Sitcom Mission is back for 2024 and this time we've added two highly experienced readers. We asked them to give us a sample of their work, and we're confident that they can help you to a better second draft.

Of course you don't have to pay for feedback to enter Sitcom Mission, but if you'd like a fresh eye and helpful notes on your script you'll certainly benefit from our Bronze, Silver and Gold option. More details here: https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/enter/

You've got until April 28 th to enter, but here are a couple of things you should think about before pressing 'send':

Have you got a story to tell? Don't get so bogged down in exposition and backstory that you forget how engaging a strong story can be. As Graham Linehan said: 'Make things happen'. Don't feel that you have to send us episode one. Imagine that we've already seen your pilot and loved it. What are you going to show us in episode two? We already know your premise and characters, so you'll have to get on with that all-important story.

You may only have 15 minutes, but that's still more than enough for more than one plot. See Seinfeld for how brilliantly plots impact each other - so much more satisfying than plots that exist in parallel. As an exercise try watching a contemporary sitcom and writing down the beats. You'll probably be surprised how 'busy' sitcoms are.

Can you hook the reader? A writer friend of ours was told by a production company that they were disappointed that his plot hadn't kicked in by page two. What is it about your first couple of pages that would make us keep reading?

Does your ending promise future episodes or have you written a one-off? We live in an age of streaming. What is it about your ending that would make us want to read the next episode and make that streamer stick around at the end of episode one?

Remember to read the FAQs, Guidelines and Rules (https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/enter/). If you've done that and still have questions. Reply to the thread here and we'll get back to you.

*If you're incredibly speedy and unable to enter on the day of this post, give it a day and everything will go live VERY soon.

Thanks!

Lawrence, Simon & Teresa
Sitcom Mission

Quote: Lawrence Russell @ 22nd January 2024, 10:37 AM

Sitcom Mission is back for 2024 and this time we've added two highly experienced readers. We asked them to give us a sample of their work, and we're confident that they can help you to a better second draft.

Of course you don't have to pay for feedback to enter Sitcom Mission, but if you'd like a fresh eye and helpful notes on your script you'll certainly benefit from our Bronze, Silver and Gold option. More details here: https://www.comedy.co.uk/sitcom_mission/enter/ https://geometrydashsubzero.io

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Oh, everyone can participate? I'm a newbie, can I do it?

Hi.

This year, will the shortlisted plays have a rehearsed read performance or a proper "acted out" stage performance?

I didn't enter last year as I wasn't satisfied with the 15 minute version of a (roughly) 30m script I was condensing and re-writing. I'll probably enter it this year!

Good luck all, be it writing, re-writing, or editing!

More or less how many pages is a 15 minute script?

My efforts usually come in at about 15/16 for radio and 16 to 18 for TV - 16 if wordy, 18 if more visual, but of course if you're doing a Mr Bean type thing it could be in the 20s.

Thanks, Alfred

Three months until the deadline? Why so long?

Quote: beaky @ 31st January 2024, 5:08 PM

Three months until the deadline? Why so long?

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It will give everyone a chance to catch up with all 222 episodes of the Sitcoms Geeks podcast first! I actually did this during 2023.
Although, in truth, writing a sitcom should take a while.

This comp has an optional feedback service for rewrites based on that advice so it has to give time for up to two rewrites if you purchase the Gold Entry.

Ah, now I understand.

I've managed to whittle down my entry to 18 pages.

Quote: Mikey Jackson @ 24th January 2024, 6:29 PM

Hi.

This year, will the shortlisted plays have a rehearsed read performance or a proper "acted out" stage performance?

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Unless they haven't yet updated the home page to include a change, it seems to be still a rehearsed read. Whether this is for budgetary reasons or in the name of fairness I don't know, but here are my own little concerns about doing an acted out performance - Anyone who's acted in am-dram or even pro productions will know you have to rehearse the thing together and know your lines and cues - that takes time and effort. If you have the same group of actors for a single night of five finalist pieces to perform, that's asking an awful lot for them to remember and give justice to five completely different narrative plays, and could affect the quality of those scheduled to be done towards the end.

You can have actors performing with scripts in hand as in rehearsal mode, which is a good compromise I'd have thought, except for the advantage it may give to visual sitcom entries over audio ones if there any in the final. But I still think a sitdown read through is the fairest way to do them, as a full stage performance could give a distinct advantage to those with more physical comedy in them. I could be completely wrong and they are acting them out of course. 🤔 Morning.

Good point, Alfred. Also, how many actors will there be? Presumably they'll have to take multiple roles...

From some previous final screenshots they've showed I think they do, yes - Also more work for them over five different plays, meaning script in hand would seem essential.