The Sticking Point
most projects don’t fail, they stall
Some things might be working - a premise, a voice, a stretch of material - but the whole thing won’t hold together. You keep trying to fix the surface: more notes, more revision.
Maybe you’re…
a filmmaker chasing the version in your head.
a writer who can’t get their piece to take shape.
a comedian whose new hour won’t reveal its spine.
someone with a strong idea but no sense of how to develop it.
a theatre-maker trying to land the emotional centre.
a creator whose online work is evolving faster than the format you’re using. .
Most stalled projects don’t need more ideas or feedback. They need clarity.
I’ve helped hundreds of people shift this kind of thing for 20 years, across comedy, film and long form narrative.
“John changes how you think about the work. His involvement made my writing and video output clearer, more alive and more thorough. He’s exceptional at helping you find your voice and push it further.”
Barry Ferns
Chortle Award Winner
Founder: Angel Comedy / Creator: Barry’s Economics
What I Do
I offer a focussed diagnostic process: I help you uncover what your project wants to be and what’s stopping it from working.
I listen closely, not just to your idea, but how you talk about it: your language, your hesitations, the parts you gloss over, the parts you light up around, the moments the project contradicts itself.
My focus is clarity: what the project actually is. Not what you hoped it was or what it used to be.
I will help you identify:
the underlying argument or question
the emotional spine holding the material together
what to cut, what to protect, and what to grow
I don’t use formulas or templates and I don’t impose my voice onto yours
What People Say
"An oracle of directing. One of the key shapers of the modern comedy landscape, setting many on the road to greatness"
— The Guardian
"John Gordillo’s shows are so well-structured, they feel like essays: funny, rigorous and conceptually brilliant”
John Robins (Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner)
“Gordillo’s contribution to the evolution of the Fringe form is significant. He constructs coherence from fragments, building arguments that move between the personal, the political and philosophical”
Daniel R. Smith
Comedy & Critique (Bristol University Press)
Who Am I?
John Gordillo
I’m a writer/director and story consultant working across comedy, documentary, film and long-form narrative. For over two decades I’ve helped creators find the real shape of their projects.
I’ve directed nearly a hundred live shows, many beginning at the Edinburgh Festival before touring internationally. My shows have won awards and nominations around the world. I’ve directed specials for Eddie Izzard, Dylan Moran, Sean Lock and countless others.
I also develop documentaries, scripted projects and long-form narrative. I’ve directed a feature documentary and produced & directed series for the BBC, Channel 4 and Dave TV.
Alongside my own work, I consult with writers, filmmakers and creators who want clear structural intelligence. I’ve found that while mediums may be different, the underlying principles of story building are the same.
This carries directly into the way I work.
Working With Me
There are 3 ways I work with people
A single session where we identify what the project actually is and what’s holding it back.
You leave with:
- a clear articulation of the project’s spine.
- concrete decisions about what to cut, protect, or develop.
Afterwards, you receive:
A one-page X-Ray Report.
A concise summary of the key insights and practical next steps.
Session length: up to 90 minutes
Price: £150
QUICK 1 TO 1
(the x-ray)
A focused diagnostic for immediate clarity - especially if you don’t know where the problem is.
DEEP DIVE
(the intensive)
1. Close read
A detailed engagement with your material (script, treatment, or work-in-progress).
2. Deep dive
A forensic 2 hr consultation about
– how idea, story, structure, theme and voice align
– deeper subjects the material might be circling
– practical ways to build from here
3. The Blueprint (4–8 pages)
A written document that captures:
a) How the project currently behaves
b What it’s built to hold
(emotions, themes, new strands, devices, characters)
c) A clear, grounded proposal for a version that’s coherent, resonant and buildable.
4. Follow-up
A 45-minute session to talk through what’s clicked, what’s opened up, and how to approach the next iteration of the project.
Price: £500
A full structural read of an existing project - whether script, treatment or work-in-progress
LONGER TERM
(collaboration & guidance)
An ongoing collaboration supporting the project through development, revision, and decision-making.
This allows us to:
- respond to the work as it changes
-test choices in real time
- keep the project aligned as complexity increases.
This is for creators who want continuity, rigour, and a thinking partner — not just notes. Someone who holds the shape of the project over time so it develops with coherence and not drift.
Pricing: from £1,500/month depending on
project scale and intensity.
For companies/teams:
bespoke development packages available.
Sustained support as the work evolves.