28 Days Later... Day 8: Dawn Ellis
Saturday 8th February 2014
1. Sitcom is all about the characters - that's what will drive it and bring the laughs. A long list of jokes isn't going to cut it.
2. Show, don't tell - the laughter should come from the events happening. Don't just narrate.
3. Conflict is always very funny.
4. Cruel/mean characters have to have some redeeming qualities - the listener has to be able to like them.
Finally, when you're reading back, cover over the character names. Can you still tell who's talking? If that's a yes you're on your way.
Dawn Ellis is a Radio 4 producer. She oversees shows including Ed Reardon's Week.