Laughing all the way to the bank? Why TV comedy is serious business again
Shane Allen’s playbook for comedy indies
After drama’s long stint in the sun, comedy is having the last laugh as broadcasters and streamers realise the long-term value of the genre.
The success of the Gavin & Stacey finale, Amandaland and Last One Laughing, plus the ‘clipability’ of comic moments for socials and YouTube has led to more commissioner confidence in comedy and big swings such as the forthcoming UK version of Saturday Night Live.
Yet Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee told Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville's Insiders podcast recently that “fewer people understand comedy...finding people to work with comedy writers is really tricky" these days.
To look at the challenges and opportunities in the sector, we spoke to a colossus of comedy, Shane Allen.
Allen has overseen some of the best-loved shows on TV, including Peep Show, Ghosts, The Inbetweeners, Black Mirror, Motherland and Car Share, during his stints as head of Channel 4 and then at the BBC - the first person to have held both roles.
Now he’s chief creative officer of his own indie, Boffala Pictures, which works with big names such as Sian Gibson in the acclaimed Power of Parker and Diane Morgan and Sue Johnston in the forthcoming BBC1 robot sitcom Ann Droid, as well as nurturing new talent such as Ada Player in the award-winning Peaked and Lenny Rush in the upcoming The Reluctant Vampire.
So read on to find out:
Why streamers are looking for more comedy
Genre insights
Tips on structuring a comedy indie success
Strategies for growth
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