Quote: zooo @ February 22, 2008, 6:22 PMI do that too!
It's not weird is it?
No not really wierd, although I did find it rather strange the first time I saw it. I suppose it's not any different to imagining the characters in your head.
I suppose it would be odd if you were taking the photos out to the pub, having meals together, phoning them every now and again 
I think overall there is probably no single right or wrong way. What you do seem to learn over the course of writing a few scripts is how to make it a less painful exercise to get to your initial draft. Not that writing the script necessarily becomes easier but you learn how to spend your time more productively. Possibly.
Quote: Tim Walker @ February 24, 2008, 1:08 PMI think overall there is probably no single right or wrong way. What you do seem to learn over the course of writing a few scripts is how to make it a less painful exercise to get to your initial draft. Not that writing the script necessarily becomes easier but you learn how to spend your time more productively. Possibly.
Yeah, it took me about 3 years of writing (or trying to write) to nail a successful way of doing things. And now I'm much happier and confident when embarking on a new sitcom pilot.
Though my first script was written with me just sitting down and writing until it ended, and that worked too - more by luck than judgement though.
Characters are the main thing in sit-coms, so I find that once they truly have a voice, as long as I have the general gist of each episode then the characters write it themselves. Try not to be too structured - creativity needs room to breathe.
Sounds similar to my method,Im writing my first sitcom and first developed characters a storyline and subplots for each episode.
The script of my first episode is nearly finished but at present the dialogue is about as funny as clamydia.So next for me is re-write re-write and re-write.
good luck
Quote: Matt Webb @ February 25, 2008, 10:19 AMSounds similar to my method,Im writing my first sitcom and first developed characters a storyline and subplots for each episode.
The script of my first episode is nearly finished but at present the dialogue is about as funny as clamydia.So next for me is re-write re-write and re-write.good luck
I did the classic think-of-a-funny-scene-and-then-build-a-sitcom-around-it to start with. But then went back and approached the same way as Matt is now. Its been easier to work with and hopefully i'm on my final rewrites. They say leave the dialogue to last, and you are going to be less precious about getting rid of a scene if you haven't fully written it yet. I had to rip out a whole subplot, it was messy but the new subplot should get rid of the limp.
Some good points made on this. Leaving the dialogue till last, as they say, is right. You need to look at storyline and your beats (plot points) first. Break down an episode of a show and see what they're doing. It will become a lot clearer.
Also, I would advise once you have all your storyline and plot points to just write dialogue that fits with it without worrying about character. If something strikes you as if it's in character put it in, but you can always put your character's voices in later. Attempt your three jokes per page no matter how feeble, knowing you can improve them another time.
I would say that, other than a few lines, by the time I've reached what I accept as a submission draft, practically every line and basically every joke had been re-written. I'm learning to use the first draft purely to get the structure, the voice of the characters and the plot in place. Then, as is often said here quite rightly, it's all about re-writing. I used to care if I used really weak jokes in the first draft. Now I just shrug my shoulders and know that (hopefully) I'll have got rid of them by the final draft.
Once again, thanks for the comments.. some very useful ideas there. Encouraging that many of you favour the approach we're taking. Another question, who writes alone and whos writing as a pair? While we were brainstorming ideas for plot/structure etc., the 'team' apporoach worked very well, bouncing ideas off each other etc... at this stage, when its time to tap the keys, i think its a little less clear who should be doing what..just curious how are other writing duos approach this stage, e.g. do you split duties equally or does one focus on dialogue while the other concentrate on gags etc. Were almost done on the first draft of ep1, so it'll good to be able to review and look at writing in come of the gags we have simmering on the backboiler...
Oh, and we missed the final bit of the process. You send it off to a production company pitching it like Baby Ruth, they read it and if you're are very, very lucky they won't section you under the Mental Health Act... in my experience.
I've just finished the first draft of a pilot. The main character is already well established (this is an animated project and I'm the voice and animator/director, so it's a little different from writing a script on spec, I suppose), and I let storyline work itself out in my head for about six weeks before sitting down to write.
The first draft is five minutes too short and doesn't have enough laughs in it, but it's shown me that a character I thought was a one-off is probably going to stick around for the whole series, and that I need to spend a lot more time developing the supporting characters.
I write a lot of material in the voice of the main character (an almost daily blog, for instance), and this is very useful for trying out gags and finding out little details about him which I may later be able to use in episodes of the sitcom. Something else I mean to try is to sign him up to some online discussion forums and reply to posts in character. Fleshing out a character using the real (virtual) world can be fun.
Quote: Mike Greybloke @ February 26, 2008, 10:58 AMI've just finished the first draft of a pilot. The main character is already well established (this is an animated project and I'm the voice and animator/director, so it's a little different from writing a script on spec, I suppose), and I let storyline work itself out in my head for about six weeks before sitting down to write.
The first draft is five minutes too short and doesn't have enough laughs in it, but it's shown me that a character I thought was a one-off is probably going to stick around for the whole series, and that I need to spend a lot more time developing the supporting characters.
I write a lot of material in the voice of the main character (an almost daily blog, for instance), and this is very useful for trying out gags and finding out little details about him which I may later be able to use in episodes of the sitcom. Something else I mean to try is to sign him up to some online discussion forums and reply to posts in character. Fleshing out a character using the real (virtual) world can be fun.
So you're the guy who made that animation! Well done, I got that as an email forward so it must have well and truly done the rounds. Here's hoping you stick around on this forum, I'm sure you have plenty of advice to offer.
Quote: Mike Greybloke @ February 26, 2008, 10:58 AMI've just finished the first draft of a pilot. The main character is already well established (this is an animated project and I'm the voice and animator/director, so it's a little different from writing a script on spec, I suppose), and I let storyline work itself out in my head for about six weeks before sitting down to write.
The first draft is five minutes too short and doesn't have enough laughs in it, but it's shown me that a character I thought was a one-off is probably going to stick around for the whole series, and that I need to spend a lot more time developing the supporting characters.
I write a lot of material in the voice of the main character (an almost daily blog, for instance), and this is very useful for trying out gags and finding out little details about him which I may later be able to use in episodes of the sitcom. Something else I mean to try is to sign him up to some online discussion forums and reply to posts in character. Fleshing out a character using the real (virtual) world can be fun.
yeah he's a great character and the series is well written and funny. i'm still feeling slightly queasy and quizzical in equal measure as to the 'substance' used in one of the skits - you know the one!? take the phrase 'milk man' and re-arrange.......arghhh. Actually, i don't want to know. anyway best of luck with it - deserves to do well.
Quote: Nick Rivers @ February 26, 2008, 1:05 PMi'm still feeling slightly queasy and quizzical in equal measure as to the 'substance' used in one of the skits - you know the one!?
I'll put your mind at rest - it was milky shower gel.
It somehow felt wrong to use the real thing.
I just like to get right in there and start writing. The world and characters tend to form in my mind at the same time, then i start thinking about a few things that could happen, then I just start writing and see where it goes. So not really all that organised, at least at first, I just prefer to get stuck in and start putting words down on paper, i couldnt sit there and plan out all six episdoes, plots, sub-plots, characters, etc and not be actually writing the script itself; when an ideas there it sort of forces itself out and i feel like I just have to start writing. This can mean scripts can end up a bit unfocussed and rambling, but then thats what re-writing is for. For me, overplanning at such an early stage would feel stifling and like I was killing the idea. Interesting though to see other people methods.
