Don't Make Me Laugh

The Irish Film Board has announced that it is organising a panel discussion at the Dingle Film Festival called Don't Make Me Laugh, which will explore the art of writing comedy for the screen

Don't Make Me Laugh will be chaired by IFB Development Executive Andrew Meehan and panelists will include Emmy Award winning screenwriter Marc Flanagan; stage, radio, screen and TV writer Pearse Elliot, (Man About Dog); and producer Ned Dowd. The seminar will explore the challenges of writing comedy for the screen, different ways of developing character, the role of TV in developing talent as well as looking at what makes comedy travel.

Marc Flanagan is a two-time Emmy award-winner, writer and producer of the very funny Tracy Ullman Show while Pearse Elliot wrote and directed the Irish comedy box office success Man About Dog as well as The Mighty Celt. Ned Dowd is producer of a number of comedies including Shanghai Noon and The Wonderboys. The panel will take place in the Festival Marquee, Garden Café on Friday 10th September.

Following on the theme of comedies there will be a special screening of award winning Irish short comedies on Sunday 13th September at 11am in The Phoenix Cinema. The mix of animated and live action shorts include Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty, Whatever Turns You On and The Wednesdays.