Meet 2017 Funny Women Awards Finalist Maisie Adam!

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Funny Women

The standard of the 2017 Funny Women Awards Regional Finals has been exceptional. In recognition of this, we are pleased to announce four wildcards – bringing the 2017 Funny Women Awards finalists up to 10. Having stormed our  Brighton Regional Final we picked runner-up Maisie Adam as a Wildcard who will go through to the Funny Women Awards Final on 12th March.

Funny Women: How does it feel to be through to the Funny Women Awards final?

Maisie Adam: It feels bloody brilliant! The standard has been so high, and I’ve just loved seeing everyone’s stuff and to just be part of it. To have made the Final is the cherry on top, I’m super grateful and so excited for it – what a final it’s going to be!

Maisie with Amy Mason & runner-up Katherine Atkinson

FW: How did you get started in comedy?

MA: A friend of mine was putting on a fundraiser for International Women’s Day at the local social club and she wanted an all-female line up. She had booked these brilliant local musicians and singers but didn’t have anyone to MC the night. She asked me if I’d want to do it, and before I thought about it I heard myself just saying “yes”. I spent the next couple of weeks in the run-up to the event panicking on what I was going to say, so I wrote a couple of jokes I thought might work, and they did! From that, I thought stand-up comedy was the best thing in the world and I did as much of it as I could wherever I could.

FW: Who is your comedy inspiration?

MA: Obviously Victoria Wood is a huge inspiration for me, because I think she made the female perspective accessible to everyone. Especially at that time as well, the fact she had a theatre full of men and women laughing at her specific experiences and perspectives as a woman was honestly so revolutionary, and I think if it weren’t for her we wouldn’t have had other great comedians, and stand-up comedy itself wouldn’t have developed the way it did. I also think people like Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball paved the way for so many comics, particularly female comics. They stood out in such a male-dominated industry and their sense of fun made them incredibly likeable because they were so silly yet had this incredible wit.

Who are your favourite funny women?

I really like Luisa Omielan, and how she makes such personal – and often delicate –  subjects relatable and accessible to her audiences. I remember watching her show What Would Beyoncé Do? and I had honestly never seen stand-up comedy like that before. I think it’s a true masterclass for anyone looking for “the perfect solo show”.

I also really like Kristen Wiig, who I think people often just pass off as an actress but she’s an incredibly talented writer and sketch performer too. Her Saturday Night Live pieces have me crying every time; she’s our Lucille Ball I think. And of course, Jennifer Saunders. Her work – both with Dawn French in her French & Saunders stuff and also her partnership with Joanna Lumley in Ab Fab – again, made female perspectives accessible to everyone; my Dad is always in stitches watching Ab Fab. Her writing is brilliant and the characters she creates are always laugh-out-loud funny.

Catch Maisie Adam at the 2017 Funny Women Awards Charity Final on 12th March with our host Jan Ravens! For tickets and more information click here!

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From the Funny Women Team
Get notified when registration opens

Comedy Shorts Award Entry Requirements

The deadline for registration for the Comedy Shorts Award has passed.

Funny Women NextUp…Comedy Shorts Award

Are you a budding Director? Producer? Screenwriter? Are you collaborating with friends to make a funny video? Then we are looking for YOU!

If you have a short film or sketch that you think is hilarious, then enter your work for our Comedy Shorts Award to be in with a chance of winning some life-changing support and mentoring from comedy professionals.

WHAT KIND OF FILM ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

A 1- 6 minute film that can take the form of anything comical. It’s a great opportunity to show us your creative flair and have fun!

WHO CAN ENTER?

This award is open to all women filmmakers and content developers. The film must be an original narrative created, produced and devised by a woman, or women, although male cast and crew members are allowed.

ARE THERE ANY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR MY FILM?

Yes – we require all films to be 6 minutes or under, to be entirely original dialogue, to not feature brand logos and most importantly, to only use music with the written consent of the performer and/or publisher either personally or via the PRS system https://www.prsformusic.com/ .

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH MY FILM?

We will broadcast selected entries on our Funny Women YouTube channel and social media (so keep an eye out) and the top 10 finalists’ films will also hosted on a dedicated Funny Women Comedy Shorts Awards page on our website. We will also broadcast the final 3 entries as part of the grand final night.

HOW IS IT JUDGED?

Films are judged for production, concept, delivery/performance, creativity, writing and overall funniness. The top 10 films are then viewed by an independent judging panel of top television and film industry professionals who will choose one overall winner and two runners up. The final three will be invited to attend the grand final in London on the 23rd September.

WHAT CAN I WIN?

2021 Funny Women Awards Prizes

The deadline for registration for the Comedy Shorts Award has passed.

If you need further information please contact us here