Good luck this final week, everybody.
I rushed in two sketches. Both under-done, really, but I wanted to get something in this week, as I've been annoyed at myself this series for having quite a lot of ideas but not managing to execute any of them.
Newsjack Series 24 - Feb/Mar 2021 Page 8
Just looked at the clock and realised I'd missed the deadline without even picking up my pen 
I've had a busy weekend though, with a hospital appointment, Mothers Day, and looking after a sick chicken, so I'll try and go easy on myself.
The two I managed this series were 'Dickus Piccus' (the first ever dick pic - a Roman penis carving found in Cambridgeshire) and 'The Joy of Spraying' (Banksy is actually Bob Ross).
I managed to get one sketch in today. I got the idea from The Express on Saturday, by today the story had gone from their website! So who knows what they'll make of it.
I only managed to get two sketches in this series, but I'm pleased to be getting stuff done and sent in on time. Since I was at school I've always found writing and creating incredibly difficult to start. Recently I've found that starting to write something, anything, is a much better idea generator than sitting around thinking about stuff. I've started the "morning pages" exercise touted by Scott Dikkers and I think it does help in getting into the swing of things.
Good luck to everyone with your submissions!
Quote: foggydon @ 15th March 2021, 1:58 PMI managed to get one sketch in today. I got the idea from The Express on Saturday, by today the story had gone from their website! So who knows what they'll make of it.
I only managed to get two sketches in this series, but I'm pleased to be getting stuff done and sent in on time. Since I was at school I've always found writing and creating incredibly difficult to start. Recently I've found that starting to write something, anything, is a much better idea generator than sitting around thinking about stuff. I've started the "morning pages" exercise touted by Scott Dikkers and I think it does help in getting into the swing of things.
Good luck to everyone with your submissions!
I've been very last minute this series - I have a pad in which I'll write down headlines / stories I've seen and hope I get some inspiration , and I regularly use a thesaurus . ( As Harry Hill once said, 'what's another word for a thesaurus ' ? )
Anyway, just sent off my final batch. Inspired by Dantrobus, have even put a bit of a song in one of my oneliners
Good luck all
My last lot of oneliners just sent off too.
Good luck everybody!
Does anyone else find they obsess over one headline and can't shake off that you should be able to get a really funny joke out of it... and then realise you've run out of time and rush out a few others instead? No? Oh, me either.
Quote: skram @ 16th March 2021, 10:51 AMDoes anyone else find they obsess over one headline and can't shake off that you should be able to get a really funny joke out of it... and then realise you've run out of time and rush out a few others instead? No? Oh, me either.
Yes, a lot. For me, it's normally those ones where you need an extra step to make the punchline a logical follow-on from the set-up so it all gets clunky but I feel like there must be a way to make it work in an economical way.
In this lot, I spent far too long thinking about the seafood mislabelling story (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/15/is-your-fish-a-fake-how-to-spot-seafood-and-what-to-do-if-youre-suspicious) and then a punchline that was either a pun on 'what's the catch' or some fish-species-related pun. In the end, I got nothing that worked particularly well, so abandoned it. Though I did get a fish pun in there on another story (The makers of I'm a Celebrity bringing in invasive crayfish species to north Wales one), so all was not lost, fish-wise.
Quote: EllieS @ 15th March 2021, 12:09 PMThe two I managed this series were 'Dickus Piccus' (the first ever dick pic - a Roman penis carving found in Cambridgeshire) and 'The Joy of Spraying' (Banksy is actually Bob Ross).
I like both of these ideas.
Quote: Kenny Bania @ 16th March 2021, 8:52 AMInspired by Dantrobus, have even put a bit of a song in one of my oneliners
If I end up being partially responsible for getting another song oneliner onto Newsjack, I shall be absolutely furious 
Hey everyone, that was my first series of submitting to NewsJack, and lurking around this thread here has been a godsend for the post-midday Tuesday to pre-6pm Thursday purgatory of clicking around for news and needing to do *something* while you wait part of the week. Good luck for everyone for the last show.
Doing four weeks straight is knackering - how do you ever manage a six week run..?
Quote: Turmoil MD @ 16th March 2021, 12:57 PMHey everyone, that was my first series of submitting to NewsJack, and lurking around this thread here has been a godsend for the post-midday Tuesday to pre-6pm Thursday purgatory of clicking around for news and needing to do *something* while you wait part of the week. Good luck for everyone for the last show.
Doing four weeks straight is knackering - how do you ever manage a six week run..?
Glad the thread's been of help to you!
