When you write a sitcom, do you already have actors in mind? I suppose it helps when picturing scenes.
Help I have actors in my head!
For a moment, I actually thought that Sir Ian McKellen and Bob Hoskins had set up home in your skull.
What a sitcom that would be.
Yeah, i do. It makes it easier to identify your characters and I've been advised to do it before too. Also you hear writers say, I wrote this role for [insert name].
Its different from having the actor's previous characters in your head, don't have other characters as you should be original, so have Martin Freeman in mind and not Tim from the Office.
I have not delvered into the Sitcom arena for a while but when writing my sketches... very occasionally i do get a person in mind for the character.
Mainly the cast of man stoke woman bizarrely (as I have only watched about 1/2 a show in total).
David Mitchell crops up in my sketches - isn't every tv programme not good enough for him that he has invade the sketches in my head???
Being Asperger, I have terrible trouble associating faces with character. I never write with a face or body build in mind, I can only deal in character and I get SlagB to suggest possible players afterwards.
Quote: Leevil @ October 6, 2007, 3:17 PMWhen you write a sitcom, do you already have actors in mind? I suppose it helps when picturing scenes.
I do for some of the parts. But not all. It is easier to write for the ones that do have a face though.
I find I have to "use" someone for my main characters. My last sitcom was strongly based on my father-in-law and I could visualise no-one but him as the character.
For the drama I'm just finishing for the Red Planet competition, David Tennant is my main character, simply because the character is very complex and he would do him justice. I can easily visualise him delivering the parts of the script where my character has to cry, show anger, and show his evil side. "Casanova," "Blackpool" "Recovery" and "Secret Smile" all tell me he would be the perfect man for the job, so, if it helps me focus, why not? It's made the writing 50% easier. It makes my character come alive. My characters have to have a face for me to be able to write them.
Sometimes yes - sometimes no.
You really shouldn't be disappointed if you imagine say Vicki Michelle for your part (!) and then when it gets commissioned you get Caroline Catz.
It does though help you to visualise and realise your characters.