ebook img

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Comedy Writing PDF

352 Pages·2004·5.88 MB·english
Save to my drive
Quick download
Download
Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.

Preview The Complete Idiot's Guide to Comedy Writing

"[Jim is] a great comic and a great student of comedy.... [He] came up the hard way and is now sharing all tJ&MPWj^ he has learned with you." —Colin Quinn, host of Comedy Central's Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn Comedy W r i t i ng • Expert advice on developing your instincts and mining comic gold from everyday life • Professional exercises to help you practice your craft and get the laughs every time • Insider tips on writing jokes, cartoons, film scripts, sitcom treatments, and more James Mendrinos Dear Reader, I would imagine that shortly after man emerged from the primordial ooze, he slipped and fell. Others nearby witnessed his tush hitting the ground and burst into laughter. Noticing that laughter felt good, they then dedi cated their miserable existence to creating comedy. As man evolved, so did the need for laughter. We found that we could make political points with comedy. We could educate through laughter. Most important, we could use laughter simply to make each other feel good. I've spent my life finding the nuances of comedy and studying its broad strokes. Putting those nuances and broad strokes on these pages has brought me back to the reason why I became a comedy writer—nothing is more sat isfying than having people's faces light up with laughter because of something I said or did. This book demystifies the process of comedy writing. It is meant to inspire your own creative impulse and help you bring that impulse to life. It covers a wide spectrum of comedy writing so you and your sense of humor can explore many genres. I believe this book will help you reach your goal of writing better comedy— or help you get started. I hope the learning process is fun for you. Above all, I hope that after reading this book, you will write something that inspires people to laugh. Enjoy the road, and welcome to the comedy writers' fraternity! James Mendrinos Comedy Writing by James Mendrinos A ALPHA A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. To my wife, Leigh ann, who inspires and amazes me every day. I couldnh do it without you, nor would I want to. Copyright © 200*1 by James Mendrinos All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsi bility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of informa tion contained herein. For information, address Alpha Books, 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240. THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO and Design are registered trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. International Standard Book Number: 1-59257-231-6 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2004103232 06 05 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of numbers is the year of the book's printing; the rightmost number of the second series of numbers is the number of the book's printing. For example, a printing code of 04-1 shows that the first printing occurred in 2004. Printed in the United States of America Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the author and pub lisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a competent professional should be consulted. The author and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or other wise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirecdy, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book. Most Alpha books are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. Special books, or book excerpts, can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write: Special Markets, Alpha Books, 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. Publisher: Marie Butler-Knight Product Manager: Phil Kitchel Senior Managing Editor: Jennifer Chisholm Senior Acquisitions Editor: Renee Wilmeth Development Editor: Christy Wagner Senior Production Editor: Billy Fields Copy Editor: Nancy Wagner Illustrator: Chris Eliopoulos Cover/Book Designer: Trina Wurst Indexer: Heather McNeil Layout/Proofreading: John Etchison, Rebecca Harmon Contents at a Glance Parti: Finding the Funny I 1 What's Funny? 3 Learn how to spot a sidesplitting idea at 40 paces. 2 You Are Funny 15 Contrary to popular belief you have a sense of humor and can whip it out anytime you want—unless you're in mixed company ... 3 Looking for the Funny 25 Find out where the laughs have been hiding for all this time. 4 Types of Comedy 3 3 Now that you've started writing "it," what the heck is "it"? Part 2: Basic Comedy Construction ti 5 Building a Laugh 45 A pinch of this, a dash of that makes a recipe for laughter. 6 Comedy Writing Rules 59 Yes, there are rules you have to follow. 7 Know What You're Talking About 67 Here we have the premise in all its glory! 8 Exploring Your Point of View 77 Add you to your jokes. 9 Let's Twist Again 87 At last, we get to the funny part. 10 Congratulations! It's Funny 95 Put together all the pieces to create a funny puzzle. Part 3: The Art of Comedy Writing 103 11 Long-Form Comedy 105 Move from FADE IN to "and they all lived happily ever after..." 