Anyone undecided about going to a workshop should really push themselves to go. I can't recommend them highly enough!
With the added benfit of recorded read-through's by professional actors and feedback from everyone present, there really is no better way to hone your script to 'competition entry' standard.
Quote: Griff @ November 18 2009, 11:43 AM GMTHave you thought of diversifying into a sketch equivalent, or are TV producers not so interested in finding sketch writers?
This was a serious question, by the way. I would have thought that doing a Sketch Mission in addition to the Sitcom Mission would be great. Whether each writer would submit a batch of sketches, or whether you might feature 20 sketches by 20 different writers (performed by a single cast) and the top 10 go through each time, I don't know.
Hi Griff
We originally wanted to do a show with sketches in it, and it's hopefully going to be part of the show we put on in the spring. Don't have too many details as yet and it probably won't be public access at this point because we're going to be snowed under with Sitcom Mission, but it's definitely a way forward.
Remember that sitcoms can start as sketches - Ab Fab and The Simpsons for example.
So, in answer to your question. Yes, we're working on it.
Cheers, Dec
Hi Declan as you're on just a quickie. Re worskhop if one entered for that and couldn't make in the end because of some punitive deadlines would you still act it out record it etc for feedback purposes or just go to a stand by script?
cheers
Marc
Hi Marc
If you'd booked for the day and couldn't make it, we'd be happy to do a recording for you.
Normally we'd have a discussion and the actors, other writers and Simon and I would give our feedback, but that would be difficult if you weren't physically present. So instead, Simon and I would get you some written feedback, which is what you'd get on the Silver option.
Hope that helps.
Cheers, Declan
Quote: bluer than blue @ November 18 2009, 6:34 PM GMTIf you really can't be arsed to write more than one episode, you'll probably never find out how good your characters could have been!
I'm not sure I agree with this. Isn't it like saying Goodfellas 3 will be better than the original?
It's also not often a matter of being 'arsed' but a matter of time mangement. It's often more constructive use of time to have 6 e-drafted episodes of different sitcoms, than 6 episodes of the one idea.
Hi Dolly
When it comes down to it, it's a personal decision and one each writer must take.
Two extremes:
A writer has six, brilliant episodes that everybody who reads it - agents, producers, commissioners - love it and it doesn't need anything doing to it. Commissioned and broadcast to an adoring public.
A writer has no episodes. Nuff said.
And reality is anywhere in between.
I think it's just a case of knowing your characters well and giving them interesting things to do. If you can hit that with your first draft of your first episode, fantastic. But that's a highly romantic view of writing and probably not true for the majority of writers, so the more material you've got, the more you can choose from.
In the case of this competition, two episodes equals 30 minutes, so it's not a massive difference to writing a single TV or radio pilot.
Thanks for the info Declan! 
I note Micheal Jacob in his blog yesterday was supporting the Dolly position re two episodes.
I have twice written two episodes for a potential sitcom, one about a Hotel/Bar in Dublin and one about a jointly purchased house. Got paid for them allthough they didnt go so far as to air. But I guess there are, as you say, personal choices to make. I think the underlying thrust of Micheal's position was that in the modern ethos your pilot will be qaungoed and changed to meet prevailing demographics of the channel that might pick it up - so you might as well go with one and see what happens.
I don;t think it's a good state of affairs personally, if effectively new writers aren;t been allowed on 1 and 2 and have to mutate thier visions to get it onto 3. I am sure there shouldbe something in te charter about this.
Having said that some radical changes although hurtful at the time to a writer can sometimes make it a better/leggier project.
I always think back to Andy Millman having to decide between sticking to his guns (and making The Office) or taking the money and making When The Whistle Blows.
Micheal Jacob says:
"One is that it's pointless to write more than one script of a potential series, since a producer and broadcaster can make radical suggestions."
Personally, I wouldn't say it's pointless, I'd say being unnecessarily precious about it is pointless. And it also depends what else you spend your time doing. Should I watch The X Factor or should I write a scene involving my characters? The X Factor will numb my brain, writing a scene will expand it.
Some people have sent us terrible scripts, and have been proud of the fact that they've written another five episodes. If their writing has improved by the end of episode six, then that's great, if it hasn't, then yes, it's a pointless exercise.
When it comes down to it, nobody is going to make suggestions about a script because they want to make it worse.
My opinion isn't so much based on the fact that changes will be made to a script, rather a writer might better spend their time getting six different good scripts to send out than, six good episodes of one series. It just seems to make more economic sense of time. But maybe that's just how I like to write.
Absolutely.
There's a perfect world where I've got six episodes of six series, and all of them get made, and there's my current situation where I'm spending more time reading other people's scripts than spending time on my own!
Quote: Declan @ November 19 2009, 4:30 PM GMTAbsolutely.
There's a perfect world where I've got six episodes of six series, and all of them get made, and there's my current situation where I'm spending more time reading other people's scripts than spending time on my own!
Ha!
I just like to send out as much as possible and see if any of the shit sticks, so to speak. I have got something optioned now, but still writing different scripts.
Great stuff, well done.
I tend to write one episode of a sitcom, then jot down loads of notes/plans/gag/storylines for the rest of the series, so I (and potential takers) know how it will generally pan out, and that it's got legs.
Just like Dolly, I have one of my sitcoms optioned, but, at the moment, I'm working on other projects.