How to Write Sketch Comedy
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The document discusses the process of writing sketch comedy, emphasizing the importance of a strong premise, the iterative cycle of improv and writing, and the necessity of structure and humor. It outlines various sources of inspiration for writers and actors, such as personal experiences and everyday situations, and includes practical advice on character dynamics and re-evaluating material that isn't working. Ultimately, it encourages flexibility in the writing process through continuous improvisation and iteration.
How to Write Sketch Comedy
- 1. Writing Sketch Comedy Scott Rogers Bob Ladewig
- 2. It all starts with a premise. • a set of circumstances • a character or characters • a series of setups and punchlines • you don’t need all of these to start
- 3. Where can I get a premise? • free writing and journaling • reading everything • chatting with emotionally-crippled people • a woman’s belly • showering with Bob and Scott
- 4. Scott gets inspiration from: • walking on a treadmill • showering • a long train of failed relationships and shattered dreams
- 5. Bob gets inspiration from: • riding his bicycle • showering • Scott’s journal (AKA “Scott’s long train of failed relationships and shattered dreams”)
- 6. Write It or Improvise It? • Do both. • If a complete scene is in your head, WRITE IT. • If it’s a fuzzy idea with unknown elements, IMPROVISE IT. • But seriously, do both.
- 7. Improvising the Premise • Describe the premise to the actors. • Let the actors play. • Trust the actors and their instincts. • Improv will let you know what you have.
- 8. Why Improv? • The actors aren’t constrained by your initial thoughts. • Improv will identify what’s funny, what’s not funny and what’s awful.
- 9. One for the App Developers • Improv is agile development. • Improv lets you see several designs. • Improv identifies the requirements. • Improv saves you time.
- 10. Writing the Sketch • Commit what worked in improv to the page. • Cut everything that doesn’t contribute to the sketch. • Ensure there’s a structure and an arc. • Ensure you’re telling a story (even when you’re not).
- 11. It’s an Iterative Cycle • Improvise it. • Write it. • Improvise it. • Rewrite it. • The cycle can go on as long as it needs. • We’re serious about this iterative thing.
- 12. This is Scott having an internal monologue.
- 13. This is Bob flubbing a line in his internal monologue.
- 14. What If It’s Not Funny? • Swap the actors/roles. • Change the POV. • Change the circumstances. • Throw it away and move on.
- 15. Swap the Actors/Roles • Swapping actors and roles is frequently the only change required. • This is the fastest iterative change. • This is the easiest iterative change.
- 16. Shift the POV • A premise can change significantly by shifting its POV. • Bob tries to buy a fish at the dog pound. • Scott tries to sell a fish at the dog pound.
- 17. Shift the Circumstances • A couple files for divorce at the dog pound. • Two dogs in the pound file for divorce. • A couple goes to a one-stop-shop dog pound to file for divorce and put their dogs down. • What?
- 18. What If It’s Still Not Funny? • Toss it. • If you’ve spent more than 15 minutes, and it’s still not funny, toss it. • Toss it.
- 19. Some Guidelines • Keep it to 3-5 minutes (usually). • Simplify the light/sound cues. • Props and costumes are fun, but they can be a pain. • Have fun.