Every month a VIP from the world of comedy picks their favourite show on Comedy Crowd TV. May’s pick was chosen by former BBC and Sky Comedy Commissioner, and founder of Yellow Door Productions, Lucy Lumsden.
Lucy selected the brilliantly original, slightly strange and very funny Zipwaz Humphries by Victor Hampson as the best “web series” on the platform.
Click here to read more »Each month a figure from the comedy industry runs the rule over the fresh new comedy shows featured on Comedy Crowd TV. April’s pick was chosen by Head of Comedy Entertainment at UKTV, Iain Coyle, who cast his eye over the “Sketch” shows on the channel and selected Michael Spicer!
Michael has produced a series of sketches called ‘The Madonna Front Door Tweet Man Show’. His work is smart, relatable and brilliantly performed.
Click here to read more »Punkanary On-Demand is launching in early Summer 2019. This new online channel, dedicated to comedy, revolutionises the way shows are made and discovered.
Punkanary is powered by the ‘crowd’ through an innovative two stage platform. It all starts with a community platform, in the style of ‘Kickstarter’ where anybody can post an idea or a show in development and then engage with fans, collaborate and even raise a shooting budget. Get enough fans and completed comedy shows will then be shown on the Punkanary On-Demand comedy channel.
We all know there are thousands of amazing comedy creators making hilarious, original productions. And putting them on YouTube, Vimeo or social media, with no clear direction or purpose. Just waiting for an opportunity. That call from a broadcaster who spots them drifting in the giant ocean of media content.
A call that seems so unlikely to come from the few channels broadcasting comedy shows by the same established industry names.
Well not anymore. It’s time for change.
It’s time for a channel to bridge this gap between traditional TV comedy and social media.
A channel commissioning lots of high quality, original content by emerging talent that fans love.
Genuinely encouraging diverse perspectives by providing a bias free platform to create and be seen, not just filling quotas.
And showing comedy that isn’t afraid to take risks.
This is how a comedy channel should be. Which is why we’re making it.
It’s called Punkanary, the world’s first comedy channel powered by the “crowd”. Bringing creators, fans, producers and broadcasters together in one place.
Punkanary is already a buzzing community platform with over 1,500 comedy fans and 150 shows signed up.
And now we are introducing an exciting on-demand channel that will sit alongside the Punkanary platform you see today and showcase only the best new comedy.
To kick start the Punkanary movement we are offering fans who share our vision for the future of comedy the chance to get first look at this channel, and bag a whole year of access, all for only £7 (regular price will be £12).
There are only a limited number of places, so don’t miss out. Be part of the comedy revolution, and see the first exciting shows on a channel made specifically for comedy creators right here:
By Joanna Tilley (@JoannaTilley)
I hope we can all agree that the Comedy Crowd and its weekly newsletter has brought a lot of joy into our email lives. Not only is it full of opportunities for new comedy writers, but it has links to some great inspirational articles and I think most importantly of all it feels inclusive and friendly. For me, the Comedy Crowd offers a bit of hope and camaraderie in a world where being paid to do what I love so often feels like a pipe-dream. Comedy writers may find themselves united in frustration, but united we are, and the Comedy Crowd has brought us all together – which is lovely.
At the end of 2018, the Comedy Crowd took its passion for comedy one gigantic step for mankind further by setting up a website called Punkanary. The idea of Punkanary is to provide a platform where comedy makers can showcase their work, gain a fan base and interact more with other comedy lovers. There are already over 100 shows on Punkanary and I have enjoyed watching the videos as they have rolled in over the last few months. But every now and then I see one, put my finger to my chin and think deeply, ‘Hmmmm… Interesting’.
So without further ado, here are my top 5 ‘Hmmmm… Interesting’ shows on Punkanary, thus far. Shows that if I were a comedy commissioner I might want to find out more about.
1. FIT TO DROP
Watching the shows on Punkanary made me realise something more clearly than I have done in the past. There are definitely some formats of comedy that are in vogue. And if the panel show wins this popularity contest by a landslide, then the mockumentary is ripe for second place. Fit To Drop certainly has a ‘This Country’ and ‘People Just Do Nothing’ vibe – but not just because it is a similar format – but because it is funny. Written and directed by Sarah Johnson and John Spence-Arnold, Fit To Drop zooms in on Fiona who is trying to build up a fitness empire with the help of her friends. This eight-minute pilot works because it is what so many people try to do with comedy, but fail – simple. There’s also a strong leading character and some great dialogue and visual humour. So much potential. Check it out here.
