Recently I was asked by Funny Women https://funnywomen.com/ to share my tips for making Comedy, Entertainment, and ‘Funny Fact Ent’ TV with a room full of people. But how to condense a 20-year career into a tight half hour, that’s remotely useful to the audience, without sounding like Alan Partridge reading aloud from his autobiography? Tough gig, writes Series Producer, Series Edit Producer, and Writer Anna Coane…

I’ve been a comedy geek since I was a kid (my best mate and I would perform our ‘sketches’ in school assembly, under the shared delusion that we were French & Saunders). As a TV freelancer I’ve produced and developed scripted and unscripted comedy in many guises -  sketches, stand up, sitcoms, hidden camera pranks, travelogues, chat shows, panel shows, and archive formats. For shows including The Graham Norton Show, Frank Skinner On Demand, The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan, Tonight With Omid, Julian Clary’s Greatest Xmas Adverts, The Comedy Bus, and The TNT Show. I’ve also been brought on board to ‘find the funny’ in factual formats too.

So on a cold, dark, windy evening in November, I found myself in a quirky board games café in Rochester, in front of an expectant audience, and host Nic Lamont – a brilliant actor and writer I’d last worked with 12 years ago on BBC3’s comedy newcomer vehicle Live At The Electric.

I eased in with a few anecdotes – that time in my pre-kids 20s I had to find a doula for Olivia Colman and her newborn on the set of Peep Show, that other time money was saved on extras by casting me in a speaking part opposite Paul Kaye in Strutter. But then onto perhaps more useful take home from my TV journey…

With Nic and I reconnecting this time as mums, and because in addition to making comedy for grown-ups I’ve recently made children’s TV (Big Fat Like, Meet The McQueens, I Can Do It You Can Too, for CBBC/CBeebies), I decided to share some headlines from my experiences of writing comedy for young kids, as a genre that the aspiring writers and stand ups in the audience might turn their pens to. Kids laugh at different things to adults, and children’s TV comes with constraints, and a whole load of compliance, so it’s a creative challenge that can really focus the comedy mind and exercise those writing muscles.

anna’s comedy writing tips

First up I suggested watching what your kids/nephews/nieces laugh at when watching films, TV or online content.

I found that visual and physical comedy lands better than wordy dialogue, so use props, mime techniques, slapstick and prat falls – adults/authority figures getting things wrong or falling over is hilarious.

But tone is key – on the shows I’ve made we were required to make sure young viewers weren’t left believing the presenter/performer had genuinely hurt themselves or others.

And always beware imitative behaviour (featuring activities or actions that might be dangerous if kids copy them at home).

It’s also important to know the target age group (3-year-olds being different from 10-year-olds), and pitch any dialogue and references accordingly.

Sketches about school life might not resonate with pre-schoolers. Likewise gags that rely on cool on-screen text or written graphics won’t mean much to younger kids who don’t read yet.

Silly or scatological sound effects were always a winner (kids find farts funny, who knew?!).

And you can’t rely on swear words to get laughs. Shit.

I’ve been asked back to be a guest speaker at a Funny Women workshop for female /non-binary comedy writers – Stand Up To Stand Out Winter Warm Up at London’s Groucho Club on Saturday 1^st February 2025. I’m delighted that it’s with Nic Lamont again, and Funny Women founder Lynne Parker. There’ll be techniques on writing, performing, and creating comedy, and using humour in everyday interactions, at work or play. Media Parents subscribers who those who identify as female or non binary can get a 50% discount (email info@funnywomen.com for details). So if you want to supercharge your comedy, get a confidence boost, or are just comedy curious, come along and get some tips in a friendly, supportive environment. I promise no anecdotes this time.

Anna’s writing agent is:

https://www.gloriousmanagement.com/artists/anna-coane

Log in to view Anna’s Media Parents profile here:

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/2251/anna-coane

Media Parents was delighted to hold January Drinks on Thursday 30th Jan, hosted by Film + TV Charity in their glorious Central London building. The wine sponsors for this event were https://storytailors.tv/ – thank you!

