Newsjack - Series 10 Page 44

Quote: swerytd @ 10th April 2014, 11:38 PM BST

And have a yeast infection. ;)

Dan

Shhh, you're not supposed to talk about that! Angry You're just supposed to apply the ointment... :$

'Both hands!', 'one hand!', 'faster!', 'slower!'. You're never happy, are you?

Dan

The podcast is up!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/newsjack

Blimey, I'm in too. I hope it's not the pun. I bet it's the pun.
And everybody's in! Is this, like, a 2 hour show to keep everyone keen for the next series? Best download it and see.
Well done one and all.

Just finished listening to the podcast. Well done to all that got stuff on.

I happy I managed 2 credits in the first half of this series (eps 1&3), even if those episodes have been described by some on here as bad shows.

I'm looking forward to trying again in series 11, and trying to get a sketch on at the 49th attempt.

Russell Crowe is an actual crow.

Quote: Matt Fishwick @ 11th April 2014, 11:00 AM BST

Just finished listening to the podcast. Well done to all that got stuff on.

I happy I managed 2 credits in the first half of this series (eps 1&3), even if those episodes have been described by some on here as bad shows.

Not the best idea reminding your critics. Just saying.

Rolling eyes

Quote: Matt Fishwick @ 11th April 2014, 11:00 AM BST

Just finished listening to the podcast. Well done to all that got stuff on.

I happy I managed 2 credits in the first half of this series (eps 1&3), even if those episodes have been described by some on here as bad shows.

I'm looking forward to trying again in series 11, and trying to get a sketch on at the 49th attempt.

Well done Matt. And thanks very much for tweeting Newsjack to ask about the credits. :)

Well done to everyone who got something in. I'm both impressed and insanely jealous but it's no mean feat and if I were one of you I'd be on cloud nine right now.

As it is I've not had that success and am trying to work out what I need to do to start getting credits. Having read through this thread I may be wrong but it looks like most of the stuff that gets in from people here are one liners.

I'm not great at writing anything that pithy and have just been submitting sketches without any luck (had one recorded but not broadcast on S7/S8). So after four series of trying without any joy I'm just wondering if it's better to try and work on that as a skill for the autumn, or if it's just that my stuff either isn't funny/in the range of what they're looking for.

I've been writing scripts for a couple of years now and have had some good feedback from other writers (was asked to work on a sketch show pilot and sitcom by one - neither of which have gone anywhere (yet - I hope)) but the submissions I've made to Newsjack, 2525, TSWYW and the BBC in general just haven't flown so I'm starting to wonder if it's just not for me.

Sorry for the long post but having had encouragement from some quarters I'm now having major doubts about myself... Eh?

Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 11th April 2014, 12:26 PM BST

Not the best idea reminding your critics. Just saying.

Rolling eyes

I wasn't aware that I had any particular critics, but I'm not too worried. In a couple of months, series 10 will be remembered as just another series of Newsjack.

Quote: Bonzo @ 11th April 2014, 12:30 PM BST

Well done Matt. And thanks very much for tweeting Newsjack to ask about the credits. :)

Thanks Bonzo. No problem, It's good to have your name on the BBC website, so that in future you can show people you got stuff on a BBC show without the podcast being the only proof.

Quote: tiggerdwc @ 11th April 2014, 1:40 PM BST

Well done to everyone who got something in. I'm both impressed and insanely jealous but it's no mean feat and if I were one of you I'd be on cloud nine right now.

As it is I've not had that success and am trying to work out what I need to do to start getting credits. Having read through this thread I may be wrong but it looks like most of the stuff that gets in from people here are one liners.

I'm not great at writing anything that pithy and have just been submitting sketches without any luck (had one recorded but not broadcast on S7/S8). So after four series of trying without any joy I'm just wondering if it's better to try and work on that as a skill for the autumn, or if it's just that my stuff either isn't funny/in the range of what they're looking for.

I've been writing scripts for a couple of years now and have had some good feedback from other writers (was asked to work on a sketch show pilot and sitcom by one - neither of which have gone anywhere (yet - I hope)) but the submissions I've made to Newsjack, 2525, TSWYW and the BBC in general just haven't flown so I'm starting to wonder if it's just not for me.

Sorry for the long post but having had encouragement from some quarters I'm now having major doubts about myself... Eh?

Hi Tigger,
well as someone whose first and last credit before this series was for a sketch in Series 7, and I've only got sketch credits, this advice might be a little helpful - it's the things I consider now with my experience - as I understand how frustrating it can be.

