Introduce Yourself : Emerging TV Writer by Patrick Hercules

Welcome Patrick! I love comedy too. What kind of stuff have you written or are currently writing?

Thank you Chaun. I've written a couple of short films, a feature, two specs based on tv shows, and two comedy pilots. I'm currently working on two more pilots (one is a one-hour sci-fi period drama and the other is a superhero buddy comedy), with a couple more in the pipeline. What about yourself?

I'm working on polishing a family feature that would be best described as "Soul" meets "Annie". The title is "Killian Pumpernickel Is Heaven Sent". I imagine it having some Pixar animated elements. I have my poster done and I'm halfway done with the look book.

That sounds like a great combination and a great idea.

I'd be interested in learning more since I've shifted to TV formats and have written comedy, dramedy and mystery..Since humor varies, it would be great to learn your approach

Patrick Hercules thank you

You're welcome Chaun.

I just write what's funny to me honestly. I listen to music and sometimes the scenes unfold as the songs play. Sometimes certain songs just hit me differently and a situation plays itself out that song. Then I add it to a playlist for that pilot/potential series. I also think about sad or tragic experiences that I've had or experiences that would be sad and try to find what humor can come out of it. Comedy and drama seem to be intertwined. Like you can't really have one without the other. Drama gives comedy depth where it brings almost a reality check. And comedy gives drama the levity it needs in those sad moments. If any of that makes sense.

Totally man..its why I'm doing revisions on my dramedy, "Gene Therapy" which is focused on a psych professor whose wife disappears on a trip to Europe..sadness couples with comedy when he deals with a therapy group of miscreants, a misanthrope mother in law and an old buddy he returns to work with..

That sounds really interesting. Especially since he's a psych professor. Especially seeing how a person in the field of psychology deals with a mystery, and how those characters help him on his journey. To see their personalities contrast with his.

Thanks Patrick..If you're familiar with Big Bang Theory, the Chuck Lorre production, he received awards for The Kominsky Method on Netflix which I'm spinning in some ways with this project. I personally like dramedy since good ones are rare while rom coms have become everyday.