Good news: Sitcom Mission, the long-running comedy writing competition, will return in January. Find out more via the website: https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/
Sitcom Mission 2023
I've not read it thoroughly but where are the rules?
Quote: Chappers @ 20th November 2022, 10:49 PMI've not read it thoroughly but where are the rules?
Here they are: https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/rules/
Quote: Mark @ 21st November 2022, 8:44 AMHere they are: https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/rules/
Thanks Mark.
May enter this, I became enamoured with the characters the last time I wrote something new (whenever BBC did their last proper Comedy Room before it became split Bursaries... 2019? 2020? I didn't enter the Galton and Simpson Bursary), it is kind of tempting to revisit them for a new (and shorter) story.
That or something brand new with new characters, I've had other ideas but the way my brain works I wouldn't write it in time, not to a standard I'm happy with anyway!
I think it's also 9/10 years since I last entered Sitcom Mission too.
I want to enter this but in the rules it says the scripts have to be exactly 15 minutes. How do you ensure something is exactly 15 minutes? I know about 1 page = 1 minute but I assume it's really important to get things down to specific times for broadcast? How?
Stopwatch.
Page-per-minute is a rough guide for screenplays, but that usually factors in a certain amount on non-dialogue 'filmed' bits.
So it rather depends on what format you're using.
Dialogue tends to run a bit faster.
But just run a clock over it as you read through.
And it won't need to be exactly 15 mins- there or thereabouts should be OK. If it's a little over an edit will get you down to time.
Hi Hildegard,
We're probably being a bit heavy handed with the exactly 15minutes. 1 page = 1 minute is a good tule to follow. If it's lots of snappy two or 3 word sentences then we'd probably allow up to 18 pages.
Generally the best thing to do is to read it out loud and time it. Better yet read it with a friend and you'll get an idea of how it's coming across too!
Let us know if you have any other questions!
Lawrence
Sitcom Mission
Another distinct advantage of holding a reading, is that you'll learn where you're repeating yourself, and where you're just treading water. You'll discover things that are crystal-clear to you because you've lived with the script for so long but may be confusing to a reader coming to it fresh ('Where does it say they're brothers?!').
You'll even spot dialogue that is literally unspeakable (remember 30 Rock's 'Rural Juror'?).
Quote: Lazzard @ 9th January 2023, 6:44 PMStopwatch.
Page-per-minute is a rough guide for screenplays, but that usually factors in a certain amount on non-dialogue 'filmed' bits.
So it rather depends on what format you're using.
Dialogue tends to run a bit faster.
But just run a clock over it as you read through.
And it won't need to be exactly 15 mins- there or thereabouts should be OK. If it's a little over an edit will get you down to time.
Thank you!
Quote: simon wright @ 9th January 2023, 9:56 PMAnother distinct advantage of holding a reading, is that you'll learn where you're repeating yourself, and where you're just treading water. You'll discover things that are crystal-clear to you because you've lived with the script for so long but may be confusing to a reader coming to it fresh ('Where does it say they're brothers?!').
You'll even spot dialogue that is literally unspeakable (remember 30 Rock's 'Rural Juror'?).
Thanks, Simon!
Quote: Lawrence Russell @ 9th January 2023, 6:48 PMHi Hildegard,
We're probably being a bit heavy handed with the exactly 15minutes. 1 page = 1 minute is a good tule to follow. If it's lots of snappy two or 3 word sentences then we'd probably allow up to 18 pages.
Generally the best thing to do is to read it out loud and time it. Better yet read it with a friend and you'll get an idea of how it's coming across too!
Let us know if you have any other questions!
Lawrence
Sitcom Mission
Thanks, Lawrence.
Next question; Where do I get some friends? 
We don't call them friends.
We call them "The competition".
Quote: Lazzard @ 10th January 2023, 9:04 AMWe don't call them friends.
We call them "The competition".
Nice far away deadline too, further off than I expected (even the deadlines for getting pre-deadline notes/feedback options are generous - particularly the Silver one).
I'm not very good at funny but I'm OK with dialogue.
There's an excellent interview with Steve Speirs on BCG Pro in which he talks about aiming for 'A, B, C, and D stories and an E story if you can. The joy is to try and get crossovers, to make them crossover.'
One of the commonest faults in scripts sent to us, is that nothing happens.
And to pre-empt any objections; I know that we're looking for shorter scripts, so you can't squeeze in four plots. But the principle is the same: make things happen.