Seefacts
Friday 4th January 2008 2:01am
4,203 posts
Quote: Martin Holmes @ January 3, 2008, 11:40 AM
For me it comes down to the simple fact that I would rather write something that makes me laugh and makes me proud and have that show gain 'cult' status....rather than churn out some half-arseed mediocre garbage and gain a mainstream audience.
And if you're telling me that people would rather watch sitcoms like My Family for the rest of their lives rather than sitcoms like Fawlty Towers then there's no point going on debating. If they would like that then I stand by my opinion that most people like shit comedy, shit films and shit music, I'm not sneering at those people I just feel they need to broaden their horizons.
Also just because lots of people watch something doesn't make it good or funny, it makes it successful yes but that doesn't equate quality. Take an extreme example if you will, lots of people agreed with Hitler but that certainly didn't make his opinions and actions good or right.
Would I rather have a show like Two Pints where it has mainstream success, repeated every day but could easily be written by a 10 year old...or would I rather have a show like Arrested Development that had three series of top quality writing, acting and comedy and is respected amongst comedy fans and critics and hailed "the greatest sitcom of the last 10 years", yet got cancelled due to poor ratings...I'd go for the latter everytime. And I don't mean to turn this into a self-aggrandizing post, but the comedy I've written has had positive feedback from other comedians and production companies..so that shows me that 'alternative comedy' does have a market (by the way my comedy isn't really what this thread is about, it's not 'cutting edge'...it's just ideas that have had a lot of thought put into them and structured well with lots of gags)
So yeah I don't disagree with those that need the money and success so make easy mainstream stuff but that doesn't mean just because their show appeals to more people that it's any better than a show that has cult status. But I also still stand by the fact that mainstream doesn't have to mean crap...Not Going Out is mainstream but you can tell lots of work goes into it.
Given your slagging off of Ricky Gervais I find this post ironic.
Your profile says you're 19. I can tell.
I had the same views as this, but you'll realise that's bullshit. If you have that attitude you'll get nowhere. Believe me, you'll be licking the boots of anyone who takes any bit of interest in your work - even if it means wholesale changes.
When I was your age (I'm 23 now and have grown up), I too was 'Well, if it's not Seinfeld then I'm not interested. I'm not going out at 8.30!' but I grew out of it. For the better.
I wrote a kid's show pilot script - it twice nearly got me a meeting at the BBC, and was lined up to pitch it with a script editor. I wrote this because an interview with Bain & Armstrong said that you should never discount anything and write whatever you can, for whoever you can. At 18 I wouldn't have dreamed of lowering myself to writing for kids - what do they know?! 'I'm doing high art at 10pm on BBC2, don't you know!' You'll get nowhere believing that.
I've been told my current project could fit the bill in a pre-watershed BBC slot. Again, at 18-19 I'd have gone 'WHAT? I'm not doing pre-watershed shit!' but you grow up and realise that just because most pre-watershed and popular shows are shit, doesn't mean yours has to be.
Don't go thinking your the next Peter Baynham or George Meyer, or whatever under-rated cult writer, because that's not how things work. You have to pay your dues.
Very inspiring stuff, that was.
