The Sitcom Trials 2012 Page 23

Cheers everyone for the feedback. Greatly appreciated.

Congrats to the finalists. Hope the show goes well!

Dan

Quote: swerytd @ September 3 2012, 10:05 AM BST

Cheers everyone for the feedback. Greatly appreciated.

Congrats to the finalists. Hope the show goes well!

Dan

You're talking like you're out of the running Dan. Your script, Separate Parents, stands at number 5 in the ratings on the last count, got read by the Bristol team yesterday - to a very favourable response I might add, it's just that they favoured other scripts more - and you're still under consideration for the Halloween Sitcom Trials in Manchester. As are all 17 scripts still in the running, obviously, but you have a good lead.

And this is before I even mention the London show.

Which I didn't mention. Shush. I said nothing about any London show and no-one can prove I did.

Kev F

PS: Stay tuned.

I meant for the Bristol show. To say that for the Manchester show, which we are going to win definitely and most easily might I add, would have seemed arrogant.

Cheers Kev

Dan

The good news: The Sitcom Trials is returning to London.

The less good news? I was hoping we'd be returning on October 15th with a Halloween Special, to match up with the shows in Bristol and Manchester on Oct 19 & 20, but that date has fallen through.

So the next London Sitcom Trials will be Weds Nov 28th at the Camden Head in Camden, put it in your diary, and stay tuned for the call for scripts.

Kev F Sutherland
Executive Producer
The Sitcom Trials

These trials are coming thick and fast!!

Quote: Joyce @ September 4 2012, 5:27 PM BST

These trials are coming thick and fast!!

They are, and let me remind you you are all invited to read, review and vote on the 17 remaining scripts in contention for the Halloween Sitcom Trials. After Saturday night I'll give another running total of the votes cast.

Saturday is still not the ultimate deadline, with the Manchester team probably not making their final script selection until the week of the show, on October 20th. But who knows, they might have a table read like the Bristol team, and it's wherever your votes stand at the time they choose that'll make the difference between what gets read and what doesn't. Don't worry, I'll warn you all when the ultimate deadline for voting comes.

And talking of changing the subject, have we all got November 28th free in our diary? Why, you ask? Stay tuned...

Kev F
Sitcom Trials

Announcing the Sitcom Trials Sci Fi Special

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Ever wanted to write the great new science fiction sitcom? Now's your chance. On Weds Nov 28th The Sitcom Trials presents a Sci Fi Special at the Camden Head in London, and you are invited to submit a script now.

As always scripts are invited to the Sitcom Trials format of a 10 minute opening act ending in a cliffhanger with a short payoff scene. We then perform the sitcoms up to the cliffhanger, the audience votes for their favourite and only sees the ending of the winner.

With this being a Science Fiction Special, we will be taking advantage of our "radio style" presentation, encouraging writers to tailor their sitcom entries for radio production. This enables you to include any special effect you can imagine, as long as they can be incorporated into the dialogue or very simple sound effects.

Writers are invited to upload their scripts to the SitsVac Files, where you will also find the guidelines regarding style, cast numbers etc. The deadline for uploading scripts is midnight Sat Nov 4th.

These scripts will then be voted on online by anyone who wishes to participate. The deadline for voting is Sat Nov 17th. The London team will then choose two or three of the most popular scripts to perform as part of the show, the other items in the show being created in house.

So if you want to have your sci-fi sitcom tested in front of a live paying audience, get on board now and enter The Sitcom Trials. Any questions, please ask at the Sits Vac Forum, or the British Comedy Guide Forum, or the Sitcom Trials Facebook page.

Kev F Sutherland
Producer
The Sitcom Trials

Oct 19 - Halloween Sitcom Trials, Bristol
Oct 20 - Halloween Sitcom Trials, Manchester
Nov 28 - Sitcom Trials Sci Fi Special, London

Nice one. Was wondering if we'd get a Christmas trials but Trials in Space instead, love it.

Sooo, can you clarify here, are we doing script with minimal props to be performed on stage as a sort of rehearsed reading kind of affair as per normal?

Or is it a radio play, ie no props, sets or stage directions, just some sound effects? If so, can we have a limited scene setting narration ("We are on a large metal moon in the company of a grumpy man dressed in black with sinus problems...")

Second the 'nice one'.

Quote: Trinder @ September 6 2012, 4:02 PM BST

Sooo, can you clarify here, are we doing script with minimal props to be performed on stage as a sort of rehearsed reading kind of affair as per normal?

Or is it a radio play, ie no props, sets or stage directions, just some sound effects? If so, can we have a limited scene setting narration ("We are on a large metal moon in the company of a grumpy man dressed in black with sinus problems...")

I'd guess minimal staging.

Being sci-fi we can always return from the future to add props/scenery/5-headed snargle beast from Jupiter if it's required.

Got to be honest, kind of hoping for the radio play thing. Never tried that before and want to do loads of woooshy spacey noises...child!

