Sketches are taking shape. I'm super excited about two sketches that are taking shape right now--one for each show. In the first one, I get to eat a lot of pancakes and syrup on stage. In the other, there will be a lot of Jell-O smashing. Seriously, life is pretty amazing right now.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
I'm Writing A Show About It
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Something Old is New Again
Yesterday I saw a tumblr post with a few gifs from "I Love Lucy." I immediately said "man, I want to take some time off work and just watch 'I Love Lucy'." Then today, I walked into the UCB Training Center and what do I see but the entire series on DVD just waiting to be checked out. How serendipitous!
I didn't get to watch the show live when it first aired--obviously--and I only sort of remember watching the reruns in the middle of the day when I was a kid. "I Love Lucy" is largely considered the first great comedy, and especially the first great female-led comedy. This is more than just TV; this is history.
Oh Lucy. This will be quite a lesson in the evolution of women in television. Breaking barriers while still fitting in the mold. This will be like a master's class for me, and hopefully I'll be able to get through the whole series in about a semesters' time.
I didn't get to watch the show live when it first aired--obviously--and I only sort of remember watching the reruns in the middle of the day when I was a kid. "I Love Lucy" is largely considered the first great comedy, and especially the first great female-led comedy. This is more than just TV; this is history.
Oh Lucy. This will be quite a lesson in the evolution of women in television. Breaking barriers while still fitting in the mold. This will be like a master's class for me, and hopefully I'll be able to get through the whole series in about a semesters' time.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Meeting with Beers
Show Journal cont...
Deadlines are hard, especially when they're self-imposed. The team set a date for our next meeting and we all promised to have at least one new sketch and one rewrite. For me, these deadlines are hard because they seem easy at first. Oh, I have two weeks to write all these things! That's so much time! Then I stare at a blank page for 13 days. And then shame seeps in.
Cribbage We learned to play cribbage. An essential element that we're working on is this abstract group mind concept. We're not forcing it; luckily we like spending time together anyway. So at our last meeting, Dan brought over his cribbage board and taught us all how to play. So now we all have that in our back packets. If we're ultimately not very funny, we can play cribbage together.
A Director We got ourselves at least a part time director. We weren't quite sure what the appropriate time to bring in a director was, but we took a shot and went with now. And maybe we'll take a little time sans director to work on things and then bring him back when the show is closer to complete. But it was successful because it got us all on the same page and brought in an outside view--someone who was not so emotionally connected to the material--to say yes, no, that works, that doesn't, what the hell, and yeah, more abortion jokes.
Two Shows We're still working on two shows at once. This is ill-advised, but fuck it, we like both of them too much to put one on hold for now. As we move forward, one may emerge as the more immediate show. When that time comes we'll pour all of our energy into that. And then when that one is as awesome as it can be and successful and gets a full run, a sitcom, and a movie spin off, then we'll come back and give the second show the same treatment.
A Name We need a name. This will take weeks and week and about 300 emails in a chain before we settle on one. But it's a fun process.
Fun. The band. No, not really. But this all very fun, even though it's hard work. WE keep working towards something and that's food. We're not aimless and that has been the most rewarding part. Having new material and even rehashing old material and getting everyone in on the same joke and being able to pitch half-ideas and watch them blossom into fully formed sketches that we all champion because it's a part of all of us is amazing. Maybe this is how having a non-bratty child feels, but less drunk.
Beers We met with beers and pizza and chips and guacamole. This might be unprofessional. Or, it might be exactly what a writer's room is supposed to look like. I've heard the advice "perform like you're one beer in." I assume this extends to writing as well. And that it should be expanded to two beers.
Deadlines are hard, especially when they're self-imposed. The team set a date for our next meeting and we all promised to have at least one new sketch and one rewrite. For me, these deadlines are hard because they seem easy at first. Oh, I have two weeks to write all these things! That's so much time! Then I stare at a blank page for 13 days. And then shame seeps in.
Cribbage We learned to play cribbage. An essential element that we're working on is this abstract group mind concept. We're not forcing it; luckily we like spending time together anyway. So at our last meeting, Dan brought over his cribbage board and taught us all how to play. So now we all have that in our back packets. If we're ultimately not very funny, we can play cribbage together.
A Director We got ourselves at least a part time director. We weren't quite sure what the appropriate time to bring in a director was, but we took a shot and went with now. And maybe we'll take a little time sans director to work on things and then bring him back when the show is closer to complete. But it was successful because it got us all on the same page and brought in an outside view--someone who was not so emotionally connected to the material--to say yes, no, that works, that doesn't, what the hell, and yeah, more abortion jokes.
Two Shows We're still working on two shows at once. This is ill-advised, but fuck it, we like both of them too much to put one on hold for now. As we move forward, one may emerge as the more immediate show. When that time comes we'll pour all of our energy into that. And then when that one is as awesome as it can be and successful and gets a full run, a sitcom, and a movie spin off, then we'll come back and give the second show the same treatment.
A Name We need a name. This will take weeks and week and about 300 emails in a chain before we settle on one. But it's a fun process.
Fun. The band. No, not really. But this all very fun, even though it's hard work. WE keep working towards something and that's food. We're not aimless and that has been the most rewarding part. Having new material and even rehashing old material and getting everyone in on the same joke and being able to pitch half-ideas and watch them blossom into fully formed sketches that we all champion because it's a part of all of us is amazing. Maybe this is how having a non-bratty child feels, but less drunk.
Beers We met with beers and pizza and chips and guacamole. This might be unprofessional. Or, it might be exactly what a writer's room is supposed to look like. I've heard the advice "perform like you're one beer in." I assume this extends to writing as well. And that it should be expanded to two beers.
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