How NOT to Write a Sitcom

100 mistakes to avoid if you ever want to get produced

By: Marc Blake

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Paperback | 1 September 2011 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

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272 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
21.59 x 13.97 x 2.54

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The craft of sitcom is possibly the hardest of all screenwriting genres, demanding a complex set of skills.

How NOT to Write a Sitcom is a troubleshooting guide aimed at both the novice and the practising sitcom writer. It illustrates and explains the many pitfalls in concept, characterisation, plotting and dramatic/comedic writing,which pepper the hundreds of scripts submitted every year. Each point is illustrated with an example of the error and each section contains practical suggestions and exercises for the writer to apply to their own writing. The book makes no assumption of the reader other than an interest in the form. It contains interviews with current producers as well as interviews with successful practioners of the craft.

Marc Blake is a script consultant, writer and teacher of writing for sitcom. In this book he acts as a `script mechanic' for writers - stripping a sitcom down to its component parts, isolating the faults and fixing them. What script editors and producers are looking for are scripts that work. Naturally they want a genius in embryo, but above all they first want to see something that is roadworthy.

Industry Reviews

"shows examples of pitfulls in concept, characterisation and plotting so you can create your own slice of sitcom gold."
DVD & Blu-Ray Review (June 2011)

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Introduction-Welcome to the garage	p. vii
Acknowledgements	p. ix
Cast list	p. x
Form and Format	p. 1
What sitcom is and isnÆt	p. 2
Grammar: the grammar of sitcom	p. 24
Sitcom in the US and the UK	p. 57
Character and Plot	p. 73
Character	p. 74
Plotting	p. 94
Nuts and Bolts	p. 111
Scenes	p. 112
Jokes and dialogue	p. 125
Your first episode	p. 139
Case Studies	p. 160
What production companies put in their shredders	p. 182
Team-Writing	p. 207
Selling the Script	p. 215
The business of sitcom	p. 216
Conclusion	p. 242
Author details	p. 245
Websites	p. 246
Suggested reading	p. 247
Sitcoms and comedy drams cited	p. 249
Index	p. 252
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

How NOT to Write a Sitcom

100 mistakes to avoid if you ever want to get produced

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Specific Films

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The Art and Making of Arcane

The Fashion of Clueless

Spirited Away Film Comic

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