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Film & TV · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Comedy Writing and Production

“Dying is easy; comedy is hard.” This course takes the funny business seriously. Students will deconstruct the mechanics of humor—from the “Rule of Three” to the “Benign Violation Theory.” The curriculum covers writing for various formats (Stand-up, Sketch, Sitcom, Satire) and producing comedic content that lands the joke through timing, editing, and performance.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Analyze the theories of humor: Why do we laugh?
  2. Master the "Setup/Punchline" structure and comedic timing
  3. Write and format sketches (SNL style) and Sitcom scenes
  4. Understand comedic character archetypes (The Straight Man, The Fool)
  5. Produce and edit a comedy short, focusing on visual gags and pacing
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Theories of Humor: Incongruity & Relief
  2. 02Joke Structure: Setup, Assumption, Punch
  3. 03The Rule of Three & Callbacks
  4. 04Sketch Writing I: The "Game" of the Scene
  5. 05Sketch Writing II: Escalation & Heightening
  6. 06Stand-Up Basics: Finding Your Persona
  7. 07Improv Foundations for Writers
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09The Sitcom: A/B/C Story Structure
  10. 10Character Archetypes in Comedy
  11. 11Satire & Parody: Punching Up
  12. 12Writing for Late Night / Monologues
  13. 13Directing Comedy: Visual Humor
  14. 14Editing Comedy: Cutting for Timing
  15. 15The Writers Room: Collaboration
  16. 16Final Project: The Comedy Sketch/Short

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Comedy Sketch/Short

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. The Comic Toolbox: How to Be Funny Even If You're Not by John Vorhaus
  2. Comedy Writing Secrets by Mark Shatz
  3. Poking a Dead Frog: Conversations with Today's Top Comedy Writers by Mike Sacks
  4. Sick in the Head by Judd Apatow
  5. Writing the Romantic Comedy by Billy Mernit
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