Comedy writers get 'On Air'

Seeking comedy sketch writers for a TV show in development in South Africa. Good opportunity to get your sketches filmed and on air and hopefully make some money.
Contact: mike@onairmedia.tv

Sounds interesting, could you tell us a little bit more?

Hi Sootyj
Our company OnAir Media is busy putting together sketch scripts to film and compile into a pilot for South African television. The TV comedy industry in SA is in it's infancy and there is a major lack of good writing. I have a group of writers in SA but want to complement their work with work from overseas.
I am looking for one or two scripts from writers and once we have a good body of work we will start shooting.
Your retain copyright on your scripts and if it is used in a programme then we will discuss rates before it goes to air.
We believe it is a good opportunity for up and coming writers who want to see their scripts come to life and to be able to compile a showreel.
Cheers

Aah cool shall I send you some samples then?

Hi Mike,

Tonally what sort of comedy sketches are you looking for?

If you could compare the style of comedy you are aiming for against some shows we would know, what would they be?

Cheers.

I was wondering the same thing as Trabs, a sketch that would be ideal in something like The Mitchell & Webb Look, would fall rather flat in a Hale & Pace style show and vice versa. So a little more information about the style and target audience would be great.

Writing for an audience in a country I've never visited and am not familiar with the culture and attitudes of, will be a challenge, but I'll give it my best attempt.

Presumably it will be in English and I don't need to learn to speak Afrikaans first.

Hi Trabs

We are still experimenting with the format and content and therefore we want to try all kinds of sketches and see what works with our intended audience.

The market we are aiming at is as diverse as our demographics but basically we are looking for an audience from our new black up and coming middle class plus the existing whiteys who have grown up with Fawlty Towers, Mr Bean, Little Britain, Friends etc.

The sketches need to be easy funny rather than intellectually funny, our audience isn't as sophisticated as the British audience. Hopefully sketches that can translate to South African scenarios.

SA comedy has usually been quite slapstick and a bit unsophisticated but our audiences are being introduced to plenty of British and US comedy and we believe the market is ripe for a decent sketch show and eventually sitcoms.

Age group: 15 to 40

We will shoot on location and in studio.

Cast of between 1 and 6 actors

Religion and politics will be difficult to sell out here, mainly looking for sketches that our audience can relate to, day to day humour, poking fun at authority figures, family squabbles, plenty of visual humour and good punchlines.

Sketch durations of between 30 secs and 3 minutes.

Looking for some strong characters, think Vicky Pollard, David Brent, Paddy and Max.

Our long term goal is to take the characters we create and place them into sitcoms.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

All the best

Mike

Any idea when you might be making a decision/getting back to people, Mike?

Ok if I send some more stuff?

And not political?

Ok if I send some more stuff?

And not political?

Ok if I send some more stuff?

And not political?

Hi SootyJ
Please send, look forward to reading them.
Cheers
mike@onairmedia.tv

damn accidental multiple postings makes me look like a nutter again.

Quote: mike bardsley @ June 26 2011, 8:23 PM BST

Religion and politics will be difficult to sell out here

View original

I'll rip up my "Nelson Mandela converts to Islam" sketch then

Hi Corey
At the moment we are going through all the scripts, quite a few, and working out which sketches could translate into South African scenarios.
Probably take a couple of weeks.
cheers
Mike

Ha, ha yeah Muhammed Mandela might be a tad controversial out here.

Anyone heard back from this opp?

Hi Evan
Mike here. Just had to go do some work in the Caribbean but back in Cape Town now and going through all the scripts with my writing partner. We have already identified a few sketches that we think will work in SA and are now working on the budgets and production timetable. Once we have that in place we will contact the writers and discuss rights etc.
thanks
mike