Link?
Oh, and I believe Stan Doubt (the artist formerly known as Simon Stratton) has had a sniff of interest for his sketch pilot.
Writing a Sketch Pilot?
Sorry, I assumed Mr J had said this somewhere on the internet.
Heh, "Mr J." I sound like Harley Quinn.
Ta.
I'd rather send sketches to radio shows or other outlets, who then request more, which eventually leads to a seat on the writing team. Which then hopefully ends up as a jump into TV.
I'm a lazy writer, but if I could put the effort in, I'd prefer to earn my success, the hard way.
But thanks for sharing this Griff, I'm sure it can be applied to other areas too.
Quote: Leevil @ January 9 2009, 8:00 AM GMTI'd rather send sketches to radio shows or other outlets, who then request more, which eventually leads to a seat on the writing team. Which then hopefully ends up as a jump into TV.
I'm a lazy writer, but if I could put the effort in, I'd prefer to earn my success, the hard way.
But thanks for sharing this Griff, I'm sure it can be applied to other areas too.
I am of course a total hypocrite, as at the same time, I am working on a TV sitcom pilot >_<
I can think of very few single author or partnership-written sketch shows. I can't be arsed to do any research, but I think even Big Train had writers other than Linehan and Mathews.
Quote: Graham Bandage @ January 9 2009, 8:25 AM GMTI can think of very few single author or partnership-written sketch shows. I can't be arsed to do any research, but I think even Big Train had writers other than Linehan and Mathews.
Fry And Laurie wrote all their own stuff for 'A Bit Of . . .'
The advice I have gleaned over the years is that sitcom writing is so bloody hard (and frankly it is), that writing a sitcom episode is a mark of one's skills as a writer. Proof that one create a masterpiece ala middle ages Guilds men. So Baby cow may not buy your sitcom, but they may invite you to write a sketch (I believe that happened to Seefacts)
The route most succesful people who write sketches go seems to be;
open access radio show, closed access radio, TV sketch show, showing enough potential to be offered own sketch show (but usually only if a performer themselves).
I suppose to a certain extent if I want to make a distinctive sitcom I need a distinctive writer. If I want a distinctive sketch show I need a distinctive producer and key performer. For the sketches I can just bang my gong out of the window like a chef throwing scraps to feral cats.
How many writer lead sketch sketch shows have you seen?
As such you want your sketch show and your name in lights?
Become a great standup or actor or sketch troupe performer go to Edinburgh, Montreal the internet. And get yourself seen as a distinct product ala Monty Python or LOG (also Idiot of Ants and Pappy's Fan Club)
Otherwise join the league of embittered comedy writers standing outside Bright House shouting "I wrote that!"
The opposite side of the coin is a passable and persistent writer may well eventually after some time get his sketch on TV.
A similarly passable and persistent sitcom writer, maywell end up getting drunk and boring people at parties about how he got 2 yes 2 letters from Babycow. That must mean his sitcom's in development doesn't it?
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 9 2009, 8:44 AM GMTFry And Laurie wrote all their own stuff for 'A Bit Of . . .'
They just killed and ate the writers when they were done with them.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 9 2009, 8:44 AM GMTFry And Laurie wrote all their own stuff for 'A Bit Of . . .'
They just killed and ate the writers when they were done with them.
Quote: sootyj @ January 9 2009, 8:47 AM GMTAnd get yourself seen as a distinct product ala Monty Python or LOG (also Idiot of Ants and Pappy's Fan Club)
Something myself, Bussell and Ben have in the works. I don't think you can just send in a script, you have to have an entire package, which includes attached performers; preferably up and comers at the very least.
Quote: Griff @ January 9 2009, 7:49 AM GMTWouldn't it be brilliant if the unannounced sketch pilot which has already been commissioned for 2009 Comedy Lab was Bussell and Henman's supernatural sketch show and they were just being coy?
Sadly not, which is a shame as I was going to have a hand in it too! Boo hoo!
1 No.
2 3 sketches, if that's what Mark Jacobs said. Also I could picture a producer whizzing through 3 quick sketches. I couldn't picture him even downloading the 12-15 that mae up a pilot.
I think a YouTube link to your sketches being performed maybe more Jedi, along with the scripts.
Where's Griffs post gone?! But in reply to one point you made Griff, I've been asked to write for other things after sending in complete sketch show pilot scripts, but have never had any interest shown in developing the pilot shows themselves.
Really, you have to have a complete product to sell; writers, performers, behind the camera talent, and a killer showreel to knock their socks off. Something which we will hopefully have in a few months time.
When I started out I sent out about 10 sketches mostly to test the water as now I look back only 2 out of the 10 sketches were actually any good!
And I basically got a blanket reply saying thanks but no thanks - only bit of "success" I got was they would keep my stuff on file and tell me if they wanted to use it - a very likely story indeed.
Sooty has the right idea on most common path for an unknown writer.
And I think if Stott and bussell combine there powers of writing and acting they might actually destroy the universe - I said it first that's all I'm saying.
Quote: Paul W @ January 9 2009, 9:07 AM GMTAnd I think if Stott and bussell combine there powers of writing and acting they might actually destroy the universe - I said it first that's all I'm saying.
At the very least give it a good duffing up.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 9 2009, 8:58 AM GMTWhere's Griffs post gone?! But in reply to one point you made Griff, I've been asked to write for other things after sending in complete sketch show pilot scripts, but have never had any interest shown in developing the pilot shows themselves.
Really, you have to have a complete product to sell; writers, performers, behind the camera talent, and a killer showreel to knock their socks off. Something which we will hopefully have in a few months time.
It's part of his on going plot to make me look schizophrenic.
Has anyone taken a sketch show to Dragons Den?
Quote: Graham Bandage @ January 9 2009, 8:25 AM GMTI can think of very few single author or partnership-written sketch shows. I can't be arsed to do any research, but I think even Big Train had writers other than Linehan and Mathews.
Big Train is interesting to me, cos, from what I've read, the superior first series was written mostly by Linehan and Mathews with the minimum of additional material by the cast and other writers (Adam & Joe wrote the Hall & Oats bits), while the disappointing second series was a team effort overseen by Arthur Mathews.
To me Big Train Series One felt original and coherent in its comedic vision, whereas Series Two felt like every other sketch show out there.
This to me is a good argument for letting individual writers (and small teams) submit sketch show scripts as we would sitcom scripts.