Should "Discovery" bring back the policy of fans being able to send scripts to the show?

[Jayson1]

It's something that I sort of thought about in part because I am reading the Mark Altman book's about the behind the scenes stuff from all the Trek combined with all the new idea's people are talking about in the thread about the show getting a new showrunner. I think that policy was their before Pillar but the book talks about how he liked having it. It would also be a nice gesture for fans to feel like they are welcomed which is something the old staff I don't felt did a good of job of doing. Of course most of them would be bad and rejected but that wouldn't really be the point. Just curious but did anyone ever send in a script back in the day as well?

Jason

 

[Firebird]

Michael Piller was the one who instituted the policy, partly out of necessity. At the start of production for S3, they had practically no scripts in development, so they had to open up the submission policy. I'm pretty sure WGA rules are a lot tighter now on non-union writers being able to submit unsolicited work, so I doubt they could do it. Plus, the format of the show now, where writing is largely finished before the shooting block begins, and the number of episodes is half of what it used to be, means they've got more time for staff writers and writer's assistants to do their jobs without well-meaning amateurs eating up more of their time to read scripts or listen to story pitches.

 

[Kemaiku]

Just what we need, more fanfic level writing.

 

[Lord Garth]

Not sure how that would work with serialized story-telling. Back in the TNG days, everything was one-and-done. Now, not so much. Imagine if someone submitted a script focusing on a status quo DSC had moved passed? Or if your story centered on someone they were about to kill off?

But, otherwise, I like the idea of going through an agent. It provides a filter where they have to think you're good enough to be represented before submission.

 

[dahj]

Isn't it a bit difficult to submit scripts for a serialized show if you haven't a clue what the ongoing arc is supposed to be?

 

[Noname Given]

No. Just no.

 

[Jinn]

Isn't it a bit difficult to submit scripts for a serialized show if you haven't a clue what the ongoing arc is supposed to be?

No. Just no.

I like to think that the second post is a direct answer to the first

 

[Noname Given]

I like to think that the second post is a direct answer to the first

It's not. The last thing they need is an open submission policy.

 

[Jinn]

It's not.

Yeah, I thought so, but it's funnier the other way around.

 

[Jayson1]

Of course I think their is some debate if the show is still going to be arc-oriented in the future. I think it will be through season 2 but who knows when season 3 comes around. I do see the problems but who knows. You might also get the next Ron Moore as well. Also wasn't most of season 3 of"TNG" made up of writers except for Behr who got their jobs like this by the time the season ended? Not counting someone like Snodgrass who left before the season ended.

Jason

 

[KennyB]

No. Just no.

Well said!

 

[Butters]

Yes they should.

Legal issues aside. It would be a good way to bring new ideas and blood to the series.

The serialisation could be done more subtly than Discovery is aiming for at the moment, and the overall arc could be weaved in to the standalone episodes, much like Dr Who now, or the first couple of seasons of Babylon 5.

A starship series doesn’t lend its self to an arc so much. It’s the planet of the week episodes that get repeat viewings. TOS and TNG episodes get many rewatches, DS9 not so much.

Trek shouldn’t be afraid to just be Star Trek, and to do what it did when it was most successful, instead of trying to do what other shows do now to be successful.

Open submission on the scripts would help this, so long as I could submit from the UK. I vote yes.

 

[CaptainMurdock]

It's worth a try. If the ideas are good then go for it.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Disco is doing season-long arcs. Fan submissions only lend themselves to standalone episodes.

Maybe Orville should give it a try.

 

[Lord Garth]

Of course I think their is some debate if the show is still going to be arc-oriented in the future. I think it will be through season 2 but who knows when season 3 comes around. I do see the problems but who knows. You might also get the next Ron Moore as well. Also wasn't most of season 3 of"TNG" made up of writers except for Behr who got their jobs like this by the time the season ended? Not counting someone like Snodgrass who left before the season ended.

Season 3 had Hans Beimler, Melinda Snodgrass, and Richard Manning, who were carried over from Season 2. They were all staff Michael Piller inherited. Ira Steven Behr was there just for Season 3 (of TNG, anyway).

Michael Piller kept Ron Moore but otherwise started bringing in all new people in Season 4. Jeri Tayler, Joe Menosky, and Brannon Braga (even though he was an intern that season). Rene Echevarria did some scripts in S3 and S4, but didn't become staff until Season 5.

Ron Moore actually submitted his first script during Season 2, he had a connection through his girlfriend, and he was a squeaky wheel.

 

[dahj]

Maybe Orville should give it a try.

Person in charge of reading those submissions:

 

[Firebird]

Also wasn't most of season 3 of"TNG" made up of writers except for Behr who got their jobs like this by the time the season ended? Not counting someone like Snodgrass who left before the season ended.

Ira Steven Behr: asked by Michael Piller to join and help supervise the writing staff. First job was performing a "major" rewrite on The Hunted.
Hans Beimler: wrote for the show for the first 3 seasons, starting with Coming of Age. Left after season 3 partly because of personality clashes with Michael Piller.
Richard Manning: wrote for the show for the first 3 seasons, starting with Coming of Age. Left after season 3 partly because of personality clashes with Michael Piller.
Melinda Snodgrass: sold the first unsolicited script for TNG (Measure of a Man). Left after season 3 partly because of personality clashes with Michael Piller.
Richard Danus: Worked on the first 10 weeks of season 3's production. Contract not picked up. Later wrote for DS9.
Ronald D. Moore: like Snodgrass, sold an unsolicited script for the series sometime during season 2. Wasn't asked to join the staff until season 3.
Michael Wagner: staff writer for the first four episodes of season 3 before leaving production.
Hanna Louise Shearer: wrote for the show since the first season. Last credit with the series was episode 308, The Price.
Rene Echevarria: sold The Offspring as an unsolicited script, bungled the rewrite and wasn't asked to join the writing staff until late in season 3.
Shari Goodhartz: writing staff intern during the back half of season 3.

This doesn't count the one-and-done credited writers that already had established careers as television writers. Overall, only Moore and Echevarria became staff writers as a result of the open submission policy.

EDIT: Looks like @Lord Garth beat me to it.

 

[Lord Garth]

^ Yeah, but you were more in-depth.

 

[Jayson1]

Even if the list is just two people in Moore and Echevarria that is still a impressive success because they ended up becoming two of the best writers during the Berman era and have had success away from Trek. Even though it wasn't TNG but didn't Micheal Taylor and Lisa Klink also get into Trek this way?


Jason

 

[Takeru]

Fans are not as creative as they think they are, 99,9% of the submitted scripts where either crap, derivative or would never work on a tv budget or schedule. I pity whoever had to go through all of them to find the two or three decent ideas each year.

Most fans think they can come up with the next Measure of a man when in reality their scripts would be worse than Threshold.