Master Class: Comedy Writing for Features with Victoria Strouse (FINDING DORY)
About this