Quote: Monkeywithtypewriter @ March 3 2011, 4:19 PM GMTWoo! I'm on there. That means I've somehow got something on three weeks in a row...
Now I can't shake the feeling that I'm in some sort of beautiful dream and any minute I'm going to wake up covered in my own vomit.
Well you caught their eye, keep it up don't let this opportunity slip past and all that,
Woo! I'm in! Just got the email and saw that they've got the credits up early this week. 
I had a thought so let me share it with you.
How many people got a credit last series of Newsjack but haven't got one this series? And vice versa how many got one this series but not for series 3? (I fall in the former category)
They've changed the production team and the script editor for series 4 so you might expect that there would be a change in tastes at Newsjack towers.
I say this more to suggest that comedy is very subjective and what one person finds funny another may not. Both could be funny, just to different people. And that elusive credit relies on the person reading your stuff having the same sense of humour as you as well as it actually being good.
Or maybe I'm just not funny anymore.
Quote: StephenM @ March 3 2011, 5:08 PM GMTI had a thought so let me share it with you.
How many people got a credit last series of Newsjack but haven't got one this series? And vice versa how many got one this series but not for series 3? (I fall in the former category)
They've changed the production team and the script editor for series 4 so you might expect that there would be a change in tastes at Newsjack towers.
I say this more to suggest that comedy is very subjective and what one person finds funny another may not. Both could be funny, just to different people. And that elusive credit relies on the person reading your stuff having the same sense of humour as you as well as it actually being good.
Or maybe I'm just not funny anymore.
I'm a total newbie to this. Never written comedy until a few months ago, when I started submitting jokes and songs to Newsrevue and Treason Show, and on the back of that, jokes and sketches to Newsjack.
I think you're right that it's subjective. A friend of mine who's written for HIGNFY, Jimmy Carr, etc has been mentoring me (I asked for his advice as soon as I started to do this) and one piece of advice he had, for example, was: force yourself to write half a dozen jokes about a certain news topic. It's a good discipline, as you never know what a producer will find funny. You may love one particular joke, but they'll prefer another, for example. It makes you work at it.
Each week for Newsjack I've 1) built up a raft of jokes as they occur to me, 2) sat down every weekend and forced myself to come up with more by going through the news and then 3) every Mon/Tues tried to hone all of the above to be the best they can be. I firmly believe that with comedy - as with so many creative endeavours! - it's part talent and inspiration, part graft.
And that's my tuppence worth 
Interesting. I had (under another pen name) a bit of a argument with the previous script editor over a topic which they refused to feature because it was too obvious but in the same week did one that I avoided like the Black Death because I'd already heard it done on newsquiz, LL Files and another contemporary show the name of which completely escapes me. And I was told basically its one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter. I ressited the temptation to storm Broadcasting House and announce a takeover by the Forces of Free Comedy and have instead bided my time... to absolutely no effect with the current lot.
Good advice Chantoozie
Thanks for the link Nil Putters...now I can go and reflect on what a roaring great week Ive had so far...a trip to hospital, stinking early starts at work and am out of teabags
Quote: StephenM @ March 3 2011, 5:08 PM GMTI had a thought so let me share it with you.
How many people got a credit last series of Newsjack but haven't got one this series? And vice versa how many got one this series but not for series 3? (I fall in the former category)
They've changed the production team and the script editor for series 4 so you might expect that there would be a change in tastes at Newsjack towers.
I say this more to suggest that comedy is very subjective and what one person finds funny another may not. Both could be funny, just to different people. And that elusive credit relies on the person reading your stuff having the same sense of humour as you as well as it actually being good.
Or maybe I'm just not funny anymore.
I think you are probably right (about the changing tastes, not about the not being funny). I've been submitting to Newsjack since it started and got 1 thing on per series (sketch, then correction, then sketch if you're interested). Then suddenly this series I've had, including tonight, 3 sketches and two one liners.
I strongly doubt I've somehow magically got funnier in the last few months, so I think a huge part of it must be down to the personal preferences of the new team. Not that I am complaining of course
The only thing I would say to balance that is that this season I have tried harder to write more to the show's style, by making sure that at least one of the three sketches I send in is a 'Miles interviews a woman' sketch. For the last two times that was the one that got picked, even though I didn't necessarily think it was the funniest. I will be interested to see if the same is true tonight.
