Sydney 1-Week Comedy Development

In this 5-day Intensive, one of Australia’s most successful comedians reveals the secrets to comedy writing & concept development. Tim Ferguson (Doug Anthony All Stars,Shock Jock, Spin Out) offers processes and insights necessary for professional screenwriters & producers to expand their skills base into writing & developing comedy for television and film, including situation comedy, sketch, short films and features.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:

Despite what you might think, comedy is not a mysterious art. It is a craft based upon ancient principles. These principles are universally applied through all comedies. Every joke has a name. In this intensive Tim presents writers with:

• develop your ideas for screen comedy
• practical processes to devise comic characters, conflict and stories.
• new approaches to working with narrative joke structures, comic story structure, comic situation creation, pathos, subtext and the rhythms of comic dialogue.
• the knowledge of how to construct a sitcom/movie/webisode from the ground up, making choices in terms of theme, genre, style and tone.

The course includes lectures, script analysis, workshopping and the viewing of excerpts from sitcoms and comedy films. It concludes with methods for formulating series bibles and pitching concepts to Australian and international film and television markets. You will work in groups on practical exercises all the week, as well as developing your own ideas and writing skills.

WHY DO THIS COURSE:

A practical understanding of comedy is vital for any screenwriter and Narrative comedy is the world’s most popular and lucrative form of screenwriting. Tim Ferguson’s master class offers approaches that are simple, original and practical. You’ll be writing comedy before you know it.

ABOUT THE LECTURER: TIM FERGUSON

Tim Ferguson is a comedian, screenwriter and director. He has created, written and starred in many TV series in Australia & the UK. Recent credits include: co-writing (with Edwina Exton) co-directing (with Marc Gracie) the rom-com feature film SPIN OUT (Sony Pictures) which was released theatrically in September. Tim is also Series Script Editor for the ABC1 sitcom RICKETTS LANE (2015) and co-writer/script-editor of the comedy feature 'The BBQ' (filmed Feb 2017). Tim is a member of the international comedy success trio the DOUG ANTHONY ALL STARS (D.A.A.S with Paul McDermott and Richard Fidler) since 1984. They reformed in 2013 (with Paul ‘Flacco’ Livingston) and have since enjoyed many sold-out major theatre tours both nationally, and most recently across the U.K including Edinburgh Fringe Festival and sold-out shows in London.

Tim wrote the bestselling memoir CARRY A BIG STICK which details his career and battle with MS. He wrote bestselling comedy screenwriting manual THE CHEEKY MONKEY - WRITING NARRATIVE COMEDY. He is Australia’s foremost teacher of screen comedy, consults for international production companies and networks. Tim conducts his own Cheeky Monkey Comedy Courses worldwide. He currently lectures in comedy & screenwriting at the Australian Film TV & Radio School (AFTRS), RMIT University & Victorian College of Arts (VCA).

STUDENT FEEDBACK:

'Tim’s course demystified the mechanics of what makes comedy work. It’s like having a doctor explain how to make people laugh.’

- Steve Mitchell, Comedian & Screenwriter‘

There are Master Classes and Master Classes. Then there is Tim Ferguson's PhD in Comedy Class. It was just a wonderful five star experience from start to finish - and yes, it is 'ha-ha' hilarious.’

- Dr. Patrick Maher, Past Chairman of the WA Writers Guild

VENUE - AFTRS Sydney

DATE - June 05 - Jun 09

TO ENROL: CLICK HERE