learn comedy storytelling
One-to-one coaching in the art and craft of comedy for stage, screen, song and sound
Narrative Comedy Classes
(Sketch, sitcom, dramedy, podcast, film, etc.)
1. ONGOING COACHING
A one-year journey
to fast-track your career
All levels
2hrs per fortnight
A one-year bespoke training journey designed to accelerate your writing practice while you develop and execute multiple major projects to present to industry...
2. COMPETITION READY?
Editorial advice for your
open submission script
All levels
Variable hrs
They say all you need is an idea and a deadline. Open submission competitions like BBC Writers Room offer a fantastic service to writers to make them crystallise their visions into a finished script.
I can’t help you get on one of the courses, but I can help you hit your deadline with a finished and polished script…whilst getting the most out of the process as a way to develop your skills.
This could be one session or half a dozen, so let’s set up a free discovery call to talk about where you’re at in your process and think about what guidance you might need...
3. PROJECT (& SCRIPT) ADVISOR
Ongoing training and support while you create your masterpiece
All levels
2hrs a fortnight
for 3-6 months
This is a very broad brief. Essentially, if you’re working on a long-form project (sitcom, dramedy, film, podcast, etc.) whatever the stage of development I can help you with your planning, writing, editing, creative-process…and make sure you're filling every page with laughs!
…The only thing I expect of my students is that you want to make people laugh, out loud, a lot! If you’re serious about comedy but can’t (or don’t want to) commit to it as a career right now, this is the programme for you.
This is a big range:
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You’ve got an amazing idea...but don’t know where to start.
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You’ve got an hilarious script...but the structure isn’t flowing.
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You’ve got an amazing plan...but our old friend writers’ block is visiting.
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You’ve got a great first draft...but it’s a bit ‘first-drafty’ and you need help understanding how to develop it.
It will be different for everyone, but as part of developing your project we’ll likely do some of my classes tailoring them to your project, including:
THE HERO JOURNEY AND THREE ACT STRUCTURE. Essential to anything with a dramatic narrative.
SITCOM IS DEAD. LONG LIVE SITCOM. Which explores what made British sitcom great and how to make it great again.
SKETCHING YOUR NEW NARRATIVE CHARACTER. Writing stand-alone sketches for your narrative characters will make them funnier and get loads of big laughs to put in your scripts.
Let's set up a free discovery call and have a chat about your project...
4.
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
Keeping your project on track
Beginner
30mins per week
My role as an accountability partner is to help you understand what you want to achieve across your project as a whole — the processes that come most naturally to you — and to help you keep on track through brief weekly/fortnightly reviews.
We’ll begin with a 2hr session to understand your 3-6 month plan for your project. Then we’ll set some achievable goals for your work process.
People tend to be either OUTPUT driven (e.g I’ll write 3 scenes a week) or INPUT driven (e.g. I’ll do 3 writing sessions a week). Knowing which you are and some of the pros and cons of each style is an important part of staying on track and feeling good about your process.
With that framework in place we’ll regularly touch base to understand what you have and haven’t been doing and how that all gets you to your finished script. Let's have a quick (free) discovery call and see how it would help your process...
5. SKETCH DOCTOR FOR ONLINE COMEDIANS
Consultancy to make your work funnier
and more watchable
All levels
Variable hrs
I don't usually edit work for students, but if you’re already publishing on social media you deserve the editorial advice that any other published creator would get. I guarantee I’ll make your work funnier and more easily consumed so you can keep your retention rates high and grow your account.
This might be:
- NOTES ON A VIDEO you're about to publish to tighten up the edit (2hrs).
- NOTES ON SCRIPTS so that you arrive for filming with the best material possible (2hrs).
- A REVIEW OF YOUR BACK CATALOGUE to understand the common features of your work and how to punch it up to the next level. This includes my JOKE MECHANICS IN COMEDY SKETCHES class which covers all the important techniques that make sketches funnier and more watchable (6hrs).
Let's set up a free discovery call - send me a link to one of your shorts in the message - looking forward to seeing your work...
6. WRITING COMEDY 101
Following your comedy instincts
Beginner
4hrs (2x2hrs)
You might be expecting lots of techniques and exercises, but my approach is to foster your comedy instincts - the inimitable, undefinable way YOU find humour in the world. It's almost cheating...because if you can find the things that make you laugh out loud, I guarantee they'll make your audience laugh out loud! (Then we'll get technical in class 2)...