The Sitcom Mission 2011 Page 83

Quote: simon wright @ March 16 2011, 9:16 AM GMT

The people who come to the workshops tend to be the ones who take their work seriously.

The ones who take their work seriously tend to be the ones who will write everyday.

The ones who take their work seriously tend to be the ones who will rewrite and rewrite

the people who come to the workshop are a self-selecting group of those who are prepared to work harder and consequently produce funnier material.

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Maybe it's subliminal to you Simon, but you do seem to be giving a message here. When is your next workshop?

It's perfectly ok for you to be biased in your selection, after all it was just you and Declan who got to pick what would be presented to HatTrick. There was no opacity about this. I guess you are saying, as well, that you have heard actors perform the ones that were workshopped so you had a better idea of whether they played funny or not with an audience. This would probably account for the proportionally very large amount of workshopped scripts getting through. Whether it is a fair advantage or not is a bit of a moot point, you can't unhear what you have heard, nor yet distance yourself from the improvements scripts have made by being workshopped with actors under your guidance. You have made emotional investment in those scripts. This is how things work is all.

Hey! I'm from the North East too!

Let's join forces and fight crime.

Yay! I've already been fighting a bit of crime this morning, which is why I am wearing my fishfinger helmet and mackerel-skin cape.

Have you been to any workshops up here, Sean? I'm on the lookout for something that floats my boat, but no luck, so far. (It's all that fog on the Tyne.)

oh. Quote went wrong.

Also there are people saying things like "while I got through to laughing stock but not this, why?" or words to that effect. Get over yourself! I'm sure you've probably produced a well written and funny script and I'm genuinely pleased for you but we're all different. It wouldn't do for us all to like the same things.
I've seen lot's of talented local bands at gigs with great, fresh material chase the dream for years and get nowhere so everytime I hear some smug, mockney prick with a piano sings "She's so luvveryly!" I want to feed my radio to a lawnmower.
Sometimes the successful choices aren't the right ones and vice versa.

Quote: wackawee @ March 16 2011, 10:13 AM GMT

Hey! I'm from the North East too!

Let's join forces and fight crime.

Yay! I've already been fighting a bit of crime this morning, which is why I am wearing my fishfinger helmet and mackerel-skin cape.

Have you been to any workshops up here, Sean? I'm on the lookout for something that floats my boat, but no luck, so far. (It's all that fog on the Tyne.)

oh. Quote went wrong.

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No, sadly.

We could always collaborate. I could send you some material about hyperactive pirates that sail seas made of jelly and you can put it in a cage and hit it with a stick until it calms down.

Aaaah, hitting things with sticks. After mincing cats and kicking old ladies, that's my favourite thing to do on a Wednesday morning. As for workshops, there's Writers' block North East, but it's based in M'bro, so too far for me.

Sorry if I'm using this thread wrongly, but I can't get the hang of all the quotey things. I'm off to punch a lamb with a fistful of snowdrops now.

Quote: Jinky @ March 16 2011, 9:39 AM GMT

It would also be hilarious. "Here's 32 scripts about low ranking civil servants who, due to the cuts, have to flatshare. This eventually causes them to become wheelchair-bound zombies who wear fishfinger helmets. Who shall I write the cheque out to?"

I'd love to be in that meeting....

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Id like to be in that meeting too, and I also want the money from inventing the idea of a fish finger helmet, seeing as its now become something of a cult item. interesting to see that coming up with something original is now seen as a negative tho

I've really loved this thread over the past few weeks and so I'm sad to see some folks griping and sniping now that the results are in. I think a better question about the background of "the 32" is not how many of Declan and Simon's workshops they've been on (although, I do agree that shows their seriousness and commitment), but to ask how many competitions they've entered... how many times they've sent their work off into the ether.... and how many rejections they've battled back from. I bet you all of them are off the charts on those... not enough fingers and toes to count them.

We expect a lot in our society today, and we expect it superfast. First-time and relatively inexperienced writers are being totally unrealistic expecting to be snapped up as soon as they give it a shot. Sitcom writing is incredibly hard, probably one of the toughest disciplines there is in writing. It's our job as the writers to make our scripts irresistable...impossible to put down or reject. There's only one person responsible if your work doesn't get selected. (And it's not Simon or Declan, who've both done a superhuman job without us even paying them to...) So, stop whining and deal with it. Keep writing (and re-writing) and try harder. And stop making the great writers who've been chosen feel like it's for reasons other than their obvious talent.

Quote: the word girl @ March 16 2011, 11:12 AM GMT

It's our job as the writers to make our scripts irresistable...impossible to put down or reject. There's only one person responsible if your work doesn't get selected. (And it's not Simon or Declan, who've both done a superhuman job without us even paying them to...)

