Gags to Go was 4Talent's search for the best new comedy for mobile phones, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise. Earlier this year, new comedy writers and writer/performers were invited to send in up to two minutes of new comedy for mobiles. From over 600 entries, the 30 funniest were whittled into shape for live performances at venues in Glasgow, Dundee and Edinburgh.
The audiences laughed their 10 favourite Gags into the finals and top production company The Comedy Unit filmed them. Comedy fans from all over the UK viewed the Gags on their mobile phones or online and rated the ones that got them giggling most. The commissioning editors at Channel 4 and producers at The Comedy Unit cast their votes and four winners emerged.
The winners spent a month with some of the top script editors and producers in the business at The Comedy Unit in Glasgow, where they worked together as a team to develop, write and produce ten minute audio podcast, THE PARANOIA SHOW, which was recorded live in front of an audience at The Stand comedy club in Glasgow. A fast paced sketch show, it delves into the paranoid minds of the child, the adult and the yoghurt. Click here to listen to it.
Gags To Go was a 4Talent Networks Scotland initiative, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise. It was produced by The Comedy Unit.
Channel4's new 4Talent resource provides a coherent entry point to all Channel 4's talent initiatives, mirroring the channel's commitment to innovative multi-platform content in TV, Film, New Media and Radio.
The website offers editorial-led inspiration from real life people and organisations, social networking opportunities, showcasing of talent and promotion of online collaborations. The initiative aims to engage with talent from across the UK in a non-patronising way and give creative practitioners valuable and realistic career advice.
www.channel4.com/4talentscotland
Scottish Enterprise is the main economic development agency for Scotland covering 93% of the population from Grampian to the Borders. The Scottish Enterprise Network consists of Scottish Enterprise and 12 Local Enterprise Companies. Working in partnership with the private and public sectors the Network aims to build more and better businesses, to develop the skills and knowledge of Scottish people, and to encourage innovation to make Scottish business internationally competitive. Further information on Scottish Enterprise is available at www.scottish-enterprise.com
The Comedy Unit was founded in 1996 and has produced some of the best loved and highest rating programmes in Scotland, as well as a wide range of shows for network. The company consistently delivers high rating quality programmes to large audiences while simultaneously developing new performing and writing talent. The credentials of the Comedy Unit speak for themselves; 7 nominations for the Rose D'Or, 3 Royal Television Society awards, a range of BAFTAs and a host of accolades from many other industry bodies. In 2006 the company won the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Award for Best Small Business, was a finalist in the Enterprising Scotland Business Awards, and the winner of Best Small Business in Scotland at the National Chamber of Commerce Awards in November. Joint Managing Director April Chamberlain also won the Women in Film and Television Business Award. In August 2006 the Comedy Unit became part of the successful RDF Media Group.
The company produces several hugely popular returning series such as The Karen Dunbar Show, Offside, and Only An Excuse? They recently produced Tank Commander for E4 and are currently working on a sketch show pilot for Channel 4. Their production is not confined to television and the company now produces around 60 hours of radio for the likes of BBC Radio Scotland, Radio Four and Radio Five Live. Along with the production of award-winning programmes, the Comedy Unit is now working with 2Entertain, the top UK's top DVD distribution company. There is also a talent management arm to the company which supports many of the leading names in Scottish comedy.
The Comedy Unit is in the enviable position of having a pool of accomplished in house writers, directors, producers and script editors. Central to the success of the company is its approach to attracting and developing key talent. The blend of youth and experience in the creative team has facilitated a creative mass of comedy production that consistently delivers.