Comedy Sketch Writing Help!

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 4/25/11 at 8:58pm

How does one write a comedy sketch for consideration by T.V. or something?

I'm wanting to write various things to submit, and I'm wondering what I need to include...I'd rather not do a "Spec Script" (I believe that is what it is called) which is where you write for a T.V. already in progress, because I really don't know anything THAT current (GLEE is probably the ONLY thing I could try that with.)

Anyways...I'd rather not have to buy and read one of those "Everything you need to know about making in Hollywood" books and read it...

So what exactly do I need to include....could I just approach it as writing a funny scene?

[Kad]

Posted: 4/25/11 at 10:42pm

The mistake a lot first-time sketch writers make is that they end up writing micro-plays.

For a sketch- I would say keep it short. Like, 4 pages in Final Draft at most. If you notice, SNL sketch transcripts are not long.

Also, do not have a ton of characters. A handful at most.

The sketch itself- most sketches are based around what the Upright Citizens Brigade calls a 'game'. Basically, this is the unusual recurring thing. A good example is an old SNL sketch featuring Phil Hartman as Reagan. The conceit was Reagan was a cold, calculating, heartless military mastermind, but had to take on his folksy act whenever he had to see a vistor. So this was the game- Hartman switching between folksy and evil depending on who was around. In theory, a strong game can keep a scene running forever.

Even character-based sketches like Miss Swan on MadTV or Pat on SNL are based on a game- the game being the character's actions or personality or whatever (Miss Swan generally being unable to speak English well; Pat's gender being ambiguous).


I would watch classic SNL or MadTV sketches- then check out some sketches on Upright Citizens Brigade and the like.