Ricky Gervais: My first time directing something I didn't write and I'm not in

It’s the BBC Comedy Short film he directed, written by Harry Carlile and Jonathan Parramint.

The film is Ricky’s first BBC project in 10 years and something of a milestone for the award-winning comic: “This is the first time I've directed something that I didn't write and that I wasn't in. It's always been me, really.”

The short film centres on Grace (Seroca Davis) and Jim (Joe Wilkinson), two strangers contemplating suicide that have a life-changing interaction by the side of a train track.

“It was about paths crossing and strangers meeting, life and death, and depression,” Ricky says about Jonathan and Harry’s script. “It was just a little glimpse, a little eavesdrop into two people's lives.”

Ultimately for Ricky, who is well-known for The Office, After Life and Extras, the short film is about hope: “It's a human thing, you know? However logical you are, however realistic you are, whether you're a believer or an atheist, everyone's got hope - whether it's rational or not.”

The film is part of BBC Three’s Comedy Short Films strand, which aims to showcase original and experimental shorts from established and up-and-coming talent.

Using a short film to take a script to the screen for the first time is an invaluable process for new writers. As Ricky explains, sending off a short film of David Brent, the main character in The Office, helped him secure a commission.

“If I’d have sent The Office off as a script, it would still be in someone's drawer. The fact that I filmed 10 minutes of David Brent, that’s a different kettle of fish.”

‘The big anxiety is, is it good enough?’

7 Minutes is a project close to home for Ricky, as writer Jonathan has worked as his assistant and road manager for about seven years.

Jonathan was initially a runner on Derek, Ricky's Emmy-nominated mockumentary series, before becoming the comedian's personal assistant on his film David Brent: Life on the Road.

While the script was strong, the tricky thing with directing a short film, Ricky notes, is the lack of a live audience: “Stand-up is more assured because it’s evolution by natural selection. All those audiences have told you the funny bits.”

But with scripted comedy, you have to guess what your audience will find funny when editing. “The big anxiety is, is it good enough? If it isn't, you shouldn't do it,” Ricky says.

Being a director and a producer, Ricky says it’s important to have back-up plans. “You've got to have a Plan B and a Plan C.”

He adds that when it comes to thinking about everything that could go wrong on a set, Ricky feels like “a conspiracy theorist, like the world is going to try and ruin this”.

This cautious approach was a huge asset, Jonathan says. “With Ricky, there's such a depth of experience, he knows every pitfall, every mistake we could make.”

‘Ricky’s always mucking around’

Writers Harry and Jonathan became best friends working in the same office in London, trying to make each other laugh.

And mucking about proved integral to their creative process. “We sat next to each other and it just snowballed from there,” Harry says. “Having someone that you bounce off is so much a part of it.”

It’s also something Jonathan’s noticed from years of working with Ricky: “He never stops mucking around. The little things, little asides and little characters that he’ll come up with in the car, or office, or backstage can become something.”

Ricky agrees, explaining that it’s important to enjoy the process: “The excitement is coming up with something that's yours, otherwise you might as well use AI.”

It’s also important to stick to your guns, Ricky adds: “I don't think you can rely on everyone in the world to give you good advice. Why should they? You've got to do it for you, because they could be wrong.”

Good comedy, Ricky explains, allows us to play out our deepest fears in a safe, hopeful way.

“It's visceral. It's about all our fears and worries. It celebrates our flaws, we laugh at our flaws and we recognise our flaws in others. It's like an exorcism.”

While it can be incredibly emotional, Ricky is quick to add that “comedy is an intellectual pursuit. Particularly jokes, because they're a little magic trick - a misdirection. You think it's one thing and it's another.”

You can watch 7 Minutes, along with the other comedy shorts, on BBC iPlayer now.

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