Scrotal Recall Page 4

Sure thing - after university I got a job at one of the many dot.com startups that venture capitalists were hurling money at circa 2000 (before the bubble burst). The company was called HaHaBonk and it made comedy content for broadband before most people had broadband (we were the future, but the future kept dragging its heels). I worked as a content editor and general dogsbody, but the guys running it were generous about spotting opportunities for their staff, and one of them put me in touch with a co-producer on the MAGIC ROUNDABOUT movie which, with my then-partner, I ended up doing some rewriting work on.

Off the back of that an agent, a contact via my then-girlfriend (now wife), offered to represent us. I probably got an easier break than if I'd known nobody, but the bottom line was still having work of (reasonable) quality to present to someone when an opportunity arose. I think that's always the bottom line with writers: the way in is to write a great, great script. Contacts alone can't give you a career, they can only introduce you to people who won't like your mediocre work; on the other hand, people are usually generous - excited, too - to help promote a new and talented voice irrespective of that writer's background.

Thanks. Also do you currently have an agent and if so how did you go about getting one?

I do - I have two agents, one for film and one for TV, both at the same agency (United Agents). My film agent was kind enough to let me malinger on her books during the years I was trying to get my mojo in order, so I was able to revive an existing relationship once I was ready to get going properly.

Is getting an agent a current concern for you, Mikado?

I think your name helps, Tom.

Most likely it does. Very glad I changed it from my birth name, Thunderpunch Spycracker.

Quote: Tom Edge @ 1st October 2014, 5:21 PM BST

Is getting an agent a current concern for you, Mikado?

View original

Hello Tom - my writing partner and I are ticking along nicely representing ourselves (see here NEWS - chrisandbex ) but would be interested in meeting agents to discuss our ambitions and see how they could help.

Wow - yes indeed, you are! You've obviously got a great body of work to present agents with.

Well if your then-girlfriend (now wife) still has any good contacts please don't hesitate to let me know!

If you're considering approaching agents, I think the best way to go about shortlisting people to approach is by listing your favourite up-and-coming writers (or writer/directors etc.) and then finding out who reps them. Most of that info is Google-able, or else IMDB Pro covers the represenation of almost anyone with credits.

There's not usually much point in focusing on the reps for Graham Linehan and Steve Coogan etc... their agents usually have highly-established lists and aren't often taking on new clients. The sweet spot is a young-ish agent who is ambitious, has a few very good clients on their books (so that producers and casting agents etc. will be in regular contact with them) but who is still aggressively building a list and thus interested in meeting potential clients.

Most biggish agencies have the full range of agents under one roof, from industry veterans to agents' assistants who are just beginning to take on their own clients. Google your way around the agencies, find a good match for your taste and theirs, aim for kind of agent I mention above... then you're off.

Or, start dating an agent. That works too.

Thanks again Tom, all much appreciated - wishing you every success with the show!

I've just watched Episode One and it's good.

Good cast, good production and very good writing.

The writing is exceptionally good - TOO good in fact because I'm sure a great many of the funny lines were totally wasted on many viewers due to the speed with which the action progresses. The brain can process only so much information in any given time frame.

If I'd been watching it in a room full of other people, I would have become very unpopular by grabbing the remote control and continually stopping the action in order to make sure everyone understood why a particular line was so funny and so clever.

And I'm sure many of those people would have said they didn't have time to 'get' the line as things were moving so fast that the line's intended comedic effect was trodden on by whatever followed it.

To really appreciate this show, viewers should watch it twice, or even three times - with an annotated script in hand.

But they won't, of course.

Which is a shame.

I'm afraid I think the choice of the lead character is terrible.

He's totally unbelievable and a crap actor.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 2nd October 2014, 11:22 PM BST

I've just watched Episode One and it's good.

Good cast, good production and very good writing.

The writing is exceptionally good - TOO good in fact because I'm sure a great many of the funny lines were totally wasted on many viewers due to the speed with which the action progresses. The brain can process only so much information in any given time frame.

If I'd been watching it in a room full of other people, I would have become very unpopular by grabbing the remote control and continually stopping the action in order to make sure everyone understood why a particular line was so funny and so clever.

And I'm sure many of those people would have said they didn't have time to 'get' the line as things were moving so fast that the line's intended comedic effect was trodden on by whatever followed it.

To really appreciate this show, viewers should watch it twice, or even three times - with an annotated script in hand.

But they won't, of course.

Which is a shame.

View original

You're obviously vastly more intelligent than the average viewer.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 2nd October 2014, 11:22 PM BST

I've just watched Episode One and it's good.

Good cast, good production and very good writing.

The writing is exceptionally good - TOO good in fact because I'm sure a great many of the funny lines were totally wasted on many viewers due to the speed with which the action progresses. The brain can process only so much information in any given time frame.

If I'd been watching it in a room full of other people, I would have become very unpopular by grabbing the remote control and continually stopping the action in order to make sure everyone understood why a particular line was so funny and so clever.

And I'm sure many of those people would have said they didn't have time to 'get' the line as things were moving so fast that the line's intended comedic effect was trodden on by whatever followed it.

To really appreciate this show, viewers should watch it twice, or even three times - with an annotated script in hand.

But they won't, of course.

Which is a shame.

View original

Ha.

It's always unfair to judge a show from one short episode, yet this one managed to be very good regardless. The humour hit the sweet spot between sentimental and raucous, and I liked trying to solve the mystery, too.

Of course, it would have been even better with more tits and swearing.

Quote: Chappers @ 2nd October 2014, 11:30 PM BST

I'm afraid I think the choice of the lead character is terrible.

He's totally unbelievable and a crap actor.

You're obviously vastly more intelligent than the average viewer.

View original

Have to agree with Chapters, the central character is very wooden and seems to be sporting a guinea pig on his head. I realise that I am outside of the age range for this show (16-35) but the concept appeared crass and the reality isn't good. Not for me I'm afraid, but I can see that it may appeal to fans of The Inbetweeneers or Celebrity Juice.