Sitcom Trials 2009 Page 11

I think I have certainly been lucky with my director and cast in terms of involvement and effort...particularly in comparison to Griffs experience.

To reply to Griffs question, I provided a second episode but the first was used (probably because the director had already begun rehersals as we were supposed to be in the first show when original September/October dates were mooted).

I haven't timed mine but I expect it may run a little long, probably one or 2 minutes. It never occurred to me that this might be annoying. I'll pay more attention next time.

Edit: My wife says it ran 15 minutes dead in the first round so I can rest easy.

Hi Griff. My second episode was used instead of the first and was much stronger for it (in my opinion). I was originally advised that it was too short and would need to be added to, although it now seems that it runs over time. That said, if it runs over, it's usually because the actors have to slow down as they wait for the laughing to stop, which is surely a good thing.

Cheers all.

I've now been PM-ed by someone with a tale from this year's Trials similar to mine, so I don't feel discriminated against!

Also, I should add that in my heat both Dave and Jane deserved to go through, their scripts were excellent, I'm certainly not complaining that "I could have been a contender".

I will definitely be submitting to the Trials again next year, in the hope that if I get picked, I have better luck in terms of involvement in the process.

I do worry about new writers submitting scripts who live outside London and have no industry contacts to invite, and hope that Declan will not be ruling out their involvement on the grounds of lack of ambition, as his remark seems to suggest.

Why was the number of finalists doubled, and is the judging still based on who can bring the most ticket buyers?

I can't answer about the number of finalists, but the "rotten-borough" style of voting from previous years has been got rid of, for which Simon and Declan should be applauded.

Quote: Griff @ April 26 2009, 3:56 PM BST

I will definitely be submitting to the Trials again next year, in the hope that if I get picked, I have better luck in terms of involvement in the process.

I do worry about new writers submitting scripts who live outside London and have no industry contacts to invite, and hope that Declan will not be ruling out their involvement on the grounds of lack of ambition, as his remark seems to suggest.

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Glad to hear it Griff. Being London based certainly helped as the actors and director all lived within a few miles of each other and despite losing our rehearsal space in the first week, we all clubbed together (like in the films) and were able to use alternative means to get in some good rehearsing.

I still lost in the very first week, so I don't know what that tells you.

Quote: Griff @ April 26 2009, 1:12 PM BST

Out of interest: Jane, Dave M, Carpark and others - how many of you submitted a second episode, and was anybody else's second episode used in preference to the original one they sent in?

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Yep, I submitted my episode two as I know did Pete (Welcome to the Jungle). But I think the idea initially was that the second episode was to be used if we got through to the next heat. Then the logistics proved a bit much as it would mean rehearsing a totally different show and I think rehearsal time was tight already for the majority of entries. Including mine, but again I was lucky being in London so I could be there for them.

(Apologies if I have any of that wrong).

It wasn't a wasted effort though as it helped me clarify my characters etc and gives me more to pitch elsewhere.

Jx

Hello again all!

My huge apologies if anyone thinks I implied that they weren't either professional or businesslike this year. What I meant was, we want to work with proactive writers and actors, not writers and actors who are going to sit back and wait for the industry to come to them. By submitting to The Sitcom Trials in the correct format, they've shown they are proactive and businesslike, which is the first step. But we're a filtering system for the industry, and asking for a bit of business sense is another part of the filtering system. One thing we've learnt this year is that being a writer or actor is not enough, you've got to be a business person too.

Secondly, as per Griff's experience. We've learnt from that too. Griff, we're sorry you had the experience you did, and we're putting steps in to make sure it doesn't happen again. Up to this point we've had a laissez faire attitude with our directors and given them free rein with how they want to present the sitcoms they take charge of. However, it's our name on the programme and we're responsible for everything that gets shown. One thing we live by is 'all we have to trade on is quality', and when we present something that isn't quality then we suffer as much as anyone else. Our value diminishes and we can't afford for that to happen. This happened on at least three or four occasions this year and it was totally unacceptable.

When the dust has settled on this year's showcase, we'll see what happens next year. Suffice to say, whatever goes ahead will improve on this year because we learn from what we do, and we're looking forward to bigger and better problems next year. We're certainly glad we've got the voting system right!

And if anyone wants to set up a showcase in competition with us, bring it on, we'll see you in the funny farm.

Cheers, Declan

But we're a filtering system for the industry, and asking for a bit of business sense is another part of the filtering system.

Can I ask what your day job is Declan? What do you do in the industry?

Sara Pascoe of Free Agents fame will be one of our judges this Wed (29th).

Sara was a runner-up in last year's Sitcom Trials.

Thanks Declan.

Having just chucked brickbats at Simon and Declan, in the interest of fairness I would point out to those of you who may not know them, that they do have comedy skills beyond producing the Trials. Having seen Simon in a few Trials in 2007, I can vouch that he is a terrific comedy performer. And Declan's sitcom entry "Singing the Blues" in 2007's Trials was one of the best that year.

Having not be involved in this years sitcom trials and not having met Simon and Declan my impression of this event are drawn purely from this boards.

But it seems to me that Simon and Declan are just what this industry needs - "people who make things happen". They also seem to be very decent guys.

I would just like to say, well done guys for running with this.

( Just remember this post when I send my entry in for 2010!!!)

Afternoon everyone.

We've had confirmation that Andrew Newman, Head of Entertainment at Channel 4, is going to be a judge at the Grand Final at 5pm on May 13. He joins Lucy Lumsden, Comedy Commissioner for BBC TV.

Cheers, Declan and Simon

Quote: Marc Blake @ April 25 2009, 11:24 AM BST

As a judge I really enjoyed the experience. There was very little between them actually and the criteria I employed was - would this be commissioned as is, on prime time terrestrial TV? I.e. was the concept workable long term? Secondly, a simple clear throughline. Minimal characters with a plot that did not rely too much on contrivance or coincidence. Third - new and interesting characters who defied stereotype. Fourth - gags.

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I found this very disappointing, Marc.

Gags only make fourth place on your list? I might be in a minority here, but, in my opinion, if you haven't got great gags - you haven't got anything.

I agree with your criteria; just not in this order.

But each to their own, I suppose.

'would this be commissioned as is, on prime time terrestrial TV?'

Good luck with that one. Lol.