Comedy Advice (part 1)

Everyone once in a while, I talk to people who are interested in writing comedy. They have funny ideas, but don't know where to start. (And I can tell you from experience, trying to eat the heart of a clown is not the most efficient way to get better at comedy...despite the shoes those guys are really, really fast.) Since clown cannibalism is pretty much out of the question, we have to realize that there is no one, easy way to learn how to be funny. So here's my advice on how to work on improving your comedy skills.

First, you need to find funny people and spend time with them. Humor is one thing that can be absorbed through osmosis, sort of. One of the best ways I got better at being funny and writing comedy is spending time with people smarter and wittier than me. It forced me to keep up, to train my brain to have an ear for comedy. It took a while to get the hang of it, but eventually I was able to make people laugh with a casual comment, and that's helped my writing.

The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Problem

The essence of drama is conflict. The essence of comedy is conflict. The essence of character is conflict. When there is no conflict, there's nothing really interesting going on. Lack of conflict is the essence of bad writing. Sadly, this is one of the problems facing the new show, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. There just isn't any good conflict.

We get to know characters by their conflicts, and that's especially important in an ensemble show. When the characters lack dramatic tension, they lack defining characteristics and it's hard to tell them apart or even remember their names. Each character needs to both have a purpose and a conflict, because that's what we remember about them. The worst thing you want is for your characters to be forgettable.

Free Christian Scripts

I know how hard it can be to find a decent Christian script. That's why I started writing my own.

These scripts are just a small sampling of my more complete collection and represent many different types. Some are funny, other more serious. I even have a few holiday readings for Advent and Easter services. There's also one full-length script about Lazarus and his friendship with Jesus.

I hope you enjoy these scripts, and check back often because I'm going to be adding more as I go.

If you do use any of these, drop me a line and let me know how it goes. Enjoy.

Sunday Morning Runway

Sunday Morning Runway

By Charles B. French

It’s so easy to forget what church is really supposed to be, and who we are supposed to be there to follow. 

Reference Verses: Luke 9:23-26

Characters: Jim is the announcer and Steve is the color commentator. The announcers sit at a table wearing headphones, talking into microphones. They look past the audience at the “runway.”

Parental Priorities

Parental Priorities

By Charles B. French

It can be so easy in our marriages to be overwhelmed by life, be it from our careers or our children. Sometimes parents need to take time for just themselves, recharge, and take a break from it all. A strong marriage leads to better child-rearing and a better life for everyone involved.

Reference Verses: 1 Corinthians 7:3-5

Characters: The Narrator, tells the story of  Barry and Susan, who meet, marry, have children, and become exhausted. Susan’s sister Janet is eventually forced to intervene.

Lingo

Lingo

By Charles B. French

 

Sometimes we Christians speak another language altogether, and it can be hard to translate to outsiders wondering just what we’re up to.

Characters: Mary is someone who read a flyer advertising a Christian club. When she arrives she meets Rick and Ruth, who are no help whatsoever, and Paul, who finally helps her get to the bottom of things.

Extreme Makeover – Heart Edition

Extreme Makeover – Heart Edition

By Charles B. French

In our zeal to celebrate Christmas, it’s easy to forget the real reason for the season and instead focus on everything that doesn’t matter. We make ourselves and everyone else miserable during a time of year when we should be celebrating and contemplating God’s great love for us.

Reference Verse: Luke 2:8-20

Characters: Gary is the type of person who makes everyone miserable by trying to make Christmas perfect. He should be dressed somewhat Christmassy and will have a cell phone.  Ty is the host of the show who wants to change Gary’s heart.