Quote: Tom Pk @ January 30, 2007, 12:28 PMFirst things first though, getting scripts together.
Or perhaps, as previously mentioned, a specific thread. Also, there's not much point in several people coming at it all at once. At this stage whats needed is one clear point of reference. By the way, I'm not putting myself forward but I do think someone to act as coordinator is also needed.
Thanks Mark for taking this idea forward. Step forward contacts and personnel. I'd be happy to do a bit of acting and if you look at shootingpeople.org, you have a forum where you can get all sorts of people in the industry: if they like your project, they'll do it for nothing. Shooting People are largely about short films - that's another option, scripting/filming a comedy short - loads of avenues there and some of the films they get involved in are 2-3 minutes long.
Yeah ok, getting a specific thread first. Just looking at Gigner's post, I know what you mean about having a specific topic to write about but I think that my hold some people back and what we want is just to let our creativity flow. Also if you look at the most successful sketch shows they encompass a wide variety of situations. I think at this point it's just about getting everything together and I'm sure we will find what sticks for repeat characters etc.
Fred, great find on the Shooting People site. I went to a forum to try and find an animator and whilst I haven't got one yet they are a great resource, we can use that when the time comes.
Baumski, I personally am happy for you to co-ordinate if you want to, if you aren't putting yourself out because you don't want to co-ordinate then I would be happy to do it alone or with two or three other people.
Up to everyone.
At this stage I don't mind being part of a team but I don't want sole responsibility. The other thing to bear in mind that not every script will necessarily be laid out as it should be. Not everyone has experience in that field. However, when voting for a favourite my thinking is that if it's funny then please don't reject anything because the layout is wrong. That said, however, the one bugbear I have is that everything should be clear and double-spaced.
Quote: dyingtolive @ January 30, 2007, 1:05 PMyou need a rough/loose theme that everyone should write to though something like 'drugs' is a very loose theme and without a theme the proect would lack direction and the end result even if professionally made would look like a random mess of ideas with no overall 'point'.
I'm not sure about that. Take 'The Sketch Show' for instance. That just comprised of very funny and different sketches.
Wouldn't a time/length limit be more effective than a theme as it has inbuilt restrcitions e.g. can't develop characters but you can set the sketch anywhere and on any theme?
I do like the idea of a theme that is loose enough not to restrict creativity but helps people identify with it. I find Little Britain rather tedious but that is a very broad theme - strange people in Britain. It is strongly themed and, dare I say, branded.
Whether we would like ongoing characters is a moot point and I am not a fan of what Ricky Gervais calls 'catchphrase based comedy'.
2 potential titles for our online sketch show:
1) Toss Bag - a random title to give an idea of the energy and tone of the show
2) Downers - restricting the show to scenarios about losers, bad experiences, irritants etc
Just ideas! Keep 'em coming!
Well, I mean, take the fast show, what was the theme there? If you really want a theme then it will have to be really really broard, 'cause there's a danger of restricting people otherwise and then we will just get variations on the same old tired gags.
Dead right!
Just been skimming this thread looks very interesting I would love to give up some sketches/write new sketches etc.
As for a theme either work's doesn't it? if there isnt a theme that's not a bad thing I'm sure many of us have a large amount of sketches just hidden away in a draw doing nothing (I know I do).
When i suggested a theme, I wasn't necessarily refering to the show itself. I thought it might be a good way of judging sketches against each other. If you have a theme, then the better comedy will no doubt stand out against the not so good, like I say it's just a thought. I would say it's probably jumping the gun a little working out a theme for the actual show at the moment, as different people are going to have different ideas about what to expect from it. I think it's a good idea for later though. The sketch show format is a well trodden path, and I think an original idea will help it stand out.
I'm a bit late to this thread, it sounds a great idea though.
I don't think a theme limits creativity at all. We're already bound by the fact that sketches can probably only have 2/3 characters and have to be set in contemporary Britain. A theme will just help us focus our ideas.
My suggestion would be to start a weekly challenge right now. Someone picks a vague theme, we all write a sketch and see where we are in a week. If we have a good selection of sketches we have a poll vote and the winner sets the next theme?
But what if some people have some really good sketches already written but they can't use them because they don't fit the theme. And I reckon most good sketches just come in a flash of inspiration, having a theme stops sketches born that way even being seen.
When people actually sit down and think "right I've got to say something funny about this topic" I bet we will get forced comedy, and it will sound like that way.
We can always have a theme for the final thing but at the moment I think it will be most productive if we just submit anything and everything. That way everything will be judged simply on 'is it funny?' and then we can either create a theme based around the chosen material or one could well emerge naturally.
It can't hurt setting some constraints on it such as time limit and a theme, if I'm given a week and a broad theme to work with I'm pretty sure I can come out with something.
But if you're given to much freedom people will end up sending in stuff thats all completely different and may not fit anything properly. to surreal or to dark for instance.
Okay, then why not have two types of submission each week (or however long it is) There could be themed submission, and "open" submissions, and see how each turns out over a given period?
Sounds like an idea.