To kick off 2017 we set Comedy Crowders a challenge; write a 2 minute sketch about 2 characters from a family in the year 2050.

We also added a twist.

The winning sketch was to be performed live by St Louis based sketch troupe SketchPad Comedy in the US.

Now you can see Adam Martin’s winning sketch being performed. Check it out:

If a funny line gets written on a tree in the woods and no one reads it, does it exist?

The biggest challenge for comedy creators is getting your work in front of the right audience. After years of working with new writers and performers, here are 5 things we believe are not always intuitive, but can make the difference.

1. Don’t Write a Sitcom

Or to be more precise, don’t write a sitcom straight away. There is obviously nothing wrong with doing this, it just won’t get you anywhere.

There’s 2 reasons for this. One, its technically very difficult to get right, and two, no one will read it.

Veep and Black Books writer Andy Riley likens new writers writing a sitcom to walking into a gym for the first time and picking up the heaviest dumbbell. You won’t do it right. This is a really important message. Start simple and focussed. A sitcom should evolve from a great idea that’s been polished over time. Don’t dive straight in.

And then more importantly, no one wants to read a sitcom script.

Script editor Andrew Ellard likens showing someone a sitcom script to looking at the blueprints for a house. No one wants to see the detailed blueprints, people want to see a working model, or images that more closely resemble what it should look like.

If you want to get an idea of what a website will look like, you don’t start reading the underlying code. You look at simple mock versions or demonstrations of final product. The same thing applies to presenting a comedy show.

So what can you do instead? Recognise what you are really offering to a production company or commissioner. You are bringing the creativity, the comic style, the ideas and characters. Not the technical framing and packaging. As an up and coming writer, focus on what makes you valuable, and we’ll come on to how to do that again point 5.

2. Don’t create a masterpiece

Obviously we’re not saying don’t write something good. That we would highly recommend. We mean get feedback and make edits early, rather than waiting for perfection.

Getting feedback and editing or cutting your work is one of the hardest things for new writers. But it’s also absolutely necessary. It’s so hard to judge your own work. Even the most experienced writers don’t rely entirely on their own judgment.

To take a phrase used in the business world, ship ugly. Which essentially means get feedback quickly and don’t spend too long perfecting your script or creation before you do.

Do enough to get the idea and characters across, then start testing. As a creative exercise this is really useful as it forces you to distill down what is integral to your comedy, and what isn’t. If it’s not important, you don’t have time to worry about it. What is it about your character or their relationships that is funny? Once you know what this is you can test it and quickly find out whether the idea has real potential.

Ultimately, using this approach you can churn through lots of great ideas and identify which are worth pursuing, rather than putting heart and soul into one that may never have real potential with an audience.

And when you get feedback, take it on board and be willing to make changes. With this approach you have to get used to getting feedback, and that can be daunting… but it’s something you would definitely have to face in any writersroom so its good to experience it early.

The key thing here is to have the right mindset. Be confident enough in your style and humble enough to want to learn, so that deleting jokes you’ve written isn’t so hard. It always is, but remember that you can do something even better.

Which brings us to point 3

3. Give your ideas away

Such a common concern for all creatives is that people will steal our ideas. So we have to protect them from the world. But this is completely the wrong mindset to have. Spending time and energy protecting your creations is a distraction that you can’t afford.

The way to get noticed and progress as a comedy writer is to develop yourself so that you can have many multiple ideas and execute on them in your own comic style.

A great example of this is from one of the early Simpson’s writers – George Meyer. He wrote a short humour magazine and gave away his best stuff to friends for free. Then he invited other people to write for it and enter their contributions. As the magazine grew in popularity Sam Simon found out about it and he offered Meyer a role in the Simpsons writing team. This was based on his comedy style being demonstrated repeatedly. One specific idea wasn’t what stood out, he did.

We recently ran a competition at The Comedy Crowd to write a 2 minute sketch about 2 characters from a family in the year 2050. That’s very specific, and certainly constitutes an idea. But the responses were executed so differently within those constraints that the comedy style and quality really stood out individually. The fact that everyone was “stealing” our idea didn’t lead to the same output.

Would you rather live in a world of scarcity or abundance? One where you have to be constantly wary of people taking the one or two precious winning ideas, or one where ideas are so common people have 10 a day and learn to execute better each time on the ones they find most exciting? Have many ideas, and don’t be afraid to share them.

4. Don’t be a lone writer

By which we mean collaborate with other writers and performers.

When John Cleese talks about his days as part of a sketch troupe in the Cambridge Footlights, he refers to the in-jokes, teasing and mutual helpfulness of the team creating a confidence and feeling of support that was the most motivating force he ever experienced.

Many writers are introverts, and so the natural inclination is to enjoy time spent in our own thoughts. That’s no bad thing, and may be how you produce your best work. You don’t have to work with others at all times, but take opportunities that arise.

There are many ways to collaborate and share skills in comedy. Sketch troupes like John Cleese describes are a great one, but there’s also having a writing partner to bounce ideas off and make each other laugh, writing for an actor like Henry Normal and Steve Coogan, exchanging ideas as part of a social group or community, or attending conferences and comedy events.

The key early on is to say yes. Get involved with other writers and performers, and take the many opportunities to do it.

5. Be creative in your presentation

The way people watch comedy is always changing but the key elements of making comedy remain the same. We can break it down into 3 things:

1. Collaborate with fellow creators and make connections
2. Create funny and engaging content
3. Present it to your audience

The aspect that evolves the most is also the one people spend least time on – how to present your work to an audience.

The internet and smart phones have effectively broken the barriers to entry for writers and performers. Anyone can now share their comedy ideas online, but you still need to do it right to reach your audience. In fact, now that anyone can post their creation online, if you are going down this route it is vital that you have a strategy to make sure you stand out.

Here are 2 examples. The first you will know. Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant made The Office and are the inspiration for many comedy creators since. But they didn’t pitch a sitcom script alone (unlike the example Ricky Gervais shows from his character Andy Millman in Extras). They filmed rough, short scenes of David Brent being interviewed as a delusional “seedy boss”, and this is what was identified as having potential by the BBC.

An example of those just starting out on their journey comes from some of the creators in our community who recently created a sketch called Chicken Shop Turf Wars. They have made a number of sketches now as part of the Fat Lady Sings sketch group, and the practise is being reflected in the quality of the output.

