Featured on FunnyorDie.co.uk

Chuffed to see a Bored Stiff and Message in a Bottle is getting some love from the Funny or Die UK team, with Bored Stiff getting a lovely 'Best of the Week' honour.

The website is the UK branch of Will Ferrell's hugely successful approach at online comedy. Funny or Die UK is run by James Serafinowicz who is also brother of our own personal hero,  Peter Serafinowicz. What's special about Funny or Die UK is that no one so far has put the amount of effort, professionalism and backing into a comedy video site that has as much an aim to promote emerging talent as it does to provide star comedians with a new media platform.

As Message in A Bottle never really had a proper chance to say hello on the blog , here it is: 

Are you... Bored Stiff?

May we introduce our sticky new born, 'Bored Stiff'. Here's what it has to say for itself:

Dr. Nick Deadly gets bored and takes time out to work on an extra-curricula project. Plus, there was queue for the toilet.

Click here to see it in all its (half) HD glory!

They said, 'It couldn't be done!'... well more, 'I don't want to do it!'. But one digital pen, 3 dogs lives and lawsuit later I had proved them wrong. If you're interested... Excuse me. Yep. Hi... here's the original scribbles I did on a tiny scrap of paper a few years ago. The words are me trying to give it a title. 

Help us make some sketches!

We're looking to put together a team to start making some low-to-no budget comedy sketches. Our aim is to populate our successful YouTube partner page with material to build a strong presence as producers of quality comedy content.

What we need is a camera operator with their own equipment or access to equipment, someone that knows their way around lighting, and someone with knowledge of sound recording for film. All of the material will be written by us, a lot of which is already done and waiting to get made. We will also be looking for additional actors to fill supporting roles once a definitive list of sketches to film has been decided.

The main qualities a team-member should possess are a sense of humour, enthusiasm for making some funny films, and an easy-going approach to help everything move along smoothly. Being local to Birmingham will be a bonus and flexible availability at the weekend or week-nights will help.

Participation will be on a voluntary basis and hopefully for the enjoyment and experience of the process as we're learning like anyone else. However, concerns about personal expenses can be lodged with us on an individual basis and we'll see what we can do.

Of course, you will receive full credit for your work and the potential to join bigger projects as we progress. We will also provide our recommendation to others requiring similar services for team members.

Please leave your details or questions in the comments section of this post, or email us directly at admin@diceproductions.co.uk

Hope to hear from you soon,

Ian, Tom and Louis

Interview with Channel Frederator

Following our feature on Channel Frederator's Episode, 'Robbery! Notes! Goats! SWINE! #177', we did an interview with the big red robot himself. Here's the jist of it in their words:

Dice Productions' comedy trio (animator Louis Hudson, and writers Ian Ravenscroft and Tom Reid) talk about why they work funny, what’s next for them, and the hardest thing they’ve ever been bludgeoned with.

You can read the interview here, or here's a repost of it for your ever loyal eyes...

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Dice Productions‘ comedy trio (animator Louis Hudson, and writers Ian Ravenscroft and Tom Reid) talk about why they work funny, what’s next for them, and the hardest thing they’ve ever been bludgeoned with.

Channel Frederator: Louis, where did you study animation?

Louis Hudson: I went to Edinburgh College of Art and graduated last summer. Going to university bought me time and contact with some very talented people, but I probably got most of my education from books like Richard Williams’ Animator’s Survival Kit, internet tutorials, blogs and podcasts. University gives you a lot of opportunities but you have to be very careful not to become ‘institutionalised’

CF: Ian and Tom, did you receive any education in regards to comedy writing?

Ian Ravenscroft: I don’t think formal training in comedy writing is that necessary, but my training as a journalist has definitely improved my style. I think the best training I ever had was to watch other comedy shows, absorb some of the tricks you can play with language and start to look at the world differently. It’s just about observation and trying to see the humour in everything you can. If I didn’t write comedy and laugh at things a lot, the world would seem a lot more cruel and depressing, I think.

Tom Reid: Doing a stint of playwriting at university helped me to focus on dialogue and overall narrative, but I’ve not done anything geared towards comedy specifically. I’d agree that the best education in writing comes from watching the comedy that’s already out there; being subjective about shows allows you pick up new techniques and methods that you can use to shape your own ideas. Other than that, working with others is the best way to craft and shape your own style, whilst making yourself laugh in the process.

CF: What has influenced your work the most?

Ian: In terms of existing work, comedy shows like The Day Today and Brasseye are big influences. I was literally raised watching The Simpsons too, so that has been burnt onto my brain. Spinal Tap and anything in a mockumentary-style like Summer Heights High always get me laughing too, well, almost always.

Tom: In terms of the telly, for off the wall ideas I’d have to go for programmes like Big Train, The Adam and Joe Show and of course the obligatory Python; shows where any concept is viable, no matter how strange or absoludicrous. For language and dialogue, Brasseye and Peepshow are by far my favourites, they’re witty, intelligent and consistently hilarious. In terms of the everyday, taking a twisted view of reality is the best way to get inspiration from the mundane or if that fails just write down real occurrences, it’s amazing how many funny things happen in the real world that never get written down.

Louis: I grew up on the markets and went round pubs with my dad as a little kid. The bizarre drunken stories, strange people, and places I encountered have definitely had an effect. Vic & Bob, Blackadder, Porridge, The Young Ones and old Warner Bro’s cartoons are good old TV favourites, but the biggest influence is the very first time I saw Terry Gilliam’s animations. That actually changed my life – it’s the reason I started drawing jokes. Vic Reeves’, Sun Boiled Onions did a lot of bending on my sense of humour too.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?

We’re making content for MySpace Comedy UK at the moment, and hopefully trying to branch out into live action with that. Meanwhile Louis’ getting his short animated film “All Consuming Love (Man in a Cat)” ready for the summer”. The trailer alone has done very well for us on YouTube.

Alongside that we’re trying to get scripts sorted for a sketch show and sitcom that we’ve been working on too.

Most painful thing you’ve been hit with in the face?

Ian: Definitely a wall. Although it’s debatable whether I hit the wall or the wall hit me. I’ll go for the wall, because let’s face it, who wouldn’t move out the way of a seven year-old running around with his eyes closed? It’s just wrong.

Tom: It has to be a tennis ball in primary school, it hit me square in the nose and made me bleed from both nostrils, it wouldn’t stop for several minutes and made a permanent stain on the playground. Yet another example of why Henmania isn’t for the faint hearted.

Louis: A rowing boat. I still have a dent in my forehead.

CF: WOW.

You guys are the best! Thanks for the interview!

You can check out Dice Productions’ short film “Message in a Bottle” right here on Channel Frederator!

-Bailee DesRocher