Quote: earman2009 @ October 19 2009, 7:17 PM BSTSorry if I've missed this, but what's the rule regarding small/non speaking parts? I'd assume they're not welcomed.
You assume correctly. It says so in the guidelines.
Sitcom (Com)Mission Page 6
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Non speaking parts would probably be okay. If the main character was mute or something?
If you're writing for the Sitcom Mission then it's worth bearing in mind that your characters will be played by actors who are doing this not as a favour to the writers or for fun, but so they can catch the eye of agents and casting directors.
Every time they go to a rehearsal it will cost them (say) £6.30 for a travelcard. Many will have to take time off work. They are effectively paying to do this.
You owe it to them to provide them with characters who are vivid, original and memorable. As we wrote on our writers guidelines page 'It's so easy to write 'Enter Robin Hood with 5 of his (non-speaking) merry men.' It's practically impossible to cast it. Our actors look on this as a showcase too. Why would they bother trekking out to the West End to say...nothing? Better to write 'Enter Robin Hood with Friar Tuck. They are in the middle of a furious argument.' Now you've got 2 fully rounded characters with attitude. Actors love playing those.'
https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/rules/
When you've finished your first draft why not go through it reading it solely from one character's perspective? Read it just from Hamlet's point of view, then Ophelia's, Laertes' and so on. Trust me, your actors will. Ask yourself; 'is this character just a feed? A function? Or a vibrant, rounded character that actors will fight to play?'
Then don't write any non-speaking ones.
Your script will be richer and you'll attract better actors.
S
Hi all
Here's our first blog. We'll be doing one every week. Just you wait and see and things and stuff!
https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/blog/
Cheers, Declan
Quote: simon wright @ October 20 2009, 9:38 AM BST...Hamlet's point of view, then Ophelia's, Laertes'...
This is a serious overestimation of our literary abilities...
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ October 20 2009, 12:53 PM BSTThis is a serious overestimation of our literary abilities...
Dan
Yeah, not everybody has read Dickens.
Dan
Quote: Marc P @ October 20 2009, 12:54 PM BSTYeah, not everybody has read Dickens.
Great blog Declan. I look forward to reading more of it.
Can I ask for a point of clarification.
Some people have asked why the short-listed candidates need to write a second episode.
The answer is: we want to provide our directors with as much decent material to work with as possible. With two 15-minute episodes, the director, in consultation with the writer, may feel the second episode is better, or that the first was funnier, or they may want to combine elements of both.
I think most people recognise that you are looking for writers who can deliver a series, not a one-act play, and so two episodes is a perfectly reasonable requirement.
What I don't understand is why - according to Rule 9 as it currently stands - you plan to showcase our second episode, which will have been written in a hurry over two weeks, as a representation to the industry of our "best work", while our first episode, which will have been polished over three months, and is the one that made you pick that finalist out of several hundred entrants, remains unperformed. Or is Rule 9 no longer in place?
Most grateful if you could elaborate on that for us. Cheers.
Hi Griff and everyone
Ok, instead of the words "that episode" in Rule 9, read "that episode and the first episode" or "those episodes". Basically, it just means "as much material as possible". If you've got three episodes written, then the more the better and merrier.
When we make the cull from (a maximum of) 32 to 16, the sitcom itself will be judged on the work that is presented to the panel (ie me and Simon), which, as stated previously, could be the first episode (which was brilliant), the second episode (which was even brillianter) or a combination of both episodes (the plot from episode 1 was fantastic and the subplot from episode 2 was monumental).
If you've got three months, why not spend six weeks on each episode? That way, even if you don't get picked for The Sitcom Mission final 32, you'll have two x 15-minute episodes written.
Mark/Aaron, can you change the wording on the Rules page on the website, as and when you've got time, if you're not incredibly busy?
Cheers, Declan
Thanks Declan.
Here's an idea, which just occurred to me, i.e. don't expect much.
Next time round why not just ask for two 15-minute episodes as the submission criteria? Although you may groan at the prospect of reading twice as much, I reckon you'd lose half the entrants who couldn't be arsed to submit 2 episodes. i.e. only people who were fairly serious would bother to do this. So you'd get longer submissions, but fewer scripts overall, and hopefully weed out a lot of the mentals?
When we make the cull from (a maximum of) 32 to 16, the sitcom itself will be judged on the work that is presented to the panel
Presented as in performed? Or presented as in "they've read the script"?
If it's as in performed, then would both episodes be performed for all sitcoms? Or could a director just perform the first one at this stage, and then you'd never know the second one was shite had a monumental subplot?
Basically as long as all sitcoms are assessed the same that seems fair, i.e. either all of them have to stage both episodes in front of the panel, or all of them choose one episode to stage, but both episodes get read by the jury etc. And as long as the writer has some control over which script gets performed at the industry showcase, in the happy event he/she gets that far, consider me on board.
Performed as in how you'd see it on stage, ie off book.
The director (who is in discussion with the writer at all times) could present the first episode if desired. Out of the (maximum) 32 presentations, we will pick the 16 which we think are best. We want the audience to have a brilliant night at the theatre, after all.
We're all about script development, and we want a reputation for presenting works and authors that can go on to be successful in the paid environment. If you can come up with a fab first episode, chances are you can come up with a fab second episode.
Hope that helps
Cheers, Declan
Thanks Declan all sounds good.
My mistake, I wasn't being clear there - "presented as in 'they've read the script'" meant "the panel have read the script as opposed to seen it acted out", not a comment on the level of preparedness of the actors.
But you've cleared up everything anyway. Right...
1. INT. MASSIVE SPACE STATION
AN ARMY OF COMEDY ROBOTS ARE TELLING JOKES AND FALLING OVER.
etc.
Hi all
Just to let you know, the workshop this Saturday 24 October is now sold out.
There are confirmed workshops for November 7 and 28 and December 5, all in central London. Two places have already gone on the November 7 workshop. The purchase button should hopefully be up on the workshops page very soon.
https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/workshops/
Have fun, see you at the next one.
Cheers, Declan
Sorry if I've missed this, but what's the rule regarding small/non speaking parts? I'd assume they're not welcomed.
You assume correctly. It says so in the guidelines.
Bang goes my sitcom about street mime artists. 
Yeah, not everybody has read Dickens.
I think you'll find Hamlet appears in Wuthering Heights which was written by Samuel Johnson. 