So how do you people go about the beginnings of a sitcom?
I'm interested to hear about other people's ways of getting a draft up and running. Also, do you fly solo or do you work with a writing partner?
I'm relatively new to this so it would be great to hear any advice. Thanks in advance..
Howdy Dan
I don't have a rigid method. I just come across - or occasionally think up out of the blue - an idea that grabs me. So it can be martial arts, Polar explorers, Apprentice-style halfwits, supermarkets...
I kind of 'play with it' a bit mentally to see if it really is something I can work with and enjoy. Do any funny scenes characters or stories spring to mind? Do I wake up the next day, look at my notes of the night before and not want to puke?
Then I start work thinking of the situation and maybe some characters and even a possible story. Then it all becomes a pain in the ass. At pretty much every point I think - is this really doable? Is it funny? Can I be bothered? If not I stop.
I try and read it out aloud to see if it sounds ok. I hone and polish. If I make it to the end of a script then it's something that I have faith in - something I think could really be the making of me.
I send it somewhere. It gets cruelly abused and knocked back to me by some 19-year old, temping as a script-reader. I realise they're probably right.
I start on the next one.
Yes, I've written once or twice with a co-writer. It's great - I just blame him.
Spam Removed
Quote: changelee123 change @ July 7 2011, 8:24 AM BSTthis device means that the Avenger Seawolf Chrono is the only instrument of its kind that is totally water-resistant and functional to a record depth of 1 discount karen millen clothing 25 of them visiblewould like to take the expression "the light of life" hope and confidencean exquisite dinner buffetbezel and crown for the 18kt rose goldthe product onto a higher levelOlivier BernheimAfter only four short years
Ah yes - this explains the process better than I ever could.
Write, write, write is right!
Also don't waste your time coming up with titles all day like I've done in the past!! 
Quote: DanC @ June 30 2011, 8:51 AM BSTSo how do you people go about the beginnings of a sitcom?
Ask yourself, first, why the hell do you want to write a sitcom? It never ceases to amaze me that thousands of people want to write situation comedies when writing almost anything else would be a much more likely way of making money and entertaining people.
Look at TV. How many sitcoms are there? How many people write them? How long have they been in the business? Now, having answered those questions, how likely do you think it is that you are ever going to get your situation comedy on the telly?
If you want to be a professional writer, why not look at TV writing, beginning with shows like Doctors. Or even better radio writing, the BBC uses the work of a lot of new writers all the time and has lots of opportunities for those willing to turn their hand to radio plays, short stories or indeed comedy.
If you want to entertain people, have you thought of stand up comedy? Or if that's too daunting, how about play writing for the stage. Every year the Edinburgh Fringe is full of teams of actors crying out for plays to perform.
Or why not write a screenplay or a novel? You could publish your novel yourself and find an audience instantly. And a completed screenplay has a chance, however remote, of getting optioned. Because there a lot of movies made every day. There are hardly any sitcoms made, especially in the UK. Ever.
Why sitcom? Do people think it's easier than other forms of writing? Cos it's not. You have to learn the skills and techniques of storytelling and scriptwriting, as in other forms, THEN you have be funny. Which most people simply aren't.
I speak as someone who has himself tried writing sitcom frequently over the last 20 years, with some limited success (two radio pilots and a TV series of The Sitcom Trials) and can't explain why he thought it was a good idea. But now I am happily writing other things and, delightfully, getting paid to do it. I'd love to write my own sitcom, but it's dropped way down my list of priorities. I'd be interested to learn why it's so high on many other peoples.
Kev F http://sitcomtrials.co.uk
Quote: John Owen Jones @ July 7 2011, 9:25 AM BSTAlso don't waste your time coming up with titles all day like I've done in the past!!
Brilliant list, and a very good example of futility. The title is about the least important part of any sitcom.
It reminds me of the time our band tried to find a new name. There were 5 of us in the band. Each of us went away and wrote down a few names. I say a "few" names. Each of us came back with around 200 names. That left us sat in a pub staring at one thousand names for bands. Trust me, after the first dozen you start to glaze over. The novelty is well and truly gone by the time you've read a hundred.
We ended up giving ourselves the worst name anyone ever gave a band: Private Party. We thought it sounded cool and sophisticated. What we didn't realise was that, if you're playing in a room above a pub and you put a sign outside reading "Private Party", no bugger comes up to watch you!
Kev F
Haha good story and thanks Kev F! 
Any tips in terms of font size and borders etc in Word to get 1 page = 1 minute (roughly)?
Quote: Kev F @ July 7 2011, 10:22 AM BSTAsk yourself, first, why the hell do you want to write a sitcom? It never ceases to amaze me that thousands of people want to write situation comedies when writing almost anything else would be a much more likely way of making money and entertaining people.
Look at TV. How many sitcoms are there? How many people write them? How long have they been in the business? Now, having answered those questions, how likely do you think it is that you are ever going to get your situation comedy on the telly?
If you want to be a professional writer, why not look at TV writing, beginning with shows like Doctors. Or even better radio writing, the BBC uses the work of a lot of new writers all the time and has lots of opportunities for those willing to turn their hand to radio plays, short stories or indeed comedy.
