SCWR 379 Comedy, Joke, and Sketch Writing
Summary
To provide the student with the foundational elements for the creation of modern TV comedy by taking into account the components of both a network talk show and “Saturday Night Live,” i.e. jokes into monologues into sketches; and, in so doing, as a byproduct of the before mentioned pursuits, the student will begin to establish his/her/their unique point of view.
Texts
No textbook. Each class has its own 20-page handout containing all revelevant materials.
Grading
There will be an assignment due in the D2L Dropbox before each class (see “Assignments” for the bi-weekly breakdown).
Participation (30% of final grade), there will be an assignment due in the D2L Dropbox before each class on Thursday. During class, the student will both present his/her/their work and will critique his/her/their fellows.
Rewritten Talk Show Portfolio (30% of final grade), this will include a second pass at the four pages that constitute a Talk Show Portfolio: jokes, desk piece pitches, remote pitches, and a page of miscellaneous segment ideas involving the audience, the guests, the staff or crew and/or the band. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, October 10, 2019.
Rewritten SNL Sketch Packet (30% of final grade), this will include the student’s second pass at an SNL sketch packet comprised of the following elements: a cold opening sketch, two opening monologues, a streamlined Weekend Update, a sketch presented live that parodies a current TV show (and/or a movie in national release), followed by an original cast scene of five or more characters. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, November 21, 2018.
Attendance (10% of grade), very important. Attendance will be taken at the start of each class and factor into the student’s final grade, along with participation.
A= 100-93, A-=92-90, B+=89-88, B=87-83, B-=82-80, C+=79-78, C=77-73, C-=72-70, D+=69-68, D=67-63, D-=62-60, F=59-0. A indicates excellence, B indicates good work, C indicates satisfactory work, D work is unsatisfactory in some respect, F is substantially unsatisfactory work.
Prerequisites
CLASS ONE: Thursday, September 12, 2019
“Introduction To Jokes And Sketch”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will write at least one two-liner per day, based entirely upon information gleaned from the front page of The New York Times starting with Friday, 9/13/19; Saturday, 9/14/19; Sunday, 9/15/19; Monday, 9/16/19; Tuesday 9/17/19 and Wednesday, 9/18/19. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, September 19, 2019.
CLASS TWO: Thursday, September 19, 2019
“To Pitch Concepts For Desk Pieces”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will begin to develop a Jimmy Kimmel Talk Show Portfolio, and will review at least one episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” on either Friday, 9/13/19; Monday 9/16/19; Tuesday, 9/17/19, or Wednesday, 9/18/19. The student will pay special attention to the presentation of any and all desk pieces that Kimmel might present. The student will then come up with eight original desk piece pitches, and in three sentences describe the piece, consistent with Jimmy Kimmel’s style. The student will then pick a favorite out of the eight and script a two-minute version. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, September 26, 2019.
CLASS THREE: Thursday, September 26, 2019
“To Pitch Concepts For Remote Ideas”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will conceive and describe, in at least three sentences, eight original remote ideas appropriate for “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and script a two-minute version of his/her/their favorite. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, October 3, 2019.
CLASS FOUR: Thursday, October 3, 2019
“To Pitch Concepts For Various Segment Ideas”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will describe, in at least three sentences, eight separate segment ideas, that might have to do with either the audience, the guests, the staff or crew, and/or the band—usually two per category. The student then will script a two-minute version of his/her/their favorite. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, October 10, 2019.
CLASS FIVE: Thursday, October 10, 2019
“Saturday Night Live and the Cold Opening”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will write six more two-liners based entirely upon information gleaned from the front page of The New York Times starting with Friday, 10/11/19; Saturday, 10/12/19; Sunday, 10/13/19; Monday, 10/14/19; and Tuesday 10/15/19; then based upon the twelve two-liners total that the student’s written, he/she/they will create an original Cold Opening sketch for “Saturday Night Live,” using the current cast; finally the student will watch and review the show on Saturday, October 12, 2019. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, October 17, 2019.
CLASS SIX: Thursday, October 17, 2019
“You And Your Hero Host SNL”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will write two opening monologues for SNL—the first as if he/she/they were hosting SNL; and the second as if a hero his/hers/theirs (living or dead, real or imagined) were hosting. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, October 24, 2019.
CLASS SEVEN: Thursday, October 24, 2019
“A Streamlined Weekend Update”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will write an original, streamlined version of SNL’s Weekend Update containing: two (2) two-liners that can stand alone; two (2) two-liners with a photo payoff; an editorial comment by a character in the news; an editorial comment by a cast member speaking for themselves. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, October 31, 2019.
CLASS EIGHT: Thursday, October 31, 2019
“A Live Parody Of A Current TV Show”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will write an SNL-type sketch to be performed live in Studo 8-H, using the current cast, that parody’s a current TV show. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, November 7, 2019.
CLASS NINE: Thursday, November 7, 2019
“A Live Parody Of A Current Film”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will write an SNL-type sketch to be performed live in Studio 8-H, using the current cast, that parody’s a current film in general release. Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, November 14, 2019.
CLASS TEN: Thursday, November 14, 2019
“Cast Scene”
ASSIGNMENT: The student will write a scene of five or more characters to be performed live in Studio 8-H, using the current cast, that contains the writer’s perspective (meaning, it could not have been written by anybody else) one (1). Due in the D2L Dropbox by 5:00pm, Thursday, November 21, 2018.
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
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