Our next meeting is Tuesday 5th March
We're back at the Old King's Head near London Bridge at 7pm to read an episode of the sitcom ‘Bad Heir Day’ by Vicky Richards and some sketches. Details on our website.
We are currently booking slots for sitcoms, sketches, monologues, comic plays, webisodes, shorts and comedy-dramas. Remember, your space on the list is dependent on you turning up to support other writers.
What Garnish Should Go With Your Comedy Script?
We’ve had a couple of queries recently about the supporting material for your sitcom or comedy-drama. While most of the effort should go into the script itself, when your work is as polished as it can be, and you’re ready to enter competitions or apply for initiatives (or even head where comedy producers are rumoured to lurk), there are certain other elements to consider. I’m going to call this ‘the comedy garnish’ and run through it now, like some kind of time-pressed sous chef.
Logline
This is the first thing anyone looks at, often before they even read your opening page, so it’s incredibly important. In one sentence you have to explain your idea as clearly as possible. Here’s an example that describes ‘Work Do’, myself and Helen’s recent effort:
An office-based sitcom where we never see the office, instead each episode takes place at a different team building event; all intended to promote workplace harmony, but which end up having the opposite effect.
Hopefully this makes the premise clear and leaves you wanting to know more. Writing a logline is useful even if you never share it because, when you read the words back, if your script sounds identical to an existing TV show, that’s a definite red flag.
Synopsis
Here you’ll describe what happens in your pilot in enough detail for industry types to understand the plot, while keeping to a single paragraph. Producers want to know where the story is heading while expending the minimum possible time and effort. If your synopsis shows the pilot goes nowhere, why would they read the script? Writing a synopsis isn’t exciting but it is unavoidable, and it also has the benefit of revealing any failings in your understanding of structure, or cause and effect. Ideally a synopsis will illustrate your plot escalates and resolves satisfyingly, rather than falling flat in a mishmash of unconnected scenes.
Series Bible
This shows the industry you haven’t put all your ideas into the pilot, and are aware of the need for consistency and perhaps a series arc, if your initial idea gets picked up. A good series bible will also prove your show is ‘returnable’ for future series (a very big consideration right now). Summarise each of your six episodes (or more) in short paragraphs, detailing each of the individual narratives in broad terms. You probably won’t know the detail yet, but don’t worry. An effective series bible is about showing that you’ve considered where the concept might go in the longer-run, not the minutiae of every set-up.
Pitch Deck
This is a recent innovation favoured by producers who prefer visual aids to words, mainly in the U.S. from what I’ve seen. The challenge here is to convey your premise, characters, tone and plot in what is essentially a graphic Powerpoint presentation, using mocked-up images to give a flavour of your show. It’s worth noting that, in the competitions I’ve script read for, those submissions with professional-looking pitch decks never seemed to do as well as the scripts where the writer had spent their time reworking the screenplay further instead. That said, if a producer asks for a pitch deck, best not to refuse. Canva is a good, free resource for customisable templates.
Writer’s CV
When you’re starting out this will be light on detail, but a CV is often required for applications, initiatives or when approaching agents. Even if you’ve had plenty of success, I would recommend limiting it to a single page. List your available scripts with loglines as a kind of succinct portfolio, along with any broadcast credits, competition placings, writing courses completed, industry schemes you’ve been involved with or pertinent qualifications. If you’re still struggling to fill the page, you could always explain tangential aspects of your life that show creative artistry, diligence or ambition. Like that world record you hold in making effigies of celebrities out of matchsticks, for example.
As ever, these are just my opinions, and I’m sure others will have different takes or varying experiences. One way to access the broader writing community is to join screenwriting sites like Scribe Lounge, or Facebook groups such as Into the Script or UK Screenwriters. Members here are usually more than willing to give input on specific queries you may have.
Al
In Memoriam
Shortly after our last meeting we learned that comedy performer and actor Ewen MacIntosh had died at the age of fifty, following a period of ill health. Ewen was best known for playing the iconic role of Keith in The Office, while LCW had the pleasure of hosting Ewen when he came to a meeting in October 2018 to read the main role in a sitcom written by the guys from the Office (and Extras) fan podcast Wernham Blogg.
As Robin put it in Newsletter #367: “The main script was ‘The Big Mac’ by Jack Kendall, James Emblow and Martin Rooney and was a fictionalised version of the life of Ewen MacIntosh, who played Keith in The Office. Ewen MacIntosh joined us for the evening to read the part of himself - something I'm pretty comfortable saying that we've never done before.” The fact that Ewen was willing to give up his time to join us spoke volumes about the man - R.I.P.
'I see BBC2 is showing a sitcom about a Slough paper merchants at 10pm tonight. Seems like a bit of a risk...'
Ewen MacIntosh
Competitions and Opportunities
The David Nobbs Memorial Trust is open for comedy writers (or partnerships) with a broadcast credit; who don’t have an agent and aren’t working full-time in broadcast comedy. Submit evidence of this along with the first 10 pages of a half-hour radio or television sitcom pilot, or four three-minute comedy sketches, as well as a 500-word ‘statement of intent’. First prize is £1000 while the runner up gets £250. Deadline: 15th March.
The New Writers’ Collective is now open to uncredited writers who can submit 20 pages of a completed TV script, a 100 word biography, a logline (see above) and a one page pitch / summary of their series idea. Winners will take up a place on their programme, intended to develop new TV writers, which includes advice and support from those in the industry. It costs £24 to enter, although this can be waived if you have sufficient evidence of penury. Deadline: 21st March.
This coming weekend the London Screenwriters’ Festival is offering online access to a multitude of enlightening sessions from the likes of Robert McKee and Scott Myers, as well as what sounds like a fascinating talk on getting and giving script notes. Find out more and sign up for your free virtual pass here. Takes Place: 2nd-3rd March.
The Sitcom Mission is currently open for submissions, looking for short sitcom scripts (up to 15 pages). It costs £15 to enter and the judges are some major luminaries in the UK comedy industry. Deadline: 28th April.
Member News
The next Good Humour Comedy Club, as hosted by LCW’s Joe Bates, takes place at The Roebuck in Borough on Thursday 7th March. In return for an optional donation to charity at the end, you’ll enjoy a terrifically funny line-up. Seats can be reserved in advance, or just turn up on the night.
Our former chair Robin Bailes has written a series of novels inspired by the Universal horror cycle of films. They make the ideal gift for the classic movie buff in your life. Check them out here.
And finally, Jed the YouTuber is a comic creation from LCW’s Drew Lovell who can be found on YouTube, aptly enough.