The Sitcom Project Page 3

Evening best for me 5.30 - 8.30 got a public house meeting tonight so prob not going to be around after 8.30

I wouldn't worry about whether it is studio audience or not at the moment, as the ideas come and the plots develope, the scripts will pretty much dicate what sort of comedy it is. Something gritty, a bit nearer to reality would more likely be a black comedy but if it developes into a situation comedy where the characters reside mainly in one premise (e.g Only Fools and Horses in their flat or My family in their house) and the humour is more family/ pre watershed then it could more likely be audience based.

Scott makes a good point that the premise you choose will tend to dictate technicalies that are further down the line.

I'd suggest that as a writing pool, you first throw in some premises, mull them over, vote on the one you want. Bearing in mind that a time travelling criminal series will dictate much of the final show's style and production methods when compared to a My Family style premise.

Next, create the characters, give them reasons to love and hate each of the other characters. Provide areas of tension and agreement etc

Then throw in some plot ideas and series progression ideas based on the characters.

Finally, from your list of writers choose how you'll approach the episodes. One or two main writers selecting material from the pool or one or two writers writing most of the material with the pool throwing in ideas at the draft stage.

Then it should be ready for proofing and editing.

I'm watching the development of this with interest.

The idea I present about the husband/son-in law trying to escape is actually based on someone I know so I have a well of ideas to put forward about what each character is like, because trust me the real life people the idea is based on are proper characters in themselves anyway!

I personally enjoy making the characters first and then letting them loose in the world. But if you think the other way around is better, we'll do it that way.

So far I am liking the above idea the best, I'm sure we can create some interesting characters out of that family. And unless people start suggesting other ideas, I'm quite happy to go ahead with this one.

Okay, this is a description of the real life counter parts (honestly), take from it what we decide best, be it all, some or none at all.

The husband/son-in law character hates arguments, he would rather ignore remarks others fight against than spark a argument because he inwardly believes that he has a secret terrible temper and if he was to lose it all hell would break loose.....but he is kidding himself, he is just wimpish and don't wanna inccur the wrath of the very real terrible temper the family possesses

Gotta shoot, will give account of family later

I'm liking the husband/ son in law idea a lot and am quite happy to test that one out.

I'm happy if you guys are happy I will work on anything

This is unfair, I was a writer before in this project but now it seems the slate has been wiped clean and I'm no longer involved. I'm off to slit my wrists and weep into my open sores.

O.k lets wait for the others thoughts first.

This husband/son in law character is sounding pretty good.

Quote: Martin Holmes @ April 13, 2007, 1:14 PM

This is unfair, I was a writer before in this project but now it seems the slate has been wiped clean and I'm no longer involved. I'm off to slit my wrists and weep into my open sores.

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The project's not really even got moving yet but there's already a *really* dark spin-off series!

Dan

Sorry, just read through the thread properly I see that nothing is set in stone. I just thought I missed out on it that's all, I'm putting the scissors back down now.

Anyway I have a couple of ideas that I am quite fond of, that I have tried to work on before I started writing the sitcom I'm currently writing 'Gloomy Days'.

Idea 1: Life of diffrent passengers in a taxi or chauffer driven limo, it doesn't really matter/It can have the recurring character of the taxi driver and then lots of different characters as backseat passengers/Getting involved in banter with the driver, discussing their lives, problems, joys and downfalls etc/Some of the passengers can make appearances in numerous episodes, others can just be one-offs/The idea is kind of like 'Help' but in the backseat of a cab/Working title 'Backseat To Broadway'/

Idea 2: (I've actually written a draft episode to this before) Working title "Mary-Ann's A Bitch"/About Mary-Ann a superficial supermodel who has recently signed a modelling contract with Tony Cox's - Future Modelling Agency/She is assigned a soft-spoken and well mannered PA, Wilson/The main part of the show is her dysfunctional upper class family, Mother, Father, Sister, Uncle, Cousin, Grandma etc/This idea is in a similair vein to Arrested Development, with lots of characters and seperate plots/

Your second idea could be err interwoven into the husband/son in law idea. Like I've mentioned before, I'm currently catching up on Arrested Development and that's all I can think about at the moment.

It's usually best not to write something similair to something you're currently watching though, because you end up making something that is almost exact and could be seen as rip off. Plus that Roman's Empire sitcom that started last night was trying to be AD and it sucked badly.

I totally understand. But at some point everything is influenced by something else in some way and I don't think that's a bad thing, it's not a all like I want to do the British version of AD.

The thing that intrigues me about AD is the fact that it's about a family and I can't really think of any modern comedies that I've watched that do that anymore. Their always flat mates or work colleagues.