The British sci-fi media (Brit) track is full of goodies on Doctor Who and its spinoffs, Monty Python, Being Human, and more. On Friday afternoon, writer Louis John Robinson helped demystify the Goliath behind all of these programs at “Inside the BBC.”

Robinson’s advice to aspiring writers was sobering: “If you have a great idea,” he said, “do not give it to the BBC.” He estimated that 100 unsolicited scripts per day enter their submission process, and just about none of them get made without an actor or producer attached. The BBC itself he described as a collection of “mini-empires fighting amongst themselves”; as the world’s oldest broadcast organization, it’s nearly impossible to navigate. Robinson’s own strategy should resonate with speculative fiction fans everywhere – “if the system’s too big,” he declared, “subvert the system.”