The official search for new Irish sitcoms is now underway by Sideline Productions’ new company The Comedy Division with an eye on programming that will appeal to the UK and US TV markets.
Sideline’s creative director Billy McGrath explained they are seeking six scripts written by strong comedy writers with the desire to develop their first drafts into polished screenplays.
‘The writers who show a real aptitude and IQ for scripted comedy will be favoured but we also are ready to be surprised by a unique take and originality within the sitcom structure,’ he said.
The successful writers will undergo an intense work-shopping process through 3 x 2 day sessions in April, May & June to further refine their promising material - and will be assigned a script mentor along with an experienced TV comedy director for the production of live readings with professional actors.
These performances will be staged and filmed next October during the Dublin Theatre Festival and subsequently edited into trailers for pitches to broadcasters.
A pioneer in Irish stand-up comedy as performer, writer and producer, Mr McGrath has worked closely with Screen Training Ireland on courses for the development of Irish TV writers to serve as a springboard for new talent.
Sideline has to their list of credits such shows as ‘The Model Scouts’, ‘Mastermind’, ‘The Liffey Laugh’, ‘Hollywood Trials’, ‘Take Me Out’ and ‘The Rubberbandits’, which they have brought to Irish and UK screens.
‘We have the ear of key broadcasters in Ireland and UK plus ICM Partners in LA will pitch the best scripts to the networks and comedy cable channels in the USA,’ Mr McGrath added.
The six selected writers will also be offered roles within the writing team of Teach Sheáin - the first ever Irish language sitcom based on the US classic Cheers - submitted to the BAI for funding with a planned pre-production date for TG4 in Summer 2013.
Script writer and editor John Henderson will join Mr McGrath in managing the sitcom workshops, along with former BBC and RTE script executive Eilís Kent, who has experience developing ‘Paths to Freedom’, ‘Mattie’, ‘Love is The Drug’, feature film ‘Spin The Bottle’ and created Storyland - the online RTE comedy/drama competition that gave us ‘The Hardy Bucks’.
The submission deadline for applicants is March 31st with full details available on www.sideline.ie
