Read this: #101B - Derry Girls Masterclass with Lisa McGee – Edinburgh TV Festival 2018

hello and welcome to a second bonus Edinburgh edition of the media podcast by Molly man on today's programme a masterclass of the hit comedy of 2018 Derry girls TV producers and fans of the show with joined by the cast as well as the writer Lisa McGee and other creatives to discuss the making of the first series and what we can expect from Series 2 recorded live at the Edinburgh International television festival in August the event was hosted by Anna Richardson gay executive producer Liz Lewin director Mike Lennox and of course our cast members saoirse-monica Jackson we have Louisa Harland Nicola Coughlan Jamie-Lee O'Donnell

And Dylan Lewis people forget their teenage years, what was it about your life and is she in Derry that you just thought this is just genius condom material and has two stuff and making stuff about teenagers and movies American movie the metal coat life one of my favourite TV programmes and I was younger and I also felt that the other day.

I was never represented and you know the Northern Ireland I know you and the friends that I had I never saw anything that felt really tried my experience so I always thought when I got the chance.

It was something I'd love.

Do you know what I think we were saying error that chance didn't come for a long time at a lot of other stuff before they said did you guys feel the same way that obviously you've not seen you know good team setting up team Northern Irish truckers with had skins and stuff like that, but you've never seen Northern Irish teen dramas.

That is that right.

Yeah.

I think it's partly that partly because Lisa write a long time working together and I don't think you'll always know why the specific things that you're talking about your experience of funny and I think maybe it took some other people going that's mental to make your own maybe actually there is something in here.

That's a bit different sore.

Get a slightly different planes on our way.

I would be like top of the lesson stuff and going in the way that you know the army with surcharge.

No no any sort of went on God

Unique you know and now you're completely can see as an adult looking back about you know and I know there are circumstances out of interest how difficult was it for you and obviously isn't exactly is to get this commissioned because you're writing say it is a unique scenario is a unique proposition.

Did you find it an easy commissioner or was it a struggle? I think well loads and I have worked together for 10 years and we had done analysis of conker London Irish which was on Channel 4 so we had this relationship with Channel 4 that there was a minute.

It's taking a long time to get to this point of industrial trust and when I came to write something new for them that yeah actually really straightforward.

I just got to the end of quite a long road.

That was less straightforward ok, so which is

Important to hear I think the minute it's great to hear that that you know those two very successful women in television is saying that was a straightforward commission but it's not always been that way has it cos London Irish wasn't received so well.

Don't talk to me about you know your experience in terms of struggle really and you know in reaching this point now where you've had a massive success is not always been like that for me when I started to me when I say writing for TV I was writing a lot of and I loved it, but a lot of sort of English characters in there slowly things to be more of an appetite for Regional staff with which is brilliant and I just think that stuff's more interesting if you're always in the exciting voices and because of that, but I don't think there should have been made 10 years ago.

Yeah, I think it would have been I think I sort of had to go through all those stages be in a position to be a lawyer to write a boy.

Experience of that makes them interested and also fit for you guys the cost.

Would you have got this kind of these past 10 years ago? Did do you think have you didn't get script like this NTA like I was sent it.

I was doing a play and I seen it already, UK and I sent the script and I might be reading that that line of not being an individual on my own and thinking.

Oh my god.

That's genius but like little characters are so well rounded.

You've not with the comedy.

There was nothing spared and it was like a two-dimensional portrait.

They felt like real people but only I'd never had a script anything else that level ever tell me about dairy because it feels as though it's a character in and of itself was that a very deliberate act on your part that you wanted it to features so much.

As as a bit of an undertaking of know that isn't it son enjoys it as it's just amazing people.

I still managed to have a real sense of humour avoided and I think everyone is from there's so the fiercely proud of being from there and you know it in fact that they like the shows brilliant because I was at a terrified of The Wiggles doesn't reflectors and is it a funny place yet another sort of like it then I feel like registering element of the show that exists and Company really I don't know what these conversations about anymore.

