Big Finish Comedy Playhouse competition launched
- Big Finish Productions and Write On Comedy have teamed up to launch a competition to find new audio comedy scripts
- The Galton & Simpson Godfathers of Comedy Award features a cash prize of £500, and runner-up prizes of £350
- The deadline to enter is 5pm on 1st April 2023
Electric Head duo win Big Finish script writing competition
Big Finish Productions, the production company behind the Doctor Who audio dramas, has launched a new comedy writing competition in conjunction with the Write On Comedy association.
The Big Finish Comedy Playhouse Script Writing Competition, which is endorsed by the estate of legendary comedy writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, is in search of "hilarious scripts which are suitable for a pilot episode of an audio production".
The winner will receive a cash prize of £500 and the new Galton & Simpson Godfathers of Comedy Award. Five runners-up will also each receive a cash prize of £350.
The organisers explain: "A brand-new comedy writing opportunity launches today at Big Finish Productions, paying homage to the legendary British TV series, Comedy Playhouse. This is no joke!
"The long-running anthology, Comedy Playhouse, launched on BBC1 in 1961, with the first two series written exclusively by Ray Galton OBE and Alan Simpson OBE. Over its initial 14-year run, the series showcased a selection of one-offs and pilots, many of which were later developed into popular sitcoms, including Steptoe And Son, Are You Being Served? and Last Of The Summer Wine. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s Comedy Playhouse gained a reputation as a fertile ground for budding comedy talent.
"Now Big Finish Productions and the writing association, Write On Comedy, have united to revive this winning formula on audio with The Big Finish Comedy Playhouse Script Writing Competition."
Robert Ross from Write On Comedy says: "When we founded Write On Comedy as a community to celebrate and champion comedy people who create everything from crime thrillers to comic books, it was always hoped that we could revive the Comedy Playhouse as a platform for both fresh and established writers of situation comedy. Now, with the blessing of Tessa Le Bars, the legacy of the godfathers of situation comedy, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, and in association with the peerless Big Finish, here it is! We are so excited to read your scripts."
Chairman of Big Finish Productions, Jason Haigh-Ellery, adds: "I am delighted we are working with Write On Comedy to create a series of new comedy pilots for the Big Finish Comedy Playhouse. This competition gives comedy writers an opportunity to have their work produced and hopefully this will lead to new series for Big Finish that comedy fans will enjoy."
The competition is open now, with the deadline set for 5pm on 1st April 2023.
Those wishing to enter should send a script, a synopsis detailing series plans, plus details of the writers (for each writer: full name, recent photo, postal address, brief biography and email address) to comedy@bigfinish.com. The full guidelines are below.
The judging panel will be lead by Ross and prolific comedy writer Jane Lamacraft.
Guidelines
1. All entries must be submitted electronically to the Promoter, comedy@bigfinish.com, no later than 17:00 (UK time) on the Closing Date, 01 April 2023. Entries must consist of two parts: a script and a synopsis.
2. The script must be no more than 30 pages with a font size of at least 11.
3. The script must be humorous, have no more than six characters, and be suitable for a pilot episode of an audio production.
4. The synopsis must detail the writer's plans for a full series and be no more than 500 words.
5. All entries must be submitted with your full name(s), recent photograph(s), postal addresses, brief biographies and email addresses.
6. The shortlisted competition entries will be judged in conjunction with a panel of judges based on the quality of writing, content, originality, humour and suitability for recording.
7. The Promoter will notify you by email to confirm whether or not your script has been shortlisted, by 31 August 2023.
8. The writers of the final six Scripts shall be known as the Finalists. The Promoter will notify the winner and the other five Finalists by email, post or telephone shortly before the Announcement Date.
9. If a Script is jointly written, the prize for that Script will be split equally between the writers of that Script.
10. The Promoter will publish the surname and county of major prize winners and, if applicable, their winning entries on the Big Finish website (www.bigfinish.com) on or before 30 November 2023 (Announcement Date). If you object to any or all of your surname, county and winning entry being published or made available, please contact the Promoter comedy@bigfinish.com.
11. Entry is not open to people who have received payment for a script from Big Finish Productions in the 12 months preceding the competition opening date.
The full list of terms and conditions can be found on the Big Finish website and should be read by anyone planning to send in a new script submission.
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