Posts Tagged ‘sketch comedy’

So You’ve Been Laid Off, Now What? (Storyboard Version)

October 23rd, 2009 | By Ben in Comedy | No Comments »

I previously published the script for this sketch and after failing at organizing a video shoot, I decided to go ahead and create a mock-up version using photos.

While I think this version is funny, I think it could be much funnier if shot using real video footage. I have an HD camera but need a few actors, a narrator (I’m no Mr. Moviefone!) and someone better versed at editing. Contact me if you’re interested in helping out.

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Sketch Comedy Format: Gameshow

August 28th, 2009 | By Ben in Comedy | No Comments »

The next common comedic sketch format is the game show.

Starting notes:

  • Characters: Announcer, Host and Three Contestants
  • This is a general trivia game show, no need to invent novel rules of the game
  • Come up with name of game show first, the questions will come from that, so will who the contestants are.
  • Prizes should be very specific to the game show
  • Decide if each contestant will answer the same question or get a different question
  • Works best if you make one contestant the straight man and everyone else crazy
  • Straight man needs to be there for a specific reason then realize he’s in the wrong place
  • If the game show is “dangerous” there needs to be a clear reason why the straight man can’t leave
  • Straight man always gets the first two rounds wrong. Then you decide if he miraculously wins the third round or not
  • Whether answers by other contestants are right or wrong are not important, it’s what happens to the straight man in the third round that counts
  • Create stage movement by having host and contestants say shortlines
  • Fourth beat in a game show can be a sudden death due to a tie

The Parts of the Gameshow:

Intro
Announcer: Live from ___, it’s everyone favorite show ___!
Host: My name is ___, we all know how to play, so let’s start.

Round One
Questions are asked, this establishes the game show and who the straight man is

Contestant Intros
Host gives one sentence intro of each guest, learn what host thinks of the straight man

Round Two
More questions are asked

Prizes
Host announces the three prizes, whether the straight man will win or lose the prizes should be terrible for him

Final Round
Final round question can be worth more points then everything else combined

Goodnight
Host: Good night everyone, we’ll see you next time on ___

SNL Example:

Ben’s Example:

ANNOUNCER

Live from the 7 train, it’s the Subway Series!

HOST

Hi everyone, the train is delayed momentarily but I’m Tony Goldstein. You all know how this works, so next stop is round one.

Three seconds of a subway sound effect

HOST

Our first question Which New York City mayor was responsible for ensuring there were no train tracks added to the Triborough bridge? Yes, Joanna?

JOANNA

Umm, not to be ironic but the Triborough bridge was renamed the Robert F Kennedy Bridge. And Ted Kennedy prevented the tracks from being put in when he hit a railing while drunk.

HOST

Ooh, I’m sorry Joanna. Ted Kennedy is responsible for a lot of troubles, but the lack of subway tracks was not one of them. Yes, Johnny?

JOHNNY

Yeah hi. I was promised a series of subway sandwiches. I’m not sure I understand what this question has to do with me getting a chicken teriyaki foot long on wheat bread, toasted, with pickles, tomatoes and jalapenos.

HOST

Ooh, I’m sorry Johnny. Chicken Teriyaki was not the culprit. Yes Michael Johnson the Third?

MICHAEL

It was Robert Moses, parks commissioner and president of the transit authority. He single handedly ran New York City for forty years. Well, my bank certainly helped him with some loans, but wow, what a man.

MICHAEL takes out an expensive looking handkerchief and dabs his moist eyes.

MICHAEL

May he rest in peace.

The HOST is also moved.

HOST

Bob Moses is correct. Michael wins round one. And now, let’s meet our contestants. Michael Steele is a Wall Street Banker who takes the four-five express from 86th street every morning.

MICHAEL

What can I say? I love hundred twenty hour work weeks. The commute is my only alone time.

HOST

Thanks Michael. Next we have Joanna, an unemployed Williamsburg hipster who takes the L from Bedford ave every time there’s a noise concert at Karma Lounge.

JOANNA

Umm, not to be ironic, but unemployed and hipster is redundant. If you have a job, you just don’t get it.

HOST

Thanks Joanna. And last we have Johnny Aarons, a steel worker from Pittsburgh. He tried going from Grand Central to Times Square but wound up at Shea Stadium.

HOST fake laughs

JOHNNY

Look, I understand you might have a different way of doing things here, but when we promise a hungry man a sandwich in Pittsburgh, we don’t make him stand in front of bright lights for an hour answering questions first.

HOST

Thanks Johnny. We’re excited you could be on the show too. Alright, next stop, round two The transfer round!! If you get off of the B, D or F at Broadway Lafayette, what train can you transfer to? Yes Michael?

