I may go cheaper!
The Last Laugh Page 3
In sorting through some stuff this weekend I found a CD recording of the launch program. Not video, just sound, recorded through the speaker using my laptop.
Not great quality but I could upload the individual show and advice sections for those who want it.
A must for all Dara O'Briain fans as he presented the show. 
I know the winner of the one about a private eye Mike something(?). He said that other than the exposure of being on the telly, nothing came of the competition, but they would fast track anything else he wrote throught the reading procces. He's quite well know here in Wales anyway...if you speak Welsh and watch S4C, that is!
They fast track your stuff for a while. Then if you don't pan out you're thrown back in with the unwashed masses.
Yeah, I can imagine. It seems it wasn't really a trawl for talent then, but a cheap series in the guise of a talent trawl.
I haven't really read this thread, but has it thrown up any writers who've gone on to do anything? My thoughts on these talent competitions is that they're a lot of hassle to organise but at least they might throw up a writer with an original voice. But the last laugh wasn't interested in original voices, just with finding somebody who could write in the style of somebody else. That's why I'd pick it as the most useless BBC competition of all time.
Isn't it the most useful for the BBC? You're unlikely to get an original script commissioned by them (I reckon). Far more likely they want you to write for another sitcom. This, I'd have thought was a good test of that (sort of -- admittedly it's a lot further 'in').
Dan
I honestly don't know, that's why I'd be interested to hear of the fates of the winners as compared to those of some other high profile competitions.
I was fortunate enough to do what would be classed as quite well within BBC3's THE LAST LAUGH scheme. As an experience I found it to be neither the "most useless competition of all time" nor was it 'uninterested' in writers "with an original voice". For me personally it has been a major turning point in all sorts of ways and I find it tiresome and restrictive when such schemes and competitions are slammed by those still apparently narked that they didn't win it.
Quote: 2ChristianTypists @ April 21 2008, 12:55 PM BSTI was fortunate enough to do what would be classed as quite well within BBC3's THE LAST LAUGH scheme. As an experience I found it to be neither the "most useless competition of all time" nor was it 'uninterested' in writers "with an original voice". For me personally it has been a major turning point in all sorts of ways and I find it tiresome and restrictive when such schemes and competitions are slammed by those still apparently narked that they didn't win it.
Did you do the Miss Milton script?
Quote: 2ChristianTypists @ April 21 2008, 12:55 PM BSTI was fortunate enough to do what would be classed as quite well within BBC3's THE LAST LAUGH scheme. As an experience I found it to be neither the "most useless competition of all time" nor was it 'uninterested' in writers "with an original voice". For me personally it has been a major turning point in all sorts of ways and I find it tiresome and restrictive when such schemes and competitions are slammed by those still apparently narked that they didn't win it.
The trouble is we haven't heard any success stories from it - so well done.
Did you get a series or sketches out of it?
I understand that there were no real 'updates' as such on what the winning writers are doing, but that was never the point of the scheme. I know that some of the writers (and not just the final winners) have gained agents and paid work from their involvement in the scheme. Some have been sketch writing and a great deal have apparently been developing their own sitcoms, contacts and just general awareness of how the industry really works (something that only comes from experience and involvement).
Some would have no doubt gone that way on their own, others were greatly helped by THE LAST LAUGH. It is certainly a step in my career I wouldn't have changed for the world, if for no other reason, I have made some great friends, contacts and colleagues since the summer of 2005. I also have paid work and have "comedy writer" and my agent's name on my business cards.
As a side issue, I do think the pilot for THE OLD GUYS could have been aired in connection with the series, but when producers, administrators and writers have moved on, securing such 'progress monitoring' is no easy task. And as part of my own experience via THE LAST LAUGH, it is very clear that there are a whole range of reasons why some things are not done, and it isn't the case that the people who launched the project are being lazy and shortsighted. Look at it this way, are all of us able to add updates and news about projects we worked on 3/4 years ago? No, of course not.
This was really the first time I tried to write comedy - and I'm still trying.
I reckon I could make a much better effort now though. Shame they don't resurrect it.
I'd love them to repeat the Last Laugh, but obviously they'd have to rename it. It didn't occur to me to enter the first one but now I'd fancy having a go.
Quote: 2ChristianTypists @ April 21 2008, 12:55 PM BSTI was fortunate enough to do what would be classed as quite well within BBC3's THE LAST LAUGH scheme. As an experience I found it to be neither the "most useless competition of all time" nor was it 'uninterested' in writers "with an original voice". For me personally it has been a major turning point in all sorts of ways and I find it tiresome and restrictive when such schemes and competitions are slammed by those still apparently narked that they didn't win it.
Well done on your success. I'm glad my license fee was used to help you go on a personal journey of growth.
I'm trying to come at this from a viewers point of view in saying that I personally didn't rate what I saw. And I still don't believe that the competition threw up any breathtakingly original or audacious talent. It basically threw up a lot of people who can immitate the style of others and finish not particularly good scripts.