Why hasn’t there been a massively successful UK animated sitcom – in the style of US juggernauts The Simpsons or Family Guy?
That’s a question that got me thinking about 10 years ago. Just over two years ago I decided to try to do something about it. That is how TheBruvs.com was born.
Short, punchy comedy animations featuring a family of London villains trying to go straight in Essex – and failing, the films feature brothers Doug and Den, their dad, sister Janice, her son Jason and the lovely Chanterelle.
It’s my first proper venture into animation, although I was lucky enough to write a piece for Homer Simpson, no less, for a message to Simon Cowell on his This Is Your Life programme.
My background is news, current affairs, comedy and entertainment TV shows. Throw in projects with Jeremy Clarkson and some Top Gear credits and that makes up my CV – working with a lot of household names along the way.
But I wanted to do animation. I had the idea for The Bruvs and touted it round broadcasters and production companies. The costs and time involved with animation put all off.
Then I managed to persuade award winning animation director Eoin Clarke and sound and editing wizard Paul Richmond to come in on the project with me.
It is a passion project – which means persuading others to work on something with you on less than a shoestring.
We decided to have a go and put the films on YouTube. We also set up a website. And I had to get to grips with social media… setting up The Bruvs’ facebook, twitter, tumblr and instagram accounts.
Two years on and we have 17 films on YouTube – and 11 films running on the UKTV channel Dave and their on-demand service UKTVplay.
We have many more big ideas. I’m not saying we are anywhere near The Simpsons, American Dad or South Park but The Bruvs is growing and there has been a lot of positive feedback from round the world.
To have taken something – literally – from page to screen – is very rewarding. The instant feedback from the social media sites is also a great encouragement – on the most part. Our hope is to gradually lengthen the episodes and develop them and the characters into more of a sitcom style. We have many plans for all the characters.
Now we have music too – thanks to the very talented Stig Winslet and Pete Harbour – who have brought a new dimension to The Bruvs with songs about their antics. If something we come up with amuses us, we tend to put it into the films – subject to our budget and time constraints.
It’s still relatively early days, but The Bruvs are growing and are finding their feet on the world stage.
They have come a long way since they moved to Essex. It might be something in the water.
By Ian Brown
TV writer and producer / co-creator TheBruvs.com
THEBRUVS
CREDITS
Writer : Ian Brown
Director : Eoin Clarke
Sound : Paul Richmond
Music : Stig Winslet, Pete Harbour
YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI5al_Dl4V0kh-dxBsbjyig
twitter / facebook : @TheBruvsTV
instagram: thebruvstv