I love pussy! Sorry, what I meant to say is I love Tales From Pussy Willow. This show massively feels on trend, and the part-animation look is unusual and simply pretty awesome. I admire animation because it seems like a lot of hard work, but this show plays with the form, which makes it more fun. The sketch on their Punkanary page made me laugh and I wanted more. Luckily, there’s plenty more to see on their YouTube channel, Tales from Pussy Willow. From a quick Twalk (that’s Twitter stalking, that is) of creator Kate Jessop’s page, I can see the show is already winning awards so it may be on its way. But I would recommend producers and power-folk people have a look. It’s clever. Check it out here.
3. RUINED: A HIPSTER GHOST STORY
Quite often I watch a video clip on Punkanary and think ‘boy that was great’, but would a TV commissioner take a risk on it? The sad thing is that zany, surreal, Mighty Boosh style comedy is disappearing and being replaced with depressing real world comedy-dramas. The thing I loved about Ruined: A Hipster Ghost Story is that it is suitably silly, strange and different. After a bit of Twalking, I discovered writer Lily Smith studied comedy writing at NFTS – thus I am going to assume she is a talent to watch because they rejected me twice. Anyway, I certainly felt some ‘hmmmm… interesting’ going on whilst watching it. Consider it for yerrselves here:
During this slick trailer I definitely got the ‘hmmmm… interesting’ vibe. I like the fact there’s a no-nonsense female in the hero role and the spoof element suggests this could be a lot of fun. The trailer has been produced by Adam McNicol, who I met last year when asked to ‘star’ as an extra in a short film he was making. That also felt like a slick operation, so I am going to add one and one together and assume that there may be something in this agent and her misfortune. Check out the trailer here.
5. HOT DESK
Hot Desk is another show that feels on trend and whilst being filmed in one confined location certainly helps, the production value feels very high. The premise is nice and simple – with Andrew Neck (played by Ben Rufus Green) sitting next to a hot desk of rotating employees. With so many frustrated creatives finding themselves in ‘the boring office job to pay the bills’ scenario, this show is bound to attract an audience that empathise with the awkward situations Andrew finds himself in, and causing. There are a couple of episodes to enjoy on the Punkanary page here.
And that brings us to the end of my ‘Hmmmm… Interesting’ top-five. If you have any other suggestions of your own favourite shows please share below or with us on Twitter @punkanary @thecomedycrowd.
Also do not forget that comedy shows registered by January 31st on Punkanary will have the chance to be screened at the 2019 LOCO Comedy Film Festival at the BFI. For more information, clickedy click here.
Long live the hyperlink and goodbye!
OK comedy creators. We know building an audience sounds like a bloody daunting nightmare. One of those where the cold sweat makes the bed all clammy with Facebook likes.
But now it’s time for a totally fresh start.
Forget making a website, a mailing list, all that stuff. Now you have a brand new page for your comedy show on Punkanary, alongside other exciting comedy creators, where you and your fans can always come back to. No matter what happens out there in the crazy world.
In these next three posts we are going to explain how to bring fans to your Punkanary page, and how to get the party started when they arrive.
But here’s two quick things to remember before we get started.
10 fans who don’t know you yet but will love this comedy you are making. 10 is all you need to get started. If you get 10 real fans, they will help you get more and spread the word. If you can’t get 10 real fans behind your idea, you need to start asking some questions.
Let’s do this comedy creators. Here’s the first step – who the heck are your fans?
What’s the big idea?
You know your comedy idea is damn good. But to find out who your true fans are, you need to think about your show in a different way.
Who are the people, places, and groups that will give you a try when they’ve never heard of you? What makes your show unique? Who does it make fun of and who does it support?
Click here for a detailed example of how you could think about this as a creator of The Simpsons.
One of the most unique aspects of The Simpsons is that it’s a cartoon, made when adult cartoons weren’t really a thing. So instead of saying everyone will like and relate to this, Matt Groening and co could focus on comic book fans, adults who appreciate old cartoons like the Flintstones.
Also consider This Country – Modern UK sitcom set in the Cotswolds. There has never been a sitcom about life in the Cotswolds! So that’s a unique feature with a prime target audience waiting to see something funny about their world.
Who are your fans?
