'Make It' Newsletter	Wednesday 12th November 2014

Interested in making comedy? This is our newsletter for comedy writers, producers and performers...

News & Features

Graham Linehan to offer advice at Big Comedy Conference The one and only Graham Linehan has joined the line-up for our big conference aimed at those interested in writing comedy (see the bottom of this email for more information and a discount code). Details UK Pun Championships 2015 - open for entries Are you a comedian full of puns? If so, here's how to enter to become the 2015 UK Pun Champion. You can hear last year's final here too to get an idea of the level of competition. Read Stand-up newcomers report back from their charity gig Nine of the brave souls who performed stand-up for the first time as part of the Changing Faces charity gig report back on their experience here. Some interesting insight into dealing with nerves etc. Read Blog from a BAFTA Rocliffe winner Daniel Brierley, one of the winners of the BAFTA Rocliffe writing competition, blogs about having his work showcased at the New York Television Festival. Read Future Talent Details on Future Talent, an opportunity from the BBC/The Space which is launching in the West Midlands. Bring your ideas to life and write, produce, perform, direct and edit your own pilot webisode. Read HDIGUT - Compare Sketches This one is for directors and production designers: The recent BBC Scotland pilot from sketch group How Do I Get Up There? re-recorded some of their YouTube sketches. Given the scripts are the same, it's interesting to analyse how the design and direction-based changes impact on the comedy. YouTube originals and TV pilot on iPlayer.

Also of interest...

Here are some pages on other websites that you might also be interested in... - From Script Draft 0 to 8. A blog by Eddie Robson on how he wrote his Radio 4 sitcom: BBC Writersroom - Stand-up Ian Moore explains the process he uses to write his material: London Is Funny - A blog from the producers of Newsjack. BBC Writersroom - An interview with Peter Dixon, the promoter behind the Funny Way To Be Comedy Club in Barnard Castle: Giggle Beats - Tips for getting into the TV industry from BBC boss Danny Cohen. His 'walled city' comments are interested for anyone looking to get into TV production. BBC News - We loved new BBC Four sitcom Detectorists. You can see Mackenzie Crook's scripts for the show here: BBC Writersroom - As this blog reporting back from the London Screenwriters' Festival reveals, it's not just you that finds writing hard. Charlie Brooker hates the process too: Blog

Guide Spotlight

In each 'Make It' newsletter we shine a spotlight on a project posted to our showcase forum... When Armed Robberies Go Wrong We picked up this video from Steve Whiteley to go directly into our main newsletter too. The sketches on his Offkey World channel have steadily become shorter, making them easier to share with our audience (who tend to have short attention spans - work lunchbreaks etc). This one delivers everything in 1 minute. Next time you're making a sketch ask yourself if you can shave off any seconds... every one removed can help when it comes to attracting viewers. View

Message Board Posts...

Here are some quotes from our message board... "Does anyone know of any libraries or similar that are open late? I'm looking for somewhere I can go and write uninterrupted for hours." thebda on Late night writing in London "I wondered if anyone could tell me if the Writers & Artists yearbook is really any good for finding contacts, ie contact addresses for sending out scripts etc?" sweetiepie1 on Writers & Artists Year Book 2015 "So, I've been doing stand-up for a few months now. I'm pretty comfortable on stage and people tend to enjoy my sets. The negative feedback I get from the hosts though is I don't expand on my jokes enough. Anyone have any tips on how to expand on jokes while writing?" Roxxy Haze on Expanding on Jokes "I'm looking for acts to come onto my radio show in Shoreditch, East London, for the following dates..." Wolfenden on Comedy chat show at Shoreditch Radio

Big Comedy Conference

We have put this day together for people just like you. Check out the amazing line-up! Saturday 29th November 2014, London How to get on in TV and radio comedy writing - the best practical advice from the biggest names in UK comedy. Speakers offering advice at our conference will include... Graham Linehan Hamilton & Jenkin Damon Beesley Simon Nye Vicki Pepperdine David Quantick PLUS MANY MORE! We'll be announcing our commissioning panel very soon (it features top comedy executives from major channels), and other speakers joining us on the 29th include the likes of top script editor Andrew Ellard, Radio 4 producer Bill Dare, and Hollywood movie writer Mark Burton. We're fixated on the fact everything should be about offering you practical advice (rather than just nice to hear anecdotes about what it is like at the top), so this really is the day for you. Read James Cary's new blog and reports from our 2013 conference for proof this isn't just hot air from us. If the 8 panel/workshop sessions, 2 headline talks, the commissioning panel, and networking opportunities wasn't enough, we're also offering everyone who comes to the conference a free one-on-one session. Spend half an hour going over your project with an expert. That must be worth the ticket price alone! Book before Monday (17th Nov) to save £20. Enter the code EMAIL20 in the booking form to claim this offer. Find out more, and book your ticket

Thanks for Reading

Wishing you a productive and funny month. Hopefully see you all on the 29th November too. The British Comedy Guide

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