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The person who is responsible for a script being rejected is the person rejecting it. There may be contributory factors that helped them make that decision. You can only do what you can do before you send it off. And you are right, you should make it as good as you possibly can before doing so. But you can't make someone like something. I don't think anyone should beat themselves up because they didn't get picked if they seriously made an effort, and I don't think anybody should be beating up Declan and Simon either... well maybe Simon. At the end of the day WordGirl, it's an art not a science. One man's Jackson Pollock is another man's load of bollocks. Sometimes it's good to have Art for Art's Sake.

Just focus on the next step rather than anguish over the last.

After realising that my own effort "Doyle and Pratt" was basically more like "Dull and Pretentious" I've now started on something that fits in with my more surreal brand of comedy rather than trying to write withing the confines of reality. I'm already a lot happier with the content and tone and not having a deadline to work to makes it more of a joy to work on.

Quote: sean knight @ March 16 2011, 11:19 AM GMT

Just focus on the next step rather than anguish over the last.

After realising that my own effort "Doyle and Pratt" was basically more like "Dull and Pretentious" I've now started on something that fits in with my more surreal brand of comedy rather than trying to write withing the confines of reality. I'm already a lot happier with the content and tone and not having a deadline to work to makes it more of a joy to work on.

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Sean, your summary of the inanity of the process was a joy to read. Please knock Doyle and Pratt on the head and continue the adventures of Declan and Simon. Or something in that vein. And remember the pictures are not just better on radio, they're a damn site cheaper as well.

Quote: Marc P @ March 16 2011, 11:19 AM GMT

The person who is responsible for a script being rejected is the person rejecting it. There may be contributory factors that helped them make that decision. You can only do what you can do before you send it off. And you are right, you should make it as good as you possibly can before doing so. But you can't make someone like something. I don't think anyone should beat themselves up because they didn't get picked if they seriously made an effort, and I don't think anybody should be beating up Declan and Simon either... well maybe Simon. At the end of the day WordGirl, it's an art not a science. One man's Jackson Pollock is another man's load of bollocks. Sometimes it's good to have Art for Art's Sake.

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Is this a plug for Griff?

Quote: Marc P @ March 16 2011, 11:19 AM GMT

The person who is responsible for a script being rejected is the person rejecting it. There may be contributory factors that helped them make that decision. You can only do what you can do before you send it off. And you are right, you should make it as good as you possibly can before doing so. But you can't make someone like something. I don't think anyone should beat themselves up because they didn't get picked if they seriously made an effort, and I don't think anybody should be beating up Declan and Simon either... well maybe Simon. At the end of the day WordGirl, it's an art not a science. One man's Jackson Pollock is another man's load of bollocks. Sometimes it's good to have Art for Art's Sake.

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Im going to get on a workshop that way I can beat them both up, I can get a one day travel card for £20, it's worth it.

Quote: KLRiley @ March 16 2011, 11:27 AM GMT

Is this a plug for Griff?

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Might be!

Quote: simon wright @ March 16 2011, 9:16 AM GMT

The people who come to the workshops tend to be the ones who take their work seriously.

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Whilst I go with the rest of your points - take your work seriously, you write every day, you rewrite and rewrite, and the script is better... I'm not totally convinced by the logic of the above. I think it's easily possible that a lot of people are there wanting a quick fix. Paying the money in order to avoid doing the hard work. And I know lots of people who work incredibly hard and are successful and prefer to learn through doing.

There'll be a lot of people where the maths works, but I think the logic is that it presumably helps to get specific notes on the piece you're submitting from people who know what they're talking, more than about the type of person who attends the workshop.

We're on page 91.

Anybody want to bet when we'll get to 100? ' Bet' £1 and promise to give it to charity if you're wrong?

Quote: Griff @ March 16 2011, 11:38 AM GMT

Thank you Marc! Good to take these Small Comforts where I can find them.

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Lol, that got changed to Cottaging and look how far that got us!

Quote: sean knight @ March 16 2011, 11:19 AM GMT

I've now started on something that fits in with my more surreal brand of comedy rather than trying to write withing the confines of reality. I'm already a lot happier with the content and tone and not having a deadline to work to makes it more of a joy to work on.

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Yes, I think it's important to be true to thine own self, yet a handicap if popular taste of the moment is at odds with your concepts. I do think if you believe in your work and the message you want to convey, then keep hammering at the door till someone opens it. Unless there's some misguided folly and the mechanics of your scripts have fundimental flaws, then why not dream of being the writer who broke the chains and set the popular trend of sitcoms that will be viewed in two years time. Therein, I think, is where the imagination of writers and the courage producers must step up to the plate and break the mould.

Great competition, once again. Looking forward to next year.