Quote: Chantoozie @ March 3 2011, 5:40 PM GMTI firmly believe that with comedy - as with so many creative endeavours! - it's part talent and inspiration, part graft.
I would say it's all hard work, and that talent is simply ability earned through hard work.
Anyone feeling down about not getting anything on Newsjack have this one on me.
So far 3.4 series. I have submitted stuff every week (all 22 of 'em) of every series and I have not once had an acknowledgement let alone had anything on the show.
So you see although you might be feeling that you're unfunny or indeed crap, take heart and enjoy the fact that not only do I feel unfunny and crap, I also feel unloved. 
In any ecosystem there is always the lowest form of animal life. Ladles and Jelly-spoons, allow me to introduce myself.
Oh and well done all who got material on this week.
Quote: StephenM @ March 3 2011, 5:08 PM GMTI had a thought so let me share it with you.
How many people got a credit last series of Newsjack but haven't got one this series? And vice versa how many got one this series but not for series 3? (I fall in the former category)
I've submitted material to practically every episode of each series with no luck at all until series 4. I got a one-liner on the first episode and it looks like I've got another (or, if I'm lucky, a sketch) on this one. Hopefully this new production team will be here for a very long time...
Quote: StephenM @ March 3 2011, 5:08 PM GMTHow many people got a credit last series of Newsjack but haven't got one this series? And vice versa how many got one this series but not for series 3? (I fall in the former category)
They've changed the production team and the script editor for series 4 so you might expect that there would be a change in tastes at Newsjack towers.
Fair point that people have different tastes but there were also changes in the production team from series 1 to 2 and from 2 to 3 as well, if a bit more subtle.
Quote: Chantoozie @ March 3 2011, 5:40 PM GMTEach week for Newsjack I've 1) built up a raft of jokes as they occur to me, 2) sat down every weekend and forced myself to come up with more by going through the news and then 3) every Mon/Tues tried to hone all of the above to be the best they can be. I firmly believe that with comedy - as with so many creative endeavours! - it's part talent and inspiration, part graft.
And that's my tuppence worth
Good advice, and it appears to be working!
Well done to all the successful writers this week. My judgement must be off because I left out "breast milk" as too much of an explosion in a clown factory, but submitted one of the 2,328 Ashley Cole gags.
Congratulations to all who have their work on this week.
Nothing for me, but if I'm honest I'd have lost all respect for the show if they'd use anything I'd give them this week.
With regards to differing tastes, I had something on the final show of Series 3, and if I remember rightly Gareth Gwynn was the script editor rather than Dan Tetsell. (I might be wrong, but I think it was the only show he did in Series 3)
Just a case of keep plugging away and wish everyone luck for the next two shows.
Quote: StephenM @ March 3 2011, 5:08 PM GMTI had a thought so let me share it with you.
How many people got a credit last series of Newsjack but haven't got one this series? And vice versa how many got one this series but not for series 3? (I fall in the former category)
They've changed the production team and the script editor for series 4 so you might expect that there would be a change in tastes at Newsjack towers.
I say this more to suggest that comedy is very subjective and what one person finds funny another may not. Both could be funny, just to different people. And that elusive credit relies on the person reading your stuff having the same sense of humour as you as well as it actually being good.
Or maybe I'm just not funny anymore.
I'm in Crake's camp. I submitted on and off for the first three series, to no success, and now had a one-liner on last week and something (?) on tonight as well.
I have a question following on from Stephen's - if you have material on one week do they 'look out for you' in subsequent weeks and perhaps give you preferential treatment over people who haven't previously been successful?
Quote: Humberfloob @ March 3 2011, 7:07 PM GMTI'm in Crake's camp. I submitted on and off for the first three series, to no success, and now had a one-liner on last week and something (?) on tonight as well.
I have a question following on from Stephen's - if you have material on one week do they 'look out for you' in subsequent weeks and perhaps give you preferential treatment over people who haven't previously been successful?
A question for the webchat maybe? Though I think it was implied in the last one, if not explicitly said, that they like to see material coming in from people who've written something really good before. But you won't get anything sub-standard on just because you had previous success.
Congrats to everyone who've got stuff on tonight.
