I tried to write the dialogue down of Only Fools and Horses tonight but it was too quick for me. I had the subtitles on. No line was really funny [for this particular episode] and whilst I really like the sitcom, this one was not funny but because we are used to the characters, we laugh and so did the audience. had it been the first episode, it would have died an early death. just makes me think
Quote: Frantically @ September 24 2011, 10:27 PM BSTWow - get into a debate, there's a response, go to reply...and in the meantime there's been 7 other posts??
It's Saturday night and we're posting on the 'net? I can't believe you're all as sad as me!
Makes me feel better about myself though
Just keeping you company 
Haven't signed up for this yet, can anyone tell me what the set-up with yahoo is like? What does the group sharing and various features involve?
Quote: bushbaby @ September 24 2011, 10:39 PM BSTI tried to write the dialogue down of Only Fools and Horses tonight but it was too quick for me. I had the subtitles on. No line was really funny (for this particular episode) and whilst I really like the sitcom, this one was not funny but because we are used to the characters, we laugh and so did the audience. had it been the first episode, it would have died an early death. just makes me think
Was it one of the post shark jumping episodes?
I never got why they couldn't just leave only fools alone after they became millionaires. I mean I know why they brought it back (moolah) but it was just poor and I felt cheated that they basically couldn't write around them being rich they had to do that shitty eastenders trope of rags to riches to rags etc.
Quote: AJGO @ September 24 2011, 10:41 PM BSTJust keeping you company
Haven't signed up for this yet, can anyone tell me what the set-up with yahoo is like? What does the group sharing and various features involve?
Hi AJGO
Sorry you're stuck in too. Hope the rioters are quiet tonight 
I don't think Sitcommission's using the Yahoo groups - that's the Sitcom Trials. I think for this all you need to do is write the script, paypal the money, put your hands behind your head, move away from your keyboard and await further instructions.
Quote: Frantically @ September 24 2011, 11:18 PM BSTHi AJGO
Sorry you're stuck in too. Hope the rioters are quiet tonight
I don't think Sitcommission's using the Yahoo groups - that's the Sitcom Trials. I think for this all you need to do is write the script, paypal the money, put your hands behind your head, move away from your keyboard and await further instructions.
Yeah, stuck in... because of some rioters... that'll be it 
Will post the same question on relevant thread then, when I get around to working on it. Probably just after the deadline
Quote: Ponderer @ September 24 2011, 8:48 PM BSTSimon, I think I rather disagree about Thunderer (apart from the funny bit, it was very funny). I think the characters (which were broad in the extreme) were the least of it. The sit was dominant and the humour came from the juxtaposition of Victorian language and mores with modern sensibilities. Very much in the mould of Bleak Expectations and The Penny Dreadfuls.
My point was that it wasn't full of jokes that would stand up out of context. I stand by that. I still can't think of a single line from it that could be used on an open mic night.
Which is where we came in. I was responding to a query about the biggest mistakes that writers make, and one of them is using their sitcom to try out stand up material. Believe me we have read hundreds of jokes in which the main character (the one the writer has fallen in love with to the detriment of his/her script) does a 'hilarious' routine about post office queues/airline food/Star Wars etc while the rest of the cast stand around like complete lemons for 2 whole pages.
I've watched a whole load of NGO recently thanks to Dave and I must say that I'll excuse the most highly coincidental farcical plotting if I'm laughing my head off and want to know what happens next.
I would also like to ditto Bushbaby in that a huge amount of comedy is in reactions and responses.
Quote: simon wright @ September 25 2011, 12:40 AM BSTMy point was that it wasn't full of jokes that would stand up out of context. I stand by that. I still can't think of a single line from it that could be used on an open mic night.
Which is where we came in. I was responding to a query about the biggest mistakes that writers make, and one of them is using their sitcom to try out stand up material. Believe me we have read hundreds of jokes in which the main character (the one the writer has fallen in love with to the detriment of his/her script) does a 'hilarious' routine about post office queues/airline food/Star Wars etc while the rest of the cast stand around like complete lemons for 2 whole pages.