What happens at Media Parents drinks? There’s no agenda! We are keen to get TV companies, freelancers and organisations in a room to catch up. If it’s your first time at an event we make an effort to meet you, and introduce you to other people who could be useful to you to know. If it’s not your first time at a Media Parents event, we are pretty confident you loved it the first time!

Curve Media's Head of Production Ruth Cody and Exec Claire Simpson worked the room

Story Films Production Exec Donna Blackburn introduced the company's slate, with StoryTailors' Martin McAleese, Curve Media's Claire Simpson, EdTVFest's Dulcie Bushill and freelancers looking on

Strawberry Blond MD Steve Wynne made it back from Leeds

PM Amy Swan successfully navigated a career move from editorial into PMing global series, seen catching up here with Media Parents Line Producers Flo Crum and Katy Southwood

New contacts made and swapped between PD Kasia Uscinska and Editor Liz Convey

Film + TV Charity Community Development Manager Lucy Maxwell introduced the space, counselling and financial support that is offered, see below...

January Guest List

Donna Blackburn Tina Lohmann Kate Maddigan	Line Producer Head of Production Head of Studios	Story Films Rawcut Renowned Films
Steve Wynne	MD	Strawberry Blond
Jess Hamilton	HOP	Strawberry Blond
Claire Simpson	Exec	Curve Media
Hilary Platt Olivia Evans Zara McFadden	Ops & Finance Director Development Producer Talent Manager	ITN ITN ITN
Martin McAleese	Head of Production Partnerships	StoryTailors
Dulcie Bushell	Programmes Producer	EdTVFestival
Alon Ziv	Creative Director / Exec	Nola Creative / Lion TV
Ruth Cody	HOP	Curve Media
Amy Walker	Director	Media Parents
Stephanie Weit	Managing Partner	StoryTailors
Katherine Bovey	Development Executive	ITN
Katie McAfee	Talent Executive	Tinopolis
Lucy Maxwell	Community Development Manager	Film+TV Charity
Matt Holden	SP	Little Bird
Ros Attille	Head of Children’s and Young Audiences	Big Fish, Little Fish

(log in to click through on profile links)

Michele Kimber: PM

Read Michele’s latest blog

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18138/michele-kimber

Anna Coane: SP / S Edit Producer

Read Anna’s latest blog

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/2251/anna-coane

Anika Pilnei: EP / PD

Read Anika’s latest blog

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18539/anika-pilnei

Daren Tiley: offline editor

Read Daren’s latest blog

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/9614/daren-tiley

Flo Crum : Production Exec

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/5245/floury-crum

Katy Southwood: Line Producer/Production Executive

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18573/katy-southwood

Richard Hughes: Shooting PD and DOP

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/6200/richard-hughes

Tom Colvile: Shooting PD https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/7749/tom-colvile

Anthony Willis: PD / Writer / Editor

Read Anthony’s latest blog

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18343/anthony-willis

Claire McMahon Brown: Snr Producer / Edit Producer

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/15530/claire-mcmahon-brown

Jules Seymour: SP

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/126/jules-seymour

Kasia Uscinska: PD / Edit Producer https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/1582/kasia-uscinska

Katie Rice: PD

https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/10020/katie-rice

Liz Convey: returning offline editor

Stephen Mizelas: Director / SP

Sam Lang: PD https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/917/samuel-lang