MICHAEL

The 6. But why would you take that when you could go express? Just like my career baby! Greed is good! No ceiling! CEO in five years, bitch! The 6. Six figure salaries are for fresh out of college chumps. Not a master of the universe like me!

HOST

Ooh, I’m sorry Michael. The judges are telling me you weren’t specific enough. You are wrong.

MICHAEL

No, you’re wrong! Do you have any idea who you’re talking to? I just resold your mortgage five times to nine different shadowy offshore companies. How do you like them apples?

HOST

Stand clear of the closing question please. Yes Joanna?

JOANNA

Umm, not to be ironic, but the B, D, F goes straight to the [whispering] poor [/whispering] part of Brooklyn. They can’t afford a phone card, let alone a metro card. They should just go green and ride a bike. L to the J, M, Z or bust!

HOST

Bust indeed. Beware of the closing whores please. Yes Johnny Aarons?

JOHNNY

If you don’t have any subway sandwiches here, can you just direct me to the nearest Subway sandwich shop? Well, when the train gets moving that is. I am so hungry. Even a six inch sandwich would go down so good right now. What kind of town is this?

HOST

Did I hear six... down.. town? Johnny, is correct!

JOHNNY

Great, can I get some food now?

HOST

You’re right Johnny, let’s take a look at the prizes. The grand prize is a thirty day unlimited metro card. However, due to congestion it can’t be used during rush hours. The runner up will receive a twenty dollar metro card. However, due to MTA rules and regulations, the card has expired. And finally, since we don’t like to send anyone away empty handed, our first place loser wins the development prize, sponsored by the Times Square Redevelopment Fund. It’s a one week paid vacation to exterminate rats on the subway tracks... What great prizes. If only I wasn’t the host... Attention. This is the last stop. Everybody please prepare for the final round. Here we go, for all the third rails, which train is most consistently late? Yes, Michael?

MICHAEL

The 4-5. It just crawls along in the morning like one of those rates these two losers will be exterminating while I buy another seven room apartment on central park east. Money, cash, Tony Goldstein, money cash!

HOST

Ooh, I’m sorry. The 4-5 is not correct. Please exit the train.

A trap door opens. MICHAEL falls in and starts screaming. Rats devour MICHAEL.

JOANNA

Umm, not to be ironic, but what is time? Did it even exist before industrialization and factories? The proletariat will not stand for this. Just like I don’t stand for being found above 19th street. I’ve been here three years and not a once.

HOST

Ooh, I’m sorry. The 3 train is close, but not correct. Please exit the train.

A trap door opens. JOANNA falls in and starts screaming. Rats devour JOANNA.

JOHNNY

This is horrendous! What kind of monsters live in this city? My god! Only one of them was supposed to get that fate. Please, I don’t want to play. I think I saw a quiznos on second ave. If I could leave, I’d just go there.

HOST

I don’t believe my ears! I never thought this could happen but tourist Johnny Aarons has won the Subway Series! The most delayed line is in fact second avenue! They’ve been building it for eighty years. Johnny Aarons, congratulations, you get the non-peak hour thirty day rie, plus the expired ten dollar metro card. What do you think of that?

JOHNNY

This is the last stop!

JOHNNY jumps into one of the other trap doors.

JOHNNY

These tracks have so much food!

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Sketch Comedy Format: Receptionist – Shopkeeper

August 27th, 2009 | By Ben in Comedy | 1 Comment »

The next common comedic sketch format is the Receptionist -- Shop Keeper. The dialogue isn’t as structured here as it is in the commercial sketch, but there are some guildlines that help:

  • Somebody is working behind a desk or counter, and one at a time, three customers enter
  • What’s your setting? Be very specific
  • Who’s the crazy man / who’s the straight man? It works best if either a) the receptionist is crazy and all three customers are the straight man, or b) the three customers are crazy and the receptionist is the straight man
  • There are three two-person interactions, each customer should storm off before the next one appears
  • Give characters emotional motivation to leave
  • Each interaction should start off half as angry/frustrated as the previous interaction left off
  • The first beat should be the longest because you’re setting it up, the third one should be really short

The classic example below doesn’t follow this exact format as it only has two characters, but there are still three beats to it, and the anger levels are increasing.

Ben’s Example (co-written with Max Newman):

CUSTOMER 1

Hey I need to return this, my iPhone is bruised

FARMER JOE

I’m sorry, you must be mistaken. We only sell apples for eating.

CUSTOMER 1

No, no, you don’t understand. I have a one year warranty, your company promised they’d fix this.

FARMER JOE

Sir, there’s a mac store down the street. But if you’re hungry we got the best apples in Union Square.

