Big 5 Comedy Award

Don't think this has been mentioned here yet, apologies if so

http://www.ctbf.co.uk/johnbrabourneawards/sponsorshippartners.html

There's several awards here, but the biggie for you guys is the top one, and the deadline's at the end of Feb.

edit:

As a predominantly white male group, you might want to pay extra attention to this bit from the award criteria:

"People from under represented groups within the film or television industries are encouraged to apply for the Big 5 Comedy Award. Under-represented groups include, for example, people from ethnic minority groups, people with a disability, women, those who live in the regions as well as some parts of London e.g. Hackney, which is a designated regeneration area."

I await the inevitable heated debate about such a policy

I am feeling wonderfully under-represented!

Well, I'm disabled and live in Teesside so that's me covered. I think I can write a quick script. I've got a few ideas.

Gotta have a go at this. I'm not from diverse or disadvantaged background, but I'm gonna let that hold me back.

I'm not from diverse or disadvantaged background

I used to live in Essex.

Quote: Ian Wolf @ January 29 2010, 3:48 PM GMT

I'm disabled and live in Teesside

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Basically the same thing, surely?

Oh this is right up my street! I wrote a weird but funny sketch that I will tweak. I really enjoyed writing it and was going to film it later in the year anyway.

Hopefully they give feedback too. Don't think I'll bother with newsjack anymore. I am going to invest the little time I have to write, on this.

Thanks for the heads up J'Parker.

This sounds very good, but it does look like they are really looking for people from backgrounds under-represented in film and TV.

Funnyfnarr - I doubt they'll give feedback, as I expect they will receive a lot of entries, but who knows...

Yeah you're probably right, Dolly but I'm really going go for this. I am a scruffy gay bloke with no fashion sense so I may just tick the under-represented box.

Quote: funnyfnarr @ February 4 2010, 9:26 AM GMT

I am a scruffy gay bloke with no fashion sense so I may just tick the under-represented box.

View original

Ah, now if you were a scruffy gay woman you might be alright.

Is it me or are the criteria pretty woolly? Regions? Does that mean anywhere outside London? Transitional talent? Written some stuff but not got a credit for it. Does that mean because I've sent some stuff in to Newsjack for example, but have never got anything on the show that I'm transitional talent?

Hello there, I am Norma Burke, the Executive Producer of the Big 5 award so just to clarify a couple of points of confusion.

The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund who is one of the funders has a particular remit to help new writers who are under represented or disadvantaged to get into the film and TV industries. Disadvantaged will be to do with your own personal circumstances such as long term sickness or financial disadvantage- you can call the CTBF to discuss your own circumstances if you are not sure if you qualify. Likewise with under represented - call them to discuss if you are unsure about your own situation. If you are from an ethnic minority or are disabled or a woman you will automatically qualify as these groups all have clear unrepresentation in the film industries, for example of all the films produced in the UK only 8% are written by women...

You can, however also qualify as transitional talent - this is not for completely new writers - but for writers with a track record who have cut their teeth elsewhere but not yet had the opportunity to work in film to give them that chance for their first film credit and to bring new talent into the British film industry. You could have written for radio, be a stand up or written for TV, theatre etc. In terms of TV if you have a sole credit you will not qualify but if you have been a contributing writer to panel shows, sketch shows, sitcoms or any other comedy form of writing and have a shared credit we would still consider you in need of further opportunity. Having sent stuff to shows if it had not been accepted would NOT qualify you - you would need actual credits/a track record to apply under this criteria. Again contact the CTBF if you are unsure.

You can join my Facebook group for further updates and hopefully we will feature some writing tips from the judges too:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/London-United-Kingdom/n2o-Entertainment/288108061848?ref=mf

Due to the number of entries we will not be able to give individual feedback unless your film is shortlisted.

I hope that is of help. Good luck everybody - we're very excited about reading all the entries, Norma

Thanks for the clarification, Norma. I shall crack on with my script.

I'm taking this opportunity seriously so I'm hoping I can finish it before the end of the weekend and give it to some unbiased eyes to read. That way all the nuts and bolts will be tight by the time I send it off. (As tight as I'm able to make it.)

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2010/01/28/10417/hunt_is_on_for_comedy_film_writers

I absolutley love surreal and its something that comes naturally to me as a writer.

But I really must go and do some writing. Thanks for the link Morrace.