Frankie Ward is a multiplatform producer, formerly of BBC Radio Comedy, who has produced an iBook for new writers with an interest in breaking into the comedy writing industry.
When I mention my background working for Radio Comedy, the most common responses are; “have you worked with anyone good?”, “can you get me tickets to The News Quiz?” and finally, “how do you get into comedy writing?”
The answers to the first two questions are simple; (comedy is subjective, but yes I have and tickets for everyone’s favourite Sandi Toksvig-fronted panel show can be applied for via the BBC Audiences website), but the latter is slightly more complex.
Writer/performer comedians such as Susan Calman (Susan Calman is Convicted), Miles Jupp (In and Out of the Kitchen, It’s Not What You Know) and Nathan Caton (Can’t Tell Nathan Caton Nothing) often start their careers by gigging heavily on the comedy circuit or performing critically acclaimed shows at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in August. But for comedy writers who don’t necessarily want to throw themselves around a stage, it can be harder to get noticed.
It was when I was looking after the online side of non-commissioned writer show Newsjack for Radio 4 Extra that I realised how crucial the opportunity this show presented for new writers was. A topical show that anyone could – and can still - write for, it has a loyal following of budding writers. To try and replenish this group, and reward its current members, I produced a series of video guides to writing for the show featuring cast, regular writers and the producers.
Meanwhile, the BBC Factual team were dabbling with free iBooks Author software, resulting in the beautifully made D-Day: The Last Heroes, which is still available to download for free. After my work on Newsjack I was approached by Will Saunders, Executive Producer for BBC Comedy Online who asked me to put together one of these interactive books for the comedy team – with a focus on writing being the most obvious option.
The result of my work with Will – and the rest of BBC Comedy and beyond – is Writing for BBC Radio Comedy, a new guide for comedy writers. In it, producers, commissioners and writers explain the process of getting your foot through the ‘open door’ of non-commissioned writer shows Newsjack and The Show What You Wrote, and how to make the most of the potential opportunities once you have; writing additional material for topical showsThe Now Show and The News Quiz, finding a producer to work with, developing your own format (and it doesn’t have to be a sitcom) and writing a commission-winning treatment. We also cover the ‘optional extras’ such as signing with an agent and applying for the annual BBC Radio Comedy Writers’ Bursary.
However, if you don’t have an iPad (or iBooks on an Apple computer), all is not lost. All the advice, videos and audio is still available for you to explore thanks to the fantastic folks at the Academy of Production, who have provided the book with an online home.
Writing for BBC Radio Comedy is now available to download for free on iBooks for iPad and Mac via the iTunes store. All of the content is available to view here on the Academy of Production website.
