Posted on September 2nd, 2010 by JJR
I’m amazed at the paucity of language among so many young comics. Take away the “F” word and they’re speechless. When used in the right context with the right timing, it’s a versatile word that can double for almost any part of speech—verb, noun, pronoun, adjective, adverb and interjection. It has the hard consonant sound of funny words, and it often gets nervous laughter even when it hasn’t earned it.
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Posted on August 23rd, 2010 by JJR
In his book, The Deer on a Bicycle, Patrick McManus says, “No editor in his right mind will turn down a great piece of humor. The tough part is finding an editor in his right mind.”
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Posted on August 11th, 2010 by JJR
The nice thing about developing items based on historical events is that you already have a plot and a story you can work with. Don’t sweat the accuracy of your take on the event. Just keep it close enough so the nitpickers won’t think you’re ignorant.
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Posted on July 28th, 2010 by JJR
Sure, you’ve read it a hundred times, but it’s worth repeating what Mark Twain said, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”
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Posted on July 24th, 2010 by JJR
Anyway, if scripting is your goal, start with The Comedy Bible and jump to the chapter titled: “19 Days to Writing Your Sitcom Spec Script.” When you’ve digested all it has to offer and have read the rest of her book, get a copy of The Complete Book of Scriptwriting, by J. Michael Straczynski.
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