12 Comedy Is Life 119 Give your jokes a shot of reality. 13 It's All About the Words 129 Grab your thesaurus and start flipping! 14 Going All the Way 137 Don h hold anything back—anything. Part k The (raft of Comedy Writing R3 15 Learning to Let Go 145 Give your jokes a face-lift—its nip-and-tuck time. 16 Everything Old Is New Again 155 Like that curry you ate just before bed, ideas keep repeating. 17 Who's Going to Laugh at This? 163 If you don V know your audience, you probably don H have one. 18 Not All Jokes Work Everywhere 171 Better now or now? Find the right comedy fit. 19 Preparing to Be Professional 181 Think you're ready to hit the comedy circuit? Not yet, my friend. 20 If It's Funny, It's Money 193 Get paid for your kind of comedy. Part 5: Different Jokes for Different Folks 211 21 Comedy on the Page 213 If it is supposed to read funny, heres how you write it. 22 Sitcoms 229 Not ready for prime time? Heres the fast track to the networks. 23 Ensemble Comedy 249 Sometimes you have to write a village to create comedy. 24 Solo Comedy Professionals 269 This is comedy for the lone performer. IS Add a Dash of Funny 277 Comedy is a spice; add a dash to your writing. Appendixes A Glossary 285 B Something to Do Every Day 291 C Where to Go for Help 307 D Annotated Taina Script 311 Index 319 Contents Parti: Finding the Funny 1 1 What's Funny? 3 The Many Faces of Comedy 4 Comedy for the Page 5 Articles of Comedy 6 Humorous Fiction 6 Cartoons and Captions 7 Joke Book Jokes 8 Comedy for Ensemble Performers 8 Comedy on the Stage 9 Sketch Comedy 9 Comedy on the Big Screen 10 Sitcoms 10 Comedy Teams 11 Comedy for One 12 Stand-Up Comedy 12 Topical Comedy for TV and Radio 12 Humor for Speeches 13 Common Threads in All Comedy 13 2 You Are Funny 15 Why People Laugh 15 Laughter Is an Emotional Response 16 All Things Familiar 11 I Wish I Would Have Said That! 11 Extremes 18 Shocked Into Laughing 18 Just Plain Silly 19 Growing a Funny Bone 19 Write Down Everything 19 If You Express It, They Will Laugh 20 All Ideas Should Be Explored 21 Keeping Track of It All 21 Organizing Ideas 22 Ordering Ideas 22 vi The Complete Idiot's Guide to Comedy Writing What Makes You Laugh? 23 Learning to Express Your Funny Side 23 Exercise: Jump-Start Your Creativity with Nouns 23 3 Looking for the Funny 25 Inspiration vs. Perspiration IS Come Up with a Concept 26 Train Your Writing Muscle 26 Hold Your Schedule Sacred 21 The Best Places to Find Comedy Ideas 28 Putting a Face on the Idea 28 Putting Yourself in Your Comedy 29 Comedy Is Just Around the Corner 29 Idea vs. Premise 29 Examine Each Situation for Comedy Potential 30 Whats Funny About This? 30 Exercise—the Comedy Expedition 31 k Types of Comedy 33 Humor Has Categories 34 The Four Types of Comedy 34 But Aren't They All Just Jokes? 34 Comedy-Type Terminology 35 Stand-Alone Jokes 35 How Many Writers Does It Take to Change a Lightbulb? 35 One-Liners 36 Insult Humor 31 Story Jokes 37 Monologues 31 Rants 38 Performance Art 38 Physical Jokes 39 Sight Gags 39 Falls, Trips, and Slips 39 Props 40 Character Jokes 40 Jokes About the Character 40 Comedy from the Character 41 Contents vii Part 2: Basic Comedy Construction B 5 Building a Laugh 4S The Universal Joke Formula 45 Premise: The Subject 47 Point of View: How You See It 49 Making a Match 50 POVfor Longer Comedy Pieces 51 The Twist: Getting to the Humor 51 Comparisons 52 Word Plays 53 Misdirections 54 Pop Culture References 55 Keeping the Comedy Visual 56 6 Comedy Writing Rules 59 Clarity Is Everything 59 Simple Jokes for All Kinds of Folks 60 More Better Language 60 Language, Fair or Foul? 61 Huh? 61 End on a Trigger 62 Go All the Way 62 Soul-Searching Comedy 63 It's All About Emotions 64 Stay on Topic 64 Make It Matter 65 7 Know What You're Talking About 67 The Premise 68 Lots of Funny Roads 68 The Back of Your Hand 68 One Is Okay 69 Don't Suck 10 Research Everything 71 The Subject Isn't the Subject 72 Funny Focus 72 Distracted Art Form 75 Identifying the Funny 13 Clarifying the Funny 13 viii The Complete Idiot's Guide to Comedy Writing Organizing All This Information 74 Be Sure You're Sure About the Joke 75 8 Exploring Your Point of View 77 POV Defines Comedic Voice 77 Comedic Voice for the Stage IS Comedic Voice for the Page 18 Comedic Voice for the Purely Visual Joke IS Basic Emotions 79 Emotions Come from Within 19 Changing Behavior SO Emotional Triggers SO Emotions Are Intense 80 Everyone Is Different Emotionally 81 Multiple Emotions 81 State of Being 82 Don't Suck, Part Two 82 Be Honest 83 Link the POV to the Premise 83 Make Your POV Active 83 "I Get It!" 84 Make It Uncommon 84 Give Yourself Some Wiggle Room 84 Be Sure It Fits 85 Try Something New 85 9 Let's Twist Again 87 Choosing the Right Twist 87 Putting In an Effort 88 Making an Effort 89 Surprise! 90 Misdirection Revisited 90 Exaggerated Reactions 90 Nothing but the Truth 91 Mix It Up 92 Clear Twists 92 Twists on Top of Twists 93 Toppers 93 Tags 93 Callbacks 94

See more

The list of books you might like

Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.