Why why he didn't feel like I was there last week and I said to my mum you know when I'm going to be five minutes because I have to do something in on time and we went on Tuesday I know I know we went into every shop my spoke to everyone that you never know her whole life and then she was like.

Two people miss time they just check the armour feel the way they do you all if you get the time right in the street opposite.

It's a comedy but it's also perform brilliantly.

It's also sometimes very touching but it is set during the Troubles so how have you managed to get that tone and and that that balance right? I'm in obviously you're the exact so have you had to sort stepping at all and go as it may be the toe near not at all actually and also I kind of thinking away my feeling about the tone isn't the most important thing like Lisa and the Northern Irish people involved Michelle have a much better sense of where those lines are and I wouldn't Centre

But the Northern Irish guys, are you so if you ever said online? I'm not sure that this is going to go down well ever Northern Ireland because had to cope with stuff that such a small country in The Troubles affected everyone so they've just had to have a sense of humour about it, but I think it's well because I'm from there.

I hope I know where the line is.

I hope I know what would have found me or you know did you think that you could maybe a vision pushed it even further with which channel for in terms of that that live just saying that you can never put over this on screen to think you could push it a bit further yeah, maybe but I mean I'm always conscious of it or not because there's so much.

Terrible things have happened they want to be respectful, but sort of Bold as well.

So it was it was just always about her some jokes aside ornamental gourd could I know and it's on my dad died because I just thought account with a fully standby that you know but for the most part.

I think that the the the tone of it a sort of the week sometimes don't take very serious things seriously.

I think that comes across sometimes you take very seriously very Topshop order your family dinner.

It's a stress now.

I have to leave the room when I talk about the look and the feel like because it's setting the 90s I always

Play remember that very very well.

I mean in a you guys are playing teenagers.

I was as a student in my 20s then so all the music you know I actually identify with just explain to me how you created and in the process that you go through to make sure it's ban on the first of all like these is a real it's a real gift sofa.

Really tried to sort of field during the music to this already of wealth and a base is there to the Feeling from between sound brilliant it mean Tim Burton films and Northern Ireland about the troubles and about this side, but sometimes I feel it's been one-sided and we want the disorder be really positive and warm and 4S during with disordered the visuals of the show when there's a real energy to Lisa's writing and Survive reflecting that go through the visuals that sort of the starting off point anything for me when I do anything always try and find one image that sounds of the show on this is amazing image of wish I had it where was an for school girls coming home from home.

Home from school and walking past your checkpoint not a care in the world with just a massive just wear massive 12 pops of red and colour.

Just sort of in different because it's so normal to the background and not what I wanted to put do the full way through the show didn't want to be in your face.

I think that's brilliant the balance is really good.

They are Mere there, but it's not the focus and it just comes into at the right point you definitely feel that that carefree sense that you were only watch the series that that is terrible things are happening but at the same time as normal hilarious teenage lives also going onto it did Elvis Presley

Resident Evil idea they were just angry Helen again about the ski pants that made me laugh.

The channel is behind her like now.

I'm talking about the scope of your home, but you sent the wrong.

It's wrong or my Sister's Keeper full movie.

Interestingly Lisa you spend a lot of time on Saturn I was really surprised to hear that because I thought that writers one welcome on Saturday but you're always that why I mean just not just try fucking no no no because I said is an asset to me Lisa lives that sort of life and it's a direct line to dance at Cineworld town only serve for 10 years and then I think with similar tears and I understand you know my sense of humour.

It's already got that for a past history someone said it was it was never know what's going to bed show to set aside a court order has to do this.

I'm very interested to hear this cos I'm slightly obsessed about how people find the best way.

To work within a team so you were saying earlier on but it's really important to you that your collaborative.

Just just take me through and take us to a little bit how you choose to work to get the best all of you to get the best out of each other.

What do what do you do with some of the very beginning as being extremely honest and have a very big.

