To be hurt and annoyed at being dropped by the BBC?

What's wrong with tv people posting?

She won't get the same traction on there. Your putting your own ideological, purity-circle, righteous priorities above what would be most effective for her. I say this as a user of BlueSky.

You don't really know why they did what they did. The point is they didn't tell her they weren't going to use her material...it was a matter of an email or a call, and they didn't bother. That was rude. I don't blame her for being upset. It would have taken someone working on the programme five minutes as a matter of basic courtesy and professionalism. No one is so important they can't take five minutes.

Also, would you like to be told something you take seriously is only to be presented as your little hobby that should be only presented in a cafe? No one would!

This.

'All the fucking TV experts on here' are people who work in the industry! Same as if someone in the medical or teaching professions could offer an insight on a different thread based on their knowledge of their industry.
If the OP does want to contact the production company then their advice will be much more help to getting towards whatever her preferred outcome is that people shouting sue them, it's ageism and copyright theft at her.

All the fucking TV experts on here

I would have done the same as you. Email them and humiliate them. It's downright ageism and it's particularly bad for older women on TV. I would have a right go at them.

OP, with kindness, if you were even half as worked up about this as you say you were, it's much more likely a case of that coming across very obviously on camera rather than anything more sinister.

Usually when a producer is looking for an 'expert' to speak on camera, they want it to look casual, confident and effortless, like someone has asked you a question off the cuff and you're answering it.

This was your first time doing a piece to camera and the 'script' you wrote isn't a script, its something that you (not a professional script writer) wrote down to help you remember what to say. None of this leads to a flowing, natural delivery.

What I expect has happened is that they weren't happy with what they'd filmed, didn't have enough time to find another 'expert', so put a version of what you'd said on an auto-cue and got a runner/production assistant/other contributor to read it off.

As for people saying that you should demand compensation, unfortunately it'll fall on deaf ears. You seem very passionate about your hobby though...have you thought about organising a talk about it somewhere local to you? A library or cafe or something?

70% of freelancers are unemployed

That stat is from Bectu, not Pact. Pact is no friend of the freelance workforce that makes its members so much money.

I am acutely aware of the state of the industry, I have long been active in trying to effect culture change.

Have you seen the latest Film & TV Charity piece? That is a good example of what’s wrong with the industry.

Me reassuring the OP she deserved better is not me throwing producers under the bus - they have an increasingly impossible job with very little training or support.

This.

Prepare the interviewee beforehand by explaining the process and outlining what not to do as much as what to do.

Work with them on the day to help them appear relaxed, confident and knowledgable whilst hitting the story points you need for the overall programme.

Maybe all of this was done - but a few things the OP has said (sending a list of questions and not properly explaining the nature of her contribution being dropped) make me wonder if it was.

Never give your expertise away for free.

Again with lots of (incorrect) assumptions. I’m considerably more senior than PD and do expect excellence from my teams - because it’s my job to make them excellent.

What do you do in tv? And can I ask where you work because I’d love to be surrounded by the perfect producers you seem to work with.

I can’t think of a single instance when providing a list of questions in an interview with an ‘everyday’ contributor is anything other than a hindrance to the interview process. Can you give me one?

I have made assumptions - which I have freely acknowledged as being based solely on the info presented to me by the OP - and given several alternative reasons she was dropped.

You, on the other hand, are deciding what is helpful to the OP based on…what? Your own feelings? Not sure why that is acceptable but my judgements are not. I would also encourage you to read the thread (or even the first post) more carefully, as the OP was told she was being dropped - but not that her knowledge was repackaged into (what I take to be) a PTC.

I’m not assuming the worst of anyone - but I am someone who sees the failure of someone I’m managing as a personal failure. If I haven’t supported someone less experienced than me (so in this case, the OP) through a process to success, that’s on me (or in this case the producer).

But again, all of this comes with the massive caveat (which I’ve said many times) that her being dropped may not have anything at all to do with her performance.

As for insulting you - I’m not the one minimising your experience in an attempt to undermine your input into the discussion.

I’m sure the OP, if she can bear wading through this conversation, will update us on exactly what she was told by the producers.

So then its up to the skill of the producer to get a natural interview, anyone can prepare for an interview however they choose

I do recognise failures in TV - the OP should have been communicated with. If she writes to the BBC to complain, as she’s quite entitled to, they’ll write to the prodco, who will write to the OP to either apologise or explain.

However, it is not professional of you to make assumptions about the production team’s competence based on no evidence, other than a personal preference you have for how you brief contribs. As a producer you may not regularly provide questions, but many good producers do, either because it works for them, or because they may sometimes have to.

I do think you work in the industry, or have done, as an AP or PD. I think it’s less likely you’re been in a very senior role, as you’ve say, or you wouldn’t assume that providing questions is an automatic error - you would know that good producers work in a variety of ways.

TV production teams work very hard, often shocking hours, on ever tighter budgets, tighter time frames, and to difficult channel demands, at a time when the industry is in free fall and according to Pact anyway, 70% of freelancers are unemployed.

Given you are or have been one of them, I find it more than disappointing you are so willing to assume the worst of them, with no evidence, when there are other ways to acknowledge the lack of comms from the prodco was poor and to reassure the OP that her being dropped is not a reflection of her.

Chucking insults at me isn’t terribly impressive either.

