Writing a comedy...

[Crazings]

So, i've been attempting to work on my second script, which is to be feature length, but my brains at the stage were i can't be bothered as theres to much to do with that going in my head. So i thought id take a break and try and put togther a Comedy peice, but im not the funnyest guy.

Ive got my plot set out and aim for the peice to be about 7minutes long. I chose to write about a bit of a cool, geeky guy who has trouble with asking a girl out. The girl he fancies is a bit of a hottie and out of his leauge. He decides to ask help from his friend who belives he is the god of getting girls... but his advice is downright stupid and leads to some comedic events between him and the girl. Any ideas of what could happen to this guy when he attempts to ask the girl out..?

Thanks Dan

 

[MarcusBonnick]

So, i've been attempting to work on my second script, which is to be feature length, but my brains at the stage were i can't be bothered as theres to much to do with that going in my head. So i thought id take a break and try and put togther a Comedy peice, but im not the funnyest guy.

Ive got my plot set out and aim for the peice to be about 7minutes long. I chose to write about a bit of a cool, geeky guy who has trouble with asking a girl out. The girl he fancies is a bit of a hottie and out of his leauge. He decides to ask help from his friend who belives he is the god of getting girls... but his advice is downright stupid and leads to some comedic events between him and the girl. Any ideas of what could happen to this guy when he attempts to ask the girl out..?

Thanks Dan

Falls over something, goes bright red and does something stupid like run away....

 

[Adeimantus]

If you're "not the funniest guy," why do you want to write a comedy script?

Stick to your strengths, at least while you're starting out.

That would be my advice.

-C

 

[Cracker Funk]

I hate to say it, but Adeimantus is probably right. If you don't already make people laugh, in regular social situations, on a regular basis, comedy might be tough to tackle. Who knows, maybe you've got a hidden talent for comedy? But I think probably if you don't think you're funny, you might not be funny.

But hey, only one way to find out, right?

Do you ever make yourself laugh? You could just be walking around, and then you think of something funny, and you have a little moment where you laugh to yourself? That's the stuff you write. Whatever makes you laugh, write it. If a friend, or even just a passerby says something funny, you can steal that funny, and write it. If anything makes you laugh, write it.

 

[NickClapper]

I would say that quite a lot of comedy writers aren't that funny in real life. Obviously the ones who are get 80% of the publicity, so I think the idea that you have to be funny to write comedy is a slight misconception. Obviously if you can't visualise an amusing situation to save your life, then there'll be problems. But I don't think you need to worry about 'I don't make my friends laugh that much, can I write a comedy?' or whatever it is you're worrying about.

Do you have a funny premise? If so, that'll pretty much take care of itself. The way that the actors deliver the dialogue will be at least as important as the way you write it. Obviously if you can think of funny lines that will help, but funny situations sporn funny things, so focus on getting an amusing situation.

So to ideas...

Is he trying to impress her? Is he trying to ask her out but always getting interrupted? Does she always misconstrue his advances? You can go for very simple ideas, 'traditional' comedy so to speak, like him sending her a bunch of roses only for her to suffer a huge hay fever attack. Or you could have him coming out onto the street with a guitar to serenade her and eventually realising he's been serenading the wrong person. It all depends what you want to do with it, but there are, literally, millions of situations for you to choose from.

 

[Crazings]

Thanks for the adivce, i have a few ideas on some situations, Im just gonna let my imagination run wild and see what happens I also have a weird scene that will either be creepy.. or funny involving a potato...

 

[barnaclelapse]

This is just an idea, but maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to stick to your strengths for now, and perhaps try to find an occasional comedic moment within the scripts you get out of those strengths. You can build up an idea of what works for you comedy-wise without creating something that hinges entirely on what you hope other people will find funny. Perhaps from there you could eventually get enough confidence going to try a full-length script.