One thing it's worth pointing out is that Baby Cow are by no means your run of the mill comedy company, and the things they make are distinctly off beat. Before you waste your time submitting anything to them you should make sure you take a look at the sort of thing they do. Just go to Youtube and search for a few of the shows above to get the hang of it.

Here are just two of my favourites from a massive range of Baby Cow moments of genius.

The first clip was actually produced by Talkback before Steve Coogan set up Baby Cow, but I've included it because A. It's wonderful, and B. The man pitching to the BBC boss is actually Alan Partridge, AKA Steve Coogan.

Down on his luck TV presenter Alan Partridge is desperate to get a recommission of his TV show from the chief BBC Commissioning editor. If you've ever had nightmares about pitching your ideas, you MUST watch this:

(And just think what it must be like pitching to Alan Partridge in real life at Baby Cow!)

NB. This interview was recorded in October 2008. Since then Vanessa has moved on to head up development at Kudos in Northern Ireland, and sadly Baby Cow have decided that just too many Goldminers had sent in scripts, so they have revised their open door policy, so it's probably not worth you sending in your unsolicited scripts right now.  

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Eddie Coleman  - What comedy producers want   |2009-04-26 18:21:11 Just listened to the Vanessa Haynes interview. Absolutely brilliant and insightful. Will be sending them my work this week! One thing though - it would help if you could add a date when these interviews were conducted as everyone moves round very quickly in TV and if this interview is over a year, Vanessa Haynes has probably already moved jobs twice! Hopefully not. Great website. Eddie 07702 408467 Reply | Quote 1   0

jonwood   |2009-06-15 12:27:59 Very interesting. Thanks for this fascinating and extremely positive interview. I thought it was the very thing I was hoping for, until I checked the website (June 2009): "We regret that due to the sheer numbers of scripts we're getting we are no longer able to accept unsolicited scripts or DVD's until future notice." They don't say if this applies only to laminated scripts! Reply | Quote 1   0

Graham Rathlin  - You broke my heart, Vanessa   |2009-09-24 15:20:43 I thought you were different. I took you at your word. I thought 'at last someone who gives the newbie a chance, someone who won't shut me out in the cold, someone who'll at least give me the benefit of the doubt'. Then I went to your website. I might have known. You're just like the others. How could I be such a fool? You broke my heart, Vanessa. I'll never laugh again. Sob. You cow. Reply | Quote 0   0

SH Webb   |2009-10-14 01:30:59 This was very interesting. Some really useful info. Shame Baby Cow no longer accept unsolicited scripts - a date of interview would be useful in future! Reply | Quote 0   0

Ray Ray  - I NEED A NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   |2009-12-07 20:32:32 Hi, my naem is Rachel I am an actor at niagara college and I am in need of aname for a rpoducer that reads new comedy developement. I have to write a queary letter but I need someone specific to write to. If someone would love to help me out by giving me a name and a website so I can look at it that would be GREATLY appreciated! Thank you soooo much! Reply | Quote 0   0

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