But what they have done very well is used Facebook to promote and share the video, achieving over 300,000 views in the first 2 weeks by targeting the right audience (including those who like chicken shops – the right audience may not only be comedy fans!). Facebook, with all the information it holds on people’s interests, can be a very effective tool for helping you find an audience.

So think who your audience are and where they are. What do they like to read and watch, what is their attention span? The same applies whether your target audience are fans or industry producers or commissioners. Give them what you know is good, in the format they want to receive it in.

If you want to try this yourself you can start by creating 2 minute videos of your comedy characters and share them on our Chorts! platform. The best Chorts! are screened at festivals and shared with industry producers and commissioners. Check out the Chorts here

Some of the best Chorts! have been shot using a single camera or smart phone. Its all about the comedy character, not production values.

By Peter Wright

15 Chorts! showcasing new comedy characters have been selected to be screened at the Craft of Comedy UK on 31st March – 1st April 2017. There were over 100 submissions in the first month and the standard was high, so some really promising characters only just missed out. In this post we’re going to share what the very best entries did to get the nod (check out all 15 here).

Chorts! are 2 minute videos of original comedy characters. Anyone can submit one and it’s free,  We screen the best Chorts! at festivals and bring them to the attention of producers, commissioners and agents. To read more on why they are a great way to get your comedy noticed check out this post.

5 Things You Need For A Great Chort!

1. A Distinctive Character

Selected Chorts all had original traits and flaws. It sounds obvious to say, but the starting point for a good character is to define what makes them unique and interesting. Comedy audiences are very quick to spot derivations (how often have characters been said to have ‘something of David Brent’ about them) and so creating something completely ‘fresh’ takes hard work. Here are some resources to help you create your character.

2. Simple and straight to the point

Having a distinctive character only works if you communicate to your audience quickly why they should be interested. It’s important to keep it simple and engage them quickly. Be clear about what makes your character funny, and get straight to it!

3. Creative use of the Chort format

Selected Chorts explored creative ways to show the character at its best.  They introduced an interaction, put them in an interesting situation, or used props effectively. There are limitations to a ‘to camera’ monologue, though it has been done very effectively, so make sure you’re using all the tools available.  Check out how Rob Morgan did just that in his Chort! below:

4. A great performance

There were examples of good writing that wasn’t portrayed to its best in performance. We aren’t all performers, but many actors are looking for good writers to work with. If you’d like to write a Chort! to be performed by a pro why not check out our Chort! Writing Competition.

5. Get in the mind of a producer

Does the character have a limited scope? Could you put that character in other interesting situations or interactions.  Some of the best Chorts! had characters that have comic potential in many different settings, whereas in others the character was a vehicle for a single (and often very funny) sketch. Sean Burke’s Chort! is an example of a character that has great scope.

So keep those great Chorts coming! We’ll continue to watch each one that comes through and by gaining likes and shares you can move your Chort! up the page and get noticed. There will also be some more exciting screening opportunities this year.

By Marysia Trembecka – The Singing Psychic

Edinburgh Fringe is still, despite the cost and the competition, the mecca of the comedy world. It’s the largest arts festival in the world where you can test your sketches, comedy character or indeed entire shows on audiences who are wild, free and looking to be entertained. Plus of course there are scouts, bookers, great acts to watch plus it is networking heaven for finding other collaborators for your online work.

So here are some top tips especially written for the Comedy Crowd. I have both failed and ‘won’ in some measure at Edinburgh so this is a voice of experience, my bio is at the bottom of the article.

1. Apply for the free fringe!

PBH’s Free Fringe was the very first to break the mould of having to pay 1000’s of pounds to have a run at Edinburgh Fringe. (I went with PBH last year and am with them again this year so a disclaimer on loyalty from me is necessary here.)

Costs of doing Edinburgh Fringe include:

• Securing a venue (this runs into £1000’s for a guarantee even on a one hour slot in a room above a noisy pub).
• PR costs (£1800 is about the price you expect to pay for decent PR).
• Accommodation costs in Edinburgh in the month of August, rivals London prices.
• The Ed Fringe brochure cost: £300 (early deadline March 15^th 2017 ) or £400 normal deadline. Even 1-2 performances cost £96 to be in the brochure. If you do pay to get in the brochure, I suggest going to some of the talks that Ed Fringe provide as part of that fee as they have talks on everything from other fringes, to marketing and networking events. They also give great advice in the run up to the brochure on wordings and press lists. I always pay to be in the brochure but many don’t.

Full info here https://www.edfringe.com/participants/registering-your-show

There are other free fringes but start by applying here. http://freefringe.org.uk/

Free Fringe involves being part of a community: you will be asked to help out in a variety of ways including being required to hand out their brochure with all the shows in as well as your own flyer when you flyer and mentioning other free fringe shows when you close. You do get to wave a bucket at the end so practise a money getting speech! I got some pretty decent bucket collections and you feel like a proper troubadour waving cash and coins at the end of each night. PBH Free Fringe also have an amazing brochure and an app so even if you do not want to or can’t afford to pay for the Ed Fringe brochure you will at least be marketed and seen in the PBH brochure and on the app.

2. Don’t do a full run

Everyone says you cannot get press in without doing a full run, and it is definitely much harder. However the sad truth is that even full run shows will not get the press in, with over 3,200 shows last year at Ed Fringe there are not even enough bloggers to go around. However going up for a week’s run or more in a paid or non paid venue is valuable for trying out the show, getting live audience reactions and seeing what the competition is like (it’s fierce) plus you may meet your next collaborators.

3. Make videos to promote your shows

I know I am preaching to the converted here on The Comedy Crowd but the effort of making a trailer is well worth it. With so much competition you have to find a way to find your crowd and stand out, a trailer – less than 90 secs- will make a difference. Even 15 secs of you smiling and talking to the camera with one joke will help. In 2016 there were 2,475,143 tickets sold through the box office, that does not include the free fringe and non-ticketed shows. The audience want to find a reason to come see your show.