I realise the point you're making, it was linking it to Partridge that confused me. There I think that the barrier is genuinely character, i.e. it is funny because that character says it and would not be in anyone else's mouth. I think in Thunderer it is largely true that they wouldn't work (although jokes about her bicycling club taking trips down cobbly lane and orgasm hill might work in a stand up context) but because of the Victorian setting - no-one is making jokes about the hypocracy (sp?) of getting drunk at temperance meetings or elitist/racist assumptions in the pursuit of Jack the Ripper anymore.
That said, I totally agree about the polemic/stand-up stuff and I catch myself at it occasionally, although I've never quite managed 2 pages yet.
Quote: Declan @ September 25 2011, 7:10 AM BSTI've watched a whole load of NGO recently thanks to Dave and I must say that I'll excuse the most highly coincidental farcical plotting if I'm laughing my head off and want to know what happens next.
Given those 2 qualifications I'd agree. NGO fails for me on the second part. And the first as it happens as the pun-based nature of a lot of it leaves me cold. Even in stand-up I am much more interested and entertained by comedians who engage you in a story or their worldview rather than fire gags (hence Daniel Kitson over Tim Vine and Adam Hills over Michael MacIntyre).
I'm currently finding the same with This is Jinsy which seems to me a collection of wilfully odd ideas rather than some sort of cohesive world which happens to be very odd (like Father Ted). Again I think I am guilty of this sometimes in my stuff.
Anyway, back to Sitcommission.
Quote: Marc P @ September 24 2011, 10:08 PM BSTBut think of Rab C or Steptoe or Fletcher or Bilko or Victor Meldrew or Martin from EDC or Del Boy or ... well you get the idea. These were envisioned and created by writers.
In their book of Red Dwarf scripts, Grant & Naylor refer to TV scripts as recipes, which can still go wrong at any stage of the process once they've done their bit. Everyone from the producer and director, to the casting director, the actors, the editor, the costume designer or even the audience on the night can all play a part in buggering up a perfectly good bit of writing and rendering it incomprehensible or unfunny.
On the other hand no amount of talented people can make a bad script look good.
And talking of changing the subject, the next Sitcom Trials is coming up, in Manchester, on October 21st. (Buy tickets here: http://www.manchestercomedyfestival.co.uk/10mcf_show.aspx?event=691 ) You have until this weekend to get your entries in, see the Sitcom Trials thread in this very forum for details.
Kev F http://sitcomtrials.co.uk
PS: Yes, the cash prize and incentive are slightly smaller than the Sitcom Mission, but better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
Quote: Kev F @ September 26 2011, 5:39 PM BSTPS: Yes, the cash prize and incentive are slightly smaller than the Sitcom Mission, but better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
And to be fair you stopped the poke-in-the-eye prize after the first year. Let no-one say you didn't learn from your mistakes.
For anybody who's thinking about it, but hasn't done so yet, there's still spaces on our Introduction to Sitcom Writing workshop on Saturday 8 October in London:
Quote: Declan @ October 1 2011, 10:56 PM BSTFor anybody who's thinking about it, but hasn't done so yet, there's still spaces on our Introduction to Sitcom Writing workshop on Saturday 8 October in London:
Are you going to do a more detailed one from the introduction course this year?
Marc: more detailed than what? We've learnt a whole load more in the past 12 months especially since teaming up with Hat Trick, so there's all that to pass on.
We've also got some very exciting news coming up in the next couple of weeks, watch this space for further details.
Quote: Declan @ October 1 2011, 11:11 PM BSTMarc: more detailed than what? We've learnt a whole load more in the past 12 months especially since teaming up with Hat Trick, so there's all that to pass on.
We've also got some very exciting news coming up in the next couple of weeks, watch this space for further details.
Hi Declan - no it's just you said you had an 'Introduction to Sitcom Writing' course, I wondered. given your development and people being on your first course and doing the competition, you might be doing a kind of follow on course. From the 'Introducton' one.. the next step kind of thing. Maybe more workshop based?
We do the Help! I've Written a Script workshop, which is for those who've written a script and want feedback on it - attendees get a CD of the script reading plus feedback from us and, more importantly, the actors. The next one's on November 12 in London:
https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/workshops/1/
We're also working on a workshop about creating stories and plotting an episode which would lead on very well from the Introduction course, which centres on creating characters. We should have it up and running for later in the year.