Some dumb questions from a dumb beginner

Dear Forum,

So as you can gather, I'm new to the forum. I'm not new to doing "comedy things", but in terms of writing a sitcom, I'm very wet behind the ears.

Right now the thing that confuses me, is writing a PILOT EPISODE. I'm not gonna beat around the bush here.....WHAT THE HELL IS IT?

Is it like a 'best of' episode of your whole series? If that's the case, are you supposed to write your whole series first, and then pick out the best parts to go into the pilot? Or pilot first, and send that off, without even bothering to write a whole series unless its your pilot is taken on.

I dunno.

Yours sincerely,

Very confused Keegs

The pilot is the first episode of a sitcom, Drama ect ect ect, you write, it tends to introduce characters and storylines. if it ever gets to TV the pilot is the first one shown before a whole series is commissioned (if you get that far of course)

hope this clears things up Keegs.

There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers.

A pilot is the first episode that you send out to production companies, on the basis of which they will:
a) throw it away
b) get you to write some more to see how things develop; or
c) jump up and down and immediately film the pilot while giving you a golden handcuffs deal to 2025.

These aren't the only options.

Advice varies around the idea of writing 2 episodes before sending off the better of the two. But the pilot must be sufficient to introduce the characters and setting. Sometimes it's better for a pilot to focus on the very heart of the sitcom and concentrate on a few characters. A good example is the first episode of Porridge, "Prisoner and Escort". Fletch and Mackay, but none of the additional characters that went on to help make it a successful series. https://www.comedy.co.uk/porridge/series1.shtml.

Quote: paul watson @ October 21, 2007, 9:03 PM

if it ever gets to TV the pilot is the first one shown before a whole series is commissioned

View original

Not always. There are many unscreened pilots of series that were eventually made. And sometimes (rarely) the pilot doesn't fit in as number 1 of the series, though I can't remember an example.

Yeah, I've been worrying about this for ages. If I sent someone the first episode of my sitcom, as a Pilot, I wouldn't have time to introduce all of the characters, as some of them aren't even in the first episode. This is annoying, as some of the funniest stuff I've written features these characters.

Are they important characters though? If so can you drop them in then if it gets picked up rewrite it. After all - the pilot is to sell the show, not necessarily be the finished item.

I echo everything above. Basically in the pilot you set out the situation that will be returned to every week. So you establish characters, locations, story lines, series arc etc.

For whatever its worth my pilot is my funniest outlined episode rather than my best bits. I figure they want to see how you hold a story too so I haven't given it any more attention than if I was writing another episode. I think in all episodes you need to slip in introductions to the characters/relationships etc.

Its like in every episode of Only Fools and Horses you are subtly shown/told that Rodney and Del boy are lovers, sorry, bothers.

The father ted pilot wasn't the first of the series i think. i would suggest write two or three episodes and then send off the funniest.

I'm might be murdered for this, but I'd suggest you shouldn't send off the funniest episode, but the one that sells your sitcom best (which might not be nearly as funny as you are capable of in other episodes). Contrary to some opinions, the best evidence of being able to make a good sitcom series isn't necessarily that it is funny but that you can write good characters and you have a good set-up with the potential of some longevity.

I hope I'm not murdered.

No, do funny.

You can't learn funny.

that's a gentle murdering...

...but in a way it illustrates my point. Some people can be funny and not be able to write a sitcom that has any longevity (by which I mean even one series). What funny people can't always do is create something that has serialism (new word, and I like it). Maybe the commissioners are just looking for "funny", but I don't believe it. I think they want someone who can write characters. And if that person can't do the funny afterwards then far enough, cheerio, but it's harder to come by the writing characters bit.

i went to seminar at channel 4 and both Andrew Newman (head of commisioning at c4) and Phil Clarke (producer of peep show) disagreed about the best 'script' to recieve. the former preferring a short description and character profile at the beginning, the latter saying it should all be contained in the script. Personally, I'd provide a very brief 'set up' description in the covering letter, then submit the funniest piece of writing I can muster. I'd also start with a strong 'joke' at the beginning. People moan that producers only read the first 10 pages (if that) and their strongest jokes are in the last 10 pages. Ridiculous! First impressions count. Entice them to read more. If you haven't got a strong opening, rewrite.

Quote: jacparov @ October 22, 2007, 10:25 PM

The father ted pilot wasn't the first of the series i think. i would suggest write two or three episodes and then send off the funniest.

View original

Ted never had a pilot as such, just ten pages which became, well, not the first episode.

i think the pilot (or whatever script they sent off) for father ted started with Dougal and a nun in a waiting room. 5 minutes of silence, then Dougal says:

So you're a Nun then?

seem to remember a producer saying he just knew it was going to be good after that.

mind you they had previous credits before father ted which obviously helps

The main thing is to write something good.

I think developing your characters has to be important and then you have to have some funny plots for them to play out and some funny lines for them to say.

Is there really that much more to it?