I had over 100 videos for my The Singing Psychic character online before I went to Ed Fringe last year and I think the most flyering I did was 20 mins a day and I had not paid for PR. I had largely sell–out audiences and booked two extra matinee shows at the end by popular demand as some nights there was no room to squeeze anyone else in. I had taken a show with reviews already there but the fact my bonkers character was backed up by so many videos meant it at least looked like I had not thrown it together on the motorway on the way up (I have actually done that … see next point).

4. Be good.

Ed Fringe is a boiling pot of brilliant acts that have honed this show and their stage persona for months if not years. In 2016 there were 50,266 performances of 3,269 shows in 294 venues across Edinburgh (official figures.)

My Ed Fringe shows in both 2006 and 2007 were OK but definitely not ready for the Ed Fringe battlefield. In 2016 my Singing Psychic show already had done a previous run at Camden Fringe 2015, Prague Fringe 2016, the Brit awards party and a host of other gigs and the images and marketing were all on brand. People just kept on turning up in droves. Word of mouth really works in Edinburgh. If you are funny or provocative or just good, people will talk about you in bars, on trains and to random strangers they are in the queue with for another show.

If your show is not ready go try it elsewhere first till it is: London previews, Brighton Fringe in May, Camden Fringe in August plus there are amazing local fringes across the country from Leicester to Manchester as well. Or take up a 30 minute version of your best material and share your hour with another act.

5. Be nice.

The stresses of doing daily shows, trying to get an audience in (the average Ed Fringe audience is said to be about 20 but there are some huge venues and I have watched lots of shows with a small handful of people in), the flyering, rushing from other gigs etc means you can get tired and emotional.

Be extra nice to everyone; other acts, people in front of you in the queue at Boots and especially nice to your venue and their staff. I used to host cabaret nights and whilst doing two full shows a day at Ed Fringe in 2007 certain acts drama-queen behaviour has stayed with me. To the point where I hear their names and I shudder still years on. This business is small, your tantrum will not be forgotten. Next year someone who watched your meltdown may be hosting a show you are desperate to get on (see next point) or indeed producing major comedy TV work.

6. Do spots on other people’s stages.

There are lots of variety shows from pure stand up shows to cabaret and even magic. You can even go up for a week without a venue, just pre-book some ten minute spots in. Warning though: don’t have all your mini bookings at one venue as if things go wrong for them (shows do get cancelled or moved) you will have paid for accommodation and travel and have no gigs. This happened to a friend of mine last year and we were all trying to find her gigs.

Even if you have a full show, see where you can do a spot on someone else’s show, it is a great way of getting audiences in and getting word of mouth. Practise a very funny five and ten minute set before you go up. With my Singing Psychic show I was doing probably ten spots a week of 5-10 minutes on other people’s stages. Try and book early, there are Ed Fringe Facebook groups that will advertise from April they are looking for acts.

Plus you never know who you meet. I was too late in getting my Singing Psychic gig for a ten minute slot on a certain Ed Fringe variety show last year, but I have had weekly comedy/compering work with a company since directly due to that contact.

7. Pace yourself.

It is very easy to go drinking every night, especially if you have friends who have come up to see you but your voice will get dry, you will get more irritable and you simply will not be as funny. I have to sing on stage as well so I chose to drink once a week (in the last week that slid somewhat as did my notes…)

Eat well – fried Mars Bars are fun but nutrition makes a huge difference on a long run. Sleep when you can. My last weekend in Edinburgh I had booked extra matinee shows as well as my evening ones and I discovered I can sleep backstage in a wig and false eyelashes just yards away from someone else’s show blaring loudly.

8. Make the flyer brilliant.

This is where spending a bit of cash on a real graphic artist or indeed spend time doing a photoshoot is the best use of any spare cash. Become a barista in Starbucks for a month if you have to, to afford this. Make sure your flyer looks like your show (I have made that mistake and had people in the flyer who were not on the stage and people get disappointed). If you have any reviews, stars, claims to fame use them all shamelessly, I had reviews as the show had already done a fair few gigs and it had a lot of stars on it plus a brilliant image (not done by me I hasten to add).

[pdf-embedder url=”https://thecomedycrowd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/20160802-EDDY-A3.pdf” title=”20160802 EDDY-A3″]

In 2017 not only am I taking a new version of last year’s show up – The Singing Psychic Game Show but I am also planning a brand new character and you can guarantee that ‘AWARD NOMINATED CREATOR & STAR OF THE SINGING PSYCHIC…’ will be proclaimed loud on the front. (My show was a finalist and nominee for Best Show, Funny Women)

Why listen to me?

I am an actress and cabaret artiste who has done shows from Edinburgh, Montreal, Prague and Brighton fringes and London’s West End. As a straight actress I have been in many films, some such as the multi award-winning Sunday Dinner With The Morgans, were screened in over 30 festivals worldwide and reached the semi-final nominations round for an Academy Award in 2015. I am the yummy mummy in The Vamps ‘Shall We Dance” hit video.

Last year as my SINGING PSYCHIC character I performed to full houses at Edinburgh Fringe 2016, the Brit Awards 2016 Official After-Party at the 02, Cannes Film Festival, Prague Fringe Festival and other sell-out shows in London both before and after Edinburgh.

I have done a few full runs of other shows at Ed Fringe, including in 2007 doing my own solo show plus running C Venues Midnight cabaret – 68 shows in 28 days. In 2016 I took my Singing Psychic show to Edinburgh Fringe and had to book extra shows by popular demand. Many shows were so packed that people were squeezing under the DJ booth and right to the back bar. My show was a nominee for Best Show, Funny Women 2016 and although I only got maybe four press people in I did break even, every review was at least 4 stars and I got radio coverage and more TV coverage plus more gigs when I got back to London.

Online my SONGS OF BREXIT web series ended up with me being in BBC2 and London Live TV and I continue to be interviewed as myself or my character monthly on TV and radio. I have made 4 web series for the character and every one of them has opened some very interesting doors.

My new version THE SINGING PSYCHIC GAME SHOW is monthly at The Phoenix Artist Club in Soho, London. Plus I performed at Vault Festival in Feb 2017.

In 2017 my new show ‘Queen Of The F*cking World’ is being showcased at the Tristan Bates Theatre, Covent Garden April 24^th, then previews at the Phoenix in July before premiering in Ed Fringe 2017. I am also taking THE SINGING PSYCHIC GAME SHOW for a run at the Voodoo Rooms, Aug 5-27^th 21.30.

