Emma Parkinson's comic relief

What was your route into comedy directing?

I loved making people laugh growing up. I did stand-up in primary school, I was making silly videos with friends as a teenager. But I didn't really see it as a valuable quality. 

After a few years of exclusively making ‘very serious stuff’, I made a couple of music videos that had some funnier elements, so they lent themselves to me getting back into comedy. I found that experience of messing around again and trying to create something silly with friends really freeing. 

I try to make sure that there’s an ambition other than just making people laugh, because I think it’s a pretty terrifying goal to have.

I later did an internship with Wieden + Kennedy, and we had to make a short film. I decided to do a comedy mockumentary for that, and it was just really fun. Over 2020, I started writing more and more comedy. And it just seems to be where I've landed for now. I didn't really expect it.

What qualities do you think it takes to make a good comedy director?

Knowing where to be precise with your execution, but also knowing where you can let your cast and crew have a little bit of fun, to find those more spontaneous funny moments as well. (I’m not like a regular control freak, I’m a cool control freak).

How much of your comedy comes from your writing, and how much happens spontaneously on set?

I do map it out a lot in the writing, very much so with Dishes Dishes Dishes. Same with I love you, Rob - I had some key images in the back of my head. But also, whenever I'm writing, I do think, ‘is this just me? Are people going to find this funny?’ 

I was reflecting on the fact that my mum and I both experienced some Valentine's Day heartbreak. Rather than focus on my personal pain, I thought I'd exploit hers. 

What I started doing last year was sending scripts to people who were mutuals, but didn't know me very well. And I wouldn't give any context as to whether or not it was a comedy script. If they came back, and they were like, ‘Oh, this is funny’, then cool. Phew.

But I suppose with all the writing I do, I try to make sure that there’s an ambition other than just making people laugh, because I think it’s a pretty terrifying goal to have.

Above: A still from Parkinson's film, I love you, Rob. 

The casting really makes your work, how do you choose the actors? Did you know the cast for Dishes already?

No, I didn't. They were so amazing. I worked with Lane Casting, who are great. They helped me to find them. We did a round of self tapes and then a round of in person callbacks. They didn't actually read together, but they were both individually just so naturally funny. I brought them together on a call after they'd been cast just to check that they were going to get on well, and they did. 

It was, in some ways, just a nice story to tell myself, to say that heartbreak hurts, but it often leads to good things in the future.

With the film I love you, Rob, it was different. I just put a photo of the actual Rob that I found in my mum's photo album on my Instagram, and I said, 'Does anyone know anyone who looks like this guy?'

Can you tell us a bit more about I love you, Rob? 

I was reflecting on the fact that my mum and I both experienced some Valentine's Day heartbreak. Rather than focus on my personal pain, I thought I'd exploit hers. 

I don't know if it's that relatable an experience, for your mother to tell you about her dating history, but I just remember as I was growing up, and as I was getting into relationships for the first time, this guy kept coming up. 

Romantic relationships are the one area in our lives where it’s (unfortunately) impossible to avoid conflict.

I wanted to tell this story in a way that reflected how I received it as a kid, which was like a story book, retelling it with these 2D characters who didn't necessarily feel like real people with real feelings. It was, in some ways, just a nice story to tell myself, to say that heartbreak hurts, but it often leads to good things in the future. And maybe one day your ex's child will make a film about you. 

Intense eye contact and breaking the fourth wall play a big role in your work, it's reminiscent of Peep Show. Can you tell us more about that? 

Definitely. I love [Peep Show writers] Jesse Armstrong and Simon Blackwell. I think they’re really great writers. Peep Show is definitely an influence.

I love some awkward eye contact. There's just something super funny about central framing, your eyes carry so much expression. Especially when I'm working with someone like Dan from Dishes Dishes Dishes. He's got these big, expressive, pain-soaked eyes. I was watching him, like, how do you do that? How do you do that?!

I think it's a relief, isn't it? To know that someone else experiences the same frustration that you do? 

Relationships are a recurring theme in your work, why's that?

They’re an easy target. Romantic relationships are the one area in our lives where it’s (unfortunately) impossible to avoid conflict. And for so many of us, especially Brits, we’re really not used to engaging in that in a healthy and productive way. There's lots of humour to be found there. For example with ‘Dishes’, it's less about the washing up and more about the anxiety of knowing what you want, and not being able to communicate that to the person that you're with.

Above: Series such as Peep Show have inspired Parkinson's work.

Are there any comedy idols or inspirations that inform your work?

It's difficult - the range of influence is so wide nowadays. You have the internet, and TikTok, and YouTube, and all this other stuff that I grew up with. It wasn't just cinematic references. When it comes to film, I would say early Ruben Ostlund (Swedish filmmaker best known for his black comedic and satirical films), and early Joanna Hogg (British film director and screenwriter), especially her film Archipelago. Dramas that just happen to be very, very funny.

Recently, I just finished TV series Beef. Which is not necessarily funny ‘Ha, ha’ for me, but it tickled me a lot. Just good, nuanced, relatable humour.

Why do you think relatable humour works so well? 

I think it's a relief, isn't it? To know that someone else experiences the same frustration that you do? So much of the time it is about the negative; about being anxious or being pissed off, or being intrigued or turned on by something that you ‘shouldn't’ be.

 I just think people are more savvy to the difference between good (truthful) observational comedy and boring (misinformed) offensive statements.

I think any negative feeling can feel a bit isolating at times. Relatable comedy just helps. I hope it's sort of therapeutic. The internet is obviously full of it, and I like how niche it gets online. It also gets quite traumatic, especially on TikTok. You get a lot of young people sharing stuff that I really think would be better off in a therapist's office. But maybe teenagers today will just be really funny adults. 

Above: A still from Parkinson's film, I love you, Rob.

Do you think the way we consume and express humour on social media will change comedy?

The comedy that I get served on my feed is a lot more expressionistic. And, it doesn't necessarily function in the same way that traditional TV comedy works. You don't find as many straight jokes. It’s often very visceral, and it tickles you rather than invites a laugh. 

I think there's a stereotype that my generation gets way more offended by things, which I’m so offended by! 

You're probably not going to properly laugh while scrolling, so I think that the way in which people consume and engage with comedy is going to be really different. And I think that means that stylistically it changes, too.

What's changing in the world that comedy directors should be keeping up with? 

I think there's a stereotype that my generation gets way more offended by things, which I’m so offended by! 

To be honest, I just think people are more savvy to the difference between good (truthful) observational comedy and boring (misinformed) offensive statements. Having a broader range of representation on the comedy circuit means that we have a more diverse range of observational jokes that are genuinely funnier, and well-natured.  

There’s potentially a bit of fear from older generations of comedy makers that their stuff won't fly anymore? But I think that they potentially underestimate the fact that understanding and acknowledging where they’re approaching a gag from makes a big difference.

Above: A still from Parkinson's film, Dishes Dishes Dishes.

It's important for comedy to be self aware, isn't it?

Yeah, this is the thing about good satire or observational humour, is that it treads that line really well. I think unfortunately, some older comedians have used their platforms to bulldoze that line, to just be inflammatory or mean. 

I think the show It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia does it really well. You’re never under the impression that their characters are right. They never try to suggest that, ‘actually, we're the good guys here’. When they’re being provocative they actively call each other out in scene. It still feels prickly, but playful!

And all this said, sometimes people need to get stuff wrong. And to go a bit too far. But, they need to be able to then say, ‘oh, yeah, okay, that was where the line was’. Not double down.