Steve's Blog

Comedy Q & A: Tips for Sketch Writing?

Monty Python "Any particular tips for approaching sketch writing? In particular, any advice for coming up with strong endings? Endings for sketches are tough-- that's why Python used to simply skip to another sketch or make a joke about the fact that the sketch had no...

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Comedy Q & A: Acting in a badly written comedy?

Disaster Movie (2008) Q: What can an actor do to help a comedy script/scene/moment that is just badly written or structured? What do you do when the writing is bad, but the director wants a laugh? A:     One approach is not to worry about what...

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How To Be Funny During A Pandemic

How To Be Funny During A Pandemic

Mark Twain said that comedy is “tragedy plus time,” but where’s the comedy in the middle of the tragedy? And we’re all familiar with the concept of whistling past the graveyard. But how can you create comedy when you’re stuck in the middle of the graveyard, and there...

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AFI’s 100 Laughs: #97 – Bull Durham

AFI’s 100 Laughs: #97 – Bull Durham

Probably my second favorite Kevin Costner baseball movie. I’m not sure that Bull Durham is a funny movie; I really don’t remember laughing all that much. But who cares—I love it, and I too, like Crash Davis and Kevin Costner, believe in Bull Durham and the Church of...

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The Comic Hero’s Journey Sneak Preview!

The Comic Hero’s Journey Sneak Preview!

Hi All, I'm excited to announce the upcoming publication of my new book, The Comic Hero's Journey: Serious Story Structure for Fabulously Funny Films. The book will be published sometime this fall, but I'd love for you to get a special sneak preview. So here is an...

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New Film Courage Series – The Comic Hero’s Journey

New Film Courage Series – The Comic Hero’s Journey

Film Courage recently released a new series I did with them about The Comic Hero's Journey. The first two videos are out now, with more to come. Hope you enjoy! Here's the introduction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0CtkK3MPe0 And here's the second video:...

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My 10 Favourite British Comedy Films

My 10 Favourite British Comedy Films

To celebrate my UK workshops, here's an article I wrote for the British Comedy Guide. You can view the original article HERE. My 10 Favourite British Comedy Films I'm often asked, "What's your favourite British comedy?" That's an almost impossible question to answer....

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AFI’s 100 Laughs: #98 – The Court Jester

Starring Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Angela Lansbury, and Basil Rathbone at his most villianous, with songs by Kaye’s wife Sylvia Fine and Sammy Cahn, and co-written, co-directed and co-produced by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, this movie is still the delight it was...

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Step by Step to Stand-Up Comedy – by Greg Dean

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