Reviews of my solo work:

• “Completely bonkers in a good way” (London Theatre 1)
• “A stunning 4 star performance” (Comedy Coroner)
• “Good vibes that will leave you laughing long after” (Younger Theatre)
• “Can work a crowd like no other” (Grumpy Gay Critic)
• “A gloriously entertaining night out” (Female Arts) “Certainly knows how to entertain” (Three Weeks).
• “No one sings those songs like you do” (Jeff Beck)

Watch her 90 second Singing Psychic trailer video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l0wKXyQiOg

www.marysiatrembecka.com

www.singingpsychic.tv

Twitter @marysiat @singpsychic

Facebook:/YouTube/Insta The Singing Psychic

It’s tough pitching a comedy script or performance showreel to anyone and everyone. Commissioners and top producers get thousands of requests like this. So how do you stand out? How do you get them to come to you instead of you pitching to them?

What you need is social proof. Evidence that what you have will attract an audience and be turned into something special.

The trouble is proving an audience for a script is virtually impossible. No one wants to read a script, so you can’t build an audience for a script alone. Here’s the first part:

Make something visual

Turn your script into a format that people want. Something closer to the finished product, even though its not there yet.

Making something visual does not mean pulling together a full cast and producing a half hour sitcom. Many experts have argued against making it yourself because, as James Cary rightly says on the Sitcom Geeks podcast, it won’t look like a professional sitcom. But you don’t need to do this!

All you need to showcase your comedy is a smartphone and an actor.

A brilliant recent example of someone stripping it right back to smartphone and actor is Thomas Gray in his video Stag Do. A poorly produced video that just shows one person talking to a camera achieved almost 2 millions views.

Thomas Gray is now a regular BBC3 production. And it worked because the character is engaging and funny. Which brings me to point 2:

Focus on characters

You need the audience to understand your character straight away. All the best comedy shows do this, and a perfect example of how to do it well is Friends. In the first scene of the first episode, every character speaks and shows their personality in a few carefully chosen words. It’s brilliantly executed.

Don’t waste time on plot and scene setting. Even the best comedy shows with the biggest budgets get noticed because of their characters. Sheldon Cooper would be funny and engaging in a monologue or conversation without the rest of the Big Bang sitcom.

Keep it short and get feedback

Back in pre-internet days comedy writers and performers got noticed by putting on live shows that attracted an audience. The response could be measured by audience numbers and laughter. If you were good, you knew about it and so did everyone else. This is how John Cleese and the Python crew got started and built a reputation that led to work with the BBC.

Nowadays you can use the internet. But there are some big differences. One is that the audience at a live show has committed to watching you and will give you time. People won’t give you that time online. And when you perform in front of a live audience you get instant feedback. On YouTube you can actually hear the crickets and dust balls as the view count stays on two (both you).

Give the online audience what they want. Something short but lots of it.

These 3 points are the reasons that Chorts! exists today. A platform for 2 minute videos of new comedy characters, with the best, most liked and most shared being regularly screened to producers and commissioners.

You can get private feedback from viewers, and see for yourself how people react to your comedy characters. It’s also free to use.

Don’t waste time on content that won’t catch the attention you are looking to catch. Short, sharp, funny characters in an easily digestible format will significantly enhance your chances of getting noticed online. After all, what’s the point of making comedy if there is no one to laugh at it?

Chorts!

By Jason Flamm

At The Comedy Crowd we talk a lot about why comedy creators should get involved in sketch groups, but how should you actually go about it? In this post Jason Flamm, Comedy Crowder and founder of Sketchpad Comedy, responds to that question when asked by a reader.

“Hey I read your article and loved it. Not sure where you are based out of but I am a Chicago comedian and I am trying to get into live sketch comedy. I’m curious if you have any advice. I have done sketch films, stand up, improv but live sketch on stage is new to me and not sure how to get it off the ground.Do you recommend getting a group? A partner? Writing then rehearsing? I’m curious of your process. I have taken a few sketch classes at second city .Stand up is just immediate- you show up at a bar and sign up and then you are ready to go. I’m not sure how to do that with Sketch.

Thanks for reading!

-Chicago Comedian”

Hi Chicago Comedian —

Thanks for reaching out and I’m glad you loved my article (to read click here). I’m based out of St. Louis, MO— so, close but oh so far away from Chicago.

I’m not entirely sure how to do it in Chicago, but I can tell you how I did it in St. Louis — it’s probably similar, but I would imagine getting stage time there is a bit harder than it is in STL. But, then again, you probably have more people around you who have similar thinking than I do here.

I started in improv before getting into sketch. Because of that I met some really funny people that I thought would be great to work with. So, what I did was simply reach out to them. I sent out a Facebook message to about 19 people and said “Hey, I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to do this, but I want to put on and perform a live sketch comedy show. If you’re interested I’d love to have you be a part of it with me.” I set up a time and date and about 13 of them showed up. Some even brought other friends of theirs that I didn’t know.

Then, we trained ourselves. Sounds like you already have training so you have a head start of where I was! We got a person (with sketch experience) to give us a 3 hour workshop on the basics of sketch comedy and then we found a space to perform and rehearse. Then, about 2 months later we put up the show to our friends who we all invited.

It was that simple.

I would suggest to you to decide a) do you want to work with other people and if so, about how many? b) Reach out to those specific people. Don’t just do a general post on Social media like “hey I’m starting a sketch team, who’s in?” — It’s very likely that will not get a response. Instead, identify people you think are funny and who you think you’d like to spend time with.

Get those people together in a room and let everyone talk about how great being on a sketch team would be and start to think of concepts for shows.

Once you have those things rolling along, you’ll start to figure out what kind of material to develop.

For example, my first sketch team was in the year 2012. We decided to call our show The Last Sketch Comedy Show on Earth. We were trying to play off the Mayan calendar that said the world would be coming to an end on December 21st, 2012.

Spoiler alert: it didn’t.

Having that focus helped us develop our show. “Okay, so we want to talk about the end of the world. We want to frame things around this big event that’s going to happen.” We made ourselves a Mayan Sun Logo:

Now all of a sudden we had an image (in both the logo and our team), we had an identity to play off of and we had something to build material around.

