Comedy Writing with Brad Ashton

Comedy Writing with Brad Ashton What is Commercially funny and what isn't?
Brad Ashton gives his expert view on why some scripts are successful while others meet with rejection. What makes a gag, sketch or sitcom suitable for universal markets and not just for English speaking audiences? This will be illustrated with short video clips demonstrating the important differences.
Where do comedy ideas come from?
Brad Ashton explains how his own best scripts were based on things that have happened to him. He shows how to recall seemingly insignificant things from your past on which to base your comedy. He applies this not only to scripts for TV and radio but also for the voracious market of comedy articles for newspapers and magazines.
Creating sitcom formats-What comes first, Character or Plot?
Brad gives examples of character-led sitcoms and then looks at sitcoms where the plot came first and the characters were invented to fit into it. He will show how real-life characters are developed based on people he personally knows or knows of. Creating believable storylines and constructing a sequence of scenes that will keep the story moving will follow this.
Examining the student's work:
Brad comments on what the students have written during the session and gives advice on how to improve them. He also discusses speech patterns that work best in comedy. By reading scripts that have already been produced and showing excerpts from popular sitcoms Brad points out how our favorite characters conform to their own individual way of speaking.
Finding a market for your script:
Brad gives specific instructions on how to present and market your completed scripts, including a list of TV Production Companies abroad who have purchased from British writers.
Brad will also discuss Satire, comedy journalism, continuity, quickies, sketches and gags over the course the day.