"Not That I'm Saying It's Traditional" - The Stigma Against The 'Traditional' In British Sitcoms

Loading...

Flash Player 9 (or above) is needed to view presentations.
We have detected that you do not have it on your computer. To install it, go here.

0 comments

Post a comment

    Post a comment
    Embed Video
    Edit your comment Cancel

    Notes on slide 1

    Favorites, Groups & Events

    "Not That I'm Saying It's Traditional" - The Stigma Against The 'Traditional' In British Sitcoms - Presentation Transcript

    1. “ not that I’m saying it’s traditional” --the stigma against the “traditional” in British sitcoms
    2. My last visit to Germany.
    3. FADE IN:
    4. INT. CHANNEL HQ. DAY.
      • SHAUN and ALAN, writers, are talking about the pilot they have just delivered to the COMEDY COMMISSIONER, a pleasant man.
      • COMMISSIONER
      • (genially)
      • We’re looking at all our pilots, and working out the balance - how many traditional sitcoms we want-
      • The COMMISSIONER stops in his tracks and looks apologetically at SHAUN and ALAN.
      • COMMISSIONER
      • (urgently)
      • Not that I’m saying your sitcom is traditional.
      • (pause)
      • Sorry.
    8. Two questions. (1) Why did the genial commissioner apologise for calling the sitcom “traditional”?
      • (2) And what’s with all the rabbits?
    10. A traditional British sitcom.
    11. The traditional British sitcom.
    12. An archetypal moment
    13. An archetypal moment
    14. Our take on this … of which more later
    15. Our take on this
    16. What’s wrong with this?
    17. What’s wrong with this?
      • farcical plots
    18. What’s wrong with this?
      • farcical plots
      • unnatural dialogue
    19. What’s wrong with this?
      • farcical plots
      • unnatural dialogue
      • demonstrative acting
    20. What’s wrong with this?
      • farcical plots
      • unnatural dialogue
      • demonstrative acting
      • studio shoot
    21. What’s wrong with this?
      • farcical plots
      • unnatural dialogue
      • demonstrative acting
      • studio shoot
      • cosiness
    22. (A word about darkness)
    23. (A word about darkness) … and back to the list
    24. What’s wrong with this?
      • farcical plots
      • unnatural dialogue
      • demonstrative acting
      • studio shoot
      • cosiness
      • audience laughter
    25. The magic formula:
    26. The magic formula:
      • nothing happens
    27. The magic formula:
      • nothing happens
      • no jokes
    28. The magic formula:
      • nothing happens
      • no jokes
      • mumbling
    29. The magic formula:
      • nothing happens
      • no jokes
      • mumbling
      • hand-held
    30. The magic formula:
      • nothing happens
      • no jokes
      • mumbling
      • hand-held
      • cruelty
    31. The magic formula:
      • nothing happens
      • no jokes
      • mumbling
      • hand-held
      • cruelty
      • no audience
    32. In other words…
    33. In other words…
    34. In other words… real life
    35. In other words… real life boring
    36. Real life isn’t funny
    37. Real life isn’t funny 80-90% of laughs follow:
      • “ I know.”
      • “ I’ll see you guys later.”
    38. Why the stigma against being funny?
    39. Why the stigma against being funny?
    40. Why the stigma against being funny?
    41. The Origin Of The Species
      • music hall
      • farce
      • radio
    42. Technology has changed the possibilities
      • portable cameras
      • multiple channels
      • digital editing
    43. Technology has changed the possibilities
    44. Technology has changed the possibilities
    45. But it is not evolution music radio traditional modern hall sitcom comedy
    46. Different styles
    47. Different clusters of styles dark naturalistic niche multi- camera hand-held edgy experimental farcical audience laughter studio warm demonstrative familiar linear
    48. Pick the bits that fit dark naturalistic niche multi- camera hand-held edgy experimental farcical audience laughter studio warm demonstrative familiar linear
    49. Pick the bits that fit experimental
    50. Pick the bits that fit
    51. Crawford Park: the page
    52. Crawford Park: the stage
    53. Get the audience laughter right…
    54. Get the audience laughter right… … and you don’t hear it.
    55. Get the audience laughter right… … and you don’t hear it.
    56. Get the audience laughter right… … and you don’t hear it.
    57. Get the audience laughter right… … and you don’t hear it.
    58. Get the audience laughter right… “ A lot of people said that we didn't have a laughter track. We went through this bizarre ritual of saying: ‘But it did!’ And they would say: ‘No it didn't!’ And we'd say: ‘Well it did!’” --Armando Iannucci
    59. The fashion changed.
    60. The fashion changed. Also out of fashion: PUNS.
    61. The fashion changed. Also out of fashion: PUNS. An example pun:
    62. The fashion changed. Also out of fashion: PUNS. An example pun: Q: According to Freud, what comes between fear and sex?
    63. The fashion changed. Also out of fashion: PUNS. An example pun: Q: According to Freud, what comes between fear and sex? A: Fünf.
    64. The fashion changed.
    65. The fashion changed. hymns hers Mars Pa’s Bars Bars
    66. The fashion changed. It will change again.
    67. The fashion changed. It will change again. But slowly.
