Writing a Successful Comedy
This workshop will help you take your concept to the next level and deliver a tightly crafted comedy that sells!
What’s in it for You?
Based on the innovative Story-Type Method®, this 2-day module explores essential tools for developing a successful comedy, either for Film or TV.
For example, we’ll take a look at the way we can use Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to increase the chances of reaching our target audience in a comedy. We’ll also explore comedy sub-genres, the anatomy of a gag and how humor comes from conflict and surprise. We’ll see how high concept comedies are almost always based on dramatic irony, and how fully understanding this powerful tool gives you the edge in comedy writing (and pitching!).
From designing a classical misunderstanding to shaping the structure of scenes, sequences and even the whole screenplay, this workshop should help raise your comedy writing and development skills to the next level.
Using clips, examples and detailed case studies from successful comedies such as The Hangover, The Young Offenders, Tootsie, Midnight Run, The Circus, Life is Beautiful, There’s Something About Mary, Juno, Silver Linings Playbook, Groundhog Day, Bridesmaids, Parenthood, Friends, The Intouchables, As Good As It Gets, The Court Jester, Love Actually, Goodby Lenin, Little Miss Sunshine, The Apartment, 500 Days of Summer, The Heat, Adaptation and many others, we’ll look at the storytelling tools and techniques needed to master this very popular genre.
This workshop is usually commissioned by independent producers, studios, regional/national film funds or training organisations.
Please see the FAQs below for more details.
Writing a Successful Comedy Workshop
Fees on July 1st, 2024
Excl. 20% UK VAT where applicable
INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION COMPANY
£3,995
for 5-9 participants
- Includes preparation and online delivery (using our webinar platform & Zoom)
- Partial in-person delivery, travel & accommodation costs on top (please see the FAQs below)
- A/V equipment / Meeting room not included
- Max. 9 participants
Would you like to bring your script development skills to the next level and give your comedy project a total makeover?
This package will train creative producers, development execs, story editors and writer/directors working for the same independent production company, making sure that everyone in the team is on the same page and equipped with the best tools when discussing comedies. A separate slate assessment service can be arranged (fee to be defined depending on the number of projects in development).
One or more extra day(s) for project work can also be booked alongside the workshop to allow meetings on individual projects immediately after the last day. See the next column for more details.
This add-on module is an extension of our Advanced Script Development Workshop. Participants are expected to have attended the main workshop / course or read Screenwriting Unchained.
OPTIONAL ONE-TO-ONE DAY
£2,995 (4 projects)
for project work meetings
- Includes preparation and online delivery (using Zoom)
- In-person delivery, travel & accommodation costs on top (please see the FAQs below)
- Each meeting is an extended script chat (up to 90 min.)
- £695 for each additional project
- Actual fee varies, written notes optional
While the comedy workshop is very practical and allows the participants to focus on a specific project if they want to, there is no time during the workshop to discuss individual projects.
A number of extra days can therefore be booked along with the workshop to make time for specific projects, read in advance (130 pages max.), to be discussed with the creative team (producer, writer, director, story editor) immediately after the last day. All the participants to the meeting have to have followed the workshop.
We’ll focus on the strengths and weaknesses of each project, as well as the way forward.
For more extensive project work following this workshop, you might want to consider this new hands-on extension of our Advanced Development Workshop: The Rewrite Stuff – 12 Ways to a Stronger Screenplay, which can be adapted specifically for comedy projects.
REGIONAL/NATIONAL FUND OR STUDIO
From £4,995
for 10-20 participants
- Includes preparation and online delivery (using our webinar platform & Zoom)
- Partial in-person delivery, travel & accommodation costs on top (please see the FAQs below)
- A/V equipment / Meeting room not included
- £249 for each additional participant
This version of the workshop is aimed at regional / national funds or organisations who would like to train a larger number of participants (usually up to 48, though more is technically possible). It’s also the option a studio would go for to train their development team and writers developing projects with them.
The content of the workshop can be fine-tuned to a specific audience (for example producers, story editors and development execs, or writers and directors).
While the tools are the same, the approach can be different depending on the participants’ role in development. This being said, the workshop works equally well with a mixed audience as long as participants have roughly the same level of experience.
This add-on module is an extension of our Advanced Script Development Workshop. Participants are expected to have attended the main workshop / course or read Screenwriting Unchained.
Who might want to attend a Story-Type Method workshop?
This is an Advanced Script Development Workshop add-on, so it's not for complete beginners.
Most of our alumni are working professionals.
How is the workshop delivered?
This workshop is delivered live, online, over two consecutive days. We use advanced presentation tools to deliver an interactive, engaging experience including polls, chats, Q&As and hands-on group work.
Travel permitting, it is possible to deliver the final live session of the workshop in person if optional one-to-one meetings have also been commissioned for an additional fee. Please contact us for more details.
Are there prerequisites or language requirements?
All our courses are delivered in English, so a good verbal understanding of the language is necessary.
This add-on module is an extension of our Advanced Script Development Workshop. Participants are expected to have attended the main workshop, done the main course or read Screenwriting Unchained.
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