OK so you’ve got one or two groups of possible fans in mind for your show. Now think about where they live, where they hang out, what they care about.
Let’s take the Simpsons again.
We’ve chosen fans of adult animated cartoons, which was very niche back in 1990. These people are likely to be predominantly male, maybe read printed animation such as comic books, and are part of fan groups for other animated shows, even nostalgic kids cartoons.
They like things that are quirky and rare, maybe attend nostalgic events, also like sci-fi cult movies. This gives Matt Groening and co a great starting point to reach those fans in online groups, printed magazines, and organised conventions.
And This Country
This is a real life example. The creators embraced The Cotswolds locals as potential big fans of the show and invited local residents to live recordings and screenings. They then helped share the show and make it a hit.
The takeaway is this – don’t target everyone. Focus on the characteristics of your show that a group of fans will love and will give you a try even though they don’t know you. This is where you will find your first 10 fans.
Now you understand your fans, it’s time to go where they hang out and share your show.
And before we enter this murky world don’t forget the most important thing, make this fun for you and your team!
Stay in the moment and do what feels natural. This is rule number 1.
OK enough pep talk.
The social channels
Let’s start with social media (if that word gives you goosebumps and makes your hair stand on end, don’t worry. You’ve always got your Punkanary page that you control and this is a fresh start for everyone. Breathe and carry on).
There are lots of different social media platforms, but the one you care about is the one your fans use most.
We all know about the biggest social media channels :
Don’t try to do everything and overwhelm yourself. You want to go with the main platform where you can reach your fans.
Get to know how that platform works, what type of content does well on there, and who are the influencers for your true fans.
Influencers are people with a big following who fit the bill of your true fans on this platform.
You should also choose a platform where you are comfortable posting the type of content required. It’s no good getting stuck into Instagram if you’ve got no visual pictures to show off your comedy!
Making content
When you’ve chosen your platform, it’s time to post content on there. Think about:
– What will excite your fans and get across the humour of your show?
– How frequently will you share content and why?
– What content can you share from other people that will be relevant to your show?
Let’s throw in a few examples.
If you’ve decided to focus on football fans for your show, you could create a character persona on Twitter and post in the voice of that character. E.g. https://twitter.com/BoringMilner. Then be sure to post during an important moment that would be relevant to your characters or show e.g. during a World Cup match.
For a show like People Just Do Nothing appealing to Garage music fans, make short videos of the characters doing their thing and include garage music bands with a following in the videos. They will share it on their YouTube channel, or you can share it with their Facebook groups or pages.
Calling your fans to Punkanary
Sharing this content is all well and good, but the most important thing is that if someone sees and likes what you are doing, they know to come and follow you on Punkanary to build up your fan base.
It’s no good having hundreds of people see your thing and then never connect with you again.
You should have a clear shout out, saying that they can see more of this and get involved in the show on Punkanary TV, with a link to find your page there. You can also make this funny and consistent with the voice of your content.
When you’ve started bringing your first fans to Punkanary, the next step is to make sure they have an awesome experience there.
Get the party started by clicking right here.
Once your first fans have found out about you and come to your Punkanary page, it’s vital to provide them with a good volume of content (not necessarily videos) and interact with them, inviting and responding to comments or questions.
Your Punkanary page is the home of your show. This means you don’t need a website or mailing list or any of that painful stuff. You have a home page in the place where new comedy comes to life. It’s up to you to make yours as good as it can be.
E.g. there could be regular posts in the voice of the characters, creators answering questions from fans, telling fans about plans for making the show and how the fans can help.
Keeping your page fresh and interacting with fans is hugely important. Remember these are the people who cared enough to give you a try on a new platform. They want to hear more from you!
Don’t be afraid to also message all your fans with more info than is possible on the updates board. Email messages are personal, come to their inbox, and can be sent in one click from Punkanary.
If you love a comedy show, how would you feel about getting a funny email in the voice of one of the characters, or being invited to give your thoughts on what they should do next?
Behind the scenes footage is also great because it shows you and your personality. People love to get an insight into how something was made, so let them have it.
Basically this is your page to do what you want with, but the more you engage your fans and entertain, the more they will help you to make and share your show.
Just as with the social channels, the most important thing is to have fun with it. If you enjoy it and find it funny your fans will too.
OK reading over. Time to get cracking on your comedy show!
© Comedy Crowd 2024
