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busterjuggler Veteran user Australia travelling worldwide now 352 Posts 
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There are many different ways to go about comedy writing. I don't want to hear what books you like that help with comedy writing as there are other forums on that,
But I am wandering what techniques you use to write comedy. I tend to use this bed of nails; nails, fingernails, etc ball - sports, private parts, juggling, gala event, celebration, "having a ball!" this technique of using other ways to explain things, so nails could mean many different things etc. Hope this makes sense to others. James
James BuSTAR
Australia's Comedy Juggling Superstar info@jamesbustar.com http://www.jugglingsuperstar.com |
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Eric Buss Regular user 183 Posts
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Improv - grab your props, and just start talking... pretend you have an audience and perform... words will start coming out you had no idea you knew... when it starts to get hard, and you think you have run out of words... keep on talking... that's when the good stuff will start to come out. Let yourself go on tangents. You could have a theme to go on, but otherwise, don't give your self rules, and DON'T edit as you go... do that later.
You can come up with a skeleton script thru improv, and you can add important elements to it later. |
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magicgeorge Inner circle Belfast 4299 Posts
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I sometimes use a similair technique brainstorming particular ideas, trouble is working that way I tend to end up with a lot of wordplay and puns (which is probably another reason why a lot of the ad-libs that get included in the act work better than the stuff you have sat down to write).
So yes I use this technique but I try to limit the wordplay to 50% (which don't exactly stick to as you'll know if you've ever read any of my previous jokes suggestions!). Be aware of other stuff you can try such as exagerrations, social comments, bizarre twists, similes. An interesting thing about brainstroming this way is if you get several links you can come up with some things you might not have thought of ie ball-celebration-cinderalla-prince charming. Although sometimes it's great to find a unique angle straying to far from the original premiss can also strain the routine. If I'm building a routine around a prop I like to play around with the prop to see what physical comedy I can get from it and also what it looks like/could be at different angles. For example what else could a bed of nails be? A hairbrush for a giant, an acupuncture while you sleep kit, Pre-hammered nails (these nails come pre-hammered so you'll never have to use a hammer again, say goodbye to throbbing thumb woes). George P.S. I saw your vid on your site, your act looks like great fun. |
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busterjuggler Veteran user Australia travelling worldwide now 352 Posts
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These are great ways.
I agree with lots. especially prop transformation, I teach at a circus (silent comedy) and we play prop transformation., Its amazing what 5 year old kids come up with! James, anyone else with other techniques they use? james
James BuSTAR
Australia's Comedy Juggling Superstar info@jamesbustar.com http://www.jugglingsuperstar.com |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21263 Posts
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Every time you think of something funny, write it down.
Pretty easy really.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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nathanallen Special user Des Moines, Iowa, USA 522 Posts
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Quote:
On 2006-11-07 11:47, Eric Buss wrote: Good call, Eric - when I'm rehearsing or working on writing a new bit, I set up my studio with a mic/stand, and have the mic cord running to my computer, where I'm recording. This way, I can go back and write down the good stuff later, instead of stopping to write and slowing the pace. Personally, I NEED to be performing, or at least fool myself into thinking I am, to have the good ideas. Basically, I can think on my feet fine, but I get writers block if I sit down to actually do the writing. And yes, I even plug in the stage lights, and play my pre-recorded introduction. Maybe I should go the full nine yards and get a sit-com laugh track. Maybe not.
Nathan Allen, The Maniac of Magic
www.maniacofmagic.com To buy a prop is nothing. To write a good routine is something. To really entertain an audience is everything. |
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C Christian Loyal user 288 Posts
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I once saw on TV Robbin Williams was ask how do you write your stuff or something of that nature and he just grabbed a pink scark from a lady and started playing with it in a very Robbin Williams fashion it was a funny 2 min. bit. He stoped and handed the lady the scarf and said, "There you go." I'd like to think that Robbin Williams brian doesn't work like most of us...But he did show a lot of truth that was done in those two min. To Be Creative you have to allow yourself to be creative, staring at a piece of paper doesn't work for lot of folks (yet it does for others) Eric nailed it! Some of the best stuff I came up with was by chance, just playing with my props. I am very lucky that I perform fairly regular, so that I can try out some of my ideas that I think are golden. And some stay in the show and some well lets just say...not so golden. That's how I write my comedy. cheers chris
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Comedy Writer Special user 594 Posts
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Some thoughts:
Writing comedy is like any other creative project -- it takes practice, time and training. Oh sure, you can buy a bunch of oil paints and an easel and fool around for a while, but you won't be a master. You won't even be making paintings. Heres a secret...Every creative discipline uses the same basic tool set. The rest is technique Comedy Writer Posted: Mar 14, 2007 6:44pm ...To follow-up, I recommend both classes and books -- then do the exercises. I can send you a list of the best books on how to write comedy. Comedy Writer |
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AaronTheMagician Loyal user 291 Posts
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I don't think it'd been officially released yet, but Bruce Block has some lecture notes that are a must. His entire set is catered towards magicians and writing comedy, including lots of info on pitfalls to avoid. He really has some nice work.