This doesn’t mean we didn’t have our share of non-world ending related sketches, but it was always a compass to go back to.

Limitations are actually a fantastic thing to give yourself as a creator.

From then, we met every week. We wrote together, pitched sketches to one another, decided on what we wanted to present in that month’s show and then rehearsed. Once show date came we put on a show and had a blast.

So, you’ll also need to reach out to a venue or some kind of space. Maybe you know someone that works at a bar that has a stage and is looking for extra revenue on a Monday or Tuesday night? Maybe you can talk to a space that usually has drag shows and see if they have openings on Wednesday or Thursday night that you could put on a show at their space.

The best places to look are going to be bars that aren’t the busiest. The ones that host trivia or karaoke. Because then you know they are open to outside performers or finding ways to draw in extra revenue.

Or find a friend with a big open basement or some abandoned warehouse (our show was performed in a dead part of town at a coffeehouse that barely did any business. It shut down on us, so we had to move. But, then we talked the owner of the building into letting us do our final show there on December 21st. Basically we squatted. haha. It was awesome and we packed the place each show — we were the only sketch show in town, afterall.)

If you have trouble finding a space, get creative. Perform in someone’s big living room. Get a 2 AM show together somewhere. Whatever, it doesn’t matter. The point is getting on stage and gaining that experience… and having fun doing so.

While you find a space, write together. Go to sketch shows together and talk with your group about what you guys liked, didn’t like and what you want to steal (and by steal I mean concepts or ideas, not material. Read Austin Kleon if you have an objection to “stealing.”). Learn what makes each other laugh. Write to your strengths and just do the work.

Also — I know there are tons of people in Chicago doing sketch (they have the largest Sketch Festival in the country going on right now). You probably have someone that you’ve taken a class with or go/went to school with that’s done it before or is super into it. Reach out. Ask for advice from them or even if they’d want to join/teach you guys some stuff.

I’m also down for traveling and workshops — if that’s something you’re interested in. I go to Chicago about 6 times a year for shows and because my girlfriends’ parents live an hour away in Indiana.

The possibilities are definitely there for you!

Thanks again for reaching out — I hope this info was useful!

Best,

Jason

Sketchpad Comedy

PS — oh, also, don’t stop doing all those other things — they will help your live shows and vice versa. Keep up the work man!

Our latest Show Your Funny forum challenge was to write an amusing article to go with this image and headline:

“Cats Better At Selfies Than Humans Study Shows”

Check out the best entries:

Simon the Mighty (Simon Wiedemann):

Many cats are taking selfies, but why? Scientists hypothesise that they aim to get into modeling, after hearing the profession has large supplies of gourmet cat food. These rumours are believed to have been spread, by local kitty ‘Lorenzo’, who nods his head at cat food pinups, and licks his lips, enthusiastically. However, it seems he is noted amongst his acquaintances for telling huge lies. He once rolled his eyes to the back of his head, stood on two feet, and stuck his paws in the air. As he did so, he roared, confidently, then danced like a robot. All men who observed him, came to the conclusion he was trying to say he was some kind of God. Awkward, fur-ball coughs followed. Still, the thought of extra food is famously irresistible to felines. Thus, it appears they took Lorenzo’s word for his claims about posing for cameras. Whatever the reason, all kinds of selfies followed; cats posed, looking coy, with their paws in front of their mouths, and seeming to say ‘ssshhhhhh….’; cats postured wearing tiny business suits; and cats even took pictures of themselves, as they jumped off buildings. Needless to say, this has to stop. People are getting freaked out.

Kate Mayne:

Cats better at selfies than humans a recent study by the University of Sychophants shows. In fact, cats are better at most things scientists conclude. Famous selfie sharers The Kardashians are looking to up their selfie game by trying to imitate cats, including walking around on all fours, seeking affection in return for food and sitting staring at the fridge for large amounts of time as indication they want to be fed. “The Kardashians have always been a bit catty”, said a source close to reality TV’s most famous family, showing they already have the feline attitude down to a tee. Moggles, a tabby from Margate, is making more money than Kanye West’s accountant with his incredibly relatable pouting/head-slightly-tilted-to-the-side bathroom mirror selfies on instakitty. He’s just launched his own line of flea collars and litter trays, and is also given wads of cash everytime he posts a selfie with the hashtag: #nofleafilter.”

Alan Morgan:

Sensational claims today by Felix Milegg, leader of the Cat Liberation Group that cats were better at Selfies than Humans following a recent study. 
An independent enquiry was immediately demanded by Roger Milegg of the Dog Supremacy League who suggested that some of the photos (like the cat shown) had been doctored. He then went on to pour scorn on the study itself which was based on a survey at 11.59 a.m. outside the fish market saying no sane dog would go out in such strong sunshine to vote. Roger then demanded another survey outside the butchers at 10 in the morning. There was further controversy when a member of the public then came forward to say that he had accidentally taken the picture in question whilst trying to photograph a field mouse. However this could not be substantiated as the mouse had disappeared.

Squiggly:

The research was conducted by a new start-up in Silicon Valley, that was creating software to teach cats to be house-trained.

In a shocking twist, the cats were already far better than humans at being house-trained, taking selfies, and Japanese calligraphy, beating humans by 17%.

In a statement, a cat taking part in the research said “I’m not surprised by the results – we beat the humans into outer space, it was only a matter of time until we conquered social media.”

Scientists believe cats were better at selfies because they never blink.

The start-up that conducted the research has recently fired all its employees and invested in the first smartphone for felines, the “Cat’s Eye-Phone 7”.

By Shem Pennant of Amelia Comedy

Wanna make a webseries? We did and had a blast doing it. 2 Standup Comedians Living in a Flat is an 8 episode web series about exactly what you think it is. We made it all in one location, with a skeleton crew and minimal budget and thought we’d share a few tips with the Comedy Crowd. Ideally so you’ll watch it and tell us if you get the R Kelly joke, but also because we went from a blank page to finished show in 7 days and feel we learnt a few useful things from the many, many mistakes we made over the process.

Research

There’s an Italian expression “everything shapes good taste” and we watched a bunch of shows to work out what we loved and just as importantly, what we didn’t respond to. The Comedy Crowd’s forums are filled with people sharing their work and it’s useful to watch what people are doing for inspiration. Having a critical eye and self awareness of your collective taste is super useful when you’re creating and at the very least you’ll make something that’s funny for you. One of our key inspirations was the PFFR produced sitcom Delocated. Check it out.

