Moving to writers.
An Honest Question. Page 2
Quote: M Lewis @ April 17 2008, 7:52 PM BSTGive Lewis Hamilton a Ford Mondeo and he'd beat any of us round a track no matter what we were driving.
No he wouldn't. He's a chump.
Quote: M Lewis @ April 17 2008, 7:52 PM BSTI understand the point of posting for critique, i did it myself. What i don't understand is doing so repeatedly....if you discover your funny then crack on and get submitting - if you discover your not, give up.
There seems to be a lot of emphasis here on technique and various fancy ways of describing joke telling......but i get the feeling that this game is like sports. Give Lewis Hamilton a Ford Mondeo and he'd beat any of us round a track no matter what we were driving.
This place is sometimes like a bunch of learner drivers discussing the best brand of tyre warmers!
In summary there seem to be two hurdles to success - firstly, be funny and secondly, be lucky. The critique forum will establish the first....i just dont understand jumping back and forth over that hurdle other than the fact that this forum sets it rather low, puts crash mats either side and cheers you on while you do it.
Good point, well made. I'd agree with that.
I don't think there's any harm in posting material you'd like a second opinion on and isn't currently being used in any way. However I do have material I wouldn't post up on here because, as you say, I don't want some sticky-fingered comedy bastard pinching my best ideas.
There be a lot of people who lurk in the shadows of these boards...be wary of 'em. Stick to the roads!
Quote: Perry Nium @ April 18 2008, 11:45 AM BSTI don't think there's any harm in posting material you'd like a second opinion on and isn't currently being used in any way. However I do have material I wouldn't post up on here because, as you say, I don't want some sticky-fingered comedy bastard pinching my best ideas.
There be a lot of people who lurk in the shadows of these boards...be wary of 'em. Stick to the roads!
Yeah, I'd NEVER post anything in critique.
I wouldn't want to spunk off my best stuff on the internet.
Quote: Griff @ April 18 2008, 11:46 AM BST.if you discover your funny then crack on and get submitting - if you discover your not, give up.
This manages the remarkable feat of being both trite and untrue.
"If you discover your[sic] funny" just assumes that you can instantly determine whether you are good or not, and also ignores the possibility of improvement.
"if you discover your[sic] not, give up." If I'd followed this advice, I'd have given up the first time I got a sketch rejected for a BBC competition. Instead, I stuck with it, figured out how to improve my writing (through the discussion with other writers which you seem to be turning your nose up at), and now things are going reasonably well for me.
You don't need a teacher to learn. You improve by writing and observing what's out there.
And there's a difference between 'discussions with other writers' which M Lewis has been involved in on these boards, and 'critique'. One is discussing theories and ways to do things, the other is 'am I funny or not?'.
It's easy to tell if you're funny. You look at what's out there and say 'Am I as good as that?'. If you're not, but you think you are then you'll find you don't get anywhere.
Quote: Seefacts @ April 18 2008, 11:50 AM BSTYeah, I'd NEVER post anything in critique.
I wouldn't want to spunk off my best stuff on the internet.
Why not? It didn't do Leslie Grantham any harm.
Quote: Marc P @ April 18 2008, 11:53 AM BSTWhy not? It didn't do Leslie Grantham any harm.
Didn't he just suck his finger?
ON LICENCE PAYER'S MONEY!!!!
Quote: Griff @ April 18 2008, 11:46 AM BST"If you discover your[sic] funny"
"if you discover your[sic] not, give up."
And don't be such a smart arse by adding 'sic' to make you look superior.
You don't need a teacher to learn. You improve by writing and observing what's out there.
[/quote]
just out of interest - did you enter the comedy college gig?
Quote: Marc P @ April 18 2008, 11:54 AM BSTjust out of interest - did you enter the comedy college gig?
No.
Why not?
Quote: Marc P @ April 18 2008, 11:56 AM BSTWhy not?
The sketch show (that had three of my sketches on) recording was on deadline day so I technically I wouldn't have been eligible, I don't think.
Also I didn't fancy it.
Quote: Seefacts @ April 18 2008, 11:54 AM BSTDidn't he just suck his finger?
ON LICENCE PAYER'S MONEY!!!!
And don't be such a smart arse by adding 'sic' to make you look superior.
Makes you sic [sic]
Quote: Seefacts @ April 18 2008, 11:58 AM BSTThe sketch show (that had three of my sketches on) recording was on deadline day so I technically I wouldn't have been eligible, I don't think.
Also I didn't fancy it.
You would have been eligible I guess, but why on earth wouldn't you fancy it. A commission to write a sitcom and a showcase of your own work and the scheme is designed to fast track you into TV Comedy??????
Quote: M Lewis @ April 17 2008, 7:52 PM BSTI understand the point of posting for critique, i did it myself. What i don't understand is doing so repeatedly....if you discover your funny then crack on and get submitting - if you discover your not, give up.
There seems to be a lot of emphasis here on technique and various fancy ways of describing joke telling......but i get the feeling that this game is like sports. Give Lewis Hamilton a Ford Mondeo and he'd beat any of us round a track no matter what we were driving.
This place is sometimes like a bunch of learner drivers discussing the best brand of tyre warmers!
In summary there seem to be two hurdles to success - firstly, be funny and secondly, be lucky. The critique forum will establish the first....i just dont understand jumping back and forth over that hurdle other than the fact that this forum sets it rather low, puts crash mats either side and cheers you on while you do it.
I look at the critique forum as somewhere to go now and then to read sketches and hopefully have a chuckle. Its a light hearted area, users could be a lot more candid at times that's certainly true.
I think Slag summed up critique forum a while back saying it was a melting pot of different writers, at different levels and having different goals. I personally am not at the stage where I could submit work as I am only an amateur.
Quote: Griff @ April 18 2008, 11:56 AM BSTIt's easy to tell if you're funny. You look at what's out there and say 'Am I as good as that?'.
So what I should ask myself is ... am I as good as Peep Show (say) ?
And if the answer's "no", then I shouldn't bother continuing.
Presumably you think your stuff is as good as Peep Show(or whatever your favourite comedy is) or you would have given up then ?
I look at my influences and say 'Am I as good as that?'. Yes. Did Wayne Rooney look at his idols and think 'Can I be as good as that?'. Yes probably. If you've no confidence, you'll get nowhere.
The producer, who liked my sitcom pilot, said about one bit 'That's a [insert show he produced] type joke'. He said he could see that joke on said show. That made me happy, as it was a show I liked.
I look at, Peep Show, say and think I can be as good - yes. It's not easy. I'm a massive Peep Show fan, and it's got some wonderful moments but I believe I can write a show as good. Right now? I'm still learning, but if I don't aim for the very top then that's really quite shit. I'm doing this because I want to write comedy, but also want to write the biggest comedy in the UK. Same producer said every time he reads a sitcom he thinks 'Can this be as big as Friends'. I'm not going to fart about going 'Oh, I can be QUITE good' what's the point in that?
Quote: Perry Nium @ April 18 2008, 11:58 AM BSTMakes you sic [sic]
It got me quite excited.
Quote: Marc P @ April 18 2008, 12:00 PM BSTYou would have been eligible I guess, but why on earth wouldn't you fancy it. A commission to write a sitcom and a showcase of your own work and the scheme is designed to fast track you into TV Comedy??????
I'll judge the competition college thing as a whole when it has an outcome.
There's always next year.