    68. The fashion changed. It will change again. But slowly. Why?
    69. Second guessing writers
    70. Second guessing writers audiences
    71. Second guessing writers audiences fashion
    72. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers
    73. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers
    74. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers
    75. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers commissioning editors
    76. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers commissioning editors
    77. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers commissioning editors schedulers
    78. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers commissioning editors schedulers
    79. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers commissioning editors schedulers channel controllers
    80. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers commissioning editors schedulers channel controllers
    81. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers commissioning editors schedulers channel controllers critics
    82. Second guessing writers audiences fashion producers commissioning editors schedulers channel controllers critics
    83. Who loses out? audiences
    84. Who loses out? audiences
    85. A writer wants:
    86. A writer wants:
    87. A writer wants:
    88. What makes your peers laugh…
    89. What makes your peers laugh…
    90. … is not what makes the audience laugh.
    91. … is not what makes the audience laugh.
    92. A neurobiologist has a formula: ((R x D + V) x F) + S A
    93. A neurobiologist has a formula: ((R x D + V) x F) + S A where
    94. A neurobiologist has a formula: ((R x D + V) x F) + S A where R = recognisability of main character D = delusions of grandeur V = verbal wit F = n o of times characters fall over S = difference in status between characters A = success of characters’ stratagems
    95. A neurobiologist has a formula: nonsense
    96. The range of sitcom is so broad…
    97. The range of sitcom is so broad… … some don’t even have any jokes.
    98. The range of sitcom is so broad… … some don’t even have any jokes.
    99. The range of sitcom is so broad… … some don’t even have any jokes.
    100. The range of sitcom is so broad… Nighty Night
    101. The range of sitcom is so broad… Nighty Night The Thick Of It
    102. The range of sitcom is so broad… Nighty Night The Thick Of It (down here is not okay)
    103. Jokes can be hidden…
    104. Jokes can be hidden…
    105. Playing with the timeline:
    106. Playing with the timeline:
    107. Playing with the timeline:
    108. Playing with the timeline:
    109. Playing with the timeline: … when it’s right for the story.
    110. Mixing and matching:
      • The Japanese businessman
      • The long-suffering wife
      • The sofa
      • The dreadful dénouement
    111. Mixing and matching:
    112. Mixing and matching:
      • Fulfill commissioners’ need to be “modern” &/or “edgy”
    113. Mixing and matching:
      • Fulfill commissioners’ need to be “modern” &/or “edgy”
      • Fit the budget
    114. Mixing and matching:
      • Fulfill commissioners’ need to be “modern” &/or “edgy”
      • Fit the budget
      • Fit the tone
    115. Mixing and matching:
      • Fulfill commissioners’ need to be “modern” &/or “edgy”
      • Fit the budget
      • Fit the tone
      • Funny
      • Funny
      IMPORTANT
      • Funny
      IMPORTANT Danke Schön!
      • SOURCES
      • The Word Season 5 Episode ? [Channel Four, 1995]
      • "Wild Rabbit" photo by Joshua Davis [cc licence on Flickr ]
      • Terry And June Season 3 Episode 3 [BBC1, 1981]
      • Father Ted Season 2 Episode 6 [Channel Four, 1996]
      • Respectable Season 1 Episodes 1& 6 [Five/Paramount, 2006]
      • Monkey Dust Season 3 Episode 1 [BBC3, 2005]
      • Laughter: A Scientific Investigation [Robert R. Provine, Faber, 2000]
      • Imagine: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Studio
      • [BBC1, 2006]
      • "Drury Lane Theatre" engraving by Isaac Taylor
      • [RCM Centre for Performance History, 88E2]
      • Fawlty Towers Season 1 Episode 5 [BBC1, 1975]
      • Extras Season 2 Episode 4 [BBC2, 2006]
      • Crawford Park pilot [Pozzitive Productions, 2007]
      • Heresy Show 4 [BBC Radio 4, 2004]
      • The Two Ronnies Series 8 [BBC1, 1971]
      • "Del Boy is top of the class, say sitcom scientists"
      • [The Guardian, June 7, 2005]
      • The Thick Of It New Year Special [BBC4, 2007]
      • Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Popular Culture Is
      • Making Us Smarter [Steven Johnson, Allen Lane, 2005]

    + alanconnoralanconnor, 12 months ago

    custom

    325 views, 0 favs, 0 embeds more stats

    More info about this document

    © All Rights Reserved

    Go to text version

    • Total Views 325
      • 325 on SlideShare
      • 0 from embeds
    • Comments 0
    • Favorites 0
    • Downloads 0
    Most viewed embeds

    more

    All embeds

    less

    Flagged as inappropriate Flag as inappropriate
    Flag as inappropriate

    Select your reason for flagging this presentation as inappropriate. If needed, use the feedback form to let us know more details.

    Cancel
    File a copyright complaint
    Having problems? Go to our helpdesk?

    Categories

    Tags

    -->
    What's New

    © 2009 SlideShare Inc. All rights reserved.