That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

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  • That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

    I know this is a different genre with considerable discrepancies in narrative from some of the other genres.

    I'm a child teach me--teach me.

    I'm aware of the talk of about Comedy possibly undergoing some APATOW esque changes, what do I need to know about this? Is this a theory or guess, or are comedy scripts looking a lot different than usual? Dialogue heavy comedy is what all of this is concerning right?

    I'm a child teach me--teach me.

    I've written 10 short scripts the past year, and done comic work and some short story work, so this will be my first feature in a long-long time(~2 years). I had to improve in a number of areas before tackling features again, and I've done that...I am ready for laughs!!!

    I'm by no means a beginner, so save the green-green amateur pointer drama for your momma! If you write Comedy regularly, I'd love to hear what you stay away from, and what's hot in the genre right now? Is Hansel still hot right now?

    Also, name some of the really crucial script examples I can lay my eyes on. Big fan of KNOCKED UP & SUPERBAD...any other recent(2006-Current) I need to note?
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  • #2
    Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

    I'm no comedy expert by any means...

    But I've noticed the big shift in comedy has been away from screw-ball, slapschtick (Vaudville style) to more subdued, (sketch-based) dialog driven comedy like Apatow delivers.

    This presents an interesting and unpredictable comedy landscape right now because if audiences get sick of Apatow, sketch comedy they are going to want to some slapschtick to balance it out.

    For example, you have "Saving Sarah Mashall" being released... But you also have "Ms. Petigrew Lives for a Day" and another "Pink Panther" sequel coming out along with "The Love Guru" and a few more over-the-top, comedies as well.

    It also depends on the genre too.

    Most family films and comedies geared toward younger audiences are still more physical comedy-based because this is easy(ier) for kids to understand. Apatow films and something like "Wedding Crashers" are geared more toward teens and adults which means you can be a little more cerebral -- and blue -- As well as less physical.

    Bottom line:

    The secret to time travel, love, beating the bad guys, winning the girl & making people laugh all comes down to the same thing:

    Timing
    Positive outcomes. Only.

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    • #3
      Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

      Originally posted by WritersBlock2010 View Post
      Bottom line:

      The secret to time travel, love, beating the bad guys, winning the girl & making people laugh all comes down to the same thing:

      Timing
      That is correct.

      Make sure all the farts go in the right place.
      ?
      "THIMK." - Amomynous

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

        You da mens!
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        • #5
          Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

          First of all, there are no "considerable discrepancies in narrative from some of the other genres." If you approach comedy from that perspective you're doing yourself a disservice. Comedy is structured exactly like a drama, but with jokes.

          As for what kind of comedy to be writing; what kind of comedy do you love? Don't worry what Judd's doing.

          What's your favorite comedy of all time?

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          • #6
            Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

            Ashley Judd?

            SHE'S GOT A GREAT A$$!!!
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            • #7
              Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

              Originally posted by Goon Squad View Post
              What's your favorite comedy of all time?

              Hard question. REVENGE OF THE NERDS or CADDYSHACK, maybe FLETCH?
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              • #8
                Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

                Write what you know. It's gotta be about a guy who's permanently smashed and can't get any ?u$$y, right?

                -Derek

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                • #9
                  Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

                  Originally posted by Adam Isaac View Post
                  Hard question. REVENGE OF THE NERDS or CADDYSHACK, maybe FLETCH?

                  Okay, so you like movies where a smart outsider beats society at its own game. Start from there.

                  The good news is that will NEVER go out of style.

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                  • #10
                    Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

                    GOON SQUAD
                    Okay, so you like movies where
                    a smart outsider beats society at
                    its own game. Start from there.
                    (beat)
                    The good news is that will NEVER
                    go out of style.

                    CUT TO:

                    INT. MOVIE THEATER - NIGHT

                    "Smart Outsider" plays in an empty theater. A tumbleweed rolls by, even though there is no wind.

                    INT. ADAM ISAAC'S HOME OFFICE - NIGHT

                    His face contorted with rage, Adam shoves a habanero pepper up the ass of a Goon Squad voodoo doll.
                    "Tone is now engaged in a furious Google search for Leighton Meester's keester." -- A friend of mine

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                    • #11
                      Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

                      Originally posted by Ralphy W View Post
                      "Smart Outsider" plays in an empty theater.
                      I'd be there, front row center with my 3D glasses, looking up the skirts. And skirts a-plenty there will be, in an Adam Isaac movie. Jiggly bikinis, too.

                      -Derek

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                      • #12
                        Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

                        Originally posted by dpaterso View Post
                        Write what you know. It's gotta be about a guy who's permanently smashed and can't get any ?u$$y, right?

                        -Derek

                        In one scene, when he tries to get laid, his hookup throws his MAC out a 3 story apartment window after she sees his penis.

                        Double play!
                        sigpic

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                        • #13
                          Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

                          Originally posted by dpaterso View Post
                          I'd be there, front row center with my 3D glasses, looking up the skirts. And skirts a-plenty there will be, in an Adam Isaac movie. Jiggly bikinis, too.

                          -Derek

                          I wear 3D glasses in public, and whenever I encounter life's hardships(work, restaurant/lounge, pool hall, tooting coke off some chick's t*ts in the Ladie's restroom at a club, church, junkyard golfing, etc.), I put those bad boys on and see the World for what it truly is....blue-left...red-right. That's when I discover the meaning of life: when you close your left eye everything is red, but if you close your right eye the World is blue...blue, but what truly matters in life is: which eye do I gouge out? Is my destiny red or is it blue?

                          And that's a choice each one of us have to make for ourselves.
                          sigpic

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                          • #14
                            Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

                            Quick -- name comedy types:
                            broad
                            smart
                            slapstick
                            screwball
                            farce
                            satire
                            parody/spoof
                            romantic
                            Out of all those, there's only one listed there that says 'me' and that's: Comedy Z.....Z what it is this Summer!
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                            • #15
                              Re: That time has finally come: COMEDY SCRIPT WRITING?

                              Whatever you do, don't chase trends. That applies to comedy as much as any genre. Write what you love and think timelessly.

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