People are being horrible to you. I'd have done exactly the same. Don't worry about being humiliated. Email them, tell them what you've said here that this was your original, unpublished research and ask to whom you should send the invoice for your expertise and time? Do it. If it's a horrible email back, get a friend to read it with you. And why should you care what reason they choose to give you for stealing your stuff but cutting your voice? It'll be rubbish. People make up all sorts of things to justify bad actions. I know you've been through some tough times confidence wise but you don't have to let this stick. Do it and see what they say.

I’ve said all this.

Don’t tell me I’m not being professional for pointing out the failures I see in the way the OP has been treated - if you work in tv, you should recognise the failings I do.

You can also stop with the ‘if you are a producer’ crap; I have no reason to lie on an anonymous forum and the content of my posts should offer enough information that you can tell I work in the industry.

You are also making plenty of assumptions, and yours are no more valid than mine.

You might not see my comments as helpful but perhaps the OP does. Perhaps she doesn’t - but I’ll wait for her to tell me, thanks all the same.

@Ladyof2025 like I said - lots of arseholes in tv.

I think you’ve leapt to making far too many assumptions about what the producers did or didn’t do, in your rush to reassure the OP.

This is not necessary or professional of you - it’s far more comforting for the OP to know that this isn’t unusual, than for her to feel she’s been messed around by an incompetent production team.

The fact that you’ve just added you haven’t had many interviews you couldn’t make work is simply not relevant and will again make the OP feel worse - contribs get dropped for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with whether an IV works or not, and are beyond the control of producers, who do not get the final say on a cut. You know all this, if you are a current producer.

All we can say is the OP should have been communicated with, but that may well rest with the prodco not the producers.

If we’re being fair, things like TOS are a good training ground for young directors, so maybe inexperience rather than malice was to blame here.

A decent phone call could have prevented the OP feeling like crap.

‘OP, I’m really sorry to tell you that we won’t be including your filmed contribution in the final show. We faced time pressures in the edit which meant we needed to shorten the Fancy House section. The most efficient way to get information across in an item like this is through our presenter and we tried to include as many of the fascinating details you uncovered with your research as possible.

I wanted to acknowledge that this must be very disappointing for you, and thank you for the time and expertise you gave to the project.

Your incredible knowledge about Fancy House was so interesting, and we hope you will be pleased that the intriguing discoveries you made about previous visitors will be shared with our audience. Is there anything you would like to ask me?’

Omg, speak to a lawyer, go on social media, go tell the guardian...how dare they! This is theft at it's core

You’re completely right.

and I think the fact that it’s pretty poor form and bad communication from the producers is actually lost in this thread.

i would’ve contacted a contributor if I’d dropped them to let them know. And there’s been a lack of direction to the OP as well- it’s ridiculous that some people would rather redo an interview than tell someone they are doing it wrong.

funnily enough- I also thought One show. I’ve heard some stories about it from former colleagues 🫣

This must be fake

Well, actually if you are providing scripts, you should join the Society of Authors, and you absolutely can negotiate a fee for that. They have an in house attorney who will help you with that. It is all part of their service they provide to members.

No one here is saying the Beeb is corrupt, but as I mentioned upthread, there are a goodly number of disgruntled academics out there who felt taken advantage of...this really came out at the 2021 UKRI conference in Q and A, and there was reassurance that the networks would do better. Especially if there is someone who doesn't know a lot about media and law, a simple phone call or email explanation from the producer, etc, is not too much to ask.

To be fair it could be an item on the One Show or something like Coast or any UK-based travelogue.

But yeah, crappy communication from the production team aside, it’s not really a ‘defund the BBC’ level issue.

That’s not to minimise the personal upset it’s caused the OP - she has every right to feel hurt and it could all have been avoided with a phone call from the producers.

I was approached by the BBC recently for the same sort of thing. I told them I wouldn't present well on camera but offered them a script and image for the show. They game me full credit on screen and my piece was done by a famous presenter in my place. I did ask if there would be payment, but they said there wouldn't be for that kind of contribution, which is fair play. It got my name and my work up in lights and I was happy about that.

Maybe for just providing a script, you don't get a credit or payment? I think that you could complain, but for providing a script they probably wouldn't credit or pay you as that is just normal practice for a small contribution like that.

Some of the answers on here make me relieved I left broadcasting at a fairly young age.

as it’s an area I know well, I also find it fascinating how little people know about the industry, the way it works, and the legalities.

I’m guessing by the subject matter, this was not prime time viewing. It’s possibly local news.

that’s not to detract from the show or the OPs contribution, but to suggest the BBC is a morally corrupt organisation because an contributor was dropped from ‘points west’ or similar regional news programme is batshit.

Like many post on AIBU, there’s more to this story. And the OPs lack of knowledge of how TV works makes this more likely.

No payment is offered generally for contributors. If it is it’s a minimal ‘disturbance fee’- you have no rights as an employee or contractor. You are basically a volunteer and if the programme maker drops it, you have no comeback.

Next time OP, don’t put so much effort into it. And just chat enthusiastically about your subject. The best contributors are ones who can just wax lyrical about their passion- trust me, you’ll come across a lot better and you aren’t being marked on how much you know- it’s about entertaining people too

@Namechangey23

That's the real problem here. You told all your friends you'd be on TV and now have egg on your face because it's not. It's like straight out of Gavin and Stacey when Mick's whole family gather round to see his 'interview' which gets cut to a 2 second comment! It could have been worse OP!
Well aren't you a nasty friend with nasty friends if you all sit about enjoying seeing things go awry for each other.

Friends aren't gloating and seeing egg on the face if their friends. Friends get pissed off on behalf of their friends.