Well, that's my entry sent off. Good luck to all.
Laugh Track - Studio Sitcom Contest Page 12
Thanks for that. All I have to do now is make 30 pages of hilarity and job done.
When entering competitions like this do you consider the judging panel?
Dawn French and Daniel Kaluuya (aka Tealeaf from psychoville) are two of the three judges.
Therefore I think I would tailor my script to include either a strong quirky female lead or an urban teenage male lead or both.
In fact I would be tempted to write my script with those judges in mind for the lead roles.
Obviously not every script will be seen by them but if it comes down to them choosing your script over someone elses I think it must work in your advantage if they could picture themselves playing the character.
I think the days of Dawn French playing urban teenage males are behind her. Sadly.
Quote: Tom G @ March 5 2012, 6:55 PM GMTWhen entering competitions like this do you consider the judging panel?
Dawn French and Daniel Kaluuya (aka Tealeaf from psychoville) are two of the three judges.
Therefore I think I would tailor my script to include either a strong quirky female lead or an urban teenage male lead or both.
In fact I would be tempted to write my script with those judges in mind for the lead roles.
Obviously not every script will be seen by them but if it comes down to them choosing your script over someone elses I think it must work in your advantage if they could picture themselves playing the character.
I wouldn't Tom. Think about reading a novel, everybody puts themselves in the protagonist's shoes as it were, if it is well written. Sitcom's don't have the same sort of protagonist but the the same kind of process works. Think of Batman.
Because of the success of shows like Miranda and Mrs Brown's Boys it seems like "studio sitcom" equals dumbed-down comedy on these boards, but does this have to be the case?
"Yes, Minister" and "Frasier", to name just a couple of examples, were studio-based.
Am I wasting my time trying to do an intelligent studio-based comedy for this competition? Do you think the BBC will reject anything that isn't based around catchphrases and second rate sex-puns?
In any case, I've got a good idea so I'm going to give it a go. The worst they can do is reject me. Like everyone else. Except for you. Yes, you.
Quote: Tom G @ March 5 2012, 6:55 PM GMTWhen entering competitions like this do you consider the judging panel?
Dawn French and Daniel Kaluuya (aka Tealeaf from psychoville) are two of the three judges.
Therefore I think I would tailor my script to include either a strong quirky female lead or an urban teenage male lead or both.
In fact I would be tempted to write my script with those judges in mind for the lead roles.
Obviously not every script will be seen by them but if it comes down to them choosing your script over someone elses I think it must work in your advantage if they could picture themselves playing the character.
I'd say write something you love and hope that they love it too.
How bored are the readers going to be by reading all the scripts that are aimed at the judges!
I wouldn't have written it for a judge.
But now I have it in my head that Kaluuya would be great as one of my mains. His character in The Fades had a similar enthusiasm and personality to him.
That'd be awesome.
But no, I'll carry on writing what I already had planned.
When writing a script I always try to imagine a famous actor or actress playing the parts as I find it easier to get the character's voice and image in my head.
Quote: Tom G @ March 6 2012, 5:09 PM GMTWhen writing a script I always try to imagine a famous actor or actress playing the parts as I find it easier to get the character's voice and image in my head.
I would find that more difficult. Isn't the temptation to 'hear' your words spoken in the actor's previous character's voice... if you see what I mean?
No, I don't think so. I write the character and then try and cast it afterwards. I think if you write a character to suit an actor it might be harder. Someone like Dawn French has played so many types of character that I don't think she has a certain voice that you would feel influenced to write in.
I suppose, but maybe a good test of the character would be to imagaine any number of actors saying it. If the character is strong enough it would remain so no matter who you imagined saying it.
So I'm 3 pages in... but I'm wondering. I saw on bbc site they used Miranda screenplays as an example, and it contained flashbacks. So, do you think using flashbacks would be acceptable?? 
Hmm, good question, well, yes I would have thought so. If you feel it enhances your script and you're sure that's the episode you want to enter. I'd also say if you can possibly find a non flashback alternative, it may be wiser to go down that route just in case the reader thinks you're being too ambitious, but I don't know this, it could be fine with them. You might have to ask them, but I'd have thought flashback was fine. Especially if it's in one of their script examples.
Quote: Bamratatata @ March 7 2012, 12:11 AM GMTSo I'm 3 pages in... but I'm wondering. I saw on bbc site they used Miranda screenplays as an example, and it contained flashbacks. So, do you think using flashbacks would be acceptable??
As ever it is how you use them. Apply the usual rules of narrative and make the flashbacks reveal character or story or reverse expectations and they are fine. What changes in the scene is a good question to ask yourself. Avoid them for ploddy exposition. Coupling did an episode brilliantly with flashbacks from three different perspectives if I remember it correctly.