It's just that simple and then once you get that over the way to Begin Again ever need to talk about the privacy of the monitor and it's absolutely fine and then when I wasn't beside him at the monitor of the person who created this thing that it was like nearly there was nothing to worry about was the opposite my mum wanted me involved.

No one wants of my opinion on everything anything that that's because he wants you know it's just more efficient as well and it wants the best show.

Owen just a text to long has left your eyes here if you're out of your review of video village and you'll have to show I can't wait for a note the energy stored BNN you want to get to go against want to get the notes.

I really quite so you can take in terms of the cost.

How did you approach telling the bosses by see how you like to work? So Louisa did did you did you have anything? No? I don't think we had a conversation about how we were convinced the whole time.

We're gonna get fired through social in the last day.

We went to McDonald's drive-thru the driver took us back.

But they all have that like Louise's thing is to see how far he can push what ridiculous stuff she's doing in the back of the lollipop on my I can you always see in every house you can be funny and every single second of it so anything they all have their own thing that they are there on a protester you know and that was great about working together as well because somebody got to know each other I was bringing a good point.

Did you guys all know each other before this series? No, no you got such a great energy genuine because obviously I've met you before you know it in the green room as well, but you're very comfortable with each other you clearly like each other.

Did you do any work before hand in terms of that's all Bond earlier.

Thank you very long.

And I think we all wanted the job so much that your daughter in this vulnerable situation together, so when we started the job it was so supportive of each other and obviously it's a real experience in journey to go on so we we become friends apartment my slime together.

We are going back to the apartment in living together.

We had it all apartments appealed to each of you about the

Character that you play so it said she was really inspired.

You are selfish errands errands and Pensions whenever executed follow her the way she wanted to be with you still have this romantic idea of herself that she was so classy sofa friends are always right and she just can never say that I never accept that they were right and that really rang so true to meet my parents were trying to ruin my life and no one understood amazing.

I want you.

I just want to love the feistiness of Michelle and that she just really didn't give.

Disorder I just thought I'd love that.

She aberdulais.

She obviously has all these these friends.

I don't quite different here, but I think she likes feeling like she's like the colour of the gripping like do you know she's got a Little Eaton should you tile a standard of the great picture just like a bit of a bad mum.

She's like crap, but in this circuit is like I am the shit because he said sorry to say she is actually a feisty girl at the impression that you're very very straight in this character.

Is there a great whenever you can get a character that you can relate to the just want to make the process easier to do with higher than what you would ever do if you just want to go for it and I just not.

Mental I don't think I'm likely no, I think they think I'm the Maasai down a bit of a nerd anyway, but not in the way clear that wasn't like that was different to your try something different yeah, just get yourself and I'll just getting Claire was so well written that you read this like the couple of hours because I know exactly who it is in school and like it's just so much fun, but it's like you.

So I just feel so tired to hear that forget with performers just how exhausted my guys.

Is an especially if you're playing Sunday so far away from here we are and it is just say you're so sometimes really fun because I was living with these girls go through living with girls and they had friends over and we're chatting for a few hours and then one of them when I go to haven't seen there cos I gotta wake up on YouTube and a friendly.

I love this year and I'm in so much.

He was like she was like oh really you just look that we will come back to the Slaters walking very very famous now and you know people however Louisa how close are you would like to meet but I enjoy the freedom of playing or landmass play.

That's definitely my favourite part about it and I got really sweet of the time.

The best way to always so jealous, after the 15th vampire, I like the house is very vulnerable and all that but the girls to toughen him up and his bike back sometime not very well because the girls shutting down by the onset for you because you've got some very strong women hear anything personality.

Victoria Hotel Tredegar to let you know we are really really lucky to be able to witness these guys doing a cast read.

So, what are you going to be reading for us which are which which are we doing Hamlet a couple of things are on a Hyundai Tucson is it always like this whatever you guys go out.

Kanai's Aaron's bedroom.

An old photograph of grandeur Joe smiling in his arm chair by the fire the family dog curled up on his lap ever just sitting on a bed wearing pyjamas the ganga scattered around the room also supporting nightwear the curtains are drawn and the floors clutter with notebook fluorescent highlighter pens pencils, etc.

