Narrative Comedy Themes

Every TV comedy needs a theme or what is known in feature-film development as a ‘controlling idea’. This inspires a show’s moral framework, the subtextual message that drives the show. Once you’ve had some initial thoughts about a project, take the time to identify your narrative comedy theme. Often this is implicit in the show’s…

COMIC ARCHETYPES

‘Just because it’s ancient doesn’t mean it’s old.’ If you’re not sure where to start with a certain character or combination of characters, comic archetypes may provide a base from which to build. Many of these tried-and-true characters populate comedies of all kinds. Archetypes are familiar, perhaps, but that can work for you. To avoid…