I'm writing a Sitcom - what do you enjoy about them?

TriedandTested · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:06

DailyGeek said:
Thanks for the link, I've used the british sitcom guide too

If in some amazing stroke of luck, this ever became a pilot, would some OcUKers like to be extras or audience members??

What kind of writing background do you have exactly? You'd be surprised how hard it is! Scrubs, for example, have a team of about 20 script writers that work on each 22min episode (just to give some perspective).

The best way to get in to writing this sort of thing is to write an episode of an already established sitcom..more than one actually; then send them off to the producers or whatever to catch their attention.

kitten_caboodle · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:11

DailyGeek said:
Thanks for the link, I've used the british sitcom guide too

If in some amazing stroke of luck, this ever became a pilot, would some OcUKers like to be extras or audience members??

*Me! Me! Me! Me!!

*

DailyGeek · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:12

Having a mahoosive team of writers is fairly typical of modern US sitcoms I believe. I think between me, and my best mate (ben_j_davis on here) we have written around a couple of hundred sketches over the years. Granted we haven't for some time, but I'm going to write the script myself and he'll help me tidy it up.

Thats the plan at least

kitten_caboodle · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:15

DailyGeek said:
Having a mahoosive team of writers is fairly typical of modern US sitcoms I believe. I think between me, and my best mate (ben_j_davis on here) we have written around a couple of hundred sketches over the years. Granted we haven't for some time, but I'm going to write the script myself and he'll help me tidy it up.

Thats the plan at least

Well I'm an editor (though not a script editor!) and along with the others who have offered, I'd be happy to look it over if you wanted any input either in the initial stages or later on. I went through my friends scripts with a red pen marking out bits that I liked/didn't like/needed improvement (wasn't very popular I can tell you

) and would happily do the same for you. I am a fully paid up member of the NUJ so I'm not allowed to nick your ideas or they'd kick me out

ALLI · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:21

Political correctness need not apply - we have shows like Little Britain that have pushed the few boundaries we had so, why not a sit com about old, mental, fat, poor ethnic minorities.

There's gotta be some humour in there?

Episode 1

Winston, Deepak and the one with the weird hair from Uzbekhistan, Hari, get taken to town with their care workers. While there, they all display psychotic tendencies and feelings of grandeur, and whilst in the DSS office collecting their weekly pittance, they all eat parts of the furniture, then vomit it back up on the staff whilst shouting "it's not like that in our country!" The police arrive with HILARIOUS consequences and a cliff hanger to lead on to episode two, which is on E4 straight after.

:s

DailyGeek · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:23

kitten_caboodle said:
Well I'm an editor (though not a script editor!) and along with the others who have offered, I'd be happy to look it over if you wanted any input either in the initial stages or later on. I went through my friends scripts with a red pen marking out bits that I liked/didn't like/needed improvement (wasn't very popular I can tell you ) and would happily do the same for you. I am a fully paid up member of the NUJ so I'm not allowed to nick your ideas or they'd kick me out

That is some offer! I will most likely take you up on that when I have something that vaguely resembles a script, although I might drop you an email with an outline of my ideas, would that be ok?

EDIT - K_C do you have MSN?

kitten_caboodle · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:23

ALLI said:
Political correctness need not apply - we have shows like Little Britain that have pushed the few boundaries we had so, why not a sit com about old, mental, fat, poor ethnic minorities.

There's gotta be some humour in there?

Episode 1

Winston, Deepak and the one with the weird hair from Uzbekhistan, Hari, get taken to town with their care workers. While there, they all display psychotic tendencies and feelings of grandeur, and whilst in the DSS office collecting their weekly pittance, they all eat parts of the furniture, then vomit it back up on the staff whilst shouting "it's not like that in our country!" The police arrive with HILARIOUS consequences and a cliff hanger to lead on to episode two, which is on E4 straight after.

:s

*prints out*

DailyGeek · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:31

Well, I'm off out for a couple of hours - if anyone can offer any futher advice i'll be around after 11pm to pick it up. Thanks for everything so far people!

Sean.

kitten_caboodle · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:32

DailyGeek said:
That is some offer! I will most likely take you up on that when I have something that vaguely resembles a script, although I might drop you an email with an outline of my ideas, would that be ok?

EDIT - K_C do you have MSN?

Yep no probs. Email me I'll reply with details

ALLI · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:32

kitten_caboodle said:
*prints out*

How VERY dare you.

It's currently mid-fax at the moment

No, but on a serious note, there's not much in the sitcom market now. Look at the I.T. Crowd (Yeah, I.... T..... Crowd). At best it's gonna be a 1 season show. The format is lame. Shouty loud vaguely attractive bint and 2 geeks, who, let's face it, are over-stereotyped to the max. I can't see a second season of that. I won't let myself.

I have plans for "The B-Team" a group of crack heads, going commando, who never made it to "Nam" cos they were too busy tightening the belt around their arms and shooting UP - not baddies.

