advice

[srg]

don't know if this is the right place, but everyones pretty clued up on here so i'll give it a shot.

me and my mate have written ourselves a 6 part sitcom in full. just wondered if anyone had any ideas on how we could get it made. do people reckon it's worth us getting together people and filming a few of our selected scenes to send off with the 1st episode of the script? or just send off the 1st episode of the script with synopsis etc.

my mate has a lot of contacts up here (newcastle) in northern film and new writers north etc. however no one really seems to have a clue on what to do with a comedy script.

i reckon we'll probs be best off filming some scenes and whoring the script around, but i'm looking for better ways if anyone knows them.

sorry for this long and pointless post but i'd appreciate ideas.

shaun

[wiggy]

you could try bbc writers room, they always reply!

[Tom]

I'd try the writer's room first, then think about shooting segments yourself.

Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant did a short called Seedy Boss and they shot in a single day. That tape did the rounds at various production offices. Of course, it ended up becoming The Office.

I would suggest that you make sure that your ideas are fundamentally solid and then, if you do shoot it yourselves, shoot one episode and just send it off to tons of places. Of course, there are numerous webisode sitcoms now, which are short, cheap, but very funny. One or two of these shows have ended up being expanded for the TV format.

Whether you go online with it first (keeping the episodes to 5-10 mins a pop), or straight to the Beeb, if it's good enough, you'll find a way of getting it out there.

Tom.

[shindig]

Aye, I'd throw the nod to the Writer's room as well. Does Newcastle really have any places worth bothering with?

[srg]

cheers for advice all.

in what sense do you mean does newcastle have any places worth bothering about? in terms of comedy? i'd say i'm struggling to find any places that are specific to comedy up here lke or anyone with any expertise in it, which is surprising as we're well known for our funnymen such as micky hutton, ant and dec... erm yeah.

[shindig]

Nah, it's just the only site I've managed to find for writers relates to theatre and that.

[srg]

do people know what's needed when sending the script out? we're sending the full first episode along with plot synopsis for the 6 episodes. we haven't been able to film yet so we're not sending any film out. is there anything else needed?

cheers

shaun