h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think I owe you all an apology. On the 30th of November I was at the British Comedy Guide conference in Clerkenwell and I promised a journal on it which I have singularly failed to deliver. Sorry. Well it's all a bit late now, perhaps, but here it is for anyone who is still interested:

The train journey was simple enough, and too dull to relate anything about except that I was interrupted by a necessary stop at East Croydon. This put me mildly but not damaging behind schedule. Following the commendably thorough directions I had been given I found my way straight to the venue without any of the getting lost mallarky that I usually favour on such occasions. So in I walked, and then it all started.

Well I'm trying to decide what to put in and what to leave out. I don't want to dredge you through a dissection of the entire day. I saw 4 different panel as well as a couple of interviews, had a 1-1 assessment of a script I had written and then had the chance (quite independently) to pitch to a panel of industry types. I heard lots of good and insightful advice from lots of people I was excited to hear from. The people you are most likely to have heard of were Jo Brand and Al Murray, but was very excited to hear from John Finnemore, Andrew Ellard, David Tyler and Bill Dare among others. Even the people who I hadn't especially wanted to hear from had lots of good stuff to say. I came away with loads of ideas, and complete rehash of my script (I wrote on the train on the way home. Yeah) and half a notebook full of scribble advice and recollections.

I also met people. I didn't approach anyone, I'm far too much of a coward for that sort of thing. But I did talk to people more forthcoming than myself, writers, comics, one lady from Aberdeen who just loved comedy and had come all the way down for the day just to help out. I have a couple of e--mail addresses and a new twitter contact and completely failed to meet any of the people I already 'knew' via twitter. Oh well.

There was also an excellent lunch. And orange juice in little bottles. And I got a sticker with my name on it.

Here is a small video of the day. You can see me walking off sheepishly at the end: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfXUTcDj2D0&feature=share&list=UUf7J0vxbg6SsIjY9587PEiQ

Thanks Ben - I've been following your journal with interest. I'll watch that video when I get a moment.

Icy