Andrew Marshall

Andrew has a long distinguished career, more recently he's scripted 2point4 Children and Health and Efficiency. The following is an interview conducted on Channel 4's web site forum. (acknowledgements to Ilan who started the thread and Rich)

 

1) What advice would you give if you are wanting to write with a partner?

I don't think there's any particular advice regarding a partner- except that obviously you'd have to have a very similar sense of humour, and infinite patience with each other.

2) How much of your shows are carefully planned out and how much occurs whilst you are writing them?

Planning vs serendipity- Most shows are planned very carefully before I actually start writing, but sometimes, if I can't think of a particular way pout of a problem often the answer is just to start and see what happens. It's a little like a journey though- you must know where you start, have a good route worked out and know exactly where you're going.

3) Is there a lot of pressure knowing you have to deliver a series, or a Christmas special for instance?

Yes. Its almost continually terrifying. And that is no exaggeration.

4) What are the most common mistakes new sit-com writers make?

I don't know really; I think I tend to switch off a show when its either not making me laugh nor drawing me into it in some other way. Obviously these are subjective views. I don't think there are any hard and fast rules, I believe what's right for one show can be wrong for another. Moss Hart, a VERY good writer once said he believed that most shows fail from inconsistency of style than any other one factor, and that is, I think, a wise observation. I think if you think about all the shows you most like, in whatever style, they all share a kind of Wholeness, a completeness in themselves. This is I think very important.

5) Are you acknowledged as a comedy god by the BBC or are you are treated as a hack?

I've consulted my colleagues on this question and the consensus seems to be yes, both of these.

6) Did you have any say in the casting of 2.4?

Yes, I'm heavily involved in all the casting, as well as all other aspects of the production. Some writers prefer to hand in the scripts and end it there, I, I'm afraid am rather omnipresent.

7)Elsewhere on the site, someone complains that the BBC often steal ideas from scripts which are sent to them. Do you know if this is true?

This would be entirely unethical and I am sure it would never knowingly happen. Believe it or not, although we all like to think we're geniuses, it is quite possible for two people to think of the same or similar ideas.

8) When you contribute a script - do you usually get a response quickly - and is that response just a yes/no answer or do you get given constructive criticism?

As regarding reaction time to scripts, I think one has to remember that making an episode, even from an established writer is a considerable investment: somewhere between 150 and 200 thousand pounds; so its very understandable that like at the races, some people will feel happier betting on a favourite, others may, with a little persuasion and time to think gamble on an outsider.

As regards rewrites, remember that rewriting and refining is a normal and natural part of the writing process, and is necessary to continually improve the finished product. It's as well to consider all suggestions very carefully and always re-assess your own work at every stage for opportunities to make it better.

9) Should a pilot be accepted - on average, how long are you given to write a full series?

I think this would very much depend upon experience and discussions with your producer and the purchasing network.

Although I have worked on a schedule of two weeks per episode in the past, I now try and ensure three weeks per episode in my schedule, plus a little bit extra for emergencies. Other people take longer- or shorter.

10) What would you say to people who have a difficulty writing more than one episode?

Ask yourself this question: Is this a genuine feeling that I'm incapable of doing this job

or merely fear? If the former- its time to stop. If, probably more likely, the latter, remember- you wrote the one episode didn't you? Well you actually only have to write ONE EPISODE at a time- so now write it all over again with a different plot. Similarly if you feel daunted by a whole episode- you wrote one scene didn't you? So write one scene- then move onto the next one- just set unscary goals you know you can achieve, and suddenly you'll find you've got another episode.

11) Some writers have the feeling of not knowing where they are going, whether they are doing the right thing.

(A question I would ask is) - do you genuinely have no notion of what's going to be funny? If not - definitely give up now- you have to have at least a broad idea of what you think is going to be funny. Note the key word here- what YOU think is going to be funny. That's all any of us ever know- time will tell if others agree with you or not. If the answer is yes- but you feel lost in plot terms remember you have to have an objective in every story.

As I outlined more briefly above, a story is a little like a journey. You need to work out beforehand where you're starting from- what you need to organise to get you on your way - the route along the way and where you pass- and what the ultimate destination is. Have a look at a couple of episodes of your favourite comedies and note: the setup sections- everything is put into place for the comic journey- the funny consequences- the places along the way- and finally- the eventual tag(s) - the place where the logic of the journey has led you. A good episode you watch can often be quite inspiring.

(Perhaps it would help finding ) a partner to bolster you and bounce things off? This may help the planning and feelings of disorientation.

12) Is there any "inner grammar" of the script, writers should learn?

There are, to my mind, only three things about a script. 1. What happens. This is called the story (or sometimes the plot) 2. What people do and say - this is called the dialogue and 3. The style - this is the overall effect of the whole thing. I don't think beyond that there are any great secrets. I feel instinctively you can (write) if you just unclutter your head a little.

13) What if your first episode has problems?

What episode doesn't? Are they fatal, or just little things that need to be worked out, perhaps at the later rehearsal stage?

14) I read on the BBC's site that when contributing a script, they only want the script and not any character profiles, descriptions of how the series develops etc. Is this just the BBC, or is this standard practice?

I imagine this is a preference laid down by whichever member of the Script Unit wrote that web page.

Another route would be to select a show which you feel is similar to your style of humour and contact the producer.

Also remember that radio is a very good place to start, as its relatively easier to take risks in that medium where the costs are lesser.

15) Do you have a view on the 1 or 2 writers vs the team writing approach?

a) Team writing has produced some excellent series, it has also produced some terrible series.

b) Individual writing ditto.

c) I suspect the constant call for team writing in the UK is merely the result of a shallow fashionable attitude prevalent in the press rather than rational thought.

d) I Love Lucy was largely written by the same three people.

e) Ditto Seinfeld, which is currently the top comedy in the US.

f) Why do people who dream of themselves as Captains of a Galley seem surprised when people decline to chain themselves to the oars?

g) There probably aren't currently enough writers in the UK experienced enough to make up even one team for one show- so you'd better not want many comedies from now on.

h) I am not an American. I don't have their confidence, their personalities or their salaries. If I had one of these, preferably their salaries, I might consider it!

16) Do you think C4 were right in censoring Brass Eye? Is it normal for a TV station, or a production company to edit any troublesome material?

Its quite normal for edgy shows to constantly have discussions with the authorities about these kinds of things. As far back as Burkiss Way, we constantly had problems with various items: one sequence of inserts concerning the Queen Mother was unceremoniously removed from the Master Tapes after the first broadcast and never returned despite all my pleas. Similarly in Whoops Apocalypse, the giant penis and other things had to be cleared with the IBA and careful negotiations conducted on other elements. This is the way of things.

Brass Eye does make me laugh though- I love the sheer mischief involved!

17) It has been said that sitcoms in the UK don't get a chance to be established. Did you find that you needed a season or two to get established and find an audience?

I certainly think that where multi-character comedies are involved, it can take the audience quite some time to get used to the whole setup, viz the teething troubles I had on Health and Efficiency. It is quite possible for shows to take a while to get into their stride, and I believe it is entirely right for people who believe in a show to give it a fair chance to hit its level.

18) Do you read your own reviews? Are reviewers useful? Or do you go by what colleagues say and viewing figures?

I used to read some of my reviews, but they were often so personal and unpleasant that I found myself getting very hurt by them. From the day of one particular review which was unusually poisonous to me, as opposed to the work, I decided that it would be better if I never read one again. Which I don't. The figures and the research are very useful assessments, and of course, unlike critics, entirely empirical.