Writing 

Writers write! Ideas don’t mean anything in your head so get them on the page. If you’re reading this you probably have at least three viable ones. So write it down! Too many people talk about what they’re writing and never go through the process of putting pen to paper. Writer’s block is more of a myth than the world of Entourage.  We locked the writer in a hot room in Cairo with no access to the Internet for 24 hours and forced him to polish off the scripts. You probably shouldn’t do that. But having a really hard deadline to produce *something*, is super helpful as you can really surprise yourself under pressure. And it gives something solid for you to bounce off with the rest of the team – or for your online peers.

Improv

Improv … yuk! But wait. Come back.Improv is more than just riffing lines on set – although that can be very useful. We all studied improv and sketch at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York and one of the central principles they impart to students is “if this unusual thing is true, what *else* is true”. UCB-style improv is super useful for writing as you train yourself to really unpack ideas, and surprise yourself (and hopefully your audience). It’s also really good as you learn how to find interesting, relatable premises in real life and discover the various beats. The UCB Comedy Improvisation Manual is a great guide to the basics. And it’s easy to find some collaborators, pitch premises and use improv guidelines to really unpack the various beats that your idea presents. But just because you can improvise a fun scene in the moment, still put in the work to write, enhance and edit your material.

Limitations

Amelia’s old improv teacher Michael Delaney used to say “discipline is freedom”. Having strict limits imposed forces you to make hard choices and work with what you have. One of Amelia was about to leave the country for the rest of the year, so we only had a few days in which to shoot. We also had spent a fortune on improv classes, so had no actual money for budget, lights, locations etc. So we used what we had. The kitchen was the brightest room in the house so that because the focal point for most episodes (Puns, Shower and the Have You Ever Noticeboard). Once we decided that everything would be set in the flat, we thought it would be fun to centre an episode around them trying to leave (WillLyns) and trying to be noticed from the flat (Agents).

Shooting 

We’re very lucky that we have access to an ok camera, but you can do a lot with a smartphone, good light and attention to sound. And if you have a little money you can rent a great camera for a day or two. None of us are talented DOPs so we made a tonne of mistakes and had to redo a whole episode – you can see the painful puppet edit on the Shower episode. Good light is essential. Capture a tonne of coverage so you can edit around shots. Do multiple takes. Really ensure that you have nice clear sound. And when you hit the edit booth be ruthless.

Apps are also your friend. And apologies in advance that all these are on iOS, we’re sure there are Android equivalents. We wrote outlines in distraction free editing software IA Writer, and the full scripts in the iPad version of Final Draft, which is so much cheaper than the desktop version it’s silly. And there’s a free Final Draft Reader app so you can share with your team easily. On set the Light Meter app was super useful for making sure everything was properly exposed, and that we could have consistent look across shots. We forgot to use it sometimes and kicked ourselves. Filmic Pro is a much lauded camera app that gives you granular control over exposure, ISO and white balance. Sound is super important and iRig Mic Lav is a super cheap way of gaining access to Lav mics. We popped them on Will and Lyns, slipped a smartphone in one of their pockets and synced everything up in the edit later. And we used iMaschine and Garageband to compose the theme song and incidental music, as it’s quick to sketch out a jaunty ditty (WillLyns) or a dope trap beat (Queefy Keefy’s theme).

We edited in Final Cut Pro X which, whilst not as loved as Premiere, is pretty cheap. Our one expense was on the Colour Finale plugin for grading – you can get a free trial but we loved it so much we really wanted to reward the developer with money.

Do it just to do it and then do it again 

We made the show just to see if we could. And that was all. We’ve shared it a couple of places, some people have liked it, some people have *hated* it and most people haven’t watched it. And that’s fine. It’s very unlikely that Lorne Michaels is going to be on the phone asking you to host SNL tomorrow, but it is satisfying to have made something. And once you’ve done that … go make something else.

You can check out the ‘2 Stand-up Comedians’ web series by clicking here. And to see more from Amelia Comedy head to their YouTube and Facebook Pages.

To make sure you stay up to date with the latest opportunities and insights in the world of comedy, join thousands of creators and fans receiving our free weekly newsletter, plus when you subscribe you’ll get our e-book – Getting started and making an impact in comedy:

Channel 4 comedy are opening the 2016 submission window for “Comedy Blaps” from 1st September, but this is more than just another submission window. This represents a shift in the way comedy is developed, and a link to the modern way in which media is consumed.

We have all heard about scientific studies on our ever decreasing attention span, from 1 minute to 10 seconds to 5 seconds. Almost as if we are in a race to see how quickly we can turn something on and turn it off again.

This is amplified in the world of comedy, where we must draw laughter very quickly to avoid our creative efforts being deemed a failure. The online world of choice has altered our approach to consumption of content.

But it has also enabled a new generation of “do it yourself” creators, going beyond a script and being able to demonstrate something closer to a finished product. A generation that can start growing their own audience on digital platforms in the absence of a commissioning budget.

This YouTube clip is a great example of a simple, fairly poorly shot video that brilliantly showcases a character and has built an audience of millions.

So how has this impacted mainstream comedy channels?

Well up until recently it hadn’t. But things are starting to change.

As we no longer have to consume what major TV channels broadcast, the risk to commissioning channels of getting it wrong has increased significantly.

Traditionally production companies and commissioning bodies would film a full pilot episode of a script that they believed had potential, in order to test viability and audience response. This is expensive and filming a full episode of something takes a big commitment. Plus one stand alone episode is often not a very good barometer for how a series will turn out.

Being able to gauge reaction to a series of short clips can be significantly more powerful and reduces the risk for those providing the budget. To borrow an analogy from script editor Andrew Ellard, an architect doesn’t showcase his or her blueprints. They show off a physical prototype or the finished building. So why only show off a script if you can produce clips to visualise your comedy?

We believe the use of short video clips or “comedy Blaps” on Channel 4 are an exciting step towards opening doors to new creators by major commissioning bodies, as they give writers and performers a chance to really show what they can do far more creatively than is possible from a single script submission.

