British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide

Features Page 50

Breaking The News. Lauren Mackay Writing

Breaking The News writing tips

  • Friday 29th October 2021

Breaking The News producer Lauren Mackay offers some tips on how to be successful writing for the topical comedy show.

Breaking The News. Image shows from L to R: Chris Quilietti, Des Clarke, Lauren Mackay, David Flynn Writing

Breaking The News: Behind-the-scenes on the topical comedy show

  • Friday 29th October 2021

We talk to the producers behind Breaking The News, the hit BBC Scotland topical radio and TV format that you can write for. Discover how they put the show together, and how to get involved.

Sandylands. Image shows from L to R: Martin Collins, Alex Finch. Copyright: King Bert Productions Writing

My Comedy Career: Martin Collins & Alex Finch

  • Thursday 28th October 2021

With a second series of Sandylands landed on Gold, it seems like a great time to talk to writers Martin Collins and Alex Finch about what they do, and how they do it.

Friends. Image shows from L to R: Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer Writing

How to Structure Sitcom Scenes

  • Friday 15th October 2021

Chris Head uses some excerpts from US comedy Friends to highlight the set-up / reveal / escalation / payoff structure of sitcom scenes.

Matt Forde Writing

Tune-Up, No. 5: Matt Forde on making political comedy work

  • Thursday 14th October 2021

Political material can be risky with live audiences, but Matt Forde manages to bridge the big political divides - we asked him how.

Kirstie Swain Writing

BCG Pro Sessions video: Kirstie Swain

  • Wednesday 13th October 2021

Kirstie Swain joined us on Zoom to answer questions about comedy writing. The chat included advice on forging a career as a writer, the highs and lows of TV development, and more. You can watch the 58 minute recording here.

The Secret Reviewer Performance

The Secret Reviewer #31: Necessary Roughness

  • Wednesday 6th October 2021

Every month our clandestine critic reveals the murky truths behind that infamous trade, and live comedy generally. This month: Should we pay for a work in progress?

The ParaPod - A Very British Ghost Hunt. Image shows from L to R: Barry Dodds, Ian Boldsworth Production

How we turned the ParaPod podcast into a film

  • Tuesday 5th October 2021

Ian Boldsworth explains how they managed to devise, film and distribute a movie based on the ParaPod podcast, and the lessons they learnt along the way of how best to use a small crew.

When The Screaming Starts Production

How we made When The Screaming Starts

  • Tuesday 28th September 2021

Ed Hartland explains how they made comedy-horror mockumentary film When The Screaming Starts, and what they learnt in the process of doing so.

Image shows from L to R: Dave Cohen, Dan Sweryt Writing

The fastest way to make a living writing comedy

  • Friday 24th September 2021

Newsjack may have finished, but Dave Cohen explains how you can write for two other topical BBC radio shows: The Skewer and Breaking The News.