Unusual Productions are looking for contributors for Season 12 of their award winning programme, The Skewer for BBC Radio 4, a topical comedy show with the week’s biggest stories like you’ve never heard them before. Presented by Jon Holmes.
What Kind of Contributions?
Long form ideas or simple, short cut-up ideas. Listening to the programme will give you an idea of what we mean by that (all the series so far are all available on BBC Sounds.) Some of it’s silly, some of it is very dark – but they do like it to be ‘satirical’ (small ‘s’) in the sense that you should be making a point, or making listeners think. And certainly maybe making them think something they possibly haven’t considered before.
How Would I Format My Contribution?
In the first instance, an email pitch to theskewer@@unusualproductions.co.uk with an idea. To be clear, it’s not just stuff from people who are adept at fiddling with audio, they also just take ideas on paper. Often, they’ll ask you to source clips and then send over the links with timecodes written out a bit like a script. See here for the ideal template to follow. You don’t have to build it – the team can do that. Many great bits come in in this way and it means that anyone can pile in with ideas . Others will make the whole thing themselves. Separate audio stems are requested which the team reserve the right to cut down, add to, mess with, repurpose and remix into the overall soundscape.
DEADLINES
Your long form ideas ‘on paper’ that you’d like the team to make: SATURDAY MORNING (prior to the coming Wednesday’s show.) Long form ideas you’re making yourself: email pitch by SATURDAY (prior to Wednesday’s show) and, if it’s a ‘yes’, delivery by MIDDAY SUNDAY.
Quickie topical stuff (eg simple cut ups like the stuff that usually ends up in the first few minutes of each programme) you can send anytime MONDAY- WEDNESDAY. The team can drop these in as late as Wednesday afternoon.
FEES
A flat fee is paid to all contributors for all non-commissioned material (regardless of previous experience): £55.00 per broadcast minute for pieces you put together yourself, £40 for your ideas that the team make , and £25 per ‘quickie’. If your material is used in the broadcast show, this fee will take in all rights for the work on a non-exclusive basis. If we use material or ideas you have provided, your consent for us to do so is implicit.
For further information, including tips and advice visit The Skewer Contributor Guide