I crowbarred that one in.
Cramming best jokes into your pilot Page 2
As long as it doesn't look crow-barred, then do it.
If you need to do a later re-write, then you can get told those lovely words 'You can put those ones in episode two'.
The worry I have is that if I put all the good stuff in the pilot I'll run out of material for the second episode, but luckily I have no good stuff in the pilot so I'm managing to keep an even keel.
Quote: cashback @ August 28 2008, 9:45 PM BSTThe worry I have is that if I put all the good stuff in the pilot I'll run out of material for the second episode, but luckily I have no good stuff in the pilot so I'm managing to keep an even keel.
Put that in your covering letter.
Quote: cashback @ August 28 2008, 9:45 PM BSTThe worry I have is that if I put all the good stuff in the pilot I'll run out of material for the second episode, but luckily I have no good stuff in the pilot so I'm managing to keep an even keel.
If you hold off puting good stuff in you'll never be invited to write a second episode.
If there's only an episodes worth it may not be the best idea in the world.
But if it's good you'll generate more.
Quote: sootyj @ August 28 2008, 10:02 PM BSTIf you hold off puting good stuff in you'll never be invited to write a second episode.
Spot on, Sooty!
Quote: Morrace @ August 28 2008, 9:57 PM BSTPut that in your covering letter.
you see that is really funny Morrace and is not a joke, it comes from character...yours 
Quote: bushbaby @ August 28 2008, 10:18 PM BSTyou see that it really funny Morrace and is not a joke, it comes from character...yours
You mean that - All the World's a Sitcom?
And all the men and women merely players?
You mean, Adam and Eve = Terry and June?
Is this merely a pilot?
Will we get a series?
The sands of time are sinking,
The Dawn of French, it breaks;
The summer Horn I've longed for;
Limp as milked corn flakes.
That ends this strange eventful post,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans bra, sans knickers, sans taste, sans of time.
Morrace I some times wonder if you're stringing us all along.
The switch into very fast, quality writing is a tad suspicious.
Do you just disregard your talents or are you more than you seem?
Very funny bit of poetry that.
I think jokes/gags are for standup and sketches, but sitcoms , the laughter should come from the wit of the characters.
That line of Morrace's really made me belly-laugh
I think a good mix works.
That said a sitcom with nothing but gags won't work.
But a sitcom with good characters can get by with no gags.
Quote: bushbaby @ August 28 2008, 11:17 PM BSTI think jokes/gags are for standup and sketches, but sitcoms , the laughter should come from the wit of the characters.
That line of Morrace's really made me belly-laugh
Agreed. If you just write a script of gags, chances are the characters are not leading the way, as it were. Plus, "gag" scripts to contain a lot of unoriginal jokes, which prod. company readers will have seen a million times. The more original jokes tend to stem from getting your characters right.
Quote: bushbaby @ August 28 2008, 11:17 PM BSTI think jokes/gags are for standup and sketches, but sitcoms , the laughter should come from the wit of the characters.
Nail on head.
Where there's a Will - there has to be a Grace, a Jack, a Karen....
Quote: bushbaby @ August 28 2008, 11:17 PM BSTI think jokes/gags are for standup and sketches, but sitcoms , the laughter should come from the wit of the characters.
Not really.
Having characters come out with knowing funny lines would grate.
Quote: sootyj @ August 28 2008, 11:22 PM BSTThat said a sitcom with nothing but gags won't work.
But a sitcom with good characters can get by with no gags.
- Well, not every line, but you can have one joke every, say, three lines and that would work.
Good characters and no gags?! That's not a sitcom, and it certainly wouldn't work.