Improvisation and the Sitcom for Writers and Actors

It’s been demonstrated that by using improvisational techniques, television writers can go deeper into character and story development. In addition, improvisation can enhance the writing of the script and is a great tool for fine-tuning pitches for episodic and pilot ideas. This workshop is for aspiring comedy writers who want to learn how to infuse comedy into their scripts. Although we ask you to participate in improvisational exercises, the emphasis is not on acting. Instead, you create a springboard for your ideas, and ultimately, explore the comedy potential within your scene or script. Each week you participate in improvisation and scene/sketch writing exercises. The class is set up as a writers' room where you learn to pitch ideas and get feedback in a collaborative atmosphere. You learn half-hour script structure and story development, and how to build an outline, which is the foundation for a successful comedy script. The goal is to create an original pilot or episodic story concept that has grown out of improvisational class work.