Claire has her head buried in a textbook for Red Bull and surrounded by a dozen or so more empty crossed.

Can't really sad project MC square and he's in a better place now.

I mean unless he's not you know she has gone TL can we talk about something else.

Take me to your study sleep over again and I'm desperate enough to accept invitation is a good chance.

I have a litre bottle of Pinot in my bag.

I shouldn't even have to think uncompassionate siggi mertens opens the window and sticks her head out for some air clears confusion quickly turns to Harley Quinn all the jets around Spalding was reason I can't tell my rebellions for my writings if you're not stopping favourites for 54 camila cabello English

We are also fucked Bishop Street the go ahead towards Bishopsgate the art of the historic Derry walls Claire swag from an energy drink it say it again about 10:30 p.m.

To clean your master and to give you hiding you don't waste your time like that.

I don't know you're gonna get all this.

I don't want to be an apple.

We can do is try and find at the feet of one of the officers a little jack russell it barks oppidan ruc.

Man doesn't look like to hear.

Save after and the Gang follow here.

What are we doing gozanti-class and diagnosis church and ants and Ancient and beautiful Catholic Church filled with her paintings candles burn and Elsa and looked around wildly delicious enjoying her hair at the back of the church that a huge statue of the Virgin Mary Claire nails before it's hands clasped in prayer of course try to butter up the Bible miracles greatest lifestyle definitely pass.

We've been there before you know it falls.

I know it's balls.

Are you sure you don't want me imagining it before saying honey split deprivation piano delusional personality disorder the mark of a small dog looks up a dog's tail pokes through the horrible floorboards of The Choir loft area and carefully follows a little dog across the pure and heroin stare up at the statue.

Ok? Ok right left it at the same time every 1 takeaway right SE13 choir loft and draws closer to the little dog it stops by the organ lift the leg.

No no no no no no no he starts to pay one to escape through the cracks in the floor boards declare screaming from Below Dallas cast in amazement.

No wings I have run down the statues face because we need a miracle this isn't America you're going to be ok, but it says use clear.

Pictures of Sally I've never enjoyed and Edinburgh session as a reaction to the serious understandably has been phenomenal.

We've got a load of headlines up there.

It's just been an out-and-out success now.

I want to get this right is being channel fours biggest comedy launched since 2004 and the biggest series ever in Northern Ireland ever are you surprised by that? I'm going to think I should have probably ask the Irish people are you surprised? I didn't know that actually in Ireland this we definitely knew that it would be still.

Myself, I really felt that reflected the people reflected that sense of humour and I definitely need and never been done before but I don't think any of us could have ever imagined to resonate so well across the water that and that was stuck the amazing thing about it in a lovely thing about the people connected to this not even really given the background, but they connected to these gears and connected to the big family and what it's like in a working-class family in working-class people.

Just got it.

Immediately was amazing like that work when the first episode came out because we know we finish filming in July that didn't come out till January so it was a big wait for us to see it, but it was insane cos I have talked to Dylan about and I said that you know Irish audiences are really hard.

It's very honest but really hearty.

They don't like something they will tell you so I said like I kind of thought we'd have a very small dedicated fanbase, but none of us knew it would be such a stand up for you back in England and I know a lot of you now live in London as well.

Don't you but back in England with you surprised?

Yeah, we're good to hear this because I've got quite surprised as well and that is the biggest Channel 4 launch since 2004 and in such a massive success is surprising.

Why do you think is resonated with people I guess because I think Lisa is just done an amazing, but obviously everybody's done an amazing job but in terms of bouncing up.

What is specific about it, but also what is universal about it, but I think again you never talked about the family and we talked about those kind of the point universal teenage things but not really particular place with really particular voices and I think she just hit it right so she just in case it's partly about timing of coming back to what was saying earlier on about the fact that London Irish it didn't work so well and yet this really is I think we do love London Irish

This makes it kind, but it was a great training ground even though it was its own thing and I love doing that was a very special show for me, but I'm glad I did it first.

