Quote: evan rubivellian @ February 3 2013, 2:46 PM GMTHello,
As I said in my original post, I'd be happy to go over my thoughts on your script via pm if you like.
In the meantime congrats to you, the top ten and everyone who took part.
I'm chuffed to get through!
Well done to you too, pilot's are tricky beasts, here is my Cheeky Halloween attempt from last year enjoy/tell me what u think (came 10th)
Thanks for all the feedback on 'Theatre'. Truly. It takes time and effort to read through and evaluate them all and that really shouldn't be overlooked. I am pretty chuffed as this is my first attempt - obviously I hope it goes through to actually being staged, but the act of submission and open criticism was pretty big for a noob, so the main hurdle that I am glad to have overcome.
There were some pretty valid points for others, with the main criticism being its potential sitcomability. So obviously if I am going to take this idea forward I'll have to make it so the sitcom elements stand out a bit more. It is part of a sitcom in my head, but I guess it doesn't really come across in the script. I worked this as a fairly contained set-piece that I thought would work well on stage (operating theatre in a drama theatre having a nice resonance), but a sitcom version would probably concentrate more on Thistlewhip and Creedence as medical students, with Fillibut and probably another, more progressive doctor being the other main character/s. So it's really just a sitcom about medical students, based in the C19th for (what I see as) added hilarity from the crazy medicine and the social conservatism. Though a sitcom based on modern medical students would probably work as well - and would probably be more pleasing to the anti-silly name brigade (the names in that are like my crack cocaine - I really know I shouldn't, but goddamn it feels so good). In fact, if had any main criticism of my own script it would be that it depended on the intrinsic comedy of this specific situation too much. I think in future submissions I'll try and write something more 'regular' and look to get the laughs from the characters more. I think that's a far bigger challenge and hats off to those that tried it this time.
It was definitely good fun reading all the others and I thought all had good ideas, writing or jokes, and a fair few had the magic combination of all three. Well done to the fellow nine, and commiserations to the others, quite a few of which I really liked. I hope all submit again.
Cheers,
Andrew
Quote: Mr Ashdown @ February 3 2013, 2:08 AM GMTCongrats to the writers of the top ten - their scripts will be read by the cast, and at least three will go through to the show ... Thanks again to everyone.
--Vince
Ha ha! And I didn't have to do a single thing? I didn't even read a single script! Oh, I like this.
Kev F
(of The Sitcom Trials)
NB: My involvement kicks back in, in rather a big way, very soon. Thankyou and congratulations to Vince and the rest of you for shouldering the onerous et ceteras in this round of Trials script selections, the first of which I have not been involved with since I invented them back in the days before the phrase Back In The Day was so inevitably coined.
PS: Apologies to all those offended by split infinitives. I seem to effortlessly be more than able to do them.
Kev: The only split infinitive you used was, ironically, in that last sentence.
Kev, any chance of tidying up the rules re previous radio or TV credits?
Hello!
The Bristol Sitcom Trials team have now read and voted on all the ten scripts that made the shortlist, and we're very pleased to announce which ones we liked the most:
"Theatre" by Andrew Tate
"Midnight Music" by Neil Tollfree
"Cliff and Elaine Fall Out" by Aaron Caris
These three scripts join "Face-Time" by Brian Teles and "Uimpoverished Youth" by Oliver Ley to make the full line up of sitcom scripts to be staged at the Wardrobe Theatre on Friday 22nd Feb.
Congrats to Aaron, Andrew, Brian, Neil and Oliver - we'll try to do their scripts justice. Huge thanks to the writers of the other scripts in contention, you made our job very difficult because the standard was so high. The voting was very close, with lots of impassioned argument, but in the end these are the scripts that we feel confident will play well, and get laughs from an audience.
--Vince
Well done to the finalists - great achievement :-)
Very well done to those three script writers.
Congrats and best of luck to the three winning scripts.
Sorry I'm confused by this forum, is the sitcom trials deadline for Bristol over or the deadline for the whole thing (London and Manchester too)?
Quote: Jowan Mounsey @ February 9 2013, 11:06 PM GMTSorry I'm confused by this forum, is the sitcom trials deadline for Bristol over or the deadline for the whole thing (London and Manchester too)?
The Sitcom Trials So You Think You Write Funny competition deadline is March 31st.
http://sitcomtrials.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-sitcom-trials-so-you-think-you.html
The Bristol show is on Feb 22, separate from the SYTYWF competition, then Bristol will be participating, along with London and Manchester, in staging the heats for that.
Kev F
Quote: Badge @ February 5 2013, 11:09 AM GMTKev, any chance of tidying up the rules re previous radio or TV credits?
Assume you will be considered eligible unless you have had a sitcom on TV or radio. ie if you've had a broadcast pilot episode then you've already achieved more than The Sitcom Trials competition is offering as a prize. Sketches contributed to radio shows won't count against you.
I am giving further thought to these details as the question has been raised about scripts that have been optioned. I am minded to think those shouldn't count against you. Assume that's the case and enter freely.
Bristol Sitcom Trials Friday Feb 22 - 10th Anniversary Show
There's a Sitcom Trials taking place at The Wardrobe Theatre in Bristol this Friday Feb 22nd and I've just realised, spookily and completely coincidentally, it is taking place on the 10th anniversary exactly of the live broadcast of episode 1 of The Sitcom Trials' ITV1 series.
Here we see Wanda Opalinska and Gerard Foster in the first episode's sitcom Do You Think They'll Cotton On? by Brian Meenagh, which has yet to find its way onto YouTube. Stay tuned. The ITV series ran for 8 weeks, every Friday night at around 11.30pm (times varied as a result of our clashing with the 2nd Gulf War) with two sitcoms going head to head, the audience voting by phone and text, and the ending of the winning sitcom being performed. All live. See a selection of episodes in the Sitcom Trials video archive.
Friday night's Sitcom Trials is produced by Vince Stadon, directed by Louisa Smith and hosted by Kev F, and takes place at The Wardrobe Theatre, above The White Bear, 133 St Michael's Hill, BS2 8BS Bristol, doors opening 7.30pm. Five sitcoms compete head to head, who wins, you decide. Reserve tickets here.
PS: It has just been pointed out to me that the first episode of the TV series actually went out on Friday Feb 21st 2003, which makes this week's show less spookily coincidental. Don't tell anyone.
Quote: Kev F @ February 21 2013, 4:21 PM GMT
Are they wasting some of their prop budget unnecessarily, do you think?
Sitcom Trials unbroadcast pilot - Do You Think They'll Cotton On?
The Sitcom Trials' ITV 1 series began this very week in 2003, yes ten years ago on 21st Feb 2003. To commemorate it here is one of the seven-minute-sitcoms from that first episode, in the version from the unbroadcast pilot recorded a week earlier. Do You Think They'll Cotton On was written by Bryan Meenagh and stars Gerard Foster and Wanda Opalinska. Enjoy.
The ITV1 series ran for 8 weeks, showcasing 16 brand new mini sitcoms, head to head, with the viewers at home voting for their favourite. This year The Sitcom Trials runs So You Think You Write Funny, a competition culminating in a final at the Edinburgh Fringe. It's free to enter, details are here.
Now, who wants to know the results of tonight's Bristol Sitcom Trials?
And the winner of tonight's Bristol Sitcom Trials was....?
Face-Time by Brian Teles. Congratulations to all the writers, actors and the audience. Report and video to follow.
Well done Brian. Wish I could have been there. Hope it was a cracking night.