Major Project: Pitch research - Friends

I have been doing some research into the kind of pitch the team should put together for our show. I am focusing my research on similar genre shows and looking in particular at the areas i will be working on - the writing aspects. This is something we spoke to simon about and he made it clear we needed to make sure there were no overlap of jobs - Chris is Editor and DOP so he needs to focus on this, Danny is director so he needs to look at the directing in football films and sitcoms, Aimee is producer so she needs to looks at the organisational side, budget, planning, risk assessments, casting and promotion etc. Then if there are still jobs or areas we have left to fill Aimee must decide who should do these jobs and whether it would be better to bring in someone from the outside to fill these roles or if one of us is capable of doing it. I think this is a good idea as i know from a personal point of view although i am keen to be involved in as much as possible it is not always helpful for me to be involved in certain things. Working on the Studio production i found myself over stretched at times when i tried to take on too much and as much as we all are going to be involved and equal in decisions we have to allow our teammates their own creative control in their area of expertise. We can make suggestions but we have to respect whoever is in charge of that area.

When i began looking into the pitching aspect for the show i came across a website called good in a room. Which has lots of pilot scripts and pitching advice for screenwriters. A page i found particularly helpful was:

http://goodinaroom.com/blog/original-pitch-tv-show-friends/

This looked at the original pitch for the TV show Friends. This is a show i am going to look at in detail over the summer to help research the sitcom genre.

They use an 80 word synopsis to tell people what the show is about and in those 80 words we are able to establish:

• Heroes (six people in their 20’s, young, single)
• Setting (city, coffee house)
• Themes (sex, love, relationship, careers)
• Tone (an optimistic tone that isn’t sappy)
• The Big Idea (your friends are your family)

i also read an interview with the writer for the show who discussed the changes that came from pitching the shoe to networks. In my case teacher helen and simon are the 'network' and as always will offer advice not our work but i doubt they will be making huge demands and changes like a usual network. 

here is a link to the interview:

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/4899445/ns/dateline_nbc-newsmakers/t/friends-creators-share-shows-beginnings/#.VZ3XNFxH2t8

The writers found they had to to tests with audiences to see if the characters were liked as the network was worried that some characters wouldn't be likeable. The show also went through various name changes before deciding on a final name. And characters changed when actors put their own spin on a character for example matt le blanc played joey as dim and they liked it and he became a massive source for comedy in the show. They also originally has plans for monica and joey to be together and for them to be the big couple but after writing the scripts they realised ross and rachel would work. 

this goes to show how things can change and how you need to be flexible when pitching ideas. You need a clear idea of what your show is to be but things like characters can be developed as you write about them and learn from how an actor portrays them.

Stay safe,

Helen

 

Major Project: Inbetweeners episode 4 research

Locations: Wendy's House, Simons dads car, School yard, library, Wills house, Residential street, Charlottes room, School auditorium,

