Pre-Production: Initial Ideas Meeting #1

Over the summer break Nisserin, Becca and I met up to discuss possible plot ideas for major project this year.  We are going to work as a group throughout pre-production to develop one idea to finally be made.  

 Here are the notes made from this brainstorm:
"David & Jackie"
BBC 1

  • Aged in mid 60s, born in 1950s
  • Two children, Brian & Marie aged between 30-40
  • Three grandchildren
  • Brian has Louis (13)
  • Marie has Violet (11) and stepson Alexander (8)
  • David and Jackie met in the 70s at a Saturday night disco
  • They hated each other at first as David was new to the area and knocked Jackie off the top record holder at the disco dance offs
  • They don't ave a lot of contact with their children but see their grandchildren often.  The grandchildren are usually how they find out how the parents are and what is happening in their lives
  • They have neighbours either side that are rather noisy
  • To the right of them is a newly engaged couple in their 20s
  • Claire (Bride to be) is usually trying to hide from her obsessive maid of honour
  • To the left they have couple in their late 40s, they are very prim and proper and have a very openly gay son.  The couple are in denial of this
  • 80 year old Betty is across the street and has a love obsession with David.  She often leaves David strange gifts that end up in the "Betty Box" by the front door where all the gifts end up
  • Betty goes on holiday and gets David to look after her bionic toy cat that she thinks is real.  The cat is called Arnold and has a spy cam in its collar 
  • Louis is an only child and considered a grouch teenage boy.  He fancies Claire the neighbour.  He always makes random 'art projects' that his school friend/black market dealer for school kids sells
  • Violet is Jackie's favourite grandchild.  As she's grown up she has become less interested in doing things with Jackie and more interested in her phone
  • Alexander is David & Jackie's step grandson.  He is a badminton enthusiast and chess champion.  He's well spoken and private school educated.  He calls David & Jackie by their first names rather than Nan & Grandad.  He enjoys David's cooking
  • Jackie is very into Instagram and uses it randomly throughout the day.  She's always trying to find the latest trends like the Kardashians to try and impress Violet.  She often pronounces the trends names wrong 
  • David is a joker and head chef of the house.  He has applied to be on Masterchef.

Plot for Pilot Episode

  • David is waiting on a letter to see if his application to Masterchef has been successful
  • Doorbell goes and its a delivery for Jackie.  It's an iPad
  • Jackie is looking on the camera and neighbour Betty pops into the corner of the frame scaring Jackie
  • Betty bring with her her favourite kitchen spoon for David when he goes on Masterchef.  The wooden spoon has her face printed to it
  • Jackie takes a photo of the moment between him and Betty
  • Betty has to leave to get her hair curled and David is practically pushing her out the door
  • He puts the spoon in the 'Betty Box' by the front door
  • He thinks he hears the letter box go so rushes to answer the door but its still Betty standing there.  He closes the door on her again
  • Jackie is texting Violet to ask "where is the Instagram? Got new iPad"
  • David is cello taping the draws up as grandson Louis is coming over later.  He knows Louis will look for new things for his 'art projects' 
  • Jackie then shows David a picture of David's spaghetti bolognese from last nights dinner
  • David talks of a memory from the 'good ol' days' about his spaghetti bolognese; "I'm going to cook that on Masterchef"
  • The clock begins chiming and David thinks its the door which leads him to take Betty's spoon out of the box and bash the clock with it; "Finally, some of Betty's junk comes in useful!" "They're not junk, they're tokens of lurve"
  • Claire the neighbour hauls herself over the garden fence into David & Jackie's garden. She's hiding from her Maid of Honour
  • They invite her inside for tea and biscuits that David has made
  • Claire is explaining the latest wedding dramas and the doorbell goes.  Claire thinks its her maid of honour looking for her so escapes back over the fence while David gets the door, still carrying his biscuit tray
  • "Greg" from Masterchef is standing at the door and begins to congratulate David on his application acceptance. David calls Jackie to the door and she gets her iPad
  • Greg takes a biscuit but doesn't enjoy it and takes back the letter of acceptance. "Where's the buttery base?" 
  • Jackie captures the moment on camera and posts it to Instagram
End of first Episode. 

We have gone for a family comedy sitcom that has British comedy and deals with everyday life in a relatable manner.

David & Jackie are real people that we have been inspired by to write and make this sitcom.  What we need to work on next is changing David and Jackie's names and find the right names that will suit the characters we have made out of this inspiration. 


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