1.) Write as much as possible. With NJ being off the air it can be hard to find the motivation to write topical one liners and sketches, so write and submit them to Newsrevue and Treason Show every week. This will keep you warmed up by the time the next series of Newsjack rolls around.

2.) Always consider premise, framing and (obviously) the jokes. The two sketches I had this series were the British Space Cadets and the Water Appeal (co-written with Dan S). For the British Space Cadets sketch I looked at the news story about the investment in apprenticeship in space engineering and thought, classic Tory Britain, makes even the most exciting job dull. I then thought apprenticeships - there's a pun in that and hung the whole sketch off making the exciting world of space sound boring, but really hyped up to try and sound exciting, and the joke "the only ship you'll be flying, is an apprentice-ship". So then all I had to consider was the right framing, and the natural angle seemed to me, to be an advert to children (which they cleverly changed to an advert to students).

3.) Don't distract from the premise. Many times I've written sketches where I've tried to shoe-horn in a great line which distracts from the premise and flow of a sketch, because I want to try and make it as funny as possible. However, if the joke does not directly tie in with the premise of the sketch, lose it, it will only reduce the punch of your great sketch.

4.) Narrative. Try to keep a flow of story in the sketch, a direction where it's going, as if you have a story that the sketch hangs on it's much easier to subvert it for the final punchline. A joke is a story that takes you down one path and then completely changes direction. That's what I try to do with my sketches, I try and take the sketch down one route, and the final punchline is a major twist in direction.

Anyway, that's the stuff that's helped me become more successful, I hope it helps.

Quote: tiggerdwc @ 11th April 2014, 1:40 PM BST

Well done to everyone who got something in. I'm both impressed and insanely jealous but it's no mean feat and if I were one of you I'd be on cloud nine right now.

As it is I've not had that success and am trying to work out what I need to do to start getting credits. Having read through this thread I may be wrong but it looks like most of the stuff that gets in from people here are one liners.

I'm not great at writing anything that pithy and have just been submitting sketches without any luck (had one recorded but not broadcast on S7/S8). So after four series of trying without any joy I'm just wondering if it's better to try and work on that as a skill for the autumn, or if it's just that my stuff either isn't funny/in the range of what they're looking for.

I've been writing scripts for a couple of years now and have had some good feedback from other writers (was asked to work on a sketch show pilot and sitcom by one - neither of which have gone anywhere (yet - I hope)) but the submissions I've made to Newsjack, 2525, TSWYW and the BBC in general just haven't flown so I'm starting to wonder if it's just not for me.

Sorry for the long post but having had encouragement from some quarters I'm now having major doubts about myself... Eh?

Don't worry. Failing to get something on this (or any other) series of Newsjack is not proof that you can't write.

Quote: tiggerdwc @ 11th April 2014, 1:40 PM BST

Well done to everyone who got something in. I'm both impressed and insanely jealous but it's no mean feat and if I were one of you I'd be on cloud nine right now.

As it is I've not had that success and am trying to work out what I need to do to start getting credits. Having read through this thread I may be wrong but it looks like most of the stuff that gets in from people here are one liners.

I'm not great at writing anything that pithy and have just been submitting sketches without any luck (had one recorded but not broadcast on S7/S8). So after four series of trying without any joy I'm just wondering if it's better to try and work on that as a skill for the autumn, or if it's just that my stuff either isn't funny/in the range of what they're looking for.

I've been writing scripts for a couple of years now and have had some good feedback from other writers (was asked to work on a sketch show pilot and sitcom by one - neither of which have gone anywhere (yet - I hope)) but the submissions I've made to Newsjack, 2525, TSWYW and the BBC in general just haven't flown so I'm starting to wonder if it's just not for me.

Sorry for the long post but having had encouragement from some quarters I'm now having major doubts about myself... Eh?

You haven't been listening to a word I've been saying - Russell Crowe is an actual crow - now rethink your whole post.

Quote: Matt Fishwick @ 11th April 2014, 2:08 PM BST

In a couple of months, series 10 will be remembered as just another series of Newsjack.

Unless it's remembered as the final series.

Quote: DeathbyMonkey @ 11th April 2014, 2:10 PM BST

Anyway, that's the stuff that's helped me become more successful, I hope it helps.

Quote: Badge @ 11th April 2014, 2:40 PM BST

Don't worry. Failing to get something on this (or any other) series of Newsjack is not proof that you can't write.

Quote: curtis patrick @ 11th April 2014, 3:10 PM BST

You haven't been listening to a word I've been saying - Russell Crowe is an actual crow - now rethink your whole post.

Thanks all, that's both helpful and kind. I've jotted "Russell Crowe = crow" in my notebook too so I don't forget in future (I do get your point there)...