The 大象传媒 Comedy Festival took place in Glasgow on Wednesday 22 – Thursday 23 May 2024.
Download an easy read guide (pdf) to the festival and an easy ready guide to the short film and stand-up night (pdf).
* Wednesday 22 May schedule:
Comedy short films night
Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow G2 3JD
7.30 鈥� 8.40pm: first screening
9 鈥� 10.10pm: second screening
We鈥檙e back again for the third year in a row! Why not ease yourself into the festival with a night of top tier comedy short films? Judge, laugh, and most importantly leave inspired by the work of up and coming filmmakers. Also featuring a few new additions from the 大象传媒 Comedy short film strand.
Comedy stand-up night
Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow G2 3JD
8 - 10pm
An evening of stand-up comedy in association with the Glasgow Comedy Fesival. Our excellent line up includes Susie McCabe (compere), Larry Dean, Jin Hao-Li, Susan Riddell, Ifrah Quereshi, Frankie Monroe, Marc Jennings, Laura Smyth and Christopher Macarthur-Boyd.
* Thursday 23 May schedule:
SWG3, 100 Eastvale Pl, Glasgow G3 8QG
Arrivals: 9.30 - 10am
大象传媒 Comedy commissioning update
10 鈥� 11.15am: Galvanisers
Join Jon Petrie, 大象传媒 Director of Comedy, as he reflects on comedy at the 大象传媒 and shares the latest comedy brief. Alongside him, Julia Mckenzie (Commissioning Editor, 大象传媒 Radio 4) will provide updates on the newest audio brief, while our audiences team will offer invaluable insights. Plus special guests to keep you entertained.
Having a laugh? Producing scripted comedy from Scotland
11.45am 鈥� 12.30pm: Warehouse
There are more hours of scripted television being produced in Scotland than ever before, but is it harder than ever to win commissions? Our experienced industry panel, Jacqueline Sinclair (Producer, Two Doors Down, Limmy鈥檚 Show), Gavin Smith (Commissioning Executive, 大象传媒 Scotland), Neil Webster (Executive Producer), Sandra Mcfadden (Head of Business, 大象传媒 Scotland) will discuss the challenges and the opportunities of producing scripted comedy in Scotland, from new talent pathways to funded development and production. Hosted by journalist, Ashley Davies.
Armando Iannucci in conversation
12 鈥� 1pm: Galvanisers
From the pin-sharp dissection of news shows in On the Hour and The Day Today, to the political maelstrom of the Thick of It, writer/director/producer Armando Iannucci鈥檚 work hasn鈥檛 just reflected contemporary society, it has defined it - life imitates art when barely a day passes in Westminster these days without talk of an 鈥渙mnishambles鈥�. Now Armando returns to Glasgow to talk about these shows and his other huge comedy milestones - I鈥檓 Alan Partridge, Veep, In the Loop, The Death of Stalin - with journalist Siobhan Synnot.
Sounds funny
1.15 鈥� 2pm: Warehouse
In the world of comedy, the sound of laughter may be the ultimate goal, but it's the often-overlooked sound design process that plays a crucial role in crafting those comedic moments that leave audiences chuckling. This session delves into the world of sound design, music composition and sound tracking with insights, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from our expert guest panellists to help us gain a newfound appreciation for the art of sound in comedy. Panellists are Steve Stamp (writer, producer, actor), Matt Baird (dubbing mixer) and Ellie Heydon (director). Hosted by Neil Webster.
Don鈥檛 say the f word
1.30 鈥� 2.15pm: Galvanisers
Feelgood, family鈥� just straight out funny. These words get used a lot in our briefs, audiences are crying out for them, but broad, returnable, (ideally) pre-watershed sitcoms are still thin on the ground. This session hopes to go beyond these catch-all terms and unlock the secrets of long-running sitcoms, from people who鈥檝e made them. What are the risks and rewards of chasing a wide audience? Does family viewing have to be about families? Isn鈥檛 it better to start small? Wouldn鈥檛 you rather get five stars in The Guardian? A must-attend debate for producers and creatives. Panel: Tom Basden, Robert Popper, Josh Cole and Nerys Evans. Host: Laura Smyth.
Ditch the prehistoric practices
How Dinosaur evolved its own approach to access requirements and crew well-being
2.30 鈥� 3.15pm: Warehouse
The team behind new 大象传媒 Scottish sitcom Dinosaur outline the practical steps and holistic whole crew approach they took to understanding their teams鈥� requirements. Plus the Working Differently Project join the panel to outline their guide to working with and talent and 大象传媒 Creative Diversity offer the broadcaster insight and expectations from prep to post.
