Sketch Comedy Writing How to Write Funny Skits

Learn to write comedy sketches using techniques from SNL, Key & Peele, Monty Python, and more.
What you'll learn

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Develop a clear, funny premise for a comedy sketch.
Identify the comedic game and build a sketch around one central idea.
Create memorable sketch characters with distinct attitudes, motivations, and comic opposites.
Write jokes that escalate instead of repeating the same comedic beat.
Build comedic conflict and use straight characters to make an unusual character or situation funnier.
Establish a sketch's premise quickly and keep the audience engaged.
Explore character sketches, commercial parodies, and celebrity parodies.
Brainstorm sketch ideas and develop a concept into a short, filmable comedy script.
Requirements

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No sketch comedy experience needed. This course is for everyone.
Description

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Want to write a comedy sketch but aren't sure where to start? This course will teach you how to turn a funny idea into a focused sketch with memorable characters, strong jokes, and a clear comedic premise.
In Sketch Comedy Writing: How to Write Funny Skits, screenwriter and producer Jordan Imiola breaks down the techniques behind memorable sketches and shows you how to apply them to your own writing.
Learn How to Develop, Write, and Improve Your Own Comedy Sketches
You'll explore how to
Find a funny premise and identify the comedic game.
Create characters with contrasting attitudes and motivations.
Build comedic conflict and escalate jokes throughout a sketch.
Develop different comedic beats without repeating the same joke.
Establish your premise quickly and keep the sketch focused.
Brainstorm ideas that are practical to write and film.
Throughout the course, we'll discuss examples from Saturday Night Live, Key & Peele, Monty Python, Abbott and Costello, and other comedy sketches. We'll look at how sketches such as More Cowbell, Substitute Teacher, Who's on First, and Debbie Downer establish their premises, develop characters, and build laughs.
You'll also explore different approaches to sketch comedy, including character-driven sketches, commercial parodies, and celebrity parodies. You'll learn why a sketch doesn't need multiple locations, a large cast, or an elaborate storyline to be funny.
This course is designed for aspiring comedy writers, screenwriters, filmmakers, performers, and creators who want to develop their own short comedy sketches. Whether you're writing for a live performance, a filmed sketch, or an online comedy video, you'll learn techniques you can adapt to your own ideas.
By the end of the course, you'll have a clearer process for brainstorming sketch ideas, choosing a premise, developing characters, building comedic tension, and writing a short sketch that you can continue refining and potentially produce.
Who this course is for

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Anyone interested in writing sketch comedy
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