If you want to entertain people, have you thought of stand up comedy? Or if that's too daunting, how about play writing for the stage. Every year the Edinburgh Fringe is full of teams of actors crying out for plays to perform.
Or why not write a screenplay or a novel? You could publish your novel yourself and find an audience instantly. And a completed screenplay has a chance, however remote, of getting optioned. Because there a lot of movies made every day. There are hardly any sitcoms made, especially in the UK. Ever.
Why sitcom? Do people think it's easier than other forms of writing? Cos it's not. You have to learn the skills and techniques of storytelling and scriptwriting, as in other forms, THEN you have be funny. Which most people simply aren't.
I speak as someone who has himself tried writing sitcom frequently over the last 20 years, with some limited success (two radio pilots and a TV series of The Sitcom Trials) and can't explain why he thought it was a good idea. But now I am happily writing other things and, delightfully, getting paid to do it. I'd love to write my own sitcom, but it's dropped way down my list of priorities. I'd be interested to learn why it's so high on many other peoples.
Hope that helps Dan.
Quote: Vader @ July 8 2011, 3:50 PM BSTAny tips in terms of font size and borders etc in Word to get 1 page = 1 minute (roughly)?
Yes, and the tip is: Don't waste your time looking up all those formatting details and trying to learn to be an Ace Word User.
I've done it all for you.
Quote: DanC @ June 30 2011, 8:51 AM BSTSo how do you people go about the beginnings of a sitcom?
I'm interested to hear about other people's ways of getting a draft up and running. Also, do you fly solo or do you work with a writing partner?
I'm relatively new to this so it would be great to hear any advice. Thanks in advance..
Find some peer review sites and put your work up, you'll get some real nuggets slating your stuff but mostly you'll get some real good advice, read it and learn...
Thanks for taking the time to reply, it's appreciated. Some cracking advice in there which I'll definitely be taking on board and I know this is a good place to come if I need any further advice or feedback.
Thanks again.
I'd say the main thing to do is get in there and write something. Then, learn from your mistakes. I was recommended this book recently by someone on here and it's very helpful:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Comic-Toolbox-Funny-Even-Youre/dp/1879505215
Quote: Kev F @ July 7 2011, 10:22 AM BSTAsk yourself, first, why the hell do you want to write a sitcom? It never ceases to amaze me that thousands of people want to write situation comedies when writing almost anything else would be a much more likely way of making money and entertaining people.
Look at TV. How many sitcoms are there? How many people write them? How long have they been in the business? Now, having answered those questions, how likely do you think it is that you are ever going to get your situation comedy on the telly?
If you want to be a professional writer, why not look at TV writing, beginning with shows like Doctors. Or even better radio writing, the BBC uses the work of a lot of new writers all the time and has lots of opportunities for those willing to turn their hand to radio plays, short stories or indeed comedy.
If you want to entertain people, have you thought of stand up comedy? Or if that's too daunting, how about play writing for the stage. Every year the Edinburgh Fringe is full of teams of actors crying out for plays to perform.
Or why not write a screenplay or a novel? You could publish your novel yourself and find an audience instantly. And a completed screenplay has a chance, however remote, of getting optioned. Because there a lot of movies made every day. There are hardly any sitcoms made, especially in the UK. Ever.
Why sitcom? Do people think it's easier than other forms of writing? Cos it's not. You have to learn the skills and techniques of storytelling and scriptwriting, as in other forms, THEN you have be funny. Which most people simply aren't.
I speak as someone who has himself tried writing sitcom frequently over the last 20 years, with some limited success (two radio pilots and a TV series of The Sitcom Trials) and can't explain why he thought it was a good idea. But now I am happily writing other things and, delightfully, getting paid to do it. I'd love to write my own sitcom, but it's dropped way down my list of priorities. I'd be interested to learn why it's so high on many other peoples.
In answer to this, Kev, personally for me it's all a bit of a dream. I can't stand my job and comedy writing is my way out. To have to compromise and write something other than comedy would be 'just getting another job' rather than 'living the dream' (apologies for the Americanism). I can't think of anything worse (for me) than writing for any soap opera and this would be worse than what I currently do. I'm aiming for what I want, rather than any old thing.
It's like a logic problem/puzzle I suppose. There has to be just as much drama as in a conventional drama, but you have to provide laughs as well, and that means employing 'the rhythm' that comedy needs where drama allows more leeway (ie the lines don't have to be spot-on in drama, whereas in comedy they do). So, this puzzle (for me) is incomplete/half-done if I only write a drama.
Also, the Americans do drama far better than anything here and far, far better than I could ever write. If I did try it, it would be in that style and then never picked up here.
Is that more enlightening?
(DISCLAIMER: I am a massive comedy snob and would also cut my wrists rather than write (or even have to listen to) any soap opera.)
Dan
Quote: Ben @ July 9 2011, 7:32 PM BSTI was recommended this book recently by someone on here and it's very helpful:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Comic-Toolbox-Funny-Even-Youre/dp/1879505215
That book gets recommended a lot, and while it has a lot going for it by providing 'a formula' for writing comedy, it might lead you to create 'formulaic' comedy. I can't imagine anyone writing Python by following its advice.