Comedy Writing Classes in NYC, New York

This class will teach you concrete skills that will help you become a better sketch comedy writer. You will learn how to develop your ideas, clarify your premise, create characters, and understand what makes a good sketch work. The class will consist of lectures, writing assignments, and focused and fun workshops each week. This class is of 8 weeks...

You’ll learn the elements of a successful half-hour comedy series, and how to write a series pilot or series spec script that shows off your talent as a writer, but also your ability to demonstrate your professionalism to every network, studio, and series producer who reads it. By the time you’re done, you’ll not only have real world experience...

Comics say it’s the greatest high. You step into the light, take a swig of water, pick up the mic, then reduce a crowd of people to a mass of helpless laughter. Sure, the risks are great—silence, heckling, humiliation—but on a good night a stand-up feels richer than Seinfeld and Rock combined. You “kill” or “die” depending on your material....

Who doesn’t love the pleasure of literary laughter? We’re talking about essays, memoirs, articles, short stories, and novels that are humorous. It can be anything from a true story about the special hell of raising kids to a far-fetched tale of a would-be knight tilting at windmills. As Mark Twain says, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to...

Comedy is now politics. Politics is now comedy. Take a look at how comedians have both reacted to and shaped the zeitgeist. Have SNL sketches impacted elections? How deeply are journalists involved in the writer’s rooms of shows like Last Week Tonight? We will also go way beyond the U.S to examine how satire has played a part in countries facing...

The best TV shows are addictive, beckoning us to bring the characters into our homes or onto our devices, episode after episode. The people might be cops, thugs, monsters, geeks, doctors, lawyers, fixers, or just ordinary people with everyday problems. The format might be network, streaming, or a web series. As long as it hooks us. Each TV show...

Movies are the modern mythology—the stories we all watch for excitement, inspiration, and entertainment. So many genres and types: drama, comedy, action/adventure, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, horror, crime, noir, epic, western, war, romantic comedy, musical. Larger than life blockbusters or down-to-earth depictions of reality. Tales told...

The best TV shows are addictive, beckoning us to bring the characters into our homes or onto our devices, episode after episode. The people might be cops, thugs, monsters, geeks, doctors, lawyers, fixers, or just ordinary people with everyday problems. The format might be network, streaming, or a web series. As long as it hooks us. Each TV show is...

Movies are the modern mythology—the stories we all watch for excitement, inspiration, and entertainment. So many genres and types drama, comedy, action/adventure, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, horror, crime, noir, epic, western, war, romantic comedy, musical. Larger than life blockbusters or down-to-earth depictions of reality. Tales told with...

Humor is a skill that can come in mighty handy – especially since we’re all gonna die. Whether you’re trying to punch up your online dating profile, become an amusing public speaker, write that memoir, craft essays, find success as a stand-up comedian so you can have an excuse to drink all the time (or sleep around), or publish the next (and...

The filmmaking process, whether for film, television, or online content, begins with writing a screenplay. In this 10-week class, students will be introduced to the fundamental elements of screenwriting, including story structure, screenplay format, character creation, dialogue, and action writing.  Through writing exercises and collaborative...

Who doesn’t love the pleasure of literary laughter? We’re talking about essays, memoirs, articles, short stories, and novels that are humorous. It can be anything from a true story about the special hell of raising kids to a far-fetched tale of a would-be knight tilting at windmills. As Mark Twain says, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to...