Sitcom idea

Hi all,

So my sitcom idea--one I've had for a while and will one day--once it is complete and has jokes in it--pitch to broadcasters-is below.

Essentially, they don't get on much as a family. Dad feels son doesn't 'get' the modern world, etc. Lots (and I mean lots) more to work on.

Pitching for a kind of sophisticated (for want of a better word) My Family/Not Going Out -kind of BBC Four style though, so a sitcom where low key is not an insult but an observation. With a studio audience and visually bright, but not dumbed down or cross dressing (of course I can appreciate that can be very funny).

Probably not a sitcom with swearing, I wouldn't mind putting loads and loads of swearing in and I don't feel offended by it at all, but it would add nothing to it whatsoever so I'll leave it out I think.

Again, much more to do.

Now to properly contain the jokes, not something I can do overnight or indeed at a great speed at all.

Hello Jonathan

Do you have an extract from your script that we could read?

Hello Deferenz,

Well that is the problem, at the moment. One doesn't really exist at all. Keen enough to develop it, I certainly am. But it needs a bit of fire in the belly ('why are you doing that'?) type comedy, a real bit of passion.

Essentially I need to spend every spare minute on it, or actually put some of my money together to work out how to structure the thing at some sort of workshop; ideally both.

So sorry to not have anything concrete at the moment, it needs to be a bit of a protest against the way things are but I don't want it to be too radical, it's not exactly going to give traditionalists a heart attack but nor will it be edgy enough to gain support from anyone highly controversial. After all, I come from a family where my sister gets uptight if I wear non matching socks, it sets her off (mind you her idea of comedy is not mine).

I can and will improve and have my basic idea into some sort of script, so apologies again.

Hi Jonathan,

If its the first script you've ever wrote my suggestion would be to buy a book on how to write a sitcom. This will give you all the basics you'll need. recommendation Marc Blake, How Not To Write A Sitcom . Also buy some script books of your favourite sitcoms to study. Alternately you could download some scripts to read for free from the BBC writers room.

It may seem daunting when you start but the only way to get better is keep writing. O and enjoy it.

Hope that helps.

Hi Kealy,

Thank you, I will look into those, so far I have been on the writers room site and have been reading some of the scripts, from more recent to older sitcoms across the BBC.

I can only improve on the plans, so thank you very much!

Glad to help.

Quote: Jonathan Dibb @ 8th August 2017, 10:00 PM

Hello Deferenz,
Essentially I need to spend every spare minute on it, or actually put some of my money together to work out how to structure the thing at some sort of workshop; ideally both.

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How about, instead of spending every spare minute on it, spend SOME minutes on it... it doesn't really feel like you've got anything at all..Think about what you want to make - a family that doesn't get on where the dad thinks the son doesn't get the real world is just an idea.. come up with some characters at least.. it sounds like you're making excuses to yourself as to why you can't bash out a pilot. Spend half an hour a day figuring it out, do some research, read some scripts, read some articles on story structure - you don't need to attend a workshop.. you can do this from home, for free. And it will be bad - but that's OK.

Thanks for the details, good advice-I will work on it, as you say I just need to do some work on it and of course it will be bad at this stage but that's fine, I spoke to a family member and friend (BBC employee, formerly involved in comedy at the beeb) recently about this and she said similar.

Thanks again,

Jonathan

Jonathan, have you written that first draft yet?

Yes I have, I am trying to improve it because I am at an early stage currently. When it is better, it'll be here.