Jocelyn Jee Esien and Gareth Edwards 4

How does the relationship with a producer work?

Jocelyn: Gary Reich has been producing lots of the work that I've been doing and he's a friend now as well. We do get on very, very well. We're quite similar in our sense of humour but he's also very different in there are lots of things that I think are hilarious and he just doesn't get.

But I enjoy that about him because the team of producers that I work with, there isn't one of them that just gets everything that I say or do. There's always someone who just says "That's not funny. I don't get it. What is that for? Why are you doing that?" And I enjoy that just as much as the person that goes "Oh that's great. But you've done that before, so why don't you take it here or take it there."

So they're the people that I can throw things out to in the script meetings. That's the role that they have. Because they've worked on so many different kinds of shows they know what's gone before. So it's always good when they can say "Oh that's very Smack The Pony." They can see the differences and the nuances and rein it in as well when it's going too mad.

Gareth: I always think the role of the producer is to help realise somebody's comic vision. On a show like this it's very clear that it's your comic vision. Or on Mitchell and Webb that's David and Rob's comic take on things. Sometimes on shows like Dead Ringers or this 7 On 7 show [now called Newsjack] that's coming up it's more producer led, so the producer has an idea of what the show might be like and orchestrates a wider pool of people towards that. But I always think it's an incredibly collaborative process, especially because there's so many people involved in making a TV programme.

But radio as well, it's a very subtle dialogue between the producer and the writers and you might well find that your particular comic take doesn't appeal to every producer. And I suppose the thing to do there is, if you have enough self belief in your power to be funny, keep looking until you meet some producer who finds the same things funny you do and just goes "Oh I read your sketch. It really made me laugh."

Jocelyn: Cos there are actually lots of producers out there who have been dying to do something, in the same way writers have. They've been in the business for a certain amount of years and there's a vision that they've really wanted to grab hold of and go along with but they haven't worked with the right writers to do it.

Gareth: Essentially we're looking to start dialogues with new writers all the time. It's a really important part of what we do. And from your side of it as writers do keep persisting at it. If you find that one producer doesn't like your style, don't assume that that means that the BBC doesn't like your style. It just might mean that you haven't made contact with the right person yet.

One of the ideas on 7 On 7 is there should be several different producers working across it. So I'm hoping it'll be a chance for lots of new relationships to start building up. One of the main reasons we want to do the radio show as a sort of open submission process is because the best way to advance your career as a comedy writer is to build up a relationship with a producer who's enthused by your work. And a lot of it is finding other people who share your sense of humour and who are sympathetic to what you want to do and understand your comic vision.

How do you make sure that your voice gets across? Is it a battle?

Jocelyn: It was. In the beginning I wasn't going to be writing it myself cos I'd never written a TV show before. And so the BBC lined up loads of top writers from all across the UK. And we'd sit around and I would explain to them I've got this character. And I'd tell them what the character is, who they are, where they live, what they do, what they're like. I'd do a bit of the character. And then they'd go away and write. But then whenever they came back it was never quite right.

And it was only because we had this live show then it's like oh bloody hell, okay, I'm going to write something. And from writing it and taking it to the producers they said well why don't you just write it. And I said "Can I?"

I felt like I was spending a lot of time trying to explain myself to people. Like with the Fiona sketch I just had to write it myself. And actually I just find it so much easier. It's only my ego in the room with me.

Gareth: Something that I'd like to flag up that I think's really, really important is that you always have to write stuff that you find funny. The moment you start trying to second guess what other people might find funny you're absolutely stuffed, cos you won't know whether you've managed to do it or not. That's why finding your own voice is so essential.

Jocelyn: Otherwise it gets a bit contrived as well doesn't it? Cos you end up writing what you think people are going to want. But it's so much easier if you just keep it close to you because it's so personal. It's your baby, and no one knows your world or your characters more than you do.

Gareth: The first Mitchell and Webb series was written almost entirely by David and Rob. And then people go "Oh I get how that goes." And now we get tons of stuff in because people have worked out the tone of voice and (I hope) would only try and write for it if they find that it's their kind of sense of humour.

Where do your ideas come from?

Jocelyn: It's just writing it down. That's how I started with the show. It was just being on the bus and hearing this, taking it somewhere else, writing those little things down. It's nice also not to show it to anyone as well. Keep it to yourself.

You may think that it's something that's just tickled you but actually when it comes to you wanting to write the piece you've got all your little notes.

Just write it down because you're in that situation, you're in the moment, and you're never going to be in that moment again. The way that man came through that door and it gave you an idea for a character or a story, you're not going to get that again. So when it does happen just write it down.

And also make sure your writing is neat. Not like mine.

What about the improvisation part of it?

Jocelyn: Make sure you've got a camcorder or someone who can write really fast shorthand. Cos that's the same thing of being in the moment. You're doing the improv, you're not going to be able to go back and go "What did I say when you said that?"

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