is based in Glasgow. The company is best known throughout the UK for comedies like , and ! and in Scotland we currently produce a series on 大象传媒 One Scotland called . It's a 鈥減olice mockumentary鈥� or 鈥淏lue Light P*sstake鈥� that鈥檚 鈥渟emi-improvised鈥�. Each show features written storylines and then the performers add their own dialogue on set.
We spoke to 大象传媒 Northern Ireland and discovered they were interested in the idea of developing a similar type of show built around something distinctive to Northern Ireland.
At this point the Comedy Unit started talking to at . Keith is a very experienced, well-travelled comedy expert and a great champion of comic talent based in Northern Ireland. We worked-up an idea for a show based around the notion of 鈥渢he border鈥�. For some it鈥檚 the most important dotted line on the globe. For others it doesn鈥檛 exist. We pitched a comedy shadowing a fictional 鈥淪oft Border Patrol鈥�- an independent organisation backed by London, Brussels, Dublin and Belfast (whenever there actually is a government at ). 大象传媒 Northern Ireland commissioned three episodes.
We arranged several audition sessions in Belfast and managed to cast some brilliant comic performers. Unlike the Scottish Football Association, when we asked top Northern Irish talent if they wanted to work with us, they said 鈥測es鈥�.
Soft Border Patrol is a format flexible enough to include a range of different writers. Through Keith and the 大象传媒 NI Writersroom we were able to approach and engage with over a dozen writers. We sent out a writers brief based around 鈥渂order鈥�, explained how we were looking for 鈥渟tories鈥� rather than scenes with dialogue, set a deadline and invited submissions - nothing too daft (aliens aren鈥檛 landing in Newry- not yet) nothing too big budget (a US Navy flotilla isn鈥檛 passing by Larne - not yet). The writers should try to root things in reality (but the good thing about the current Brexit/border situation is things are already pretty comical in real life).
Throughout the scripting process, on TV talking about how the border had to be 鈥渇rictionless, smart, digital, cyber, virtual, seamless, flexible and robust鈥�. During Brexit negotiations the media began to feature the issue more and more, providing handy reports and summaries for everyone writing material for Soft Border Patrol.
We received a great range of ideas from the 大象传媒 NI Writersroom. A mix of stories, character pieces and one-liners. Some writers focussed on the whole Brexit situation and contributed contemporary satirical and observational material. Others looked at the historical backdrop to the area. Some contributed stories for people who live and work on the border. Others suggested cross-border scenarios for the patrollers to deal with.
Through the 大象传媒 NI Writersroom, the Comedy Unit really appreciated getting the opportunity to work with these very talented comedy writers based in Northern Ireland. Hopefully we鈥檒l be back in touch looking for more material in the future. And the way the world turns there could be more 鈥淏order Patrol鈥� comedies set on the line between Spain/Catalonia, Scotland/England and North/South Korea (although that one might need some more special effects!)