Lots of people don't manage a six week run! So, in normal times, when they do a full 6 episode run, you've got a better chance of getting material on in weeks 5 and 6 because the number of submissions drops quite a bit. So it's a commonly repeated bit of Newsjack advice to push on into those last two weeks even though, you're right, it is knackering.
Quote: Dantrobus @ 16th March 2021, 1:17 PMGlad the thread's been of help to you!
Lots of people don't manage a six week run! So, in normal times, when they do a full 6 episode run, you've got a better chance of getting material on in weeks 5 and 6 because the number of submissions drops quite a bit. So it's a commonly repeated bit of Newsjack advice to push on into those last two weeks even though, you're right, it is knackering.
It's good to know while you're burrowing away that there's people in other tunnels doing the same.
Also seems like the news has been particularly grim these last few weeks, unless it's just me paying attention for once...
Same - I'm not a fan of 'topical' comedy for that reason. I tried The Skewer, but it's the stuff of nightmares. I used to reach for the off button whenever sport came on, but now it's absolutely anything to do with the state of the world (so... basically all radio) and if they're talking about football I practically turn it up and welcome the privileged, self-importance I used to loathe with open arms. Oh, how the turntables...
I can't bring myself to look at the actual BBC News website, so I always go for obscure stories I've found somewhere else. Some things are really hard to laugh at because you do feel like that dog in the burning house ("this is fine"). I listen to Newsjack for research more than entertainment (sorry!).
P.S. No disrespect to anyone who's managed to get anything in to either NJ or The Skewer! I think the writing is great - I just shy away from the actual news for my own sanity.
Quote: EllieS @ 16th March 2021, 2:21 PMSame - I'm not a fan of 'topical' comedy for that reason. I tried The Skewer, but it's the stuff of nightmares. I used to reach for the off button whenever sport came on, but now it's absolutely anything to do with the state of the world (so... basically all radio) and if they're talking about football I practically turn it up and welcome the privileged, self-importance I used to loathe with open arms. Oh, how the turntables...
I can't bring myself to look at the actual BBC News website, so I always go for obscure stories I've found somewhere else. Some things are really hard to laugh at because you do feel like that dog in the burning house ("this is fine"). I listen to Newsjack for research more than entertainment (sorry!).
P.S. No disrespect to anyone who's managed to get anything in to either NJ or The Skewer! I think the writing is great - I just shy away from the actual news for my own sanity.
I started veering towards BBC Sport rather than BBC News after 9/11 I think and never went back. Somebody told me you can apparently not look at the internet, but that doesn't sound right...
It's quite a relief that the news news is covered in the monologue and we're left doing stupid jokes about smart motorways and horse milk etc.
Quote: Turmoil MD @ 16th March 2021, 3:31 PMIt's quite a relief that the news news is covered in the monologue and we're left doing stupid jokes about smart motorways and horse milk etc.
Not a fan of the monologue. I went to the virtual recording last week and it felt like it went on forever. They do edit it down to 5 minutes, but that's 5 minutes that could be used for contributors' content. I just think sketch shows are best when they 'hit the ground running', and as you say, we don't really need a news roundup when we have the actual news. At least on HIGNFY, the introduction is basically the same as 'breaking news' because every line has a punchline (a funny clip or image). I really am sorry, but I confess I always skip it if I'm on Sounds because I'm just far more interested in what the public have submitted.
Quote: Turmoil MD @ 16th March 2021, 1:57 PMIt's good to know while you're burrowing away that there's people in other tunnels doing the same.
Also seems like the news has been particularly grim these last few weeks, unless it's just me paying attention for once...
Yeah the news this week being particularly grim and upsetting, I certainly couldn't see anything to make light of, I couldn't even find the silly/weird stuff I usually do.
On weird news, just seen a news item saying they're sending sperm to the moon which is so wonderfully bizarre a news piece and great newsjack fodder especially if you can find a non-gross joke to write but the story came too late (arf arf).
Quote: EllieS @ 16th March 2021, 5:15 PMNot a fan of the monologue. I went to the virtual recording last week and it felt like it went on forever. They do edit it down to 5 minutes, but that's 5 minutes that could be used for contributors' content. I just think sketch shows are best when they 'hit the ground running', and as you say, we don't really need a news roundup when we have the actual news. At least on HIGNFY, the introduction is basically the same as 'breaking news' because every line has a punchline (a funny clip or image). I really am sorry, but I confess I always skip it if I'm on Sounds because I'm just far more interested in what the public have submitted.
I agree.
I wish they would cut the monologue down.