Monday 15th April - 20th May 2024 (5 weekly sessions - no session on UK bank holiday 6th May )
7pm-9pm UK time 8pm-10pm European time 11am-1pm Pacific Daylight time 2pm-4pm Eastern Daylight time Other time zones welcome!
Incredibly effective online stand-up comedy writing sessions for you if:
- you are a gigging comedian
- or are a comic who has had a break from stand-up and is wanting to get back into it
"I just wanted to say how useful I have found the online course. Very good for making you write about things you wouldn’t normally consider! And looking at old topics with new eyes. I really enjoyed it. So much so I have booked onto the next one." VK
This course is for you if:
- You want new material.
- You have run dry of inspiration or have got out of the habit of writing.
- You want to get more out of your existing material or refresh material that isn’t working as well as it once did.
What you'll get out of doing the course:
- Find out all the techniques that stand-ups use in their writing that you’re not currently using! We do this by analysing stand-up clips of your choosing to uncover techniques you can use (and you’ll be surprised how looking at these clips with fresh eyes and an analytical lens will uncover techniques you haven’t consciously put a name to).
- Discover how to get more out of your existing material. There are always places you can take material that you haven’t thought of – and often this is going into the playful hypothetical space that all top stand-ups explore - and also ways to punch up what you have to make it land more strongly.
- Breath new life into material that has stagnated. Many times comedians have material that worked when they first did it and now doesn’t work so well. Find out why this is and how to fix it.
- Gain inspiration for thinking about new topics for your stand-up and familiar topics in new ways. There will be inspiring online brainstorming in the session and creative exercises to play with that will open up ideas.
- Work with stand-up writing ‘homeworks’ that will get you creating new material. Each session I give a writing homework that will get the creative juices flowing. Then you can share that work-in-progress in the group for practical feedback on making it better and making it work.
You'll leave this course inspired, with new material and old material - and ideas and techniques to create more. (This course runs a number of times a year and you can return and do the course again and it'll be different and will inspire fresh material.)
"Chris has an encyclopaedic knowledge of stand-up and is really passionate about sharing it. The lessons and activities are well thought through and well structured. Chris has a very engaging style which encourages every participant to progress. The online format works extremely well for this topic and the weekly assignment helps practice and crystallise the learning points. Overall a very enjoyable experience." UB
Stand-ups discussed and analysed on previous courses include Kevin Hart, Daniel Kitson, Aisling Bea, Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Bridges, Maria Bamford, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Milton Jones, Trevor Noah, Jena Friedman, Adele Cliff, Rob Newman, Mark Thomas, Sarah Millican, Russell Howard, Mo Gilligan, Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks, Romesh Ranganathan, Gina Yashere, Demetri Martin, Trevor Noah, Kat Williams, Noel Fielding, Bridget Christie, Henning Vehn and more.
"Before the first session I was anxious, before the second I was excited, and by the third it was the highlight of my week! Trying out a different technique each week is really helpful and Chris’ feedback is very constructive – over the weeks you’ll get a good idea of where your strengths lie and how you can improve." CR
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Each week there'll be a two hour online class via Zoom - the video of which is shared the following day. Analysing a selection of stand-up clips nominated by you will be a starting point to explore a huge range of jumping off points and writing techniques for your stand-up.
There will be playful exercises in the class to start you exploring ideas and inspiring brainstorming and focused discussion.
At the end of each session you are given writing briefs to develop new material. There are a several ways you can share your work:
- Film yourself delivering the material to camera. With a home taped performance video, we'll explore how to make this playful and conversational. Even done without an audience, committing the material to video and receiving detailed feedback can be a very useful step before putting it on stage. Or record audio. (You can do several takes and pick your favourite, or even edit parts of different takes together - and cut out waffle or stumbles etc.)
- Share a script.
- Or do it LIVE in the next class.
In between sessions an ongoing conversation on your developing material unfolds on a Trello board. This Trello board accompanies the course with background information and resources and this is where you share your videos. An online conversation soon builds up amongst the group and Chris, responding to your work with appreciation, ideas and suggestions, supporting and inspiring each other.
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Whilst British Comedy Guide lists this Course, it is acting as a designated sales agent for Chris Head ('Provider') and neither runs the Course nor has any other control over its content. British Comedy Guide processes payment on the Provider's behalf and all prices include a service charge, itemised separately on your invoice. Please feed back to BCG if you feel a Course is inappropriate. When booking a Course or Service, or joining a waiting/notification list, your name and email address will be shared with the Provider, who may contact you about this and/or future offers. Your payment details are not shared.
