Screenwriting : We Need Comedy Screenwriters! by Tim Ferguson

Hey Tim, I am a produced screenwriter in Perth and have dabbled in Comedy a number of times. Currently I'm working on a feature which I aim to complete a first draft by Christmas though its a psychological thriller, not a comedy. Thereafter I plan to move onto a pilot of a series i propose to develop based on a comedy short I previously wrote. The characters are solid and the story is great ( real aussie lifestyle stuff) and I would love you to have a read at that time for your opinion. Regards Alex

Hey Tim love comedy would love to write comedy. Have a great comedy script that many producers have really liked. mark

Don't you think that comedy is something that can't really be taught? Seems to me that comedy is a God given gift - of torture, with a little bittersweet triumph thrown in the keep the gag alive. Here's my latest theory about people who are funny, and those who think they are - people who are funny say something witty and wait a beat to see if anyone else laughs - those who aren't blurt out what they imagine to be laughable, but laugh at their own joke before anyone else does. But, being a cheeky monkey yourself, I just pose the question, but won't pull a muscle trying to figure it out.

I was lucky to see the greats at the comedy store ib hollyood. my office was across the street from Mann's Chinese theatre. Robin Williams sam kinason. It's all timing and relateablity. Folks saying yeah that happened to me. I wrote comedy but was affraid of the stage. I should have I'd be rich with my own show

All comedy writing stems from ancient principles, frameworks that work for any kind of humour. Some comedians are funny in person, but many are shy, awkward, angry or depressed. As Mark (above) says, timing & affinity work well in standup. The tools used by both Robin & Sam stem from ancient approaches to triggering the involuntary laughter mechanism we all share. As a 3-decade comedian, I've performed all round the world and seen comics of all kinds; and we've all seen hundreds of comedy movies and sitcoms. Their flesh is always new, but their bones are the same. As a teacher of narrative comedy, I've seen comedy rise from these principles in a thousand ways. It's wonderful to see

The above is absolutely true. As a translator I deal with these principles and frameworks all of the time. Humor can be analyzed linguistically, as Tim describes above. I’m oversimplifying, but humor is basically derived from breaking and manipulating these principles. (not limited to wordplay, I'm referring to all types of humor, which can be accounted for through sociocultural linguistics). In translation, we determine what linguistic mechanisms make the joke work in one language, and apply similar mechanisms to make it work in the target language. The framework is universal. It's a very exciting and too-little-explored area of study. (My Master's work focused on the translation of humor). Of course, this said, there is no magic formula, one still needs to be "funny" to write a successful joke!

I saw a comic naked once. One of her Boobs was bigger then the other, she was funny !!

I tell my actors to do it as written first, then when we have that coverage, they can play. If they carry on, I act out how I want them to say lines exactly. They get the idea. My way first, then the highway. That way, everybody's happy. :)

Dude you are tough! No, actually I do the same (you're hilarious giving them line readings and I'm sure with subtle sarcasm - not.) But I do ask them to read it as written while blocking - and then listen to their suggestions, and see if they work. If there's time, one can always shoot it both ways.

If it's funny... doesn't matter who wrote/said it!

Sure, Keith, the end result is what counts. But give the writer their go first. After all, they spend years on feature scripts and weeks on TV scripts. Actors waltz in late in the piece, they can wait their turn.

Shooting comedy is so different thata drama etc. Need so many more takes to hit the sweet spot. But we don't use the "S" word at Stage 32. SNig*** is just not appropriate!

Kaz I want to sell you a bridge for only $100,000 Aussie dollars not U.S. dollars their not worth anything. Merry Christmas L.O.L.