Editor's Note: If you’ve seen on ±«Óãtv Two recently, then you might be forgiven for thinking you had slipped into some kind of weird retro TV dream that looked like the 70s but had endless 90s references, with characters seemingly from all of the world, yet they live in a completely made-up place. And there’s a hamster on a zipline.
Co-creators and writers and are to blame for that. They form an unusual team, in that they co-write together whilst Andy is also an editor and Céin a director. They talk through how they came to form their writing partnership, how the idea for 'Top Coppers' first came about and how it ended up making its way onto our TV screens - as well as sharing some tips for aspiring writers and writer/directors out there.
So how did you first meet?
Céin: We first met at university in Bournemouth. That’s when we decided to be friends forever.
Andy: I think that was more your decision.
Céin: I studied a BA in Scriptwriting and Andy did a BA in TV production, but it was when I stayed after my degree to do an MA in TV Production that we really started to collaborate on stuff together. Mainly as we had access to the camera kit room.
Andy: And no girlfriends.
Céin: Yep. We wrote and made a few short films, all of them pretty silly.
Andy: Our feeling was that we should steer clear of serious stuff, as no one wants to listen to two 22 year old students trying to say something about the world, so we might as well make people laugh. It’s now ten years later and we still don’t feel any different.
How did come to be?
Céin: One of the shorts we made at that time was a . It was basically the same premise as it is now, but just 15 seconds long.
Andy: We felt like we could do more with it (30 seconds?), so kept working on the idea bit by bit as we moved to London and sought out our first jobs in TV. I had ambitions to be an editor, so I got a job as a tape librarian in a post production department, whilst Céin wanted to be a director, so he got his first job as a runner.
Céin: As we moved on and progressed, we wrote 6 x 5 minute scripts of 'Top Coppers', which we called our ‘mini-series’. We decided to stick our necks out and just go for it, so we saved up some money and went into production for ourselves. After convincing about 50 cast and crew to kindly give their time for free, we made all six mini-episodes over a 14 day shoot, including using no less than 42 locations.
Andy: It was pretty frenetic, but fun.
Céin: Funetic?
Andy: No.
And how did that lead on to you getting a ±«Óãtv series?
Andy: Well, the mini-series was the best move we could have made, as it got the attention of and after we posted a on Youtube and Facebook. They wanted to option the idea and develop it with us, based on the strength of what we had written and produced ourselves.
Céin: The mini-series really helped others gain confidence in our abilities actually. Not just as writers, but in our other roles as editor and director - so we maintained these positions for the TV series.
Andy: We were able to bring some people from the mini series with us too, which was important for us as we like to work with a close-knit, friendly team. Such as the costume designers, the music composer and , Donovan Blackwood.
Céin: Yeah, Donovan’s biggest acting credit until 'Top Coppers' had been falling off a ladder and getting covered in blue paint in .
Andy: A very brave performance.
Céin: Well, he came off a ladder.
Andy: Exactly.
What do you think is important in a writing partnership?
Céin: The most important thing above all else is respect.
Andy: Oh give it a rest.
Céin: You have to be able to acknowledge and believe that the other person could come out with a much better idea at any moment, and it’s your job to recognise that and go with it. There’s no room for ego or competition, the sum of your parts will always be better.
Andy: Being friends helps to create that atmosphere of trust, but I think trying to make the other person laugh and trusting your instincts when you do is important. used the same rule and they didn’t go far wrong.
Céin: I guess what you’re saying is it’s a 70/30 thing.
Andy: No, not at all. It’s a 50/50 thing.
Céin: Oh right yeah, so more 60/40?
Andy: Fine.
Andy Kinnear and Céin McGillicuddy
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers or writer/directors?
Céin: Go make something. It’s really easy to get hold of the equipment to make stuff now, and there’s no better way of learning than by doing it yourself. Even if you’re a pure writer and you have no desire or aspirations to actually produce your script, the process of doing it or being involved will teach you so much and improve you as a writer. And you never know what opportunities it could bring you to self produce something - 'Top Coppers' came to be because we went and made something ourselves.
Andy: Exactly, we always believe that if you want something, you just have to go out there and do it. There really is no substitute for that hard work and effort. And enjoy it, because if you’re having fun then you can guarantee it will come across on the page.
Céin: Bye.
Andy: Bye.
Top Coppers is currently being repeated on ±«Óãtv Two