Sitcom (Com)Mission Page 70

Quote: Walter Swift @ April 16 2010, 12:20 PM BST

I still don't get it. What's the point of the audience vote at this stage, if no matter which show they like, it's what the four critics think that counts?

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As bluer than blue points out, the audience vote does count for something.

Even if the audience vote had no basis, I think it'd still be worth polling the audience though - it helps to indicate whether the industry judges did indeed get it "right" or not. Also, just to point out, the industry judges are probably slightly looking for something different than the audience, which is why the votes may not tally: series potential, 'marketability' and all that kind of thing is important to industry people. Don't forget, the aim of The Sitcom Mission is to find sitcoms to go all the way to a TV/radio series.

So the final will consist of 5 sitcoms. 2 sitcoms will be decided by the industry folks from the first semi-final, 2 more sitcoms will be decided by industry folks from the second semi-final and the final sitcom is decided by the audience vote.

Can the 'audience wildcard' entry be from any stage of the competition or just from the semi-finals? I'm guessing they can come from any stage.

Aah whatever, we'll go along with it.

Quote: Mark @ April 16 2010, 8:45 PM BST

As bluer than blue points out, the audience vote does count for something.

Even if the audience vote had no basis, I think it'd still be worth polling the audience though - it helps to indicate whether the industry judges did indeed get it "right" or not. Also, just to point out, the industry judges are probably slightly looking for something different than the audience, which is why the votes may not tally: series potential, 'marketability' and all that kind of thing is important to industry people. Don't forget, the aim of The Sitcom Mission is to find sitcoms to go all the way to a TV/radio series.

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which just proves that the industry has no idea what the viewers want, If I was in that audience and the 'Thunderer' for instance got most laughs, I'd seriously think of commissioning it but no, the industry think they know best and think they know what the viewers want....der...no...as a consequence they feed us crap....22 carat crap at that.
The audience shouldn't vote at all but the reaction of same should count for something

Quote: bushbaby @ April 16 2010, 8:55 PM BST

which just proves that the industry has no idea what the viewers want

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I probably didn't explain that very well! I'd certainly agree some TV Execs don't have a clue what they're doing - but, equally, what the audience might be really laughing at in the live arena may not match what they, the production companies, want/can invest in.

I'm definitely not saying this is the case, but to give two loose examples: Thunderer sounds similar in style to Bleak Expectations - the audience might be laughing but perhaps it's too close for the BBC to pick up? (as it happens the judges put it out front tallying with the audience vote, so that's obviously not the case). Meanwhile, perhaps Sitting Ducks was great live, but they didn't think it had enough potential for a series (double-disclaimer: I'm not saying this is the case, I just wanted a theoritical example!)

Quote: Penge @ April 16 2010, 8:47 PM BST

Can the 'audience wildcard' entry be from any stage of the competition or just from the semi-finals? I'm guessing they can come from any stage.

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I'm not sure how that bit works, better wait for Declan & Simon to answer...

Quote: bushbaby @ April 16 2010, 8:55 PM BST

The audience shouldn't vote at all but the reaction of same should count for something.

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I think I'm right in saying in case of a three/four way split between the four judges, the audience vote would be needed to choose which sitcoms go through.

I'm sure the judges did note the audience reaction. A sitcom playing out in silence (as I have seen happen at a previous contest, not this one) will no doubt register in their brains and influence their votes.

I'm bloody scared! Anyone else?

I'm scared more than anything of my friends seeing something I've written! I don't think I've got the hang of this yet...

Still, saw the theatre today - was lovely.

Don't be nervous, unless you're acting in it. Otherwise just drink beer and enjoy the fact your work was done months ago.

Well done for getting to the finals Joel.
I must go and see this one day.

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Quote: Joel Slack-Smith @ April 16 2010, 10:06 PM BST

Otherwise just drink beer and enjoy the fact your work was done months ago.

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The man speaks good sense.

And he writes good comedy.

Give him a job! Immediately!

Thanks (and congrats!) Joel. I know it's good advice. I just wish I hadn't put so many stunts in it.

Quote: Mark @ April 16 2010, 9:10 PM BST

I probably didn't explain that very well! I'd certainly agree some TV Execs don't have a clue what they're doing - but, equally, what the audience might be really laughing at in the live arena may not match what they, the production companies, want/can invest in.

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Are TV critics industry execs?

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Is bushbaby just saying MOOOOOOOOOOOOOO at us in Morse Code?

Quote: Penge @ April 17 2010, 5:48 PM BST

Is bushbaby just saying MOOOOOOOOOOOOOO at us in Morse Code?

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No, I keep writing stupid thinks when I'm p*ssed then have to come on and delete it

Hi guys

I'll try and answer the questions and points raised in order:

Walter: The point of the audience vote at this stage is that, when votes from the heat and the semi-final are added together, the sitcom that didn't get through to the Grand Final with the highest cumulative vote does go through. So it is worth attending and voting for your favourite.

At the 8pm show last week, only three people out of an audience of 80 didn't know someone who was in/wrote/directed one of the sitcoms. Those people, however many times we ask them to vote for the two that they liked the most, will always vote for the one that their mate is in/wrote/directed. Which is why we ask them to vote for two, so that they vote for the one their mate was in/wrote/directed, and the one they genuinely thought was funny.

I don't think there was anything strange and suspicious about the voting on Monday. However, you're right, we're not a democracy, althought we have found that voting systems are only preferred by the people who are set to gain by them.

I don't believe that Sitting Ducks got a raw deal. Where's the incentive for us to give a sitcom, that the writer, director and actors have put a bloody lot of hard work into and we've supported, a raw deal? What would be the point? Are we trying to fix anything? If so, why?

Penge: The audience cumulative vote, which I'd like to refer to it as from now on, is the addition of the heat vote and the semi-final vote. I can just imagine the hoo-ha on here if something that didn't make it through to the semi-finals got through to the Grand Final based purely on audience vote. So yes, one of the semi-finalists will get through to the Grand Final, based on the addition of the heat vote and the semi-final vote.

Bushbaby: All of the industry was not present. Nor were all of the viewers.

Mark: The judges were at the 5pm industry show, not the 8pm general public show, so wouldn't have been swayed by audience reaction.

Ennie: It's ok to be scared. How do you think Simon and I were last week?

Marc: TV critics aren't industry execs, but they do hold a tiny bit of sway with the readers of whichever publication they write for, otherwise they'd be out of a job.

BushBaby: Put the bottle down and walk away.

On a general note, we've set up The Sitcom Mission to further writers' opportunities to have their work performed in front of members of the industry, one of whom said after the show that it was nice to see things performed and not just read out. Would writers be interested in us putting on a non-competitive showcase, with no voting whatsoever? In which case we wouldn't have heats or semi-finals and would just choose four or five to showcase on one night. After June 7th, I can tell you which four or five we would have chosen.

And when it comes down to it, there's plenty of decisions made by TV execs which I disagree with, but we thought it best to be proactive and provide an alternative.

Cheers, Declan