Episode
DZ-116: Writing Physical Comedy
- Published
- Feb 26, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 5740
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-116/
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Summary
Listen if you're writing physical comedy and have no idea how to make it work on the page Mel joins Chas to tackle physical comedy. We limited our homework selection to extended scenes (as opposed to moments and sight gags) in live action projects and – with the help of our Patreons – selected early sequences from BRINGING UP BABY, the pilot for HAPPY ENDINGS and that wonderful food poisoning scene in BRIDESMAIDS. We discover how these incredible writers take their time (on the page) to set up geography, framing and running gags. We also get tips on judicious use ALL CAPS, ellipses and M-dashes to recreate visual gags… and when to just let a paragraph go long and draw attention to itself. This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio : go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription! As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— "The words on the page and the repetition are mimicking the edit, so we can visualize the humor and the repetition of it." — Chas Fisher @ 00:19:03 ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:19 – What physical comedy scenes are we looking at? 00:10:27 – BRINGING UP BABY 00:31:44 – Thank you, Arc Studio Pro! 00:34:34 – HAPPY ENDINGS pilot 00:58:15 – BRIDESMAIDS 01:27:31 – Key learnings 01:33:56 – Thank you amazing Patreons! FILMS BRIDESMAIDS (2011) — (w) Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig (d) Paul Feig BRINGING UP BABY (1938) — (w) Dudley Nichols, Hagar Wilde, Hagar Wilde (d) Howard Hawks GAME NIGHT (2018) — (w) Mark Perez (d) John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein SHOW…