BCG Pro Newsletter

Friday 10th July 2020

If you're a comedy writer, as we highlight below, there are a couple of exciting competition deadlines looming. We also have news and insight for producers and performers.

Video Contest

BCG Pro Video Contest

Benjamin Sutton and Charlie Dinkin's video about checking yourself out on Zoom was selected as the July winner of our video contest. This one happens to be topical, but any archive video is in with the chance of being selected. The next round is now open, so do submit something you've made if you haven't already! (If you've already entered, your entry is automatically rolled over to this new round, but you can now submit something different if you'd like.)

Writing Awards

BCG Pro Talent Awards Paywall

Our first annual BCG Pro Talent Awards contest for Writing is currently open: you've got till the end of the month to submit just two 90-second sketches. We're excited to announce that our judges will include Caroline Norris, the TV producer responsible for Horrible Histories, The Armstrong & Miller Show, and Tracey Ullman's Show. Click through to find out more and enter.

Video: Developing TV sitcom

Video: Developing TV sitcom

In this hour-long video, script development executive Meghan Cruz and comedy commissioning editor Jon Petrie discuss pitching and developing television sitcoms.

Opportunities Hub

Opportunities Hub Paywall

Our custom-built directory helps BCG Pro members see at-a-glance all the opportunities, events and jobs currently on offer. You can also find collaborators by posting your own (and replying to others') listings.

My Comedy Career: Anna Morris

My Comedy Career: Anna Morris Paywall

Anna Morris is a comedian, writer and actor. You may have seen her sell-out one-woman character comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe; on Channel 4 in Lee And Dean; or in a multitude of hit online sketches. Here, she talks openly about her craft and career to date.

Nana Hughes is ITV's new head of scripted comedy

Nana Hughes is ITV's new head of scripted comedy

ITV has announced Nana Hughes as its new head of scripted comedy.

Sitcom Geeks

Sitcom Geeks

The latest Sitcom Geeks podcast features a great interview with Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto, the writer-producer team behind Goodness Gracious Me, Citizen Khan, The Kumars and more.

BCG Pro Gag-a-week competition

BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition Paywall

This is the weekly opportunity for BCG Pro subscribers to win a cash prize and gain social media glory on British Comedy Guide's main social feeds by writing a cracking one-liner. This week's topic is "Italian food/restaurants". Go on - make us laugh out loud!

How to Home-Stream: Part Four

How to Home-Stream: Part Four Paywall

Creating a good online show can be surprisingly tricky, so we've asked comedy's new home-streaming community for their at-the-coalface advice. In the final part of this series, podcast pioneer and Infinite Showman Stuart Goldsmith reveals how comics can learn from startups.

Promoter Brett Vincent on making 'drive-in' comedy a reality

Promoter Brett Vincent on making 'drive-in' comedy a reality

Brett Vincent, one of the UK's most experienced comedy promoters, has set up The Drive-In Club to help comedy fans see live comedy, despite social distancing. He talks us through the logistics of the operation in this interview.

The Secret Reviewer #16: The Plus-None

The Secret Reviewer #16: The Plus-None Paywall

Every month our clandestine critic reveals the murky truths behind that infamous trade, and live comedy generally. This month: Critics prefer solo gigging. "If they'll let us".

Funny Women and Comedy 50:50 launch new award

Funny Women and Comedy 50:50 launch new award

Funny Women and Comedy 50:50 are launching a new industry award to recognise the female writers of unscripted comedy, for example those who supply gags to panel shows.

Course

Online comedy courses

Why not get involved in one of our Zoom-based courses? It's a chance to learn in a friendly and supportive environment, and get custom advice from a tutor.

Sitcom Mission

Sitcom Mission

This long-running writing competition has a track record of showcasing future writing talent, so the 'winner' line on your CV really means something. A reminder that you have until 2nd August to enter your script. There is an entry fee, but if you're a BCG Pro member you get £5 off.

Save Live Comedy

#SaveLiveComedy

You've hopefully already seen this campaign, which launched yesterday, splashed across social media. The health of the live comedy circuit is in a dire situation and this campaign aims to put pressure on arts bodies and governments to step in and help out. Sign the open letter and spread the word via your own networks.

Showcase

This section of our newsletter is where we showcase BCG Pro subscribers. Want to appear here? Just email us back.
Showcase

Suchandrika Chakrabarti

Here's a video of recently joined BCG Pro member Suchandrika Chakrabarti performing stand-up at The Bill Murray. As a podcast expert, she's often interviewed. Click through to her press clippings page to hear her in action on the radio.

Comedy Casebook

Comedy Casebook: Chris Douch

Comedy writer Chris Douch has taken on our set of interview questions. As he explains, "these days I love writing on things that my kids watch, like Gigglebiz, Diddy TV and Crackerjack".

Thanks for reading

This is just a summary of some of the key content related to writing, performing and producing. To stay on top of what is going on, make sure you're following BCG Pro on Twitter and Facebook (links below) and, if you're a subscriber, opt in to our daily briefing email.

British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk

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