In terms of establishing the situation, character, plot etc????
I have been working on a pilot for a couple of weeks now and think it's shaping up well, but needs to be funnier, and more real. I think I have the key ingredients, but would like to know what you think is important for a pilot and how you establish the necessary bits and pieces.
Hit the ground running. Don't waste time showing us who the characters are through conversation - put them in a situation and pit them against each other. Make it funny from page one. Always have a B story.
That's the best advice I can offer.
I didn't have a B story once and I got stung because of it.
Quote: David Bussell @ November 11 2008, 11:00 AM GMTHit the ground running. Don't waste time showing us who the characters are through conversation - put them in a situation and pit them against each other. Make it funny from page one. Always have a B story.
That's the best advice I can offer.
The Bussell speaks the truth.
I'd also add, make absolutely sure that you've set up the main story by page 3, and your B story by page 4 at the very most. I've read a lot of sitcoms people have sent me recently and the one common mistake I see being made is too much waffle at the start. You MUST hook the reader into the story early on or they'll bin your script, in exactly the same way as me or you would give a new tv programme a few minutes before switching channel because nothing's happened.
And try to start with a bang, whether that be a visual joke or a killer line or displaying a really interesting character trait or whatever. Don't ease into it gently. Start big, then build on it. If you've got the reader interested in the first few pages you've got them for the rest of the script.
Good luck 
Quote: Marc P @ November 11 2008, 11:21 AM GMTI didn't have a B story once and I got stung because of it.
I pronounce Marc the most whimsical jape of the season!
Quote: Marc P @ November 11 2008, 11:21 AM GMTI didn't have a B story once and I got stung because of it.
Buzz off.
White anglo saxon protestants are not noted for their sense of humour.
On a serious not I would Echo the sageful Lee's advice about starting with a bang. Particularly in studio based comedy you want to get the audience laughing loudly and as soon as possible. Definitely within a minute. And establish your character's errr character with the first thing they say or do.
Make sure you establish all the characters and their relationships too - the first episode should give you a pretty good idea of what the rest of the series is going to be about - don't wait until the second or third episode to introduce any characters or relationships.
Unless it works, in which case to whatever the hell you like.
Damn it, I remember now why I try not to give any advice.
Know your characters, tell a story with some jokes, try and have an ending which subverts what the audience expects/massively exceeds what the audience expects. Don't be tied to a plot too tightly. Ever. And don't deliberately write a joke, self-consciously, to fill a hole.