Matt Currington: S/PD

Avigail Cenci di Bello: Producer / Writer

Hannah Bairsto: Researcher

Gaby Koppel: SP

Tom Ranson: Director

Quinton Smith: Editor

Barney Snow: S/PD

Janet Awe: Development/ Producer

The Film and TV Charity supports everyone working behind the scenes in film, TV, and cinema, including full-time staff, freelancers, writers, production teams, and more. It offers a 24/7 confidential support line, legal and financial guidance, Stop-Gap Grants, a Bullying Advice Service, and free counselling. The Charity is also working to change the culture of our industry,  providing resources like the Whole Picture Toolkit for mentally health productions, financial guidance and wellbeing advice, as well as promoting equity and inclusion across the industry. For more information, visit its website or call 0800 054 0000. You can also sign up for its monthly newsletter for updates on services, events, and opportunities. Every day at Storytailors is a thrilling ride—we’ve set up Keanu Reeves to race through the Slovenian countryside, transformed a Romanian salt mine into a playground for MrBeast, and ensured Ford’s latest EV glides effortlessly through Bhutan for Amazon Prime. With a network of over 1,500 vetted media professionals across 150+ countries, we deliver everything from full production to local access, film permits, crew hire, and logistics for entertainment, documentaries, and drama. Our clients include leading indies like the BBC, Plimsoll, Nutopia, and Box To Box, as well as major streamers like Netflix and Disney. https://storytailors.tv/work-with-us/

At Media Parents we’ll do anything we can to help TV  freelancers work, and TV companies find great freelancers. Join us! Message via our contact button for returns for this event.

“How did you get into Branded Content?” is the question I am often asked these days. With British (and global) TV facing a grim decline, short-form content seems to have become the industry’s golden ticket, writes PD & Edit Producer Anika Pilnei.

To be honest – I stumbled into Branded Content by pure chance – and quickly fell in love with it, having worked primarily in TV before. I have produced and directed across Specialist Factual, Factual Entertainment, and Documentary, focusing primarily on History & Archaeology, True Crime, and Travel, Adventure & Food. My work spans both retrospective and observational storytelling, often featuring in-depth master interviews across multi-episode series.

My journey in the world of Branded Content began as Creative Producer [Middle East & Asia] for an international De Beers Jewellery campaign celebrating women in the Arts. The success of that campaign led to more projects, including campaigns for Earth Day, Destination Canada, Canon, Barclays, Amex and Meta, where I worked as both Director and Producer/Director.

My language skills and cross-cultural expertise, which had previously opened doors in TV, proved invaluable in Branded Content as well. And, I am genuinely fascinated by people, their life stories, their perspectives, fears and aspirations.

The key to creating authentic stories, whether it is 30”, 5’ or 60’, is to listen and observe without judgment. Understand your story and your subjects, get close, but always respect their personal boundaries. Know when to push and when to pull back. It works in TV and basically everywhere else – a truly ‘transferable skill’!

Creating short-form content is just as fun and demanding as long-form. The core principle remains the same: story is everything. But with short-form, you have to make every second count. You have to deliver a powerful message with greater precision, be visually bold and creative, and push boundaries. C Suite contributors are equally high-maintenance as major TV personalities, social media influencers throw the same anxious temper tantrums as your already famous TV Chef.

Over the past decade, I’ve successfully navigated both the TV and Branded Content worlds (with TV being my longer-standing home), refining skills such as multi-camera directing, shooting across various aspect ratios, crafting “insta-worthy” visuals, and adapting to the nuances of corporate environments. While I’ve grown to appreciate the unique challenges of working within the “belly of the corporate beast”, my passion for TV and the art of classic, long-form documentaries remains as strong as ever.

In TV, favourite projects include sensitive access-driven works such as Manson: The Lost Tapes (ITV) and the award-winning landmark series Jerusalem 24 (ARTE). I love working with archive —  be it historical, personal, or extensive law enforcement footage, and in the past, I have dipped my toes into producing dramatic recon as well.

While my professional work is very ‘peopley’ as Snoopy would say, I am increasingly dedicating my time to environmental initiatives and (animal) charities, hoping to work with Foundations and Initiatives beyond TV and Corporate to utilise my storytelling skills to drive meaningful and lasting change in an increasingly challenging and sometimes upside-down feeling world.

To book Anika for branded content or TV work please go here: https://www.mediaparents.co.uk/freelancers/18539/anika-pilnei