I think I was really worried think these guys are much more confident than me.

I was worried about the accident one thing being Northern Irish which London Irish was being there is something it's like people in Northern Ireland don't understand then to be honest.

I was worried about before female leads.

I was worried.

If people would want to watch that sent Young Ones interest in young women those really thought the same as an icon of a small dedicated and pleasantly surprised that people just when you know we like these characters and adding people were ready for a group of young women that were bold and were not there were making the mistakes and we're doing the bad things and was a horrible people because I don't always want the women I watch to be strong and Powerful

Don't know if you know it on TV sometimes, I have to have the great job and you know sometimes have just as stupid as the main and that you know that's enjoyable as well as that you didn't make sure about teen girls that are just boy obsessed and it's not although I was really really struggling in my Freaks and Geeks but with guys in The Inbetweeners guys, so is it it's amazing to be pregnant with a disability remember someone had said and so it should be cos I don't need a fucking software woman is stronger aircraft her know.

She's just a bit of a dick and I definitely.

Talk about the salon in the Green Room the fact that you were slightly concerned about for female Levi and that you were asked to know should we be moderate in this character know so you know absolutely partly.

This is about time and isn't it the fact that it's it is time to see strong women funny women stupid women looking glamorous and then we were acting like oh my god.

I'm not trying to be pretty or anything like that like Microsoft great with not like holding us back.

So we kind of reporting it to be weirder and weirder and we stay back on giving too much this equity much faces and see much the same time because that's what you're like when you're a teenager don't have a self awareness than that was deathly one of my favourite things about all the characters.

Don't think they're not yet woman.

They are still children.

Reaction package Madness together and be realistic eyes and it's realistic.

What has the fan reaction because you've been really kind of like an undated haven't you got some social media pretty brilliant.

Just just tell us a little bit so Nicola you've got some good stories.

Haven't you other things you should I get a love letter to middle-age men which is Vodafone looking like that.

Ok? I just interested like it's ok mate.

I really didn't mean.

How people come and give me some Like baby gets sent stuff all the time we get since presents and I got a t-shirt with I'm not being an individual on my own sent to me generous with awesome.

If so supportive there anything I know sometimes.

It's because my character is quite mad and they said that that's what I'm like with you in the street and be mental don't like to know why I just get Mom's and granny's hugging me and give me kids party.

That's why I was saying you so they fly under the radar you get ignored.

When will even do it a lot deal with like it? Is it difficult if so love I am in the response Curve not in it.

We had at home.

It was really when the show first came out.

I was actually doing a play in London why wasn't home for six months after the show came out in the family and she was absolutely mental 9 in 6 months a lot of free blow dries mertens homemade still constantly worry about you.

Also get us all day now that you're her.

Yeah.

I've actually got a lot of interesting dies.

Directions to iCloud who's Thomas and Dungiven Derry end, so it's a people genuinely think that you are your character.

Don't don't always visible.

I'd do you like Sunday dinner party which I like but I really can I have six tequila shots of like now.

It's too complicated this Newfound notoriety and fail.

I mean I think we again often forget that you are performance your ordinary people and so suddenly thrust into the

I like to be so successful can be overwhelming for managing with it now like I forget if I took 820000 hours that like I forget my son has a bit weakling stupid that a lot of people don't like I see someone's been tweeting again and I don't feel it as much as I was really unsuccessful very long time so I like this is great.

I'm happy that I was Louise earlier on when you said, I've only just quit my job and show me the nearest one job.

I just want to go that way sometime txunamy.

I think that's an important things even though she did very misleading and I just show when you're working and stuff like that for job all very now moving on to one of the other characters in The Show one of my favorites that she's a real person.

Yeah, she's a combination of a few teachers.

I had out basically went to dance schools are very thinly disguised in the TV series and just these women that you were terrified of and they just had a spot.

I don't know if it's still the same but we just petrified of a number of teachers and 11.