Like I said, I don't think it's been officially released yet. Jeff Hobson has a pretty funny forward (well, 6 - 7 forwards, really) for it. But, it's as valuable to any magician as any Darwin Ortiz book. Just my $0.02. |
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dr chutney Special user United Kingdom 518 Posts
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Some people just have a natural gift when it comes to making an impromptu funny remark, while others have to work at it. All three of the web sites in my sig are devoted to trying to create original humour and I've got several examples I've come up with.
I love puns and word play and usually it will be the name of the object or thing I'm working with that will trigger something. Another technique, although much harder, is to think of the punch line and work backwards. For English speakers the language itself is rich in comic potential. So many words with double meanings and words that sound the same. Mentioning Robin Williams, I recently added an article on comedians grabbing gags from other comedians, and Robin Williams is apparently not averse to the odd bit of gag pinching.
We're having a laugh!
Grab yourself a FREE Joke Ebook at http://thejester.biz |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21263 Posts
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Quote:
On 2007-03-15 09:31, dr chutney wrote: Some people THINK they have a gift for an off handed funny impromptu remark. They are far and away the most annoying creatures on the planet.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts
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Digital Tape Recorder...
The Artist Way suggested journal assignments. Paper and Pen..(I prefer a gel writer...something about the way the ink flows....) Harris
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts
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I take a subject or object, something in the news and try to think of funny things.
Yesterday after hearing a Temper Pedic Mattress commercial I thought of the following (I think the punch line is still waiting for a better word, but so far...). Anybody have one of those Temper Pedic mattresses? Y'know the kind that remembers the shape of your body? They're great... until you get divorced. Your new wife may not fit in the shape it remembers on her side.
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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MichaelKent Special user 560 Posts
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Quote:
On 2007-03-30 02:32, Pete Biro wrote: "It's great....until it turns a one-night stand into a painful, three-day long, woman-shaped reminder of my vodka-induced bad decisions." |
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BrianMillerMagic Inner circle CT 2050 Posts
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 That's great! Thanks for getting me laughing this early in the morning. |
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suspectacts Elite user Boston 493 Posts
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Peter, how about these...
married men, How many of you have noticed that wives always wait until you're in bed to remind you of your shortcomings. Now she want's to buy one of those Temperpedic beds. You know, the mattress with a memory? Just what she needs, a corroborating witness! or maybe A mattress with a memory? Now my wife isn't the only one reminding me every-night how much fatter I am now then I was a month ago. or maybe... Those memory mattresses is a lifesaver. Now whenever my wife asks me if she's put on weight, I just tell her to look at size of the indentation in the bed! That way when she kicks me out of the bedroom, I can take the mattress with me. My marriage is so platonic, even my temperpedic mattress can't remember the last time we had sex! Great Premise, Peter! Good luck with it |
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Comedy Writer Special user 594 Posts
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How do I write comedy? Hmmm -- all sorts of techniques. The strongest, by far, is the one with the client holding the check at the end.
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NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts
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An excellent technique I learnt is to aim to have one out of every ten jokes you write be funny. That gives you a freedom to not worry about whether your jokes suck or not. Just keep writing 'em.
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Comedy Writer Special user 594 Posts
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Execllent point! Also, the more you write, the better you get at writing ....so your jokes get better. I think a good goal is to write 300 jokes.
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Circus Bambouk Loyal user Tempe, AZ 256 Posts
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I've gotten great lines by purposely packing different props into my show. I used to use a small bowl for a juggling routine, I packed a hotel desk bell instead. Works the same for the trick, but I was able to improv 2 really solid jokes first time out about the bell. The bell stays.
Scotty Meltzer did a great comedy writing workshop at Motionfest. I'm revisiting a lot of those nuggets of wisdom as I remount an old ren faire show of mine. The best bit of advice, in my opinion, (and I'm paraphrasing) "Unless a line gets a solid laugh, establishes character or gets more money in the hat, cut the line. Cut your show in half. Cut the crap." I had so much 'crap' packed into a 22 minute show, I had to rush through it. I feel like I can let it settle and breathe now. I'm very happy with that technique. -Brian Posted: Apr 15, 2007 2:08pm Oh yeah, if I'm bored, I give myself an assignment. Back at the PA ren faire we used to sit around the bonfire and play '185' (give yourself a general topic, say, snack foods. Joke structure: 185 snack foods walk into a bar. The bartender says, sorry, I can't serve 185 snack foods. The snack foods reply: punchline). The more we played, the better we got. The more we found our own styles. Celly used to kill with tons of adjectives on the set-up (185 mongolian transvestite bowlegged snack foods...) that all made sense on the punch. Most of my assignments have nothing to do with material I want to use onstage, just keeps me fresh. -B |
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Posted: Nov 7, 2006 01:41 pm 
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