British Comedy Guide

The Sitcom Mission 2011 Page 55

Quote: simon wright @ March 13 2011, 2:28 PM GMT

I've just read the line:

'...he has an blank plague in front of him.'

He meant 'plaque'.

I didn't enter but I have a weird sort of dyspraxia where I misplace words.

They're correctly spelled, often gramatically correct but wrong all the same.

So I've written "Blank Czeck," "Baked fiends," and "Boiled smegg with soldiers."

Infuriatingly it's often funnier than my actual writing.

Quote: sootyj @ March 13 2011, 2:33 PM GMT

I didn't enter but I have a weird sort of dyspraxia where I misplace words.

Er, that would be dyslexia.

In defence of myself and possibly several others, the US english spellchecker on Celtx has a lot to answer for

Re the controversy about 'Twenty-Twelve', I had some sympathy for the Aussie writers of 'The Games' :-

https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/18806/2/

But they ended their post with - "Ross Stevenson and John Clarke are awaiting there royalty cheques... "

Now I think hanging's too good for 'em.

Quote: sean knight @ March 13 2011, 2:43 PM GMT

In defence of myself and possibly several others, the US english spellchecker on Celtx has a lot to answer for

That's why I ignore it. Flagging up words that should have Two Ls as words that should have one, among other things.

I think it flagged up words that are spelled the same way in both UK and US, and also spelled correctly. Weird.

So yes, ignore Celtx's checker.

"Boiled smegg with soldiers."

'Boiled smegg' is genius.

Quote: Kev F @ March 13 2011, 2:41 PM GMT

Er, that would be dyslexia.

They can produce similar effects and are closely related

Flicking count

Quote: simon wright @ March 13 2011, 2:48 PM GMT

"Boiled smegg with soldiers."

'Boiled smegg' is genius.

But a terrible breakfast

Quote: Declan @ March 13 2011, 1:26 PM GMT

Hi Jack

The script's content and potential for a series is what we're concerned with at the moment, as well as writers who are passionate about their craft, which cuts through class and demographics.

The tub thumping about good grammar is just the end product of two weeks of staring at scripts that have had hours and hours of work lovingly spent on them, and then the author hasn't bothered to spell check them. A lot of our frustration lies with the author, not because of them.

Hope that helps, Declan

It does.

But I can't help thinking that if you have, say, 50 really good scripts in your shortlist and you need to ditch 18 of them to get it down to 32 then that is when spelling and grammar start to become an issue. Same thing happens in job applications.

Ah, rejection, rejection, where is thy sting? [Just preparing myself...]

The rule for me as a dyspraxic or dyslexic (actually not sure which it is!) is it readable? Grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors make it hard and unenjoyable to read stuff.

If it's a serious project I edit, edit, use all the checking options on my computer and then ask for help from a friend.

I actually hate reading stuff over and over because bad grammar makes it so confusing.

Talking of commonalities in scripts, when James Parker had finished the script reading from the last season of The Sitcom Trials in 2009, he fed the info into an image generator which gave him a representation of, firstly, which character names has been used most in all the scripts entered:

http://i51.tinypic.com/msz89.png

... and then which sweary words had been used most:

http://i56.tinypic.com/hs5r0i.png

I wonder how this year's entries compare. Enjoy.

Quote: Kev F @ March 13 2011, 3:42 PM GMT

character names has been used most in all the scripts entered:

http://i51.tinypic.com/msz89.png

... and then which sweary words had been used most:

http://i56.tinypic.com/hs5r0i.png

I wonder how this year's entries compare. Enjoy.

Hahaha, 'Murdoch' and 'Bono' in the sweary words.

I like that only two of my character names appeared in the name one, I'm quite surprised since my names are fairly common.

Quote: Feeoree @ March 13 2011, 3:46 PM GMT

Hahaha, 'Murdoch' and 'Bono' in the sweary words.

I like that only two of my character names appeared in the name one, I'm quite surprised since my names are fairly common.

I couldn't find either of my characters names. :O

Jeremy Clarkson seems to cover most common name and most common swearword.

On the subject of swearwords-we were sent a sitcom entitled 'Fanny Batter'.

It's not a strangely localised assault by the way.

Eww.

I take it it was sub-two pints standard?

... who's an S&M lesbian.

Dan

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