Writing stand up comedy

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Dorsetman

  • #1
    I want to write and sell standup comedy material but have no idea how to get started in this type of business or even what kind of format to use when writing, having never been involve in this type of profession before. Just retired from the engineering industry after 25years.
    Can anyone give me some help and advice please e.g. who buys from independant self employed writers of stand up comedy, would I sell to an agent or directly to the comedian, how to protect my work, how much to sell, whats the best way to get a sample of my work out there.
    I am constantly amazed how a lot of comedians e.g. Frankie Boyle, think it's hilarious to constantly mock the severely disabled or terminally ill. I can do a lot better than that just by describing and exagerating the comical side of day to day life.
     
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    Parthelan

  • #4
    I know someone that submitted a joke based on a current affairs topic at the time directly to the BBC - the gag was used in a now long defunct news quiz type programme and they got paid £25 for it. That was an absolute fortune back then, for what was effectively 3 lines of words :|

    No Nooooooooooooooo Nurse - I said remove his SPECTACLES!!!!!!!!! :eek:


    :D
     
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    What If

    What If

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  • #7
    I am constantly amazed how a lot of comedians e.g. Frankie Boyle, think it's hilarious to constantly mock the severely disabled or terminally ill. I can do a lot better than that just by describing and exagerating the comical side of day to day life.
    Click to expand...

    Forget selling it then, just go out and do it!....

    Do you realise that there are plenty of comedians (Peter Kay, Jason Manford, John Bishop etc...) who do exactly this type of comedy. So you haven't really identified a niche. There will also be plenty of writers supplying such content so it will be very competitive. But ultimately your success will be determined by the quality of your material (Give us a sample:D) and persistence.

    P.S. Frankie Boyle doesn't just 'constantly mock the severely disabled or terminally ill.' Having you been reading the Daily Mail:p.....although his material is very close to the bone and sometimes does cross the line.

    P.P.S Why are pirates called pirates?........
     
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    Consistency

  • #9
    I have to say Allan Carr made me laugh he said something like

    "The police were trying to pull me over, they could see I was on the phone" Sometimes it is the way it is said, not just what is said but this did make me laugh!
     
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    papverpoppies

    papverpoppies

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  • #15
    Dorsetman said:
    I want to write and sell standup comedy material but have no idea how to get started in this type of business or even what kind of format to use when writing, having never been involve in this type of profession before. Just retired from the engineering industry after 25years.
    Can anyone give me some help and advice please e.g. who buys from independant self employed writers of stand up comedy, would I sell to an agent or directly to the comedian, how to protect my work, how much to sell, whats the best way to get a sample of my work out there.
    I am constantly amazed how a lot of comedians e.g. Frankie Boyle, think it's hilarious to constantly mock the severely disabled or terminally ill. I can do a lot better than that just by describing and exagerating the comical side of day to day life.
    Click to expand...

    I would be inclined to go for the 'sit down' comedy rather than the stand up. The falling distance is less.;)

    Honestly OP, maybe you can write comedy - if so, do you own b****y homework, hell you will be posting for some material next.

    I think I can win the lottery on Saturday, if someone could give me the winning numbers...:D

    Poppy xx
     
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    mit74

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    Jun 4, 2010
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  • #18
    Biggest danger I expect is accidental plagarism especially if you're actually selling the material. You may have thought of the joke but sometimes the joke may already exist or been told by some other standup.
    If you've sold the joke then the customer will be accused of stealing jokes so they may come knocking on your door.
     
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    Consistency

  • #21
    mit74 said:
    Biggest danger I expect is accidental plagarism especially if you're actually selling the material. You may have thought of the joke but sometimes the joke may already exist or been told by some other standup.
    If you've sold the joke then the customer will be accused of stealing jokes so they may come knocking on your door.
    Click to expand...

    That is a very good point indeed. If you write a joke then it would then take a lot of research to fnd out if it has been said before. I know this is a negative point but it can be like an invention. We may think we have invented something but it may already exist in Sweden.

    Of course there is no ownership on words so not sure if this does apply.
     
