Sitcom Trials Manchester 2011 - scripts invited Page 16
Quote: bushbaby @ June 22 2011, 10:39 PM BSTHere is what Robin Kelly says ........
Act I - get your protagonist into a tree
No, that's Robin Hood.
Quote: bushbaby @ June 22 2011, 10:39 PM BSTAct I - get your protagonist into a tree
Act II - throw things at her/him
Act III - get her/him down
Not at all. You can introduce a whole set of protagonists in Act II, you can show things in a different way (such as Noises Off did, which is very much a three act piece), there is no particular need to get the protagonist 'out of the tree', sometimes they end up dead. And where this all leads Waiting for Godot I don't know...
By the way you don't win people over by capitals.
Quote: Tim Azure @ June 22 2011, 11:15 PM BSTNot at all. You can introduce a whole set of protagonists in Act II, you can show things in a different way (such as Noises Off did, which is very much a three act piece), there is no particular need to get the protagonist 'out of the tree', sometimes they end up dead. And where this all leads Waiting for Godot I don't know...
By the way you don't win people over by capitals.
End up dead? yes exactly and that's a resolution.......der.... but some aren't even doing that. Kev says of one.....the end isn't right but maybe that can be sorted [or something] well, if the end isn't right in this comp, why is it being considered as a 'maybe'? It should be put in the bin if the writer can't think of a good end for the purposes of the comp. What are they going to do? Sit with the writer and suggest an ending???? When others have actually bothered to write an ending? The mind truly boggles.
Some people need to be shouted at to get it in their heads, hence capitals; otherwise no one listens to me!!!!!!!!!! And Penge particularly is always having a go at me for mentioning a beginning/middle/end. maybe he doesn't bother to write in that manner. Who knows? I'm sick of him pointing it out to me so touche.
And I will say once more, the hardest thing to do when writing sitcom is the story line; that is the skill, not the quips, anyone remotely funny can write quips.
You're being too hard on yourself, BushBaby, anyone that bangs on about beginning/muddle/end as much as you have clearly shows that you have more than a basic fundamental grasp of what writing sitcoms is all about and if this was a 'proper' competition then I would back you all the way but it's not, is it..?
The only thing funny about this comp is the comp itself, in fact, it's almost a farce...
If you make up a competition you should have rules and those rules should adhered to, not make them up as you go along, not change deadlines and methods of voting adhoc, very poorly organised...
I was going to write a sitcom about it but all I got was muddle/muddle/muddle...
Quote: bushbaby @ June 22 2011, 11:20 PM BSTKev says of one.....the end isn't right but maybe that can be sorted [or something] well, if the end isn't right in this comp, why is it being considered as a 'maybe'?
First of all, it isn't. This is just one opinion. Second, why not? This is a writing showcase opportunity (not a competition) and if the writing is good overall then I'm all for people going through on good writing even if the ending is weaker.
Quote: bushbaby @ June 22 2011, 11:20 PM BSTIt should be put in the bin if the writer can't think of a good end for the purposes of the comp.
Ideally, everyone should come up with the perfect ending but they don't. Good writing should be rewarded even if you haven't sorted out a good ending, IMO.
Quote: bushbaby @ June 22 2011, 11:20 PM BSTAnd Penge particularly is always having a go at me for mentioning a beginning/middle/end.
My guess is it's the "muddle" rather than the "middle" that's annoying him. Every story needs a beginning, middle and end.
Jese, Badge, if one hasn't sorted out a good ending but others have, why is the one with a naff ending being a 'maybe' and perhaps something can be done with it; and the one with a good end is a 'no'????
Quote: bushbaby @ June 23 2011, 12:45 AM BSTJese, Badge, if one hasn't sorted out a good ending but others have, why is the one with a naff ending being a 'maybe' and perhaps something can be done with it; and the one with a good end is a 'no'????
BB, again, it isn't. You are looking at one person's reviews in isolation. Besides, on the 20% I've read so far, some have reasonable endings but really aren't that good overall. Maybe it's a nice bit of feedback to show where people are going right as well as wrong?
Quote: Mr Ashdown @ June 22 2011, 7:39 PM BSTKev has stated that his vote counts no more nor less than any other vote; he is not the final arbitrator of this competition.
My vote isn't final. My vote counts no more or less than anyone else's. This is a democratic process. Why are so many people wasting time chatting and nitpicking instead of taking the opportunity to read the scripts and vote? This is your chance to make a difference to the result. Every one of my NO votes will be overturned by anyone who votes YES
If I haven't mentioned this, the way I tot the points up is:
YES is worth 2 points
MAYBE is worth 1 point
NO is worth minus 1 point
So if a script gets mostly NO votes, that'll show up in the end result. If it gets mostly MAYBES it will still do well. And YESes make the most positive difference. And if you don't vote or, as in may case, haven't been able to read all the scripts yet, then you've left them neutral.
Vote everyone. In fact we should ban anyone from commenting here for the next three days until they've read and voted on at least 3 scripts!*
Kev F
* Just a suggestion, it's not the law. But I wish it was.
PPS: With 43 scripts entered, I would hope we'd get at least 43 sets of votes. I must say I'm disappointed in the voting response so far.
I've voted on at least three so I'm going to nitpick...
You should have stuck to the poll thing as originally planned, reading AND reviewing 43, 44 if you count the one posted on 21st but seemed to have over looked, in just a week is a big ask...
Outgoings- Great dialogue, keeps the plot moving along, nice twist.
YES
p.s I'm not the author.
Quote: Kev F @ June 23 2011, 7:42 AM BSTEvery one of my NO votes will be overturned by anyone who votes YES
If I haven't mentioned this, the way I tot the points up is:
YES is worth 2 points
MAYBE is worth 1 point
NO is worth minus 1 point
Kev's Maths skills -- NO.
Dan
Quote: bushbaby @ June 22 2011, 10:39 PM BSTThe skill of sitcom writing is first and foremost the story line. Here is what Robin Kelly says ........
The three act structure is the basis of all sitcoms, even those with a commercial break, and put simply is:
Act I - get your protagonist into a tree
Act II - throw things at her/him
Act III - get her/him down
I would suggest that you don't attempt to write your episode until you have your story and structure worked out. It saves a lot of time and hassle. As my grandmother used to say, "Proper preparation prevents piss-poor performance".
And yes, before you ask, I have had a bottle of red, it tends to dull my mind from shit that happens all the time
Robin Kelly is quoting someone else. And I am not sure this is a helpful little formula as it is not what acts are about at all. Some sitcoms don't really have three acts but two... for example pretty much all of the Dads Army episodes - not all.
What's the maximum number of Acts you can have?
I think Raiders has seven but I could be misremembering and it could only be five.
Who at the moment is quite two acty and then similar for two parters which makes it all a bit muddled at times.