Sitcom (Com)Mission Page 85

Quote: simon wright @ July 26 2010, 11:55 PM BST

The point about putting a script through lots of drafts came not from me, but a very successful comedy producer. Someone who was puzzled and frankly disappointed to be watching exactly the same script twice.

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I'm puzzled by this bit, to be honest. What did he/she expect? And what do DVD comedy sales rely on - people watching a different version of the script every time?

Yes, re-write all you can if you can improve it, with all the constraints that Griff pointed out. But if the producer liked it first time are you saying he/she hated it second time? Or were they just looking for an excuse to say no to something they really didn't like that much to start off with?

Point is, if Cleese and Booth rolled up with "Communication Problems" you and the producer wouldn't be looking to change it much between shows. At the same I doubt any of you is expecting the finished article to be staged. If the TV/radio people want perfect sitcoms to be dropped in their laps and improved markedly between competition rounds then maybe they should be putting their moeny behind this sort of thing and giving you a development funding cheque?

Quote: Griff @ July 27 2010, 12:25 AM BST

...it's far from clear that success in the Sitcom Mission is any real career boost once the excitement of the final is passed (although you guys are certainly more serious about trying to promote writers than Kev's Trials)...

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It's always nice to be remembered in passing. And while I'm on, the news from Sitcom Trials central is that there won't be a London season of the Trials this autumn, leaving the sitcom-on-stage development field open to the 'Mission for the next term at least. My search for a new producer has brought me a few interested and interesting parties, but I've left it too late now to line up a season of shows to start in time (you should, as you'll realise, all have been sending in your script entries for at least a month by now in order for that to happen).

However the success last Friday of the first Manchester Sitcom Trials (see Trials thread) has encouraged its organisers to run another in the autumn, and this time they will be looking for scripts (as opposed to producing them within the writer-performer team as they did for last week's show). http://www.lassfest.co.uk/ So stay tuned on the appropriate thread for news.

Meanwhile I look forward to seeing lots of you at the Edinburgh Fringe, starting next week, where a host of Sitcom Trials (and I'm sure Sitcom Mission) alumni are treading the boards. Last year's winners Steve McNeil & Sam Pamphilon (in Addicted To Danger) have been kind enough to stick "Sitcom Trials Winners" at the top of their listing http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/addicted-to-danger , almost as if someone might have the faintest idea what they're talking about.

Kev F http://sitcomtrials.co.uk

'I'm puzzled by this bit, to be honest. What did he/she expect? And what do DVD comedy sales rely on - people watching a different version of the script every time?'

Obviously with a DVD you can't change it. With live performances weeks apart you can. If you've seen something that didn't work in week one why leave it in for the following performances? A stand up comedian doing a long tour is going to tweak as s/he goes. The set will remain essentially the same, but will get tighter. The producer was puzzled to see bits that hadn't worked repeated. Is that so bizarre?

Quote: Kev F @ July 27 2010, 7:04 AM BST

Meanwhile I look forward to seeing lots of you at the Edinburgh Fringe, starting next week, where a host of Sitcom Trials (and I'm sure Sitcom Mission) alumni are treading the boards. Last year's winners Steve McNeil & Sam Pamphilon (in Addicted To Danger) have been kind enough to stick "Sitcom Trials Winners" at the top of their listing http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/addicted-to-danger , almost as if someone might have the faintest idea what they're talking about.

Kev F http://sitcomtrials.co.uk

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Kev - The fact that these excellent actors and comedians (and I look forward to seeing some of them myself) are "Sitcom Trials alumni" has little or no bearing on their subsequent career whether at Edinburgh or anywhere else. Yes they've put "Sitcom Trials Winners" on their blurb, but you would, wouldn't you. It's (marginally) better than "winners of the Mrs Joyful Prize for raffia work" when you are looking for something to put. But anyway, they are performers, and this is a writers forum. And my point remains, that to the best of my knowledge only one writer* out of the several thousands of entrants over the last decade has ever benefited as a result of entering the Trials or the Mission, other than in gaining the experience of being tangentially involved in a bit of enjoyable fringe theatre.