Storylines:
- The boys are at a party that is a bit boring. the host mentions that charlotte, the most popular and pretty girl at school will be coming later, the boys doubt this to be true. Will doesn't know who this popular girl is.
- Jay is talking to a friend from 'when he had trails at west ham', The boys make fun of him for having a new friend they don't know. Starting the future running joke of saying the word friend.
- Charlotte, the popular girl turns up and meets will alone in the kitchen. He has opened her bottle of wine mistakenly but she offers him a glass. He awkwardly strikes up a conversation with her.
- Jay walks in and tries to show off saying he is much funnier than will. Charlotte asks him to prove it and make her laugh. He fails terribly.
- Simon stares at a girl he finds beautiful but comes across creepy. He also thinks that because will is chatting to charlotte that means things are changing as the gang might be popular now.
- Charlotte takes will upstairs, to his surprise. The other boys discuss that they heard that charlotte was dating someone. Jay says he thinks its donavan but neil says no but he can't remember who it is. Simon asks him to think because if it is donavan they should warn will. Charlotte and will kiss upstairs.  After much deliberating Neil says it is infact donavan and simon panics as donavan walks in. He approaches charlottes friends then walks over to the gang. Simon pretends he doesn't know where will is but jay reveals he is upstairs with charlotte, presumably out of jealousy. Donavan walks in on charlotte and will kissing and demands will leaves, as he goes to leave charlotte makes him stay and she tells donavan they are over.
- neil reveals he doesn't need to pull as he has a sure thing lined up. He has volunteered to be on the school's blind date event.
- the girl simon keeps looking at also keeps looking at him, which he takes as a sign that she's interested. He walks over but when he gets close she asks him to leave which he does, embarrassed.
- Simon asks the boys not to discuss will pulling with his dad but jay blurts it out immediately causing simon's dad to reveal details from his youth much to simon's annoyance and embarrassment. . Will also refuses to reveal what happened at the party with charlotte saying 'a gentlemen never tells'.
- charlotte says hello to the gang at school, will decides to follow and chat to her on the way into school and she reveals some intimate details about her weekend but will ignores and asks her about other things. Charlotte thinks this is because will is awkward about sex and asks him if he is a virgin. Will lies and says he has slept with 2 girls, and charlotte says she has slept with 11 to which will replies he meant 5. He lies badly about who he's slept with and charlotte offers him to come round her house to make her his number 6. They kiss and will is excited.
- The boys find neil reading in the library as he wants to appear clever for his blind date event at school. He wants to appear clever as girls like clever boys but he is struggling with the books.
- Charlotte texts will even tho they are in the same room, jay says she won't come over because she is so embarrassed of will but will reveals that they are going to have sex on friday so she can't be that ashamed of him. He also shares with the boys that he told her he wasn't a virgin, jay offers his advice which everyone is sure is a lie. Simon says he thinks everybody can see charlotte is just using will to make donavan jealous, will is upset because they don't know charlotte and they think he isn't her type. The boys and will fall out and simon says they aren't friends.
- wills mum tells him he shouldn't go for the pretty girls as everyone is after them and he would have more of a chance with the plainer girls, will is again hurt by this.
- Jay's football friend drives up and he goes to say hello, the boys whisper friend jokes and so he has an awkward conversation with him and palms off the offer to drive the car later.
- will is in bed with charlotte, he asks her if she is going to hurt him, she ignores the question. they try to have sex but it becomes obvious that will doesn't know what he's doing. Charlotte tries to help him but gives up and asks him to leave and not tell anyone what happened and not to count it as loosing his virginity.
- The boys are still winding jay up about his football friend and they spot his car. Jay gets so annoyed he jumps onto the bonnet and starts jumping around and shouting.
- At the school blind date event, neil picks the girl who was also new at the same time as will and is clearly very clever. Neil is gutted when he sees the other contestants. The boys see will and approach him asking where his girlfriend is, will lies and says she is meeting him here. Will speaks to another of the fellow new kids he met on the first day who asks him about his girlfriend. will reveals her name and that he loves her. As the next blind date develops it is revealed that charlotte is taking part, upsetting will as she reveals herself to be single and that she has been messing around with boys but is looking for a man. The boys and everyone laugh.
- will is upset at home with his mum, He is sad that he dumped his friends for a girl and that she humiliated him. His mums suggests he moves schools incase he is bullied again but will insists he stays and that he has never been bullied. the doorbell goes and it is the boys, they want to ask him to come and witness neil's date as the girl is very young and infant taking her a levels early. Her mum has had to go on the date with them which the boys think is hilarious. will agrees to go as it amuses him also. Will asks how jays football friend is, to which jay explains they aren't friends anymore and he had to borrow £300 pound to fix the car after he damaged it.
- Will explains through voiceover what he learnt during the episode.

The cast is starting to expand slightly and also increase the tension between donavan and will. Potentially leading to a future large confrontation. the hapless boys also seem to have no luck with women and even tho it has gone slightly better for will than simon it still ends in failure. This is something that i think is important for the first series as the audience will want them to succeed more and care more about the characters rather than if they were the ones who always got the girl. People can relate more to them if they are a bit of an average joe or underdog. This is something to think about with my characters because i don't want them all to be average joes and not good with girls, i think its unrealistic for one group of friends to be all unsuccessful and rather it would be 1 or 2 out of a friendship that struggle.