Channel 4 Comedy Blap submission details

The 2016 submission window runs from 1st September to 30th November 2016.

Each Blap commission takes the shape of an online mini-series of three or so films, with each episode being approximately 4mins in length.

Here is a detailed description of what Channel 4 are looking for:

• Blaps are entry level, grassroots series of 3 x 4 minute pieces, for brand new comedy ideas and talent to find their creative feet. We’re looking for ideas that work brilliantly as shorts, but have the scale and potential to develop further and possibly get a full pilot

• Blaps are open to anyone – so as well as taking submissions via production companies, we’re also open to ideas that come in via individuals or talent themselves.

• No more than one entry per person. In terms of bigger production companies, this means one idea per producer. Make sure your submission is your passion piece.

• We need a full treatment that explains and sells the idea, detailing who will be involved on and off screen, and a clear breakdown of what the three separate Blaps will be. One line about an idea with no supporting material won’t be enough to catch our eye in a sea of pitches. Be creative to help stand out from other pitches.

• Additional supporting materials are essential – scripts, links to taster clips, example scenes, show reels, previous work online. The more information you can throw at us to get a sense of your ideas the better.

• We aim to get back to everyone as soon as possible. We are a small team so bear with us. We like to give each submission the time it deserves so sometimes it takes us a while to get back to you. Please understand that we cannot always give personal feedback to everyone.

Fully formed ideas (including short clips, scripts, and links to other relevant content) should be submitted to comedyblaps@channel4.co.uk.

Channel 4 recommend that you take a look at the existing blaps to get an idea for what they are looking for before submitting. You can find and view current comedy Blaps on the C4 website at these addresses:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/comedy-blaps

http://comedyblaps.channel4.com/#/outsiders1

An example of one of the more successful Blaps is Chewing Gum, that has since been commissioned into a full TV series.

It is also well worth listening to this episode of Sitcom Geeks podcast in which script editor Andrew Ellard talks about working on the Outsiders comedy Blaps.

This is a great opportunity to get your work seen by a commissioning channel and really show what your comedy is about beyond a single script. Best of luck to everyone entering.

To make sure you stay up to date with the latest opportunities and insights in the world of comedy, join thousands of creators and fans receiving our free weekly newsletter, plus when you subscribe you’ll get our e-book – Getting started and making an impact in comedy:

“This opportunities email was really helpful. Really in depth, and the opportunities hub for the website looks like it’s going to be an unrivalled feature!” – Oscar Reed, comedy writer

Ever had a really exciting comedy idea and been worried someone might steal it?

Or maybe you had a great idea but just never got round to doing anything with it.

As creators we’ve all been there. But the thing is, an idea really isn’t worth anything on it’s own.

I read an article by Derek Sivers this week that really hit home and got me thinking about how well the principle of idea vs execution applies to comedy and creative arts in general.

Derek Sivers is a musician turned entrepreneur who founded CD Baby to help musicians without a record label make money for their work. He’s a bit of an inspiration for our mission to help comedy creators.

In the article he explains really clearly how a great idea is worth so little without great execution, and that a bad idea well executed can be huge.

Think of this in terms of comedy. When we have an idea and start actually writing it as a script, it will change. Later the script will be interpreted by actors, and it will change. The performance will be recorded and will change in the edit. Then the footage will be shown to an audience who will react in a way that will leads us to change every part again.

In one cycle we have come so far from the initial idea, and yet are so much closer to it actually being something real. We have brought the parts together and made something that people can experience.

There’s a great idea now on the collaboration board from a Comedy Crowder that created excitement and got people thinking. But who knows if it will be as good as a bad chat show host with an Abba theme tune, three priests and their housekeeper on a quiet Irish island, or a middle manager of a paper merchant with no self awareness.

Ideas are great because they are the initial spark that brings excitement and inspiration. Great execution of the idea by writers, actors and a production team are what makes it come to life.

If you have an idea write it down, find out what people think, see it acted out and how people react to it. Don’t waste the inspiration, because without executing an idea really isn’t worth holding on to.

We’ve heard from many writers and performers in the industry recently about their journey in comedy and we noticed a common theme. So many successful comedians started out in sketch groups. Which got us thinking, what is it about sketch groups that makes them such a great breeding ground for new comedy talent?

We came up with 8 reasons we believe sketch groups work well for creative people looking to make an impact in comedy:

1. It gets you into a routine. It’s easy to say you want to get into comedy, but actually using your spare time to do it is another matter. Even if you love it, sometimes the actual act of doing is harder than it should be. If you are part of a sketch group you will have regular meet ups, performance dates, writing deadlines, and other people to keep you in check and find that inspiration.

2. Learn from people with different ideas. You know what you find funny is funny, otherwise you wouldn’t find it funny, right? Or something like that. But you will be surprised how much you can learn from sharing ideas with other people, and being able to find out what they think of yours. Learning what other creators do well and not so well is such a good way to develop your own skills.

3. Find out which people you work well with and which you don’t. This is a natural thing for everyone. You will work better with some types of people than others. If you are working in a day job outside of comedy you will probably have identified types of people you click with and others you really don’t. The same will be true for your creative side, and there’s no better way to find out than by experimenting. Sketch groups provide the perfect environment to do this as a team of 4 or 5 people will inevitably have different styles but is small enough to work closely together.

4. Learn to create funny content. Sketches are a great way to make sure you focus your writing and keep it consistently funny. By their nature sketches are short, so you don’t have time to indulge. Sketch writing helps you practise getting those laughs out quickly.

5. Try out both performance and writing. If you are a writer who has never performed, how can you appreciate whether actors really understand your script? Similarly if you are a performer who has never written comedy, you are missing out on a fundamental part of the creative process. Sketch groups often have a combination of writers and performers, and giving both art forms a go is a great way to develop your skills.

6. See your writing brought to life immediately. As a writer it is hard to know what parts of your work are really funny until you see them performed. If you are part of a sketch group you can see your work performed immediately by people who understand your style of comedy, rather than having to find a group of actors and writers for a specific read through every time you produce something new. This instant feedback is so helpful and is a major advantage of collaborating.

7. Start at no pressure events. Comedy sketch nights are becoming increasingly popular and are a great way to test out your material in what will probably be a relatively small venue of comedy enthusiasts. There really is no substitute for doing, and performing at these events allows you to learn how an audience reacts to your comedy.

