How can I improve my comedy?!
Question:
How can I improve my comedy?
I'm 15 and I want to know if there's a website that can give me tips on telling funnier jokes for beginners, intermediates, and advanced so I can advance levels when I'm ready. I'll be performing my comedy at the end of next month so I really need some tips fast.
I live in Bradenton, FL so is there any teen comedy classes that are affordable? I already know about Mccurdy's in Sarasota but that $200 for the 6 week class. Do you think they're worth the money ad are good teachers?
Are there any basic tips of what's in a joke to make it funny?
Answers: There are all kinds of tips available on the internet. The best start is to think about things you find funny, like life experiences you've had or things you've witnessed. It always helps to know how to handle a heckler. They are in every crowd, and you have to be able to handle someone making fun of you while you're trying to be funny. But I doubt you'll have a heckler at your age. Be careful whom you try to emulate. Carrot Top is a must-avoid. If you can't tell a joke without using a prop, something is wrong with your act. Source(s):
http://humor.about.com/c/ht/00/07/how_te...
http://www.googobits.com/articles/404-ho... make sure you scroll down to catch it all
You're fifteen, glad I remembered to check the question. There are certain actor/comedians that you shouldn't emulate at your age. If you're looking for clean comedy, try to stick with the PG movies that your favorite comedians have starred in. Please seek the advice of a parent before you view stand-up routines. Most stand-up routines have adult content. But you can still use the movies you are "allowed" to see as research. Timing is everything in comedy, and the movies will help you research facial expressions as well as technique.
The "cleaner" acts are just as funny as the trashy ones. If you have a favorite comedian, feel free to look them up on the www.imdb.com. It's a great site to find bios and movies. I'm not sure the money is worth it. My brother in law is taking one of those classes now, and he's not funny at all! I think they may go over the basics of comedy, but i think they are more interested in getting your $200. The best thing I did to improve my comedy was to purchase Isaac Asimov's Treasury of Humor. It's a joke book, but more than that, he discusses what makes the jokes funny and how to be a good comedian. HTH 1. Develop the right attitude.
Submitting your art for evaluation by the masses is painful, but unavoidable. You need to listen and learn from constructive criticism, and ignore the discouraging words of those who aren’t in the know. Developing the right attitude will help ensure your success.
2. Hang around the comedy clubs.
Talk to the management, pump the comics for information, and watch for booking agents in the audience. Examine routines with the critical eye of another performer, not an audience member. Notice the way comics use their bodies, faces, hands, clothes, and props. Listen for sound effects, watch the lighting, be aware of timing, style, and content. Be especially observant of the audience: Note who is laughing at what.
3. Watch a variety of comedians at work.
Go to live theaters, comedy movies, outdoor festivals, cruises, attractions, circuses, and when you get home, turn on the television and computer. Pay attention to the various styles that professional comedians use to be successful.
4. Read books and articles by funny people who write and by writers who are funny people.
Notice the writers’ style and the words they choose. What they’re saying is often not as important as how they’re saying it.
5. Narrow your humor.
Determine what humor you like the most and perform the best. If you’re lucky, they’ll be the same. Do you enjoy visualizing an outrageous scene? Are you particularly adept at using props, costumes, or impressions to get laughs? Whatever your style of humor, define it then refine it.
6. Write some original material.
Aim for a 10-15 minute routine. Your goal should be to produce four or five good laughs, several snickers, and a few rounds of applause. The characteristics of the comic (height, weight, ethnicity, style, etc.) determine whether the humor works or not, so be careful of alienating your audience by offending them.
7. Go to open mic nights.
First go to watch, then go to perform. Don’t expect to headline a weekend show immediately. You need to get the feel for a place and its audience first. Most new comics prefer to go fourth or fifth in a long lineup because the audience is warmed up but not burned out.
8. Learn to market yourself.
Update your resume, create a website, get some 8" x 10" glossy head shots, a demo tape (ideally a live performance with an audience), and business cards. Keep the cards with you always, and store the other materials in your car so you can get them at a moment’s notice. You can meet agents and club owners anywhere anytime.
9. Respond to the audience.
Not every audience will respond the same way to your routine. Whether you’re performing at a comedy club, a theater, an amusement park, a cruise ship, or on television, notice the audience and its response to the material.
10. Hire an agent if you decide to go full time.
Perform part time for a few years first. If you want to make comedy your full-time career choice, then get someone to help you. Agents will look for experience, material, and recommendations. Sorry I can't help in the Florida area but start looking for some comedy clubs where one night a week they have a new talent night. Testing it out can help a lot if you've written a good routine!
Some tips on what makes a joke funny! Timing, phrasing and delivery. Just do a simple search on Comedy Tips and you'll come up with hundreds of sites. 1. Develop the right attitude.
Submitting your art for evaluation by the masses is painful, but unavoidable. You need to listen and learn from constructive criticism, and ignore the discouraging words of those who aren’t in the know. Developing the right attitude will help ensure your success.
2. Hang around the comedy clubs.
Talk to the management, pump the comics for information, and watch for booking agents in the audience. Examine routines with the critical eye of another performer, not an audience member. Notice the way comics use their bodies, faces, hands, clothes, and props. Listen for sound effects, watch the lighting, be aware of timing, style, and content. Be especially observant of the audience: Note who is laughing at what.
3. Watch a variety of comedians at work.
Go to live theaters, comedy movies, outdoor festivals, cruises, attractions, circuses, and when you get home, turn on the television and computer. Pay attention to the various styles that professional comedians use to be successful.
4. Read books and articles by funny people who write and by writers who are funny people.
Notice the writers’ style and the words they choose. What they’re saying is often not as important as how they’re saying it.
5. Narrow your humor.
Determine what humor you like the most and perform the best. If you’re lucky, they’ll be the same. Do you enjoy visualizing an outrageous scene? Are you particularly adept at using props, costumes, or impressions to get laughs? Whatever your style of humor, define it then refine it.
6. Write some original material.
Aim for a 10-15 minute routine. Your goal should be to produce four or five good laughs, several snickers, and a few rounds of applause. The characteristics of the comic (height, weight, ethnicity, style, etc.) determine whether the humor works or not, so be careful of alienating your audience by offending them.
7. Go to open mic nights.
First go to watch, then go to perform. Don’t expect to headline a weekend show immediately. You need to get the feel for a place and its audience first. Most new comics prefer to go fourth or fifth in a long lineup because the audience is warmed up but not burned out.
8. Learn to market yourself.
Update your resume, create a website, get some 8" x 10" glossy head shots, a demo tape (ideally a live performance with an audience), and business cards. Keep the cards with you always, and store the other materials in your car so you can get them at a moment’s notice. You can meet agents and club owners anywhere anytime.
9. Respond to the audience.
Not every audience will respond the same way to your routine. Whether you’re performing at a comedy club, a theater, an amusement park, a cruise ship, or on television, notice the audience and its response to the material.
10. Hire an agent if you decide to go full time.
Perform part time for a few years first. If you want to make comedy your full-time career choice, then get someone to help you. Agents will look for experience, material, and recommendations.
2 hours ago