Old Dogs, New Tricks

1. Old Dogs, New Tricks Digital DIY for Comedy Writers

2. Waste not… • A comedy writers’ life • Write, submit, wait, cry. • “No man, except a blockhead…” • What do we do with; • Rejections • Waiting time

3. Enter Digital Revolution • Recording technology cheaper than ever • Storage cheaper than ever • Smart devices / apps make everyone a comedy producer. • Writers Showreel • Additional material to show Commissioning Editors.

4. Creative Output • Radio Sketches • Video Sketches • Sitcom, Webisodes • Topical / Satire • Animation / Cartoons • Captions / Photoplay

5. Radio Sketches / Sitcom • Sketch show, Sitcom, Trailers, Quickies • Single file • Small number, targeted sites (eg a trailer) • Podcasts • RSS, XML • Suits general distribution, serialised

6. Radio Sketches / Sitcom • Importance of sound quality. • Smart device microphone. • Microphone, tripod.

8. Podcasting

9. Podcasting

10. Video Sketches • Standard camera on phone, pad, etc. • Special function cameras • Record entire sketches, webisodes • Microphone, tripod • External shooting • Story board apps (shot list)

11. Video Editing

12. Video Editing

13. Video Edit Finessing

14. Multifunction Cameras • Playface HD – surreal comedy characters. • Night vision, cartoon, etc

15. Animation / Cartoons • Good for those with artistic bent. • Pythonesque • Historical , fictional characters • Anthropomorphise

17. Photo-Animation

18. Photo-Animation

19. Puppets

20. PhotoEdit / Captions

21. Captions • Good for quickies & topicals. • Mix and match with blending apps. • Add website / author id

26. Distribution What now?

27. Radio Format • iTunes • Soundcloud (social) • Spreaker (social) • Send to Radio Producers • Bandcamp • Digital Downloads • CD Hard copy • CRM • “Free”

28. Video Sketches / Webisodes • You Tube, Vimeo • Tagging important (search) • Share on FB, Twitter, etc • Embed on website • Keep them short (<3 minutes) • Webisodes • Contemporary, small cast

29. Facebook / Twitter • The place for quips, quickies & topicals. • Facebook Page • Twitter • Fast moving – use hash tags • Timed tweets • Linking social media platforms • Post to one, post to all • Twitter to Facebook • Multipost apps (most control) • Forums

30. Blogs • Develop / archive stand up routines. • Rant. • Production Diaries • Any other comedy narrative form. • Weekly digest of quips, captions, links to sketches, webisodes, etc • Post to newsletters, FB, Linked In

31. Satire Websites • Newsbiscuit • Shorter than a blog, longer than a quickie. • Have to be fast (topical) • Worth a go, unused stuff to blog.

32. Tying it all together • Choose a central hub. • Push audience to the centre • Samples and calling card • Website • Facebook Page • Linked In • Keep themes similar • Not trying to be an internet sensation

33. Conclusion • The digital revolution gives us another way to reach out. • There are many apps, comedy use limited only by imagination. • Filming and recording now affordable. • Enables us to realise the Punk DIY ethos. • Comedy Punkz

34. www.comedypunkz.co.uk Slide show will be available there from Monday.

35. Thanks ! Enjoy the Conference