Just one question.
Must all entries be submitted in standard Play format?
Or can they be sent in Sitcom format?
Sitcom (Com)Mission Page 11
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Quote: Griff @ November 6 2009, 11:50 AM GMTI think they mean "don't send us an episode which spends all its time setting up the series". Look at the first episode of Fawlty Towers. No long explanation showing Basil taking over the hotel or hiring Manuel, just straight into a story.
Beautifully put. That's it in a nutshell. The long exposition that some writers feel is necessary doesn't fit with a short form like 15 minutes. If you've spent 14 minutes on the spade work establishing where we are and who's who, then you've got 60 seconds left to make us laugh.
There's a moment in the Will and Grace pilot that I think is wonderfully economical exposition; it's in scene two and we see Will in an office sitting behind a chair. Opposite him is another man (Harlan)
Harlan 'Will, you're my lawyer, you tell me what I should do.' We learn that Will is a lawyer (in 4 words) that Harlan is his client, and that (very probably) this is Will's office. We subconsciously absorb clues about what kind of law firm it is from the set. There's no tedious montage of Will applying for/getting into/graduating from law school. There's no need. On with the story.
Or how about this for setting up this week's episode from the opening lines of Pulling:
A young woman opens the door to an older woman.
Young woman 'Mum?'
Older woman 'He's left me.'
Another reason that production companies give for not sending them episode one is that it is the least typical one that you'll write. They want to see what the series would be like when it's off and running.
Sitcom audiences are really savvy. They've watched hundreds of hours of sitcom. They can cross their own 'Ts'. Often we get sent scripts where I'm seething thinking 'Yes, I get where we are, I'm on top of the relationships, I'm grateful for the backstory, but where O where is the funny stuff?'
You could justifably say that you could put out the Fawlty Towers script in any order.
Do you know if the theatre you will be using has a pa system for announcements and that kind of thing by the way Simon?
Quote: simon wright @ November 6 2009, 2:12 PM GMTBeautifully put. That's it in a nutshell. The long exposition that some writers feel is necessary doesn't fit with a short form like 15 minutes. If you've spent 14 minutes on the spade work establishing where we are and who's who, then you've got 60 seconds left to make us laugh.
There's a moment in the Will and Grace pilot that I think is wonderfully economical exposition; it's in scene two and we see Will in an office sitting behind a chair. Opposite him is another man (Harlan)
Harlan 'Will, you're my lawyer, you tell me what I should do.' We learn that Will is a lawyer (in 4 words) that Harlan is his client, and that (very probably) this is Will's office. We subconsciously absorb clues about what kind of law firm it is from the set. There's no tedious montage of Will applying for/getting into/graduating from law school. There's no need. On with the story.
Or how about this for setting up this week's episode from the opening lines of Pulling:
A young woman opens the door to an older woman.
Young woman 'Mum?'
Older woman 'He's left me.'Another reason that production companies give for not sending them episode one is that it is the least typical one that you'll write. They want to see what the series would be like when it's off and running.
Sitcom audiences are really savvy. They've watched hundreds of hours of sitcom. They can cross their own 'Ts'. Often we get sent scripts where I'm seething thinking 'Yes, I get where we are, I'm on top of the relationships, I'm grateful for the backstory, but where O where is the funny stuff?'
Quote: Marc P @ November 6 2009, 2:24 PM GMTYou could justifably say that you could put out the Fawlty Towers script in any order.
Do you know if the theatre you will be using has a pa system for announcements and that kind of thing by the way Simon?
The compere can do a lot of scene setting for you. Why bother setting up the fact that we're in a hotel in Torquay if the compere can introduce your sitcom with the words: 'our next sitcom is set in a hotel in Torquay..'
We used to do an exercise at the workshops where we got our writers to write the compere's intro to their sitcom. One sentence; no subclauses. It's a good way of getting people to focus on what they're writing. Getting at the essence of the thing.
Don't know about a PA yet. Until we make an official announcement about the venue I can't say too much. Except that I'm very, very excited.
Quote: simon wright @ November 6 2009, 2:31 PM GMTOne sentence, no subclauses.
"My school was so bad my English teacher thought a subordinate clause was Santa's Little Helper".
Thankyouverymuch!
Quote: Mikey Jackson @ November 6 2009, 2:05 PM GMTJust one question.
Must all entries be submitted in standard Play format?
Or can they be sent in Sitcom format?
To answer Mikey Jackson's point: we're not format fascists here at Sitcom Mission. We'll take Final Draft, Word, Open Office, Pages, CeltX, Scrivener etc, etc. In fact anything so long as it's been typed and is legible. Having read over 500 scripts we've got a sense of how long a script is, so sticking to a particular format (useful for judging length in screenplays) is not an issue for us.
Just weave an involving story, keep us on our toes, surprise us with your characters and we'll fall at your feet.
We're not format fascists but just one thing though:
Anybody putting "the camera pans" or "close up on" gets a good slap.
Is it just me or is Nick Griffin the only person in the country to complain of being bullied by a Liberal Democrat?
My favourite so far is 'dissolve to'.
We learned many things at my drama school but I must have been off sick when they did dissolving.
Quote: simon wright @ November 6 2009, 3:07 PM GMTMy favourite so far is 'dissolve to'.
We learned many things at my drama school but I must have been off sick when they did dissolving.
It was in the chemistry lesson.
Yep, chemistry between actors is vital.
Quote: Marc P @ November 6 2009, 3:09 PM GMTIt was in the chemistry lesson.
Cool. Okay. Mine's in BBC Script Smart Sitcom format.
And I've timed it by reading it out aloud. It's about 14 and a half minutes thereabouts.
I assume the odd swear word is okay?
Nothing bad. Just the odd bloody and maybe one bastard at the end.
Oh and it's two scenes.
One set in the afternoon and one set next morning.
I simply get the three characters to walk off, then one comes back on with the other two greeting him by walking on with "mornings" and hangovers.
No dissolves. lol
Quote: Mikey Jackson @ November 6 2009, 3:18 PM GMTCool. Okay. Mine's in BBC Script Smart Sitcom format.
And I've timed it by reading it out aloud. It's about 14 and a half minutes thereabouts.
I assume the odd swear word is okay?
Nothing bad. Just the odd bloody and maybe one bastard at the end.
The director of my 2007 Trials sitcom added the word "C**tyshittypissflaps" into my script. I think you'll be OK.
lol, I'd have loved to have seen the converation that had "C**tyshittypissflaps." 
Quote: Griff @ November 6 2009, 3:20 PM GMTThe director of my 2007 Trials sitcom added the word "C**tyshittypissflaps" into my script. I think you'll be OK.
That was an editorial note Griff not a dialogue suggestion.
