'Develop Your Sit-Com Ideas' with Grant Watson at FTI

Are you a lover of classic situation comedies? Would you like to develop your own idea for a sit-com? Join this hands-on short course that will help bring your ideas to life and capture them in a professional format. Over four weeks learn about the basics of writing your own concept including an overview of the history of television comedy and an analysis of the dynamics of successful sit-coms. Grant Watson is a well known local playwright, author of Degree Absolute, Serpentine and the stage version of The Angriest Video Store Clerk in the World, the comic book adaptation that has also been developed as a television series concept. Most recently Grant penned the short action film ‘The Fall’. Wed 6pm â€“ 9pm, August 16, 23, 30 and September 6, 2006, 6pm -9pm, 10 places only, $250/ $210 FTI members Contact ftitraining@fti.asn,au or call 9431 6700 or check out www.fti.asn.au

Over a two year period Grant worked with Sydney based production company Film Graphics and well known producer Mark Lazarus whose credits include the feature film Australian Rules. They developed the concept of 'The Angiest Video Store Clerk in the World' which had previously been an award winning comic and successful play as a televsion project. SBS were interested in the project and comissioned a pilot that was filmed here in Perth. Ultimately SBS decided not to go ahead with the project and the show is currently been considered by other broadcasters around the world. I invited Grant to deliver this course (and do confess he is also my brother) because it was interesting watching this team develop a concept from a comic book and stage play into a workable television concept. It was interesting to see in their research they reviewed hundreds of comedies to get a good feeling for the rules of the genre. It was also interesting to see the harsh decision making process as characters and idea that worked on stage or in print had to be slashed and burnt as they did not fit into the rules of television. Hope this info helps Walter.

Grant's Background

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