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 Half title Title Copyright Dedication Contents Introduction 1 Writing The Comedy Script 2 Comedy A brief comic history Funny bones A visual medium 3 Premise and Character On titles What are you writing about? Characters in screen comedy 4 Plotting and Comic Scenes Fish out of water Plotting your comedy movie Comic scenes 5 Performative Comedy The grammar of the shot Gags vs narrative Comedian comedy 6 Narrative Comedy Screwball Romantic comedy Incomplete people 7 Comedy About Sex Teen comedy Frat boys Stoner comedies Gross-out Sex comedy 8 Mocking Society: Parody, Mockumentary and Satire Parody Mockumentary Satire 9 Dark Comedy and Farce Dark comedy Farce 10 Sketch Comedy and Television Sitcom Interview: Peter Baynham 11 Action and Animated Comedy Action Animated comedy 12 Double Acts: Buddy Movies, Bromance and the Road Bromance Road movies 13 Christmas Comedy 14 Sports Comedy Soccer movies 15 Military Comedy The trickster hero 16 Prison Comedies 17 Crime, Caper, Mob and Heist Movies The heist or caper movie Mob comedy 18 Transgression Camp 19 Women In Comedy 20 Comedy Subgenres Fantasy comedy God and the devil Comedy horror Independent and auteur comedy Biopic comedy Ensemble comedy 21 Worldwide Comedy The English-speaking world Other territories Conclusion Appendix One Appendix Two Filmography Works Cited Index "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."--