BCG Pro Newsletter |
Friday 7th August 2020 |
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe was supposed to officially begin today. Its absence from the calendar will be a big knock to many performers, and a culture shock to both the industry and audiences. But Edinburgh has never been the be-all and end-all, and everyone's in the same boat, so don't despair. And who knows - the lack of a month in Scotland's capital could prove to be an opportunity rather than a set-back.
Timely enough, we've just launched our inaugural Performance Award: see the details immediately below.
Performance Award 
Judging is now under way on our Writing Award (thanks to everyone who entered sketches). Next up: our Performance Award, for comics who appear on the stage (stand-ups, live sketch groups, etc). It looks like we'll have to delay our live final plans, but our initial submission stage is based on recorded entries, so do dig out your best bits!
Dos and Don'ts for New Comedy Writers
Top comedy producer and recent BBC Studios Comedy Exec Simon Nicholls offers up some suggested Dos and Don'ts for new comedy writers.
BCG Pro Video Contest
We are currently sharing Jack Kelly's sketch about a drive-in swimming pool across our main British Comedy Guide platforms after the judges selected it as the latest winner of our monthly video contest.
If you've filmed something under 2 minutes (it could have been a while ago and it doesn't have to be topical), do enter your video for consideration.
BAFTA Rocliffe
The Rocliffe TV comedy script competition, in association with BAFTA, is now open for entries (deadline: 10th September). It costs £42 to enter but if that is too much for you, you have until 30th August to apply for a free bursary place.
Opportunities Hub
Our list of competitions and events is swelling with new things to get involved in. BCG Pro members can post their own listings too. For example, director James Kayler (who filmed the recent Little Britain sketches) is currently looking for a producer to help him make a series of shorts about lifeguards.
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Features continued
David Crow and Oliver Maltman on writing Semi-Detatched
You might have seen Semi-Detatched on TV last night, the new sitcom starring Lee Mack. In this interview the writers talk about the challenges involved in scripting a comedy set in real time.
Turning the situation into a comedy
Bennett Arron discusses how, in lockdown, he has been helping comedy writers through his new online sitcom writing workshops.
His course is one of a number we're listing in our courses directory. You can also get individual script reading help from Dave Cohen and Chris Head via our services page.
BCG Pro Talent Awards: Production 2020 results
Check out the shortlist for the first BCG Pro Talent Awards: Production. Directors Big Red Button, who were behind Emma Sidi's recent short La Princesa de Woking, were selected by the judges as the overall winners. The contest - which hooks up the winners with great opportunities - will return next year.
BCG Pro Gag-a-Week competition
"Hotel Chocolat: great suites." was the winner of last week's joke contest. A very smart and beautifully concise gag from George Young, we're sure you'll agree. Fancy taking on this week's topic? It's agony aunts.
Sitcom Geeks
Home creator Rufus Jones is the guest on the latest Sitcom Geeks episode. He has some interesting things to say about how it's good to have a different career before coming to comedy writing.
Short Com writing competition 2020 longlist
Short Com has revealed the list of writers and scripts that have made it on to the longlist for its first sitcom writing competition. We recognise the names of quite a few BCG Pro members in this list - congratulations to all of you!
Semi-finalists revealed for Funny Women Stage Award 2020
The semi-finalists have been revealed for the Funny Women Stage Award 2020. The competition has also revealed its Writing and Video shortlists.
The Secret Reviewer #17: Dancing with the Devil
Every month our clandestine critic reveals the murky truths behind that infamous trade, and live comedy generally. Another timely subject this month: should working with shady characters come with the showbiz territory?
Scotland's Hate Crime Bill and its threat to comedy
Comedian Leo Kearse shares his alarm over his home nation's latest proposed legislation, and the dangers it poses to the free speech necessary for comedy.
Showcase
Mia Borthwick: The Life Of Hertha
Actor, writer and improviser Mia Borthwick has turned her live theatre show The Story Of Hertha into a web series. The nine episodes follow a dark enigmatic artist finding her way to stardom with help from a peculiar muse.
Comedy Casebook: Hai Le
Actor and writer Hai Le has taken our Comedy Casebook questions. As he says, "there aren't many East Asian writers or performers working in the UK and I feel that I bring a certain voice and knowledge to the table".
Thanks for reading
It can be hard to keep on top of all the news across the comedy industry, but if you bookmark www.comedy.co.uk we'll keep you updated! Or, even better, as a BCG Pro member you can subscribe to our BCG Daily Email, a briefing update that arrives every day at noon, packed with even more links and a handy reminder of the day's TV and radio premieres.
Thanks for reading to the bottom. We'll be back in your inbox in a fortnight with news of some BCG Pro functionality upgrades and additions as we're continue to make the service bigger and better.
British Comedy Guide
www.comedy.co.uk
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