Stefani Robinson in conversation
2.45 鈥� 3.45: Ggalvanisers
Stefani Robinson is an Emmy-nominated writer and executive producer known for the critically acclaimed FX series atlanta and What We Do in the Shadows. Robinson is the first black woman to receive Emmy nominations for both Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and has won two Writers Guild of America Awards. She is also the first and youngest black woman ever nominated for a solo-written entry in the latter writing category. Other television credits include supervising producer and writer on the fourth instalment of the Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning limited series Fargo and staff writer on the FXX comedy series Man Seeking Woman. Here she talks to Michelle de Swarte about her career and work.
How to make your first short
2.45-4.30pm: Warehouse
Are you an aspiring comedy filmmaker with big dreams to make people chuckle? Join us for an exclusive masterclass where you'll hear from exciting filmmakers who got their start with shorts. You鈥檒l find out about their development process, how they went about finding funding and their experience submitting to festivals. We鈥檒l also talk to them about their leap from shorts to high end TV. Joining us are filmmakers Louis Paxton (Neville is Dead, Wreck, Calamity James), Ishan Ganjoor (Zoners), Niamh Mckeown (Dinosaur, Ginny Reaper) and Leah Draws (Meat Puppet). Hosted by Mawaan Rizwan.
An audience with Jennifer Saunders
4.15 鈥� 5.15pm: Galvanisers
Renowned for her unforgettable performances in Absolutely Fabulous and French and Saunders, Jennifer Saunders has established herself as a comedic icon. With accolades including two International Emmy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, a prestigious BAFTA Fellowship, one Writers Guild Award, and two Royal Television Society Awards, Saunders' illustrious career spans television, theatre, film, and radio. Don't miss the chance to engage in this captivating and insightful conversation about her extraordinary journey in the world of comedy.
Mind the gap
5 鈥� 5.45pm: Warehouse
As the comedy financing landscape becomes trickier to navigate than ever, join the industry's finest, including Geraldine Atlee (Head of Business, Scripted, 大象传媒), Paul Cohen (Hattrick) and Sarah Monteith (CEO, Baby Cow) for an in-depth exploration of co-productions, financial dynamics, evolving comedic trends and the myriad of ways you can explore to plug your funding gap. Leading this insightful discussion is comedy aficionado Ash Atalla (MD, Roughcut) poised to uncover the answers to all your invaluable questions.
Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith
6 - 7pm: Galvanisers
This year sees the broadcast of the ninth and final series of the multiple award-winning Inside No. 9. Over the last ten years it has beguiled audiences across the globe with its ingenious storytelling, dark humour and trademark twists. In this session writer/creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton discuss their careers and influences and take an in-depth dive into what has made the show a modern classic. Hosted by Muriel Gray.
Jonathan Pie and Michael Spicer masterclass
6.15 鈥� 7pm: Warehouse
Radio 4鈥檚 Comedy Commissioner Julia Mckenzie is joined by Tom Walker (Jonathan Pie), Michael Spicer and their Radio 4 producers Alison Vernon-Smith (Yada Yada) and Matt Tiller (Tillervision) covering character, satire, sitcom and sketch and moving from video to audio. Pie鈥檚 regular YouTube and X rants have a huge following and call Jonathan Pie aired on 大象传媒 Sounds and Radio 4 last year which The Sunday Times called 鈥渢he most consistent, compelling satire and sitcom to have been aired by the 大象传媒 this decade鈥�. Michael Spicer, best known for his hugely popular The Room Next Door videos on X has had two series of sitcom Before Next Door air on Radio 4 and has a new sketch podcast called No Room launching just before the festival.
Industry drinks
6.30 - 8pm
Venue: SWG3, 100 Eastvale Pl, Glasgow G3 8QG
Join the 大象传媒 Comedy team in the SWG3 TV studio for networking drinks.
Two Doors Down live!
7.30 - 10pm
Venue: The Tron 63 Trongate, Glasgow G1 5HB
Starting as a single film on Hogmanay 2013, Two Doors Down has quietly grown into one of the 大象传媒鈥檚 most successful sitcoms of recent years, clocking up an incredible seven series. In this special event the cast will read two episodes from the original scripts and then take part in a Q&A. Featuring: Kieran Hodgson, Joy Mcavoy, Doon Mackichan, Alex Norton, Jamie Quinn, Elaine C. Smith, Graham Stevely, Jonathan Watson and Arabella Weir. Hosted by Paul English.
Stand-up comedy!
8 - 9.30pm
Venue: Blackfriars Of Bell Street, 36 Bell St, Glasgow G1 1LG
An evening of stand-up comedy in association with the Glasgow Comedy Festival. Line up: Ross Mcclelland (compere), Josie Long, Ayo Adenekan, Dani Johns, Sabina Mahmood, Ania Magliano, Dan Tiernan and Susie McCabe.