British Comedy Guide

Jumper (a sketch)

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF A TALL BUILDING

A CROWD STANDS ON THE STREET BELOW, EVERYONE IS LOOKING UP AT THE BUILDING

AS THE CAMERA TILTS UPWARDS, WE SEE A WOMAN STANDING ON A HIGH LEDGE

FROM A NEARBY WINDOW, PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO HER

BACK ON THE GROUND STANDS A YOUNG POLICEMAN WITH A LOUD HAILER.

YOUNG POLICEMAN (VIA LOUD HAILER):
Think of your family!

(NO RESPONSE)

(FEW SECONDS SILENCE)

YOUNG POLICEMAN (CONT):
Think of your friends!

(NO RESPONSE)

(FEW SECONDS SILENCE)

YOUNG POLICEMAN (CONT):
Think of the guy who has to clean up the pavement!

(NO RESPONSE)

(FEW SECONDS SILENCE)

(AN OLDER POLICEMAN TAKES THE LOUD HAILER)

OLDER POLICEMAN (VIA LOUD HAILER):
We can see up your skirt!

(WOMAN SCURRIES SIDEWAYS ALONG THE LEDGE AND BACK IN THROUGH THE WINDOW)

ENDS.

Yep it's a good 'un. Is the mention of the people in the window talking to her necessary though? Cool

Laughing out loud Laughing out loud

:) very funny...

are we going to have a rash of suicide related sketches now?

:)
HA-musing!

Quote: Mannikin Bird @ November 18 2009, 10:00 PM GMT

Is the mention of the people in the window talking to her necessary though? Cool

It's a fair question and I think it depends what we mean by 'necessary'.

The sketch would work without them but it would also work without the crowd in the street.

It would also work with only one policeman.

In fact, the person with the loud hailer doesn't have to be a man or a police officer and there's no real need for a loud hailer.

Having said that, I think all the elements I've included add drama and authenticity.

So, are the people at the window necessary? No.

Are they desirable? I think so. Cool

The second policeman added to the punchline for sure. It was one of the reasons I liked it so much.

Quote: Roodeye @ November 18 2009, 10:09 PM GMT

It's a fair question and I think it depends what we mean by 'necessary'.

The sketch would work without them but it would also work without the crowd in the street.

It would also work with only one policeman.

In fact, the person with the loud hailer doesn't have to be a man or a police officer and there's no real need for a loud hailer.

Having said all that, I think all the elements I've included add drama and authenticity.

So, are the people at the window necessary? No.

Are they desirable? I think so. Cool

Roodeye said it was a fair question, that's good enough for me. :D

I love that she didn't care about 'splatting' herself on the pavement or the inconvenience to others but it was the embarresment of knowing people are looking up her skirt that changed her mind.

Good, efficient, funny sketch. :)

:D

1) - A perfect sketch IMO. This could be used in a Masterclass of sketch writing.

2) - Not only that - Roodeye's responnse to Mannikin Bird's question is something of a masterpiece on its own!

Quote: Mannikin Bird @ November 18 2009, 10:00 PM GMT

Is the mention of the people in the window talking to her necessary though?

Quote: Roodeye @ November 18 2009, 10:09 PM GMT

It's a fair question and I think it depends what we mean by 'necessary'.

The sketch would work without them but it would also work without the crowd in the street.

It would also work with only one policeman.

In fact, the person with the loud hailer doesn't have to be a man or a police officer and there's no real need for a loud hailer.

Having said that, I think all the elements I've included add drama and authenticity.

So, are the people at the window necessary? No.

Are they desirable? I think so. Cool

The defence rests, M'Lud...

These sort of matters usualy come down to a question of cost.

I like it, good punchline.

However I would agree to keep extras to a minimum because of costs.

Nice.

make it a radio sketch and you can have as many extras as you want.

I see the cost-related point but when I write a sketch for an Internet forum, I write it purely for the minds of the readers so if I want 20,000 Cossacks charging across Red Square, I just write them in and watch those Mo'Fo's charge. Cost isn't a factor in this medium.

On TV, of course, 20,000 Cossacks on 20,000 horses would be a big ask, as would flying them all with a camera crew to Red Square and obtaining the necessary permissions.

Likewise, to a lesser extent, with the crowd in the above sketch, so I expect those TV people would do something with sound effects and/or stock footage or something equally ingenious.

Share this page