Stay safe,

Helen

Major project: Inbetweeners episode 3 research

Locations: inside learner car, 6th form centre, test centre, outside Simons house, Simons car, outside wills house, outside jays house, Thorpe park car park, Thorpe park, changing room, nemesis ride

Storylines:
- Simon is learning to drive, on his lessons he bumps into a car. He has his test coming up and they try and arrange a trip to Thorpe park is he passes.
- Neil announces he can get them free tickets as he works at Thorpe park and the boys make jokes about his dad needing the money to pay for rent boys.
- Simon has a female driving test examiner who is overly flirty with him. She gropes his leg and makes advances toward him in return for him passing his test. He doesn't share the details of this with the boys but passes.
- Simons dad has bought him a car but it is bright yellow. He is humiliated as are his friends but they are happy he parked his car.
- Simon and Will are met by Donovan who is rude to will and spits on the car.
- the boys argue about shotgun as will doesn't know what it means.
- simon, nervous about driving, is encouraged to follow a car of girls, he however pulls out in a funeral procession and looses them also leading them to arrive at Thorpe park with only two hours left. It is also revealed the girls they followed earlier are also at the theme park.
- jay opens the car door early when parking and the door comes off. Leading them to have to car the door around the theme park. Jay mentions that Neil's sisters boyfriend is a mechanic and will fix the door.
- they look for Neil and discover him dressed as a monkey. Neil is stung by wasps in his costume and it is revealed that he is naked underneath.
- the boys argue over going on the rides or looking for the girls. Jay leaves to find the girls while the boys stay with Neil, who deals with his wasp stings and discovers his clothes have been stolen - something he says happens all the time, he laughs.
- all the boys agree to go on nemesis - a ride will has been talking about all day, jay says he saw the girls head for the ride. After queuing an extra half an hour for the front 4 seats, will kicks off when there is only one space left only to discover the people in the other 3 seats are disabled. He is humiliated.
- Neil reveals that his sisters boyfriend actually works in BP garage and so Simons car can't be fixed by him. Simon is furious and jay makes more lies about having a friend in F1 who owes him a favour and can fix the car. Simon says the make beleieve friend won't help them.
- they get back to the car to discover it has been trashed. As they wonder who by, a bus with the disabled people will insulted drives past and they smile and swear at the boys. Jay is furious and wants to chase after them but is stopped by the others.
- will reveals the lessons the boys learn during he episode including that no car will ever make them look cool - linking in to the title of the show - Inbetweeners.
- finally simon rings his dad to tell him about the car starting with "it wasn't my fault" his dad his clearly furious by Simons reaction.

This episode works well as a mid series episode as it continues to introduce the characters. In comparison to coupling this show doesn't have much of an over arching storyline. Each episode is self contAined and more or less just touches on aspects or jokes from the past such as Neil's dad, jays lies or Simons crush on carli. I think I personally prefer the storytelling style of coupling as it feels more like a real life story rather than just jokes. As much as the Inbetweeners is funny it doesn't have much heart to it and that's what I'd like to bring to my show.

Stay safe,

Helen

Major Project: Inbetweeners Epsiode 2 Research

Locations: Park, Residential Street, Simons House, Outside the off licence, off licence, Neil's House, Carli's House, Wills house, 6th form centre. Outside the headmasters office.

Storylines: Episode 2 - Bunk off
- At the park, Will hits a disabled girl, accidentally, with his frisbee. When he tries to retrieve it, it appears to Donovan that he is stealing it from her and is chased by Donavan and friends. Reiterating the ongoing issues with Donovan and Will.
- The boys agree to bunk off school the next day, Neil is unwilling as he thinks it will give them bad karma for hitting the disabled girl with the frisbee but ultimately agrees anyway.
- Will and Simon lie to Simons mum about bunking off and tell her its a non uniform day. She tells them she won't be annoyed but disappointed if they are lying. Simon proceeds to phone the school pretending to be his mother and tell them both Will and himself have food poisoning and won't be in, however he is put through to mr gilbert who knows it is simon and is furious.
- Will, dressed in simons dads suit, goes to the off licence to get served. He buys crisps, mints and some gin and liquor. The boys are unimpressed that he didn't buy beer and spent all their money of posh crisps.
- The boys head back to Neil's house and also discuss how they believe his dad to be gay, much to Neil's annoyance.
- Mr gilbert phones round the boys parents to check the boys are ill
- Jay mentions how he lost his virginity at the 'Caravan club' he holidays at - again a lie. Will says this is obviously a lie which agrivates jay causing him to tell will how he's sick of his brown nosing the teachers and parents. Suddenly Neil's Dad comes home and shouts at the boys, Will, slightly tipsy, shouts at neil's father to show he isn't a brown noser. The boys are kicked out.
- A drunken Simon realises he is in love with carli and the boys encourage him to tell her. He decides to write a love message on her driveway in spray paint. The boys are sniggering at Simon as carli and her friends show up. Initially carli is annoyed but when she sees his friends and her friends laughing she decides to invite him round her house later.
- Will offers to look after carli's brother while simon and her chat. Simon agrees. The boys decide to trade Simon's dad's drinks cupboard and replace it with various similar coloured liquid. Simon ends up incredibly drunk and him and will head to carli's.
- Will discusses a War tv show with carli's younger brother. He tells him about bombs hitting london causing the brother to become very upset and worried about his parents as they are in london.
- Simon drunkenly makes a pass at carli, who tells him she has a boyfriend. He ends up being sick everywhere.
- Will cleans up the mess and apologises to carli while simon continues to throw up on cali's brother.
- The boys walk to will's house to get cleaned up but find, neil's dad and Simons parents at the house with will's mum.
- The parents all acknowledge neil's dad as a gay man, much to his denial.
- At school the next day, will and simon are taken to the headmaster by mr gilbert for pretending to be their parents on the phone.

I think one of the reasons inbetweeners is successful is because it uses situations that its target audience experience but on a heightened level. For example in this episode the boys try and get alcohol at an off licence and will's voiceover talks about his method for getting served.
So far i have noticed the episodes only follow one main storyline and interweave it with recurring themes such as jay's lies.

Stay safe,

Helen

Major Project: Inbetweeners Episode 1

Locations: Outside School, Will's Living room, 6th form centre common room, office, classroom, pub 1, pub 2, school corridors, Wills mums car, boys toilets, school grounds (outside), Jays bedroom, Neils Hall, Simons Hall, Outside pub,

Main Cast: 

Will - Nerdy, ex posh school 16 year old, Sarcastic, Intellegent, 

Simon - awkward, 16, Cynical, Grumpy, Friendly,  Romantic,

Neil - bit stupid, 16, Gullible, Happy and positive, 

Jay - compulsive liar, 16,  Immature, obsessed with Sex,

Supporting Cast:

Carli - Simon's Love interest, 16,  Attractive, Normal, Uses simon's interest in her to her advantage. Has a boyfriend who is older called Tom. 

Mr Gilbert - The head of 6th form. Bitter, Tall, strong build, Witty and sarcastic, Dislikes his job, 

Mark Donovan - School bully, 16, Will's Nemesis, polite and friendly infront of parents and teachers. 

Storylines: Episode 1 - First Day

- Will is new at school. He has joined from a private school as his parents have split and cant afford it anymore. He is offered friendship by other newbies who he refers to as the freaks. He tries to make friends with Simon, the boy who has been assigned to look after him but he is rebuffed. 

- Will is forced to wear a badge to show he is new, he is bullied for it. He also makes a fool of himself in front of the deputy head when trying to be 'cool' by criticising him and swearing. 

- Mr Gilbert tells the class not to attend the 'school tradition' of drinking at a local pub on the first day of 6th form. Will tries to find out about going but is again rebuffed by Simon. 

- Jay, Neil and Simon discuss sex. Jay tells a fabricated story of him sexploits. 

- The school bullies take pictures of Will on the toilet which are spread around school.

- Will asks simon for directions, he initially refuses but after seeing him heckled he tells Will to follow him, but from a distance. Will then sits with the freaks in the 6th form centre while Simon, Jsy and Neil sit together.

- Simon doesnt want to go to the pub thing and the boys are disapointed, however his crush, Carli asks him about going which entices him to go as he wants to spend time with her. He gets a boner when she smells his aftershave and jay ponts this out to the entire 6th form centre leading Simon to get the nickname of boner.

- Will is introduced to Neil and Jay by Simon 9 minutes in. They dont really like him and see him as a posh nerd. Will tries to arrange to meet the boys at the pub but they decline. 

- Simon is worried they wont get served at the pub, Jay tells the boys he has a fake ID and not to worry. 

- Will's mum comes to collect him from school, all the boys notice and tell will how attractive she is but will is more embarrassed his mum has picked him up. 

- All the boys are seen asking their parents to borrow £20 in different ways, Will asks outright, Neil guilt trips his dad who says they are struggling to money but gives him £10 - he is told not to spend it on the fruit machines but he says he cant promise this - he later spends all the money of the fruit machine. Jay is almost caught looking at porn so shouts at his mum not to come in his room but then quickly follows it up with asking for the money. Simon shouts at his mum when she tells him his hair has too much gel, he storms out and then comes back in to ask for the money. Will points out by voiceover that the word borrow means to spend and never give back -  probably something done by a lot of teenagers watching the show.

- Will turns up at the pub at the same time as the boys and simon allows him to join them. 

- The boys show up at a quiet pub with only a few locals. Jay offers to get the drinks in. The boys ask for a pint while will opts for a guiness. Jay's Id works as he pretends to be australian but is only able to buy a drink for himself. Will tries to buy the drinks, but also fails so tells the barman he has to allow them to buy cider with a meal so tries to order that from the carvery, but is also refused. Wills gets a man from the pub to order the cider and meals by buying his drinks for him. 

- Neil tells the man he lost a tenner on the fruit machine leading the man to use it and win.

- Carli texts simon asking where he is leading the boys to realise they are at the wrong pub. 

- Simon is heckled by his new nickname of 'boner' when he arrives at the pub. 

- Simon finds Carli and meets her boyfriend, Tom and lies telling them bith he is already drunk from the earlier pub. Carli and Tom leave together and Simon is left alone. 

- Will tries to get served at the new pub but is again refused leading to an argument where will reveals all the students ages to be 16 and everyone is thrown out leading his peers to be furious with him. 

- The lead school bully, Donavan, tells Will he is a dead man and will get revenge. 

- Jay tells Will he doesnt want to be seen with him as he's an embarrassment and him and jay leave. Simon stays as he has offered to wait with him till his mum arrives. The 2 boys bond over Wills outburst and talk about Carli having a boyfriend. 

This series uses the voiceover of main character Will to narrate the story and move it along. This is a good choice as will is the new character so we are brought into the series with him and therefore are discovering the school through his new eyes also. This makes us, the audience, feel close to will which is what u want for your main character. 

The difference between this pilot and coupling as this focuses heavily on one character who he follow on his journey. It uses clips from other episodes in the future to give you an outline of whats to come without revealing to much and uses flashbacks at the end of the episode to summarise whats happened. Coupling focused on 2 stories and then brought them together while inbetweeners focuses soley on one story throughout the episode. 

Hopefully i will find more useful points as i work through the series. 

Stay safe,

Helen

Major Project: Coupling episode 6 research

Locations: Patricks living room, bar sofas, bar table, Steve's bedroom.

Plotlines:
- Jane turns up at patricks house, he assumes for sex, although he tells the boys that he tried to get rid of her and she invited herself in.
- the boys also discuss films with lots of screen nudity and what female stars names they can think of that mean screen nudity.
- Jane goes to the house as she think patrick is lonely and wants to bond with him. She walks into a room and discovers it to be filled with tapes with girls names of them - his sex tapes. 
- Jane asks patrick if he has room for one more tape. Steve is annoyed that he has a tape of susan.
- Jane is telling the same story to the girls. Susan is equally worried about the sex tapes. Sally is annoyed as she wanted to sleep with patrick and now thinks Jane is in her way. She brings up his size again as the reason she wants to sleep with him.
- Jane reveals she didnt sleep with patrick as he had another girl in his bedroom.
- Susan turns up at patricks flat and wants to know the tape is in safe hands. He says he has told steve and will tell her the same thing - that tape stays in that cupboard. She is thrilled until steve suddenly screams and emerges from the bedroom shouting 'she's never done that with me'. Letting susan know they are watching the tape. She walks into the room and sees that jeff is in their watching the tape. Susan asks how long they have been watching the tape and steve explains 5 minutes. Susan is furious because it isnt her on the tape. The boys havent been looking at her face. Susan is then annoyed that patrick has taped over her.
- Susan goes to put the tape back in the cupboard and finds sally hid in there. Sally also has thought that the tape is of susan.
- jane turns up to seduce patrick, mainly because of what the girls have told her about him.
- Susan is so upset with steve for even agreeing to watch it she dumps him. She also talks about how he nearly has proposed but he was more worried that she would say yes because he isnt ready to settle down.
- The boys discuss how steve has lost susan and he is devestated. Jeff asks how he is feeling and steve says 'flushed' linking back to the first episode once again.
- Steve is asleep in his own room, susan comes to see him and asks him to propose. She also tells him she may or may not say yes, just like how she may be naked under the coat. she removes her coat revealing she is naked. Steve says there is only one way he will know this isnt a dream just as he does jeff sits up next to him. Leaving the epiode on a cliff hanger as to what happens next.

That is the end of the 1st series. It ends on a sort of cliff hanger but nothing major like i have seen in other shows but we do not know if susan will say yes or if steve will ask her.

Overall the series is clearly heavily a comedy. It focuses heavily on a small amount of people and only introduces one or 2 other characters that only appear in the one episode. It focuses heavily on the relationship between 2 of its characters with the others providing b plot storylines aside from epsiode 5 which focuses on jeff who is primarily the light relief character. It is easy to see why this show was refered to as the british friends as it is quite simila although i find it a lot more sexual than friends. \
In terms of writing, it is clear the writer wanted to limit the amount of characters so that the first season doesnt bombard the audience with to many people to remember, it would take an audience a couple of episodes to get a feel for the characters and decide on their favourites so this seems like a good strategy. The locations are fairly repetitive throughout the series and this helps to establish structure for the audience and also is quite normal for people - most people have a favourite place they would meet with friends at - favourite bar, pub, coffee house or restraunt - so it is normal and helps the audience relate to the charcters. 

stay safe,

helen

Major Project: Coupling episode 5 research

Locations: Bar

Storylines:
- The boys are trying to guess an attractive girls name at the bar. Patrick finds out from reading the words on her phone when he passes her that it is a foreign language.
- The girl makes glances at jeff and the boys encourage him to talk to her. 
- Jeff explains his concern that men always think about breasts and sometimes he worrys it will slip out when hes talking to a women and is too scared to talk to this girl.
- He finally gets the courage and says an awkward coming about noticing how she can read. However she doesnt speak any english.  Her interpreter shows up and explains that she doesnt speak english which thrills jeff. He tries to arrange to meet her again but she is leaving the country so her interpretur says there isnt much point.
- the girls are now at the bar and looking at the woman and judging her. They say she is perfect until they notice she has the price tag stuck to her shoe. They notice that she has seen someone she likes and try and find out who it is and discuss the different guys in her eyeline and also notice jeff is stood there. Until they see she is loking at jeff.
- Susan sends him over and tells him not to worry talking to him because she wont understand him.
- An exchange plays out with the girl speaking israeli and the jeff speaking english. We then see the same conversation but with the girl speaking english and jeff speaking in another language. It is revealed she likes him and wanted to date him but she thought he liked alice. She then tells him to meet her outside in 5 minutes. if he wants to. She also arranges for him to meet alice tommorow as she thinks he has asked for a date with her. Due to jeff not understanding her he does not meet the girl.
- Also in this exchange jeff thinks the girls name is the israeli for breasts which also links with the name of the epsiode 'the girl with 2 breasts'. Howveer the girl mentions he shoudlnt talk about breasts around alice as she is sensitive about hers being small.
- Jeff waits for the girl he thinks he is meeting but notices the interpreter instead. he said he was expecting jadiaum, which of course meant breasts in english and so she punches him.
- It is revealed that jeff was also arrested at the airport for shouting the girls name(breasts) at the airport.
- Throughout the episode patrick tries to think of a title for a film about a girl who has brains in her boobs - a plot jeff came up with. At the end of the show patrick says he has the perfect title - the girl with 2 breasts. Steve says that is the stupidest title yet - ironic that it is the name of the episode.

This episode is one of the most unique as it is all set in the one location and also has the same scene run twice so we can see the different translations. This is a unique concept and a really different style for the show but still inkeeping with the theme, tone and pace of the other episodes. It is also the forst episode to only focus heavily on one character and focus more on an outside character than the other main cast.

stay safe,

Helen