The Sitcom Trials/Mission is great, for what it is. And what it is, isn't enough to persuade me to write three episodes this time round.

(* - i.e. the single exception of Dean's From Riga To Rotherham, which got some paid development out of BBC Radio Comedy, who are hardly a closed door when it comes to new writers).

Would it not be tough though for the writer/actors that came first on the third week, they'd only have a week to rewrite/learn lines.
Could the 'problem' of anything not working, not be resolved at the first rehearsal stage?

Just read the blog and three episodes does seem a little bit much. I agree with Griff, I'm not sure it's worth the effort, especially as the rewards are unclear.

It's also bizarre in that if you get anywhere with the BBC or a prodco, then the most you'll be asked to write is one other episode.

It's political correctness gone mad.

Quote: Marc P @ July 27 2010, 9:48 AM BST

It's political correctness gone mad.

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It's ruining a perfectly good opportunity by overly complicating it!

I'm not aware of stand ups ditching all the gags that don't work one night and replacing them the next. don't they say the same gag might flop with one audience but bring down the house with another? If you only have 2 performances it doesn't leave a lot of room for definitive action. You might end up chucking something good.

Quote: chipolata @ July 27 2010, 9:51 AM BST

It's ruining a perfectly good opportunity by overly complicating it!

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Sorry I meant to say it's Mental Health and Safety gone mad.

Quote: Marc P @ July 27 2010, 9:55 AM BST

Sorry I meant to say it's Mental Health and Safety gone mad.

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You might need to do a third draft of this joke before it works completely, Marc.

Quote: chipolata @ July 27 2010, 9:58 AM BST

You might need to do a third draft of this joke before it works completely, Marc.

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Yeah but where am I going to get an editor good enough to help me on it?

I think, to be fair to Simon and Declan, the Sitcom Mission is a relatively new approach and they are still getting to know producers/directors/the big industry bods and trying to find exactly the right 'flavour' for this 'competition' (I hesitate to use the word, but can't think of anything more appropriate).

However, I do tend to agree with Griff about the amount of time developing three non-half-hour episodes will take up. I'm sure all the writers would happily develop three episodes further, particularly with the advice of 'proper' (ie experienced) script editors. To make it worthwhile though, I think those script editors need one eye on helping develop a full-length (30 minute) version and also be open to pitching those sitcom around to their own contacts, rather than restricting it to just Sitcom Mission.

Developing three episodes to get knocked out in the first round would be utterly, utterly soul-destroying. Better to not qualify than get kicked in the teeth like that, I reckon.

If you're doing the three episodes, I think you need to show all three episodes to three separate audiences (group qualification -- maybe even with three different directors?) and the average mark decides the fate. This would work better in terms of what Simon and Declan want, as they want marketable sitcoms with longevity and not a single episode.

Obviously, this logistics of this prove difficult, unless they cut it to the top eight entries or something. However, at least then 'the next best' eight people wouldn't be killing themselves to get knocked out on a single performance and the eight that 'make it' would feel they've been through more of a 'proper' development process.

If you're going to develop three episodes, it's probably a better use of time to develop three thirty-minute episodes which, I admit, is not ideal for the stage in this particular format.

Just some random thoughts

Dan

Why not have us submit an entire first series, plus extras for the DVD? Then if we get past the first round we have to do a second series? Then for the third round, a ninety minute special to round it all off.

Quote: swerytd @ July 27 2010, 10:02 AM BST

I think, to be fair to Simon and Declan, the Sitcom Mission is a relatively new approach

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Simon and Declan are clearly doing this show with the best of intentions, and I wish them well.

Quote: swerytd @ July 27 2010, 10:02 AM BST

I'm sure all the writers would happily develop three episodes further, particularly with the advice of 'proper' (ie experienced) script editors.

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Really? I'd need a flipping good reason to be developing three episodes of a sitcom, script editor or no script editor, when no producer in the world wants to read three episodes from new writers.