8. Creating with others is great fun and inspiring. The whole point of making comedy is to make other people laugh. As part of a sketch group you will always be trying to make each other laugh through the creative process, and this is just a more entertaining way to create than in isolation.

As we said at the top many great comedians started out this way and went on to make a career in the industry. This certainly doesn’t mean you have to follow the same path, but clearly it has been a great starting point for many people now working full time in comedy. Some of the more famous examples include Hugh Lawrie, Stephen Fry and Rowan Atkinson creating sketches in the Cambridge Footlights, Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. There are too many to list here but reasons 1 to 8 have clearly benefited the skills of many great comedians who have become legends in the genre.

So if you want to develop your comedy skills, have some fun, and start to make an impact, joining a sketch group will be a great place to start. Give it a try, you never know where it could lead.

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This is a question a lot of comedy writers struggle with. You know what you find funny. Can’t you just write in that way rather than having to make it fit a derived formula?

After all the reason a lot of people start out making comedy is because they have seen and identified things that they find funny, and have experienced the amazing buzz from being able to convey that to other people. So if you already know what’s funny to you, why should you compromise your style to fit someone else’s view on how things should be done?

I’m going to argue that you don’t necessarily have to write in the style wanted by production companies and commissioners, but you absolutely have to make sure that your style and content is funny and engaging.

Decide where you want your comedy to go

When you are writing comedy you need to consider where you are taking it. You may be entering a competition, writing for a specific actor, or writing for a sitcom or short film that is personal and means something to you.

If you are writing for a competition that means pitching your show for a particular platform, say BBC1, then you increase your chances of success by identifying what they are looking for and considering your entry in the context of that. For example at the moment (and this may change depending on when you read this) BBC1 are primarily looking for mainstream studio audience sitcoms that can take over from Mrs Brown’s Boys.

Studio audience sitcoms are not the preferred creative style of many comedy writers, but this is what BBC want for their prime time comedy (to understand more about what is meant by a studio audience sitcom and why it works for a mainstream audience, read this blog by Andrew Ellard). In an interview with Simon Caine in his Ask The Industry podcast, Head of BBC Writersroom Anne Edyvean says as much, explaining that in the Writersroom they are looking for talent rather than a specific show to commission, and if someone demonstrates that they can write for a main audience show rather than something less conventional they may well be more likely to be considered. That said she also adds that they are not looking for people to repeat what has been done before. (The same is true for radio – check out this blog from Comedy Crowder Simon Miller where he talks about successfully adapting his competition entries for Newsjack).

This logic also applies to production companies. If you are going to send off your work to a production company in the hope they will come on board and help turn it into a final product, then you probably will need to either find one that knows and likes your style of comedy, or tailor what you have made into something that aligns to what they make.

We have spoken to many production companies recently who have told us the worst thing they get is a generic request to read a script that has not been considered in the context of their work and where the email or letter they receive is part of a mass mailing with no specific reference to why they have been approached.

You may be thinking “that’s annoying, I don’t want to change my work to make it fit a style that suits the taste of a production company or commissioning body”. Well nowadays there are alternatives, but before we consider them its worth mentioning that there is value in trying out different styles of comedy to understand what works best for you. After all, its unlikely that your first ever script will be your best, and you can only learn by doing.

The great thing about the internet and modern media platforms is that you now have options for making your comedy and you can find the audience who appreciate your style by starting simple and testing regularly.

People Just Do Nothing is a great example of this, whereby they made rough cuts of their show in the style they found funny and attracted an audience through YouTube. It was later picked up by BBC3 and has been successful there, but it is highly unlikely to end up being shown on prime time mainstream TV due to the nature of the content.

Another topical example is 90s comedy The Mrs Merton show. Rather than being pitched directly to TV bosses, Mrs Merton, performed by the late Caroline Aherne, built up an initial cult following on a local radio show before appearing as a secondary character on another TV comedy. It was only after success had been proven through these channels that the prime time TV slot was offered.

The important thing to take from this is that if you are going to approach an established production company or commissioning body directly without proof of an audience to back up your creation, then it will help to tailor it to meet their style. If you start developing characters and building up an audience first then you are more likely to have success with your own unique style of comedy.

So do I have to play by any rules?

Here’s some quotes from people working in comedy:

“Make us laugh on the first page” – Anne Edyvean, Head of BBC Writersroom, speaking on the Ask The Industry podcast

“Is it a funny idea with characters that I engage with that actually makes you laugh”- Sioned Wiliam, BBC Radio 4 Comedy Commissioner, speaking on Sitcom Geeks podcast

“You only have to read the first 5 pages to see if its worth reading the rest of it. Assume its about 1 minute per page, if it was on the TV and you are 5 minutes in and don’t laugh, you will turn over” – Henry Normal, co-founder of Baby Cow Productions and writer for The Royle Family, Mrs Merton and many other hit comedies, speaking on the Ask The Industry podcast

The common theme with all successful comedies is that they are consistently funny. The humour may not always be to your taste, but it is there right from the start and keeps going throughout. So while you definitely can stay true to your unique style of comedy, you should make sure your work is funny.

The most important thing is to engage your audience quickly and keep them engaged. Work in your style, but be critical not to indulge in moments that don’t result in a laugh or high audience engagement.

Here’s what to do

So in answer to the question “do I have to compromise my creative style to make it?”, the answer is no, but it may help if you go down a particular route. Be sure to keep these two things in mind when starting out writing your comedy:

1. Have a think about where you want your comedy to go. If you want to send a script or idea to a commissioning body or a large production company then you probably stand the best chance if you align the content to what they are looking for. If you want to express your own comedy style then the best option may be to start making it yourself, keeping it simple while developing characters and building up your audience online. Both are a great way to learn as long as you are getting feedback as you go. Which brings me to point 2.

2. Get feedback. Whichever route you take its best to do this early and regularly, to find out how funny and engaging your work is, learn what works, and tighten your script. We developed the Ask The Crowd to help you do just this in an affordable, productive way, but however you choose to do it getting feedback will ensure you have the best chance of making something that people really engage with. After all, we wouldn’t be making comedy in the first place if we didn’t want to make other people laugh.