But sketch comedy has shifted in the wake of our far-too-online era, and often for the better. As a result, it would be too vague to call sketch more diverse; what it is is more specific — and in a lot of cases, more cinematic. Berry who punishes himself to get back at the woman he believes is cheating on him that won the night.
Having to keep high-kicking in the face of unspeakable tragedy feels like an apt metaphor for the decade, no? Steve Buscemi stars as a hapless celery salesman who, on his mission to get more people to buy and eat celery, gets in way too deep with all the wrong people. The premise is simple: A white patient Sue Galloway visits a black doctor Rothwell, accompanied by a male nurse played by Gary Richardson to learn how to treat a case of chiggers she got while camping. Rothwell, Richardson, and Galloway shift in and out of conversations about stereotypes and gentrification and, yes, bugs, all with the grace and fortitude of dancers.
Watch it on Netflix. Galifinakis plays Darrell, a man taping an episode of his local-access television show in which he invites someone over to his house for the first time.
For example, you could spoof the film series, Indiana Jones. He was a college professor, but most professors would never be as adventurous as him. In your spoof, you could play a "realistic" professor confronted by the same situations as Indiana Jones.
Many people swear by free-word association. On a piece of paper write down a word or central idea and then list 5 words that automatically pop into your head. If any of the resulting pairs seem strange, you might have something worthy of comedy. For example, begin with the word bear. Now think of words or concepts that pop into your mind when you think of bears like: wild animal, dangerous, wrestle, fish-lover, or furry.
Identify which one is interesting to you and you think will interest your audience. Maybe you choose to write a sketch on wrestling bears.
Develop jokes from this research. The best jokes are surprising and often absurd. Like a magician, comedians need to be skilled in the art of misdirection. Lead your audience in one direction with the beginning of a joke and then add a "punchline", that surprises them.
For example: I once wrestled a bear. It weighed less than a pound and was stuffed with cotton. This joke uses the art of misdirection. The first sentence is the idea developed through word association. It makes you think that the following story will be about a person taking on a pound grizzly bear, so it is funny when it turns out to be a stuffed teddy bear.
This joke is funny too because it is equally absurd. How many adults do you know that wrestle teddy bears? Consider your jokes timing and delivery. Many comedians agree that a joke succeeds or fails based on timing. Think about how you might deliver the joke about wrestling a bear. Pause after you say "I once wrestled a bear". Give your audience a second or two to think about you wrestling a bear and all the danger that entails.
Maybe take a deep sigh to show that the story that follows is serious to you. Then say "It weighed less than a pound and was stuffed with cotton. If you say it quickly, the audience won't have the time to assume anything and the joke will flop. Develop your idea or joke into a premise. Most great comedy sketches begin with a single idea. Now it is time to expand on your central idea.
Explore your premise. Don't be afraid to write an idea down and throw it away soon after. You will probably think of 10 ideas for every 1 good idea. For example, the premise you've settled on is an adult wrestling a teddy bear. Many comedians say that great comedy needs to be somewhat realistic. Focus on normally realistic actions. Don't all of sudden switch to a teddy bear in space or a teddy bear coming to life.
Your audience won't be able to follow you. Focus on the action you've set up in your premise. What wrestling moves did you use on the bear? Did you get it in a headlock, full-nelson, or some other elaborate hold? Where did this wrestling match take place? In your bedroom, in your daughter's bedroom, or in a store like Build-A-Bear?
What started the fight in the first place? What was the outcome? Use these kinds of questions about action and place to expand your idea or joke into a premise. Part 2. Outline your comedy sketch. Now it is time to put pencil to paper or fingers on keyboard. You know your basic premise. It is time to outline, which should include how you plan to begin, what content, premise, or rough jokes will make up the majority of your sketch, and how you will end. If you have a great ending in mind like a grown man fighting a teddy bear in a Build-A-Bear , start there and write what leads to that.
Or was it because the joke reminded you of something funny in your own life? Start to watch comedy in a different way. Take it apart and put it back together again. You'll soon start to notice that the same tricks are applied again and again and again.
Getting Started Never sit down in front of a blank sheet of paper. You'll never think of a damned thing. Carry a notebook around with you for at least a week before you start, and write down anything you see or hear that makes you smile.
At the end of the week, pick the best 3 ideas from your notes, think of titles for them and throw all the other ideas in the wastepaper basket. Write the titles at the top of three separate pages, and then, working on all three sketches at the same time, write down everything you can think of connected to each of the three subjects. Just lists of words. Related subjects.
When all three pages are full, pick the one with what looks like the best comic potential and put it on the top of the pile. You are now going to start writing your first sketch. Avoid common set-ups like doctor's surgeries or "Man Goes Into a Shop". Think original. Only set the sketch in one location. Two minutes is a good length to start with. Most TV shows are on a tight budget.
Don't write for a cast of thousands. Say the lines as you write them. You need to hear what the material sounds like. Describe the physical action in detail. What are the characters wearing? What do they look like.
What are their names? It will help to bring them to life in your mind. Brainstorming Bounce comedy ideas off the people around you. Don't work in isolation. If you don't have a writing partner which I highly recommend for this type of writing , throw funny ideas at your wife, boyfriend, brother, sister, teacher, mother, anyone who will listen. Even better would be to sit down in a room of around 6 people and brainstorm ideas in a group.
Write down everything. Sift through it later. The couple relax, but he gets it wrong again but in a new or more extreme way.
A new character comes in and enters the situation. Dramatic irony. Or they can be a way of the sketch starting again, the whole thing going full-circle see below. Extra killer fact A revelation that casts everything that came before in a new light. Be wary of these though. Make sure the sketch is funny in its own right prior to the pay-off.
Or make it a quickie. Variation The punchline provides a variation on the central joke. Bit surreal but you get the idea! Meta ending The artifice of the situation is acknowledged, or the illusion is broken in some way, or the conventions of the performance situation are broken or exposed.
End on a strong laugh line The sketch just ends on a good line. It was all a trick… The situation is revealed to have been some sort of practical joke or trick. This can be used as a false dawn too. Victory One of the characters wins the dispute or gets their own way. Needs to be done in an unexpected way. Can be effective if the victim of the scene suddenly turns the tables. Violence One character hits, attacks, shoots, kills etc the other.
Full-circle The sketch finishes as it begun with no progress having been made. So there you have it comedy creators. Receive it for free here.
And hot off the press! Find it on Amazon here. How do you generate ideas for a sketch? How do you end a sketch? Here they are: 1. Any tips for finding ideas or premises for sketches? Not just topical sketches like Newsjack, but sketches in general? Step 1 Choose a situation from life. If you were in the situation yourself: — You can either be the one struggling with the absurdity — Or the cause of the absurdity and the other party is the one trying to deal with it Or you may have witnessed it or heard about it.
Keep a notebook of these kinds of observations — they can turn into sketches. Step 2: Set up the dynamic Having identified a situation with an absurdity you then need to set up the sketch dynamic.
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