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Comedy Writing

10-week Online Short Course

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Overview

This class will be taught online using a mixture of MS Teams – you can take part from the comfort of your own home from anywhere in the world!

This 10-week online course for people ages 16+ is designed for those who want to make the world laugh by writing comedy for stage and screen. The course will offer information and instruction in the art of comedy writing across three main art forms: stand up, sketch comedy and sit-com.

By examining classic comedy sketch shows and internet sensations, you will develop an understanding of the building blocks of comedy writing and how to translate your ideas from script to stage and screen.

The course will include:

  • The theories of comedy
  • The structural demands of the three different forms
  • Discussion of the skills required in the creation of material for these forms
  • Differences between gags and jokes and how to write both
  • How to go about creating stand up routines
  • Analysis of the different types of techniques employed in stand up
  • Sketches idea generation, and creation of a group of sketches
  • Being able to identify the recurring elements across sitcom, in terms of both premise and archetypes
  • Creation of 5-10 pages of a sitcom script

By the end of the course, you will have created a portfolio of comedy material and will have received peer and tutor feedback on your ideas.

Teaching methods include online lectures, self-directed writing exercises (leading to the creation of material), class discussions, group feedback, and analysis of video and radio examples.

Please see our FAQs for more information about all aspects of choosing, booking and attending your course. When booking the course you will be asked to agree that you have read and understood our Pre-HE Online Teaching Policy.

Credit Rated Pathway

We are offering a credit-rated option* for this class, giving students the opportunity to gain SCQF credits upon submission. This will not be mandatory, however students can register for the credit-rated option by clicking the booking link in the Credit-Rated tab on the left.

*subject to validation

Courses you may be interested in

  • Screenwriting 2
  • Comedy Writing
  • Comedy Writing 2
  • Introduction to Playwriting

We run a variety of different courses throughout the year, and update our programme regularly – you can find all courses by clicking here.

Mailing List
Sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates of courses, offers and news from Short Courses. You can do this by completing this short online form found here.

Contact us
If you have any questions about this course before you book it, please get in touch with us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk.

The important details

Age:
16+

Cost:
£195

Date:
10 October - 12 December 2024

Time:
Thursdays, 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Venue:
Online

Course Information

There are no entry requirements for this course.

The course is designed so that motivated students will benefit from the training. We expect you to undertake a certain amount of self-directed study and preparation out with class times.

Students should be open, honest, generous, respectful, hard-working and willing to work as part of a team.

You will need access to a device such as a desktop computer, laptop or tablet which allows you to access the internet with a screen large enough to see the group members during online sessions. You will need internet connection which is fast enough to take part in video sessions on MS Teams and to watch film footage.

You may also want to consider whether you have a space you can use where you can work without interruption. Please keep in mind that the other students taking part in the course will be able to see what’s behind you when you are online.

This course is suitable for students aged 16+, with no or little experience. Students should be keen to learn and plan to attend all classes.

This is an open access course and not previous experience is required to participate – although an interest in comedy is important!

We ask that participants are self-motivated and willing to undertake work at home throughout the course, as well as contribute to sharings of the work achieved and group discussions.

David Cosgrove

This course will run online on Thursday evenings for 10-weeks from 10 October – 12 December 2024, 6:30pm – 8:30pm.

The course fee is £195 which is the equivalent to £19.50 per session, and can be paid in full or in instalments before the course end date.

Further Information

We want to ensure as many children, young people and adult learners as possible can access the performing and production arts education that is offered through Short Courses at RCS. Financial support options available for Short Courses include:

Agnes Allan Bursary

Agnes Allan was a teacher, passionate about inclusion, and this bursary scheme exists to offer support to students to participate in the performing or production arts.

The Agnes Allan Bursary provides some support to students who may require financial assistance to take part in a short course in dance, drama, music, production or screen.

Anyone who wishes to take part in our Short Courses and faces a financial barrier can apply for bursary support to help meet the cost of tuition fees.

James McAvoy Drama Scholarships

BAFTA-winning and Golden Globe nominated actor James McAvoy is committed to nurturing the creative potential of young Scots who experience barriers to access and participate in drama at RCS Short Courses.

James is a graduate of the BA Acting programme at RCS and Patron of the Junior Conservatoire of Drama. The Glasgow-born actor has funded the new James McAvoy Drama Scholarships to enable young people to experience the world-class drama training at RCS as he did.

The scholarship aims to support applicants who would otherwise find meeting the cost of tuition fees at RCS a barrier to accessing pre-Higher Education drama training at the Royal Conservatoire.

You can find more information about these funds on our Financial Support page.

We run various promotional offers for our Short Courses and Summer Schools. You can view our current offers on our Promotional Offers page.

You should contact us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk to request your discount code before booking a course.

Please note, only one promotional offer can be applied per course and should be used at the time of booking as we are unable to apply a discounts retrospectively.

Please see our Short Course FAQs for more information about all aspects of choosing, booking and attending your course.

Please see our Short Courses – Terms and Conditions for more information about your contract with Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Cancellation and Refund policies.

Sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates of courses, offers and news from Short Courses. You can do this by completing this short online form found here.

Short Courses
shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk

Summer Schools
summerschools@rcs.ac.uk

Credit-Rated
credit-rated@rcs.ac.uk

Bursary and Scholarship
bursaryscholarship@rcs.ac.uk

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Short Courses students are reading scripts in a rehearsal room.
Short courses music students are performing in the Stevenson Hall. A string quartet and an accordion player sit in a semi-circle while a pianist performs behind them.
A group of short courses students are playing accordions. They are sitting in a semi-circle.
A group of short courses students are playing saxophones.
A group of short courses students are playing string instruments.
Short courses students are reading scripts in a rehearsal room. They are smiling and laughing with each other.
Short courses students are using a film camera.
Short courses students are reading lines from printed scripts. They are in a rehearsal room.
A person is smiling off-camera. They are holding a pencil and a book. Another person looks on intently.
Three actors are performing on stage. They are standing next to two chairs that have been toppled over. They are gesturing off camera.
A group of actors are performing on stage. They are wearing brightly coloured clothes.
A tutor directs two short courses students. They are all smiling.