British Comedy Guide

Baby Cow 3: Mini update Page 6

I don't see how we are competing with each other. It comes down to quality. Your stuff is either good or no damn good. Doesn't matter about anyone else's stuff.

Now if we were ALL churning out great stuff, then yes, we would be competing for slots, but we are not ALL churning out great stuff. Most of the stuff posted here is not great---promising, perhaps, showing ambition & spark, maybe---but not great, not even close.

Remember: There are variables involved: Timing & Luck. You can write great stuff, send it in, but if it lands on the desk on Tuesday when Julie is the reader who opens the envelopes and she doesn't like sketches about child-stand-up comedians...but had it landed on the desk on Thursday when Dan is the reader and likes material about child-stand-up comedians...

No, I don't feel like I'm competing with anyone. I don't care what kind of success anyone has because I know for a fact that it all ends in tears. I've no illusions about my own success: I will still suffer disappointments and setbacks and surprise diseases and injuries and betrayals no matter where I live or who I know or how much money I have in the bank.

Do I feel like I've missed the train to Paradise when I hear about someone else's work being accepted and produced? Yea, sure I do, but I don't feel bitter towards those who caught the train. I just raise my fist at Fate and channel the disappointment into the next project.

Have you seen the film Rocky Balboa? It was surprisingly quite moving and good. Had alot of heart. The line that stuck with me (and I'm paraphrasing) was:

It's not how hard you can hit, it's how long you can take the hard hits and keep going for your goals.

Another person's success has nothing to do with your failure. You failed because you quit or didn't give 100%.

Totally agree with that, Skibb.

Quote: SlagA @ August 15, 2007, 10:06 PM

BTW I agree that Darren's 'ripping off' swipe wasn't helpful. I missed it in my first read through, so again, soz.

Can it be clarified that this wasn't me but DarrenF1970?

Horay, i got my rejection. Atleast they were quick about it.

They said, "sorry to dissapoint." Yeah. You'll be sorry. *waves fist*

Now i can feel dissapointed for the rest of the day or week. And i know i sent it from the family e-mail but the least they could do is say, "Dear James" instead of "Dear Michael." Grr.

Nope, wasn't me
Whistling nnocently

Quote: hotzappa11 @ August 16, 2007, 1:13 PM

Horay, i got my rejection. Atleast they were quick about it.

They said, "sorry to dissapoint." Yeah. You'll be sorry. *waves fist*

Now i can feel dissapointed for the rest of the day or week. And i know i sent it from the family e-mail but the least they could do is say, "Dear James" instead of "Dear Michael." Grr.

Did they give any feedback?

Quote: Darren Goldsmith @ August 16, 2007, 12:52 PM

Can it be clarified that this wasn't me but DarrenF1970?

Yes, clarified. No one would have believed it was you anyway Laughing out loud

BTW sorry HotZappa - it's never nice to get one of those but you're in great company here and we (almost all) know that feeling.

Quote: SlagA @ August 16, 2007, 1:25 PM

Yes, clarified. No one would have believed it was you anyway Laughing out loud

BTW sorry HotZappa - it's never nice to get one of those but you're in great company here and we (almost all) know that feeling.

Really? I obviously need to 'dirty up' my image... ;)

And yeah... bad luck HotZappa. Hopefully they provided enough feedback to help with trying again?

Quote: SlagA @ August 16, 2007, 11:30 AM

I've got to say that I always feel a great debt towards those people in the past and present that have contributed to what I am today. I'd like to think that if I ever (please please please) stepped up to the next rung that I would repay my gratitude by remembering those I owe and opening the door for others.

There are friends and talent here that I believe are on the rise. Hopefully they too will remember the cameraderie and tap us up, or at least point other directors /scouts in our direction.

Yes there is an element of competition but it's not with each other but mainly aimed at ourselves. We're all human. But this is tempered by the fact that we're not working in the same areas and so in direct competition. Surreal, sketch, sitcom, TV, Radio, novels, parody, standup etc. The entertainment industry that can support Bottom, Chuckle Brothers, Yes Minister, Jim Davidson, bill hicks, bill bailey is broad enough for all of us to find a niche. You only have to look at the variety of sketches in the Critique section to realise that people write sketches in their own unique and unreplicatable manner.

As to success and levels of attainment. It's all transitory. Even at our peak, we'll think 'if only' and then it's passed. No one here is more correct in an opinion because they have a broadcast sketch or show because if you play that game then you can always find someone who has done more than yourself. Gervais could be washed out tomorrow, someone on BSG with no credits could be the next best thing 'in utero'. Everything is in flux.

We are lucky enough to have found a group like this that can support and encourage when the long nights close in. Not many writers in history have had such benefits, so let's enjoy it.

I echo those words... or at least quote them in this post. And to quote one of the comedy legends mentioned above, "To me, to you, to me..."

Quote: Simon Stratton @ August 16, 2007, 1:25 PM

Did they give any feedback?

Nope. I'm afraid not. Atleast it's good to know, in a way, it's the only production company i've sent this peice of work to.

Just to return to a point I read on this thread about liking it when others fail or come a cropper. You can both like it and not like it. It's called duality, and it's basic human nature. If I see a car crash part of me thinks "that's terrible, those poor people's lives will never be the same again". But another part thinks "ho, ho, I'm glad it wasn't me" and "I hope I see a dead body with a steering column sticking out of their eye socket".

This discussion has all the ingredients of Cabin Fever methinks. The only thing we're competitng against is the comedy industry's disinterest in new talent or to carry on the metaphor the isolation, OK i'll end the metaphor before it becomes an allegory.

Point is we're all in the same boat so we should paddle together. Christ i've turned into a footballer.

P.S. Its perfectly fine to throw the person who keeps using metaphors overboard.

Poor Sam. Wonder if he'll ever post again. I kinda wanted to know how he gets on.

Quote: Simon Stratton @ August 16, 2007, 8:45 PM

Poor Sam. Wonder if he'll ever post again. I kinda wanted to know how he gets on.

I think he's gone over to 4laughs. At least there is no one there to reply to his posts... ;)

As soon as people make it they should leave us losers behind.
It's only right and proper.

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