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    Dorsetman

  • #22
    Consistency said:
    That is a very good point indeed. If you write a joke then it would then take a lot of research to fnd out if it has been said before. I know this is a negative point but it can be like an invention. We may think we have invented something but it may already exist in Sweden.

    Of course there is no ownership on words so not sure if this does apply.
    Click to expand...
    I was thinking more in terms of funny story telling rather than specific individual jokes. Would be surprised if copyright exists for that sort of comedy.
     
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    papverpoppies

    papverpoppies

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  • #24
    As with most things to do with TV, books, etc etc, there are usually courses, classes, competitions that try and help as well as giving a flavour of what it is all about.

    The BBC may well run some form of competition to try and encourage new writers, visit their website.

    Go to your local library and see what is available, do a Google search (I just did) there is lots of help and advice on there.

    I am trying to get established in writing, and unless very lucky, there is NO short cut to success, but reading and learning as much as you can about your intended subject - does no harm!

    Everyone just assumes that you can send your material to anyone who prints books or magazines (maybe you think that about your material) but the truth is, get it wrong and your work will be binned.

    So, get researching!

    Poppy xx
     
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    Liybpg

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  • #25
    Dorsetman said:
    I was thinking more in terms of funny story telling rather than specific individual jokes. Would be surprised if copyright exists for that sort of comedy.
    Click to expand...

    I would imagine this would be very difficult for them to prove if you stole the story completely. I think if you don't do it intentionally, there's a very little chance you can steal the story completely. I think if few bits are different, this should be sufficient enough. But this is only my guess.
     
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    scribe

  • #26
    Politically incorrect jokes





    I've heard that Apple have scrapped their plans for the new children's iPod after realizing that iTouch Kids is not a good product name.

    There's a new Muslim clothing shop opened in Toronto but I've been banned from it after asking to look at some bomber jackets

    You can say lots of bad things about pedophiles but at least they drive slowly past schools

    A mate of mine has just told me he's shagging his girlfriend and her twin. I said "How can you tell them apart?"

    He said "Her brother's got a mustache"

    Just put a deposit down on a brand new Porsche & mentioned it on FaceBook. I said "I can't wait for the new 911 to arrive !"

    Next thing I know 4000 Muslims have added me as a friend !!

    Being a modest man, when I checked into my hotel on a recent trip, I said to the lady at the registration desk ...
    "I hope the porn channel in my room is disabled."
    She replied, "No, it's regular porn, you sick *******.”

    The Red Cross have just knocked at our door and ask if we could help towards the floods in Pakistan, I said we would love to, but our hose only reaches to the bottom of the garden.























    Supplied from MSN
     
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    Lee Jones Jnr

  • #28
    Dorsetman said:
    I want to write and sell standup comedy material but have no idea how to get started in this type of business or even what kind of format to use when writing, having never been involve in this type of profession before. Just retired from the engineering industry after 25years.
    Can anyone give me some help and advice please e.g. who buys from independant self employed writers of stand up comedy, would I sell to an agent or directly to the comedian, how to protect my work, how much to sell, whats the best way to get a sample of my work out there.
    I am constantly amazed how a lot of comedians e.g. Frankie Boyle, think it's hilarious to constantly mock the severely disabled or terminally ill. I can do a lot better than that just by describing and exagerating the comical side of day to day life.
    Click to expand...

    What makes you think you have work worth paying for? Who has heard it?
     
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    GRDCredit

  • #32
    I went to a Christmas party and sat next to a vegetarian. She told me that she knew me but I had never seen her-be-vore

    Went to the zoo yesterday with the kids. They only had a dog in a cage - it was a Shih Tzu.

    Comedy Gold!:D
     
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    steve23

    Free Member
    Feb 19, 2007
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  • #34
    Well, I'm about to turn off the computer and head home - so no more UKBF for me for 2010 !

    So this has been a great thread to end the year on - I knew there was some great business advice on this forum, but I never knew we had so many comedians.

    What a great laugh !

    All the very best

    Steve
     
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