Writing the Comedy Movie

It is often suggested that there are 'secrets' to comedy or that it is 'lightning in a bottle', but the craft of comedy writing can be taught. While comedic tastes change, over time and from person to person, the core underpinning still depends on the comedic geniuses that have paved the way. Great comedy is built upon a strong foundation. In Writing the Comedy Movie, Marc Blake lays out – in an entertainingly readable style – the nuts and bolts of comedy screenwriting. His objective is to clarify the 'rules' of comedy: to contextualize comedy staples such as the double act, slapstick, gross-out, rom com, screwball, satire and parody and to introduce new ones such as the bromance or stoner comedy. He explains the underlying principles of comedy and comedy writing for the screen, along with providing analysis of leading examples of each subgenre. Marc Blake teaches film studies at Winchester and Southampton Solent Universities, UK. He runs writing courses at MarlboroughCollege, UK as well as a script consultancy (writingsitcom.com). He is theauthor of the novels Sunstroke, Big Time, and 24Karat Schmooze. His nonfiction includes How NOT to write Sitcom and Writing the Comedy Movie. He is thewriter/director of the forthcoming feature film Axman. “A comprehensive and insightful survey of cinematic comedy forms and genres.” – Paul Gulino, Associate Professor of Film, Chapman University, USA, and author of Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach “Marc Blake has written a very cool guide that will help new and experienced writers complete the comedy movie they've only been talking about writing. He covers the full spectrum of the types of comedies one can write: bromances, parodies, teen, gross out, dark and sex comedies, to name a few. Belongs on every comedy writer's shelf.” – D.B. Gilles, Professor of Undergraduate Film, New York University, USA, and author of Writer's Rehab and You're Funny! It Is Often Suggested That There Are 'secrets' To Comedy Or That It Is 'lightning In A Bottle', But The Craft Of Comedy Writing Can Be Taught. While Comedic Tastes Change, Over Time And From Person To Person, The Core Underpinning Still Depends On The Comedic Geniuses That Have Paved The Way. Great Comedy Is Built Upon A Strong Foundation. In Writing The Comedy Movie, Marc Blake Lays Out - In An Entertainingly Readable Style - The Nuts And Bolts Of Comedy Screenwriting. His Objective Is To Clarify The 'rules' Of Comedy: To Contextualize Comedy Staples Such As The Double Act, Slapstick, Gross-out, Rom Com, Screwball, Satire And Parody And To Introduce New Ones Such As The Bromance Or Stoner Comedy. He Explains The Underlying Principles Of Comedy And Comedy Writing For The Screen, Along With Providing Analysis Of Leading Examples Of Each Subgenre-- A Practical Guide To Creating The Comedy Movie, Referencing Its Subgenres, History, And Tropes, Along With Exclusive Interviews With Craft Practitioners-- Machine Generated Contents Note: -- Introduction -- Why Laugh? -- 1. It's All Greek To Me: Comedy History From Aristophanes To Juvenal Establishing The Basic Tropes And Forms -- 2. Swiftian Satire And Shakespearean Clowns: How The Elizabethans Attacked The Great And The Good With Parody And Lampoon -- 3. Wildean Wit: How Comedy Plays Became The Basis For The Comedy Movie -- 4. Silent Slapstick: How Chaplin, Keaton And Lloyd Exploited Visual Comedy -- 5. Dumb And Dumber: How Laurel And Hardy Created The Perfect Double Act Template -- 6. It Happened One Night: How Zingy Screwball Comedy Led To The Rom Com -- 7. Sullivan's Travels To Team America: Social Satire From The 1940s To The Present Day -- 8. Auteurs From Woody Allen To Sasha Baron-cohen: One Man, One Vision -- 9. Here Come The Girls: Women In Comedy From Kooky Girl To Leading Actress -- 10. The Subgenres: Fish Out Of Water And The Coming Of Age Comedy -- 11. Road And Buddy Movies, Frat Boy Frolics And Gross Out -- 12. Sports, Military And Ensemble Comedy -- 13. Farce And Black Comedy -- 14. Crime, Caper And Heist -- 15. Satire, Parody And Mockumentary -- Appendices -- -- Interviews With Directors, Writers And Producers -- -- Writing Exercises -- Filmography -- Bibliography -- Index. Marc Blake. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. FC......Page 1 Half title......Page 2 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 12 1 Writing The Comedy Script......Page 16 2 Comedy......Page 26 A brief comic history......Page 29 Funny bones......Page 30 A visual medium......Page 31 On titles......Page 34 What are you writing about?......Page 36 Characters in screen comedy......Page 37 4 Plotting and Comic Scenes......Page 48 Fish out of water......Page 50 Plotting your comedy movie......Page 52 Comic scenes......Page 59 5 Performative Comedy......Page 62 The grammar of the shot......Page 63 Gags vs narrative......Page 65 Comedian comedy......Page 67 Screwball......Page 70 Romantic comedy......Page 73 Incomplete people......Page 78 7 Comedy About Sex......Page 86 Teen comedy......Page 87 Frat boys......Page 89 Stoner comedies......Page 91 Gross-out......Page 92 Sex comedy......Page 97 Parody......Page 102 Mockumentary......Page 109 Satire......Page 111 Dark comedy......Page 118 Farce......Page 123 10 Sketch Comedy and Television......Page 128 Sitcom......Page 132 Interview: Peter Baynham......Page 133 Action......Page 138 Animated comedy......Page 143 12 Double Acts: Buddy Movies, Bromance and the Road......Page 148 Bromance......Page 151 Road movies......Page 155 13 Christmas Comedy......Page 158 14 Sports Comedy......Page 162 Soccer movies......Page 164 15 Military Comedy......Page 168 The trickster hero......Page 169 16 Prison Comedies......Page 174 17 Crime, Caper, Mob and Heist Movies......Page 180 The heist or caper movie......Page 184 Mob comedy......Page 186 18 Transgression......Page 190 Camp......Page 194 19 Women In Comedy......Page 200 20 Comedy Subgenres......Page 210 Fantasy comedy......Page 211 God and the devil......Page 214 Comedy horror......Page 215 Independent and auteur comedy......Page 218 Biopic comedy......Page 221 Ensemble comedy......Page 222 21 Worldwide Comedy......Page 226 The English-speaking world......Page 227 Other territories......Page 237 Conclusion......Page 246 Appendix One......Page 248 Appendix Two......Page 250 Filmography......Page 252 Works Cited......Page 260 Index......Page 262 "A practical guide to creating the comedy movie, referencing its subgenres, history, and tropes, along with exclusive interviews with craft practitioners"-- "It is often suggested that there are 'secrets' to comedy or that it is 'lightning in a bottle', but the craft of comedy writing can be taught. While comedic tastes change, over time and from person to person, the core underpinning still depends on the comedic geniuses that have paved the way. Great comedy is built upon a strong foundation. In Writing the Comedy Movie, Marc Blake lays out - in an entertainingly readable style - the nuts and bolts of comedy screenwriting. His objective is to clarify the 'rules' of comedy: to contextualize comedy staples such as the double act, slapstick, gross-out, rom com, screwball, satire and parody and to introduce new ones such as the bromance or stoner comedy. He explains the underlying principles of comedy and comedy writing for the screen, along with providing analysis of leading examples of each subgenre."--