CUSTOMER 1

If you won’t fix my phone, you can shove your apple up your ass

CUSTOMER 1 storms off

CUSTOMER 2 enters

CUSTOMER 2

Yeah, hi. I’m not getting any reception on my phone. I think I got some stems or seeds in it. You should’ve designed this product better.

FARMER JOE

The only thing I designed here are these apples. The juiciest and firmest in New York State. Maybe the northeast.

CUSTOMER 2

Look, I’m losing out on thousands of dollars of revenue every hour I can’t talk on the phone. My clients depend on me. I’m leaving them hanging.

FARMER JOE

I’d love to be of assistance but there’s nothing I can do. All I have is these fine organic apples.

CUSTOMER 2

What you made an organic iPhone and I don’t hav eone? Give me! Give me1 How much?

FARMER JOE

My apples are two ninety nine per pound

CUSTOMER 2

You idiot! I want my phone fixed, not a healthy snack!

CUSTOMER 2 leaves

CUSTOMER 3 enters

CUSTOMER 3

Yes hi, there’s a worm in my iPhone

FARMER JOE takes the iPhone, looks at the worm, tries to take it out, can’t do it, and keeps the iPhone. FARMER JOE then hands CUSTOMER 3 an apple.

CUSTOMER 3

Wow you customer service is great! Thanks so much

CUSTOMER 3 leaves

A phone rings. After two rings, FARMER JOE picks up an apple and starts talking into it

FARMER JOE

Hey Bill! ... Pretty good, you?


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Sketch Comedy Format: The Commercial

August 26th, 2009 | By Ben in Comedy | 2 Comments »

I took an intensive sketch comedy class and will be sharing some common formats used to write comedy sketches. A format is just a rough guide to follow when creating a certain type of sketch. It can be used to plugin an existing idea “I want to write about space aliens who work at TJ Max,” or to help generate a new sketch one with a specific focus “Let’s think of a cool commercial concept.”

The first format is the commercial, which has two variants: Announcer Style and SNL Style.

Announcer Style:

- 3 Characters: Announcer and two customers

CUSTOMER 1

I have a problem

CUSTOMER 2

I also have a problem, but how can we solve it?

ANNOUNCER

Do you have this problem?

CUSTOMER 1

Yeah, but how can we solve it

ANNOUNCER

With [product name]. [Description]. [Tag line].

CUSTOMER 2

Ahh!

Ben’s Example:

CUSTOMER 1

My garden smells too natural and foresty

CUSTOMER 2

Yeah, I’m sick of all these fresh smelling flowers

ANNOUNCER

Does your home and garden smell too good?

CUSTOMER 2

Yeah!

ANNOUNCER

Try this: Hobo musk

CUSTOMER 2 sprays can of hobo musk, breathes in, coughs violently

CUSTOMER 2

Ahhh!

ANNOUNCER

Hobo musk: Don’t just visit New York, live it!

SNL Style:

- Product doesn’t exist, create a need for the product
- Explain how the product works and what it does, with graphics if possible
- Show testimonials
- Tag at the end

SNL Example:

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Sketch Comedy: Critique of My Acting

August 21st, 2009 | By Ben in Comedy | 1 Comment »

These are more sketches from the intensive sketch class show I wrote and performed in. We had about four hours in two days to memorize and practice the sketches.

I’m critiquing my acting as best as I can, as I’m not very knowledgeable in the matter (and this was a writing class).

Firefighters (written by Hannibal Buress)

0m26s I could look a little more emotionally distraught and in shock

1m04s We need to all stand still until the lights dim

2m41s I think the previous few lines are hysterical in a really messed up way, and the audience should’ve been dying from laughter

3m16s I should keep my hand shaking this whole time

Overall: I didn’t have many lines, but the ones I had were passable

Baseball Interview (written by Tom B)

0m19s Baseball players never talk this fast and I’m not excited enough for having just hit a homerun

0m32s I thought “the whole cross thing” would get a laugh, but it came off like I just forgot a word

0m43s I should wait until the announcer thanks me to leave

1m31s The “pitcher” did a better job in his interview

Overall: I was too worried about getting the lines right that I didn’t fully invest in the character. Luckily, I was just the seutp for the big punch line, so it didn’t hurt the sketch.

Job Applicant (written by Mikhail Page)

0m07s Terrible object work with taking a can of pepsi out of a non-existent briefcase

0m49s Pause for a second after “Oh, Cathy?”

0m58s Pause for a second after “I was hanging around here” to make the creepiness of the situation set in

1m32s Stumbled over the words a little, didn’t need “messy” a second time

Overall: We both should have slowed down a little and if I had more time I’d figure out a way to make my character come off as creepier through his physical motions and voice tonality. I thought there were more punchlines than were the audience laughed.

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