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“not that I’m saying it’s traditional”
--the stigma against the “traditional” in British sitcoms
My last visit to Germany.
FADE IN:
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.
(1) Why did the genial commissioner
apologise for calling the sitcom
“traditional”?
Two questions.
(2) And what’s with all the rabbits?
A traditional British sitcom.
The traditional British sitcom.
An archetypal moment
An archetypal moment
Our take on this
…of which more later
Our take on this
What’s wrong with this?
• farcical plots
What’s wrong with this?
• farcical plots• unnatural dialogue
What’s wrong with this?
• farcical plots• unnatural dialogue• demonstrative acting
What’s wrong with this?
• farcical plots• unnatural dialogue• demonstrative acting• studio shoot
What’s wrong with this?
• farcical plots• unnatural dialogue• demonstrative acting• studio shoot• cosiness
What’s wrong with this?
(A word about darkness)
(A word about darkness)
…and back to the list
• farcical plots• unnatural dialogue• demonstrative acting• studio shoot• cosiness• audience laughter
What’s wrong with this?
The magic formula:
• nothing happens
The magic formula:
• nothing happens• no jokes
The magic formula:
• nothing happens• no jokes• mumbling
The magic formula:
• nothing happens• no jokes• mumbling• hand-held
The magic formula:
• nothing happens• no jokes• mumbling• hand-held• cruelty
The magic formula:
• nothing happens• no jokes• mumbling• hand-held• cruelty • no audience
The magic formula:
In other words…
In other words…
In other words…
real life
In other words…
real lifeboring
Real life isn’t funny
Real life isn’t funny
80-90% of laughs follow:
•“I know.”•“I’ll see you guys later.”
Why the stigma against being funny?
Why the stigma against being funny?
Why the stigma against being funny?
The Origin Of The Species
•music hall•farce•radio
Technology has changed the possibilities
•portable cameras•multiple channels•digital editing
Technology has changed the possibilities
Technology has changed the possibilities
But it is not evolution
music radio traditional modern hall sitcom comedy
Different styles
Different clusters of styles
darknaturalistic
niche
multi-camera
hand-held
edgy
experimental
farcical
audiencelaughter
studio
warm
demonstrative
familiar
linear
Pick the bits that fit
darknaturalistic
niche
multi-camera
hand-held
edgy
experimental
farcical
audiencelaughter
studio
warm
demonstrative
familiar
linear
Pick the bits that fit
experimental
Pick the bits that fit
Crawford Park: the page
Crawford Park: the stage
Get the audience laughter right…
Get the audience laughter right…
…and you don’thear it.
Get the audience laughter right…
…and you don’thear it.
Get the audience laughter right…
…and you don’thear it.
Get the audience laughter right…
…and you don’thear it.
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
The fashion changed.
The fashion changed.
Also out of fashion: PUNS.
The fashion changed.
Also out of fashion: PUNS.
An example pun:
The fashion changed.
Also out of fashion: PUNS.
An example pun:
Q: According to Freud, what comes between fear and sex?
The fashion changed.
Also out of fashion: PUNS.
An example pun:
Q: According to Freud, what comes between fear and sex?
A: Fünf.
The fashion changed.
The fashion changed.
hymns hers
Mars Pa’s Bars Bars
The fashion changed.
It will change again.
The fashion changed.
It will change again.
But slowly.
The fashion changed.
It will change again.
But slowly.
Why?
Second guessing
writers
Second guessing
writers
audiences
Second guessing
writers
audiences
fashion
Second guessing
writers
audiences
fashionproducers
Second guessing
writers
audiences
fashionproducers
Second guessing
writers
audiences
fashionproducers
Second guessing
writers
audiences
fashionproducers
commissioning editors
Second guessing
writers
audiences
fashionproducers
commissioning editors
Second guessing
writers
audiences
fashionproducers
commissioning editors
schedulers
Second guessing
writersaudiences
fashionproducers
commissioning editors
schedulers
Second guessing
writersaudiences
fashionproducers
commissioning editors
schedulers
channelcontrollers
Second guessing
writersaudiences
fashionproducers
commissioning editors
schedulers
channelcontrollers
Second guessing
writersaudiences
fashionproducers
commissioning editors
schedulers
channelcontrollers
critics
Second guessing
writersaudiences
fashionproducers
commissioning editors
schedulers
channelcontrollers
critics
Who loses out?
audiences
Who loses out?
audiences
A writer wants:
AttentionMoneyLaughter
A writer wants:
MoneyLaughterAttention
A writer wants:
MoneyLAUGHTER FROM PEERSLAUGHTER FROM AUDIENCEAttention
What makes your peers laugh…
What makes your peers laugh…
…is not what makes the audience laugh.
…is not what makes the audience laugh.
A neurobiologist has a formula:
((R x D + V) x F) + SA
A neurobiologist has a formula:
((R x D + V) x F) + SA
where
A neurobiologist has a formula:
((R x D + V) x F) + SA
whereR = recognisability of main character
D = delusions of grandeurV = verbal wit
F = no of times characters fall overS = difference in status between characters
A = success of characters’ stratagems
A neurobiologist has a formula:
nonsense
The range of sitcom is so broad…
The range of sitcom is so broad…
…some don’t even have any jokes.
The range of sitcom is so broad…
…some don’t even have any jokes.
The range of sitcom is so broad…
…some don’t even have any jokes.
The range of sitcom is so broad…
jokes
okay
Nighty Night
The range of sitcom is so broad…
jokes
okay
Nighty Night
The ThickOf It
The range of sitcom is so broad…
jokes
okay
Nighty Night
The ThickOf It
(down here is not okay)
Jokes can be hidden…
Jokes can be hidden…
Playing with the timeline:
Playing with the timeline:
Playing with the timeline:
Playing with the timeline:
Playing with the timeline:
…when it’s right for the story.
Mixing and matching:
•The Japanese businessman
•The long-suffering wife
•The sofa
•The dreadful dénouement
Mixing and matching:
Mixing and matching:
•Fulfill commissioners’ need to be “modern” &/or “edgy”
Mixing and matching:
•Fulfill commissioners’ need to be “modern” &/or “edgy”
•Fit the budget
Mixing and matching:
•Fulfill commissioners’ need to be “modern” &/or “edgy”
•Fit the budget
•Fit the tone
Mixing and matching:
•Fulfill commissioners’ need to be “modern” &/or “edgy”
•Fit the budget
•Fit the tone
•Funny
•Funny
IMPORTANT
•Funny
IMPORTANTDanke 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]