Cannabis Smith - goes undercover inside a huge BONG
Mace - wanted by the FBI for harassing young women.
Mr-E "Yous a crazy fool, but I love ya man. Plane? What plane? I AM Flying mofo!"
Dandelion Murdock - The hippy of the crew - talks to anything. has issues with Mr-E. They don't get along - with hilarious consequences!

basmic · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:35

I enjoy good old English humour.

Watch a couple of Ronnie Barker's comedies, particulary Porridge and Open All Hours - that's what true comedy is, IMO.

Not to mention Alf Garnett doing In Sickness And In Health.

kitten_caboodle · 14 Mar 2006 at 20:55

ALLI said:
Dandelion Murdock - The hippy of the crew - talks to anything. has issues with Mr-E. They don't get along - with hilarious consequences!

This made me lmfao. Shall we get together and write a shmash hit

As for Ronnie Barker, his word play was to me what made him a genius. The 'fork handles' sketch is a case in point, but he was so good with words it's funny and relevant today and always will be. Clever humour lasts imo. Take Blackadder, though dated can still raise a smile even though i know most of the episodes off by heart!

atpbx · 14 Mar 2006 at 21:15

DailyGeek said:
Having a mahoosive team of writers is fairly typical of modern US sitcoms I believe. I think between me, and my best mate (ben_j_davis on here) we have written around a couple of hundred sketches over the years. Granted we haven't for some time, but I'm going to write the script myself and he'll help me tidy it up.

Thats the plan at least

What you need is a writing partner, someone to bounce ideas off.

ALLI · 14 Mar 2006 at 21:44

kitten_caboodle said:
This made me lmfao. Shall we get together and write a shmash hit

As for Ronnie Barker, his word play was to me what made him a genius. The 'fork handles' sketch is a case in point, but he was so good with words it's funny and relevant today and always will be. Clever humour lasts imo. Take Blackadder, though dated can still raise a smile even though i know most of the episodes off by heart!

I had a very hard couple of minutes trying to get something funny out of Murdock's name. Hence the lamo rhyme with burdock...

I had just drunk a can of Asda's "Cranberry Blue Charge" and it was the sugar free one too. Maybe I have a career ahead of me in writing? Or not, as the case may be.

Clever humour does last, tis true. Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Steptoe and Son.

Must admit to really liking Jimmy Carr (say it in a West Indian accent and it sounds like "Jamaica"). I'm not sure if he writes all his own material, I think it's just the way he says things. I've been close to making a damp patch at some of the things he's said that /shouldn't/ be funny, but having been subjected to my father and his "police" humour for 30 years I have pretty thick "bad comedy taste" armour!

Minxy · 14 Mar 2006 at 21:48

Your characters need to be well thought out and everything that comes out of their mouths needs to be in keeping with their personality and thought pattern. They also need to appeal to your audience. Everyone loves Friends because pretty much the entire population can relate to one of the characters.

ALLI · 14 Mar 2006 at 21:48

atpbx said:
What you need is a writing partner, someone to bounce ideas off.

You know what, I wouldn't mind having a go if someone has any ideas. I've not done this kind of thing before, at all, and I can't guarantee I'll be any good but if someone has idea and wants to elaborate on them drop me a line.

Think my MSN is in my profile somewhere but if not then it's mark dot sampson at blueyonder yadda co yadda uk thingy

Going to watch telly now but will catch up with ya's soon.

kitten_caboodle · 14 Mar 2006 at 21:52

ALLI said:
....but having been subjected to my father and his "police" humour for 30 years I have pretty thick "bad comedy taste" armour!

I could have said exactly that myself! Also, take into account my ex is an undertaker and my mum worked in a hospital, so the taste level on the humour radar got very low on occasion!

ALLI · 14 Mar 2006 at 22:14

kitten_caboodle said:
my ex is an undertaker

And here are my undertaker jokes c/o my father... (see this is what he's done to me, reduced my to being a carrier of lame-ness!)

1. An undertaker? Well, he wanted a job in the dead centre of town....

2. He wanted a job he could get wrapped up in - made his mummy proud....

3. He wanted a job with "a lot of people under him" ...

Thank you, good night....

DailyGeek · 14 Mar 2006 at 23:13

Well, I'm home. Just got in from doing some of ma volunteer work and somehow it lifted my writers block and i got a load more ideas

K_C i'll drop you an e-mail right now.

As for having a writing partner, thats what my mate is going to do. We have very different types of humour, I would like to think I have sarcasm and wit nailed, whilst he is a touch more.. surreal? It's worked for us well in the past and hopefully will this time on a larger project.

I'm enjoying it though - and I think the idea has credibility so far

tuckenator · 14 Mar 2006 at 23:53

What about the peep show, really good comedy, filmed 1st person. Easily one of the best comedys out at the moment. None of this little britain crap. I would mention the office but im sure its already been mentioned (best comedy ever IMO). try for a cross between south park and frasier, could be very interesting :eek: