Success Stories
The London Comedy Writers alumni have gone on to find some degree of success, these include finalists in BBC's Last Laugh, sketches on ITV's Shoot the Writers, scripts optioned and scripts performed on stage and radio.
Why do some writers succeed and others don't? Well the bottom line is those who succeed get their work out there. They don't let the possible rejection get them down. When there is a contest they enter it and most of al,l they keep on writing.
Here are a few of the success stories.
Sarah Bennett and writing partner Tom Mallory brought along their modern take on the tradtional panto and following the feedback made tweeks that helpped it get stella reviews.
Long tme London Comedy Writer and blogger Jeremy Davies finally broke through and sold not one but 2 sketches to News Revue. Pirate Day and Class Conscious both tested in the LCW arena were accepted and the show's director even took the time to inform Jeremy that he was "a fucking good writer"
Kenny Cavey launches Comcomedy on 11th November 2009 an epic undertaking that gives writers a new place to get their material produced and distribted. Sarah Bennett, Andrew Young, Owyn Stephens and Graham Trelfer joined the effort to make the core team.
London Comedy Writer Robin Bailes bagged himself £50 and had his short story published in an anthology celebrating Wind in the Willows author Kenneth Grahame after following up on a competition he found on the site, he is also a finalist in the Secret Seed Competition and as if that wasn't enough he is a finalist in 2009 Sitcom Trials alongside other London Comedy Writers John Barron and Olly Allsopp.
Writer and actress Sarah Bennett has her play "Getting Out" read in the group in late 2008. It has gone on to get a 3 week run at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre in April of 2009.
Graham Trelfer's B-Movie comedy horror short "I Was a Teenage Elvis" is currently in pre-production in America. Stay tuned for more info.
Writer and actress Angeline Andrews had been reading for us for some time before she brought her script "Behind the Scenes" to the group. After the feedback she went away to make edits and the play is now in rehursals and will be performed in July 2008.
Our own secretary and founding member Tristan White brought his script "Czech Mates" to the group last year. Following the read it got interest from a Danish production company but they wanted massive rewrites which including taking the 45 min script up to feature length. It has been a tough road with many rewrites, after a great deal of silence and worry that the film was not going to take place and the rewrites were all for nothing he recently received word that pre-production has started and they hope roll film before the end of the year with a 2008 release date. The myspace page that will include a blog of the making can be found here.
Matthew Jessee went into production with short "Detective Story" in the summer of 2006. The script which had been read in the group earlier in the year was a film noir spoof in the style on Naked Gun. The production saw the construction of three sets in a studio and at least five other additional locations. With a cast and crew totaling over 30 people which included members from The London Comedy Writers, it was a full fledged production which saw long working hours for all involved. A year later the final touches are now going into place, the score is being written, the picture is being graded and the sound is being mixed. Visit the website for the trailer and music video.
While the group usually only deals with 30 minute scripts, we have made exceptions, one of which was Peter Yesley's feature film. He took the time to organise a large location and also rehearse his readers for what ended up to be one of our most successful meetings.
Peter has since headed out to India, the script has gone through another couple of rewrites earning it a quarter finalist Poisson in WOTS screen writing contest. Peter is now deep into pre-production, the story boards are ready and hopefully film will shortly. An interview with Peter discussing the project and the industry in general can be found here. We wish to pass on our best wishes to Peter and look forward to his triumphant homecoming.
London Comedy Member Kulvinder Gill brought his script "The Folks on the Hill" to the group and then went on to win comedy competition, the Funny Farm, organised by the Guardian Unlimited website. The story can be found here.
Other people have come to the group and formed lasting creative bonds, we hope to feature some of their videos soon.
More stories to come.
