How to make a professional comedy pilot

...or perhaps more accurately, 'How we made a professional comedy pilot and you can too (and don't fret, we're not after your money)'

Regular users of the forum are likely familar with 'Missing Scene' by now, but we thought it might be helpful to dust it off and open ourselves up to a little Q&A in case our answers are of use to any writer/producers looking to see their own material realised. We learned a lot in putting the project together and all of it was useful to some degree - be a shame not to share it if it helps someone out...

For those yet to see it, here's a link to the sketch show pilot in full - featuring Alice Lowe, Kevin Eldon, Steve Furst and Isabel Fay among others...

http://thevelvetonion.com/2013/02/21/missing-scene-unleashed/

Q. Shall I just close this thread?

Quote: Lee @ February 25 2013, 4:06 PM GMT

Q. Shall I just close this thread?

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It might be an idea to change the subject heading to something more generic like 'How to make a professional comedy pilot' or better yet, 'Hot tits Oscars miracle weight loss'.

How hard was it to get the high-profile cast members on board?

Bussell will do anything for 50p and a bag of peanuts.

Quote: groovydude89 @ February 25 2013, 4:22 PM GMT

How hard was it to get the high-profile cast members on board?

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Relatively easy, in fact I think we got everyone on board that we asked (although some held out longer than others). Ultimately, securing a performer's involvement is contingent on whether they like the script and whether the shoot can be made to fit their schedule. That and convincing them that your production team know what they're doing.

Ambition, ability, hard work. Is the answer. (Surround yourself with others willing to take care of that 'hard work' bit, because hard work is awful)

Ok, close the thread.

We're (Well, me and Bussell) in production on our third self produced project now. You spend most of your writing 'career' waiting for others to say yes, and most of the time, if not all of the time, they don't. So whilst you play that game, just make stuff yourself. Then at least you have more than a pile of unprodcued scripts a few years down the line. Just make the decision to do it, and then actually do it.

How expensive was it to create?

This should also be called "How NOT to make a pilot". What did you lot learn and what would you do differently?

Also, where did you send this? And have you thought about sending it to a George Harrison character who'll will say:

Quote: groovydude89 @ February 25 2013, 5:02 PM GMT

How expensive was it to create?

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If I remember right we paid somewhere in the region of £8k. That covered 4 days at Shepperton Studios, sets, costumes and props plus travel expenses and catering for a cast and crew of around 25 people (all of which worked for free).

We raised the money by entering and winning a sketch contest, which financed almost all of the pilot. The remaining portion we paid for out of our own pockets - it amounted to a few hundred pounds each.

Quote: Lee @ February 25 2013, 5:11 PM GMT

This should also be called "How NOT to make a pilot". What did you lot learn and what would you do differently?

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I don't understand - we made the pilot didn't we? I think what you mean is that we didn't achieve a TV commission (but then very few pilots do).

When you choose to produce your own material you're essentially weighing up the cost and effort involved in making it versus what the finished product might achieve for you professionally. In this instance the effort involved wasn't really a factor (I actually enjoy doing this) and the financial outlay amounted to a few pairs of quality jeans. For that we got a crash film school, contacts we use to this day and portfolio that people take seriously, regardless of whether or not they want to produce a series of Missing Scene.

Things I would do differently? I'd like to have got the cast together beforehand for a table read - that might have ironed out a few problems before we arrived on set and saved us some time. I'd also liked to have communicated better with the Director to make sure he understood exactly what certain scenes were about, as we found out too late that he had some ideas that didn't necessarily match the writers'. I'd like to have been more hands-on with the edit, not because I don't like the way that turned out but because things would have moved so much quicker if I could have taken care of the rough cut myself (I've since learned how to edit). Mostly though I'd like to have pre-armed myself with a bit more knowledge of the industry before we sent it out to commissioners and been more pro-active in promoting it.

Quote: groovydude89 @ February 25 2013, 4:22 PM GMT

How hard was it to get the high-profile cast members on board?

View original

The main thing that helped was having an influential connection within a production company. If we hadn't had their backing then I doubt the performers would have taken us very seriously.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ February 25 2013, 4:48 PM GMT

Ambition, ability, hard work. Is the answer.

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Damn. I don't mind hard work and have the ability but I just don't have the ambition.

Seriously. I'm in 'late Peter Cook' mode where I'm happy to make the wife laugh.