Quote: Griff @ December 16 2008, 3:44 PM GMTThat was yesterday. It wasn't over then.
Recorded For Training Purposes (Series 3) Page 27
I used to listen to Radio Active waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back, but, admittedly, I haven't listened to any radio recently...
....well, apart from trying out a few current radio shows a few weeks ago on iPlayer, but got bored with them after 10 mins.
It wasn't the non-visual aspect that bored me... it was the material. Ugh!
Something has to be exceptionally funny to make me laugh these days.
Sufficed to say, (regarding TV comedy) I haven't laughed since League Of Gents.
It's a bizarre email, though, because it asks you to think about what you've written and you might get on the show. I didn't fully understand it.
Hold on. So it's not a "got through to recordings" email then?
Still hope for me then. 
Quote: Mikey J @ December 16 2008, 4:26 PM GMTSomething has to be exceptionally funny to make me laugh these days.
Sufficed to say, (regarding TV comedy) I haven't laughed since League Of Gents.
Really Mikey? Then I weep for you.
All right... okay, maybe I've laughed a bit... but nothing has really appealed to me comedy-wise since then.
Mathew you seem to weep for a lot of people, are you sure its not an allergy?
Quote: sootyj @ December 16 2008, 4:34 PM GMTMathew you seem to weep for a lot of people, are you sure its not an allergy?
I weep for those who need it; don't worry, there's still plenty of tears left in here for you.
Quote: swerytd @ December 16 2008, 2:51 PM GMTThough more stuff will be recorded than broadcast, which is probably enough to get you on some sort of 'future submissions' list, so it's not necessarily all a complete waste
Dan, unusually uncynical.
Even 1 in 10 sounds pretty good odds for a broadcast credit, especially when you take into account that some of the submissions will be absolute drivel or the sort that are written or TV or with hardcore swearing. That said, I suspect less than 15 mins per show will be taken up by people who went the pure non-comm route, i.e. via the open e-mail address.
I also have the email. I didn't really expect to get anything on it, so even just a slight inclining that there might be a chance is good news to me.
Quote: steve by any other name @ December 16 2008, 2:51 PM GMTI too have received no such email.
Serves me right for submitting one about a satnav and two automated call centre pieces.
I tried for the first series and didn't get anywhere then either. This isn't my only lack of success this year though, I appear to have only managed to sell a single joke to 118 and now I've completely dried up on the joke front. Can't think of a single funny thing.
It's like I've had my sense of humour sucked out of me. And not in a good way. Think I'm finally in the right frame of mind to try a spec script for Clone.
Well, that's one more joke than I sold to 118. But then, that's not really what I'm skilled at. Scripts with characters and banter, and stories-that's much easier. Jokes by themselves, that's hard scratching in frozen dirt for me. Sketches are easier- when I have a clue what they want. I didn't in this case 
It's like I've had my sense of humour sucked out of me. And not in a good way. Think I'm finally in the right frame of mind to try a spec script for Clone.
ha ha ha. That was funnyyyyyyy 
I couldn't be arsed to send anything.
But I've got the email too!
(not really)
Quote: Griff @ December 16 2008, 3:32 PM GMTI wonder how many people who submitted to this actually listen to radio comedy regularly, and how many people wouldn't have had any interest in writing for radio if this competition hadn't come along?
As chipolata observed, I don't think that many people listen. Which is good news for you guys who do as it means less serious competition... I don't think you can successfully write for the radio unless you do listen to audio comedy regularly and are very familiar with the style and tricks used to setup the scene.
Personally, I find it a suprise how few comedy fans listen to the radio. I think audio comedy has the potential to be much more powerful than the TV medium. All the focus is on funny words, and any situation becomes possible. e.g. the setup of Old Harry's Game.
Quote: Mark @ December 17 2008, 10:56 AM GMTPersonally, I find it a suprise how few comedy fans listen to the radio. I think audio comedy has the potential to be much more powerful than the TV medium. All the focus is on funny words, and any situation becomes possible. e.g. the setup of Old Harry's Game.
Agreed. I also think radio comedy is more of a writer's medium. If you get a radio sitcom made, you have much more control over it than if you get a TV sitcom made, where there's more money invested so you're kept on a shorter leash.
Quote: chipolata @ December 17 2008, 11:03 AM GMTAgreed. I also think radio comedy is more of a writer's medium. If you get a radio sitcom made, you have much more control over it than if you get a TV sitcom made, where there's more money invested so you're kept on a shorter leash.
Yes I agree. I think that I might write/develop some sort of sci-fi comedy for BBC 7. This is mainly because of the freedom of ideas, and that BBC 7 has sections for both comedy (The Comedy Club) and sci-fi (7th Dimension), and the two can cross over.
Personally, I find it a suprise how few comedy fans listen to the radio. I think audio comedy has the potential to be much more powerful than the TV medium. All the focus is on funny words, and any situation becomes possible. e.g. the setup of Old Harry's Game.
Coming up with ideas for radio is definitely more enjoyable. When thinking of a sitcom idea, you can literally set it anywhere, with any type of character. Whereas if you're trying for a TV sitcom, as a new writer you have to try to set it in the cheapest possible locations (ideally without the "s"...)