Can farts be heard in space...?

Quote: Trinder @ September 6 2012, 4:02 PM BST

Sooo, can you clarify here, are we doing script with minimal props to be performed on stage as a sort of rehearsed reading kind of affair as per normal?

Or is it a radio play, ie no props, sets or stage directions, just some sound effects? If so, can we have a limited scene setting narration ("We are on a large metal moon in the company of a grumpy man dressed in black with sinus problems...")

As usual, when left to me, things are either vague or all to play for, whichever way you look at it. If you've seen The Sitcom Trials at the Camden Head (see a video clip of the Eurovision Sitcom Contest here) you'll know it's a small space so we can fully stage scripts without needing a microphone to be heard, or we can do the script in radio-style, script in hand, encouraging the viewers to treat it as they would treat a radio recording.

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And as always the rule is make it funny and we'll find a way. Already we have on board three of the directors who delivered the Eurovision Sitcom Contest at really short notice, only this time they'll have a much longer run in. So, if your script would be best treated as a radio sitcom, they'll do it that way. If fully-staged is the way and is feasible, then that'll happen.

If you want sound effects, we'll see what can be done. Check out the Bristol Sitcom Trials, Vince is the King of the sound effects. And if your script is full of stage directions which are so impossible to write into the dialogue or get round with sound effects, then by all means the cast might end up reading the stage directions (I'm not a fan of it, but the Manchester team pull it off with style).

Write the script, make it funny, we'll do the rest if it merits it. As I said at the top, think radio. Remember, the BBC buys sitcoms for radio and you could realistically get something read and made for the radio. The Sitcom Trials Sci Fi Special might help.

Kev F

Istanbul - the video

A script that was entered into the Halloween Sitcom Trials, but sadly didn't make the shortlist in the voting, was Istanbul by Alan O'Brien and Luke Welch. So we are indebted to Alan O'Brien for uploading this video, an installment of Istanbul (aka The One With The Talking Skull In).

http://youtu.be/FmJDEqA0bMk

I can't claim to fully understand it on first glance myself, so let's call it a grower. And here's another treat I've just found, an audio play of Who Judges The Judges, also from the Halloween Sitcom Trials.

Meanwhile your scripts are invited for the Sitcom Trials Sci Fi Special taking place in November, and your votes are welcomed on the remaining scripts in the Halloween Sitcom Trials which will be taking place in October.

Quote: Kev F @ September 6 2012, 9:47 PM BST

Istanbul - the video

A script that was entered into the Halloween Sitcom Trials, but sadly didn't make the shortlist in the voting, was Istanbul by Alan O'Brien and Luke Welch. So we are indebted to Alan O'Brien for uploading this video, an installment of Istanbul (aka The One With The Talking Skull In).

http://youtu.be/FmJDEqA0bMk

I can't claim to fully understand it on first glance myself, so let's call it a grower. And here's another treat I've just found, an audio play of Who Judges The Judges, also from the Halloween Sitcom Trials.

Meanwhile your scripts are invited for the Sitcom Trials Sci Fi Special taking place in November, and your votes are welcomed on the remaining scripts in the Halloween Sitcom Trials which will be taking place in October.

CHEERS KEV, Loving recent sock vids.
This recording is in fact a few early drafts back than the one I sent to Sitcom trials (apologises for my dodgy scots accent) I did add a few more gags and re-arrange Jim's rants a tad,but it was a good way to test out the scene, I will be adding PART 2 next week and a short film version, its currently green-lit (cool colour for Halloween).

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Latest set of votes totalled (only 4 more sets since the last count) which leaves the table of Hallowen Sitcom Trials scripts looking like this:

Draszic's Lot23
Randolph Carter20
Separate Parents19
3 in Tow19
Blackstable16
Thirtn Gormley St13
Brides of PeteEnstein13
Country Rock11
Red Sky at Night11
Who Judges Judges7
Witching Hour7
What Was That?¬¬¬7
Kill Bob6
Roy Richards6
Trick or Treat3
Purgatory2
Femme Fatale1
Womb Witha View0
Café Rico0
Gravesend (late)-1
Istanbul-3
Enter Twineman-6
Friends Like These-7
Storm in a Teacup-8
Centipede Human-12
Lord Mayor-15
Ghost Partner-18

As you can see some eliminated scripts stayed in the table because votes still came in for some of them. And in the top five we see Brides OF Pete-Enstein, which was by far the most popular at last week's Bristol Table Reading (and which will be in their Halloween show) has now dropped down the table and currently might not even get a reading from Manchester (unless they choose to give the Top Ten a table reading, which may still happen).

So, the voting remains open. If there is anyone who wishes to read, review and vote on these scripts, we welcome your opinion. Manchester will choose their scripts to perform in early October, I will alert you when the last chance to vote comes. Thanks to everyone who has so far.

Now, looking forward to seeing those Sci Fi Sitcom coming in. Who's written one yet?

Kev F