Animal is afraid, she'll be watching I add an event in Derry and she obviously I just seen the show but she said she no good luck with all the work and god bless you forever and I was like she's just so annoyed at all the swearing on it and she you know bit later.

Bye my god want to make one of my all teachers you know but yeah, just one of those real.

No nonsense genius.

She's didn't have been brought up in the church as well.

I recognise the difference between livid when we doing things without her as well, so she's definitely gonna be following what's going on.

I'm really badly that you're having fun without me and I cannot.

As was the guy who plays the priest and a number of people on the street develop these relationships with we knew she was dead funny and we wanted to find out she and she absolutely right for this role.

I also think that that's that's what they cover those experiences are good for edition collaboration learnt a lot of stuff.

It hasn't worked but finally we've ended up here, but it's taken a while.

I've heard that you've had famous people in Ireland as well approaching him very well known people saying I want to be in the show he who are you able to say probably thinks they're all great but it's just does not so many of them are having a hard time.

The name of them think that maybe 11e include any joy of any room for anybody who would you like to say I absolutely well go for it.

Go on love Family yeah.

I just think and we worked with them before and he's just got that real.

I think love watching him and he's funny and you like him.

He's got that likeability think so yeah, so it is maybe your head that he might be making an appearance and most of the parts.

I write 10 degree women so this is as often as I can even know you know it's not often you can.

Introduction for series 2 and you go back to work on Monday thank you were saying for this.

I think it's also really important to say that when my can I was chatting earlier on that you were saying this is only my second job in TV is that right right first comedy in television and you were saying it that you find is much much harder than the other stuff that that you don't know just why is that anyway when you're on said I don't have to work that has to work on said I think it's a black man if it's not funny.

You're not going to get away with it in the Attic room think that I found one of them some drum and bass maybe you could go I will fix that the other day will come in at from inside the button comedy there's much more black and white it is so fine that really really.

Doesn't do comedy I find that the fascinating insight that it have to be so precise and that you can't just fix it in the Edit because you know the stuff I did and always be fixed in the Edit that that that is an inside your skill I think that you have you have to be so brilliant onset and certainly in terms of the writing performance and the direction it is very interesting to me, so you've gone into production of series to you about to go into production, but you're not giving the cost any tips.

Are you tell him anything because we want to sort of torture them and we don't want and then you know if you just don't trust this guy that she dropping some of the characters.

I got the questions coming through on the app.

Ok the cast of posted some amazing behind the scenes antics on Twitter are there any highlights of what you got up to when the cameras were rolling my god, I was terrible in the last week and they went out and got a size two coffees and Louisa wouldn't let it strictly professional so unlike your character look so Humble

You look stunning and smoked a pumping your in the uniform and Claire always had every bit of the uniform on crack isn't always together like they sit on a bench but then like too many stomachs of grumbling and then I was shaking with adjustable Nicola commandos.

What is this so funny? We're all the dance of course?

And then we're in Dunnes apartments, I can get it and then go back to my nipple piercing.

I love young boys final question was good one Brendan of service form wasn't unexpected tearjerker.

Can we expect more touching moments Lisa from Series 2.

Yes, or not there something like um of that scale hospital.

Not not as not as bad as that but yet touching I was saying I'm going to sort of 10:30.

So it will be probably all the laughs and then at the end of your going to have a little bit of pay for hopefully.

That's the alien ISO ok.

I'm sadly we are going to have to end which are I'm gutted about so I'm scared.

I know you're not in order but

Mike search for Jamie Lee Louisa Nicola Dylan at thank you so very much.

Thanks to the Edinburgh International television Festival for allowing us to share that event review for more great sessions from the festival head to their YouTube channel now the media podcast will return in its ordinary form in October so stay subscribed to hear a new episodes as soon as they are published and if you want to help support the cost of making the show that UK's home of independent Media analysis, please head to our website and give generously it's the media podcast Ofcom / donate I can only man this was 8 PPM production produced by Matt Hill and Peter price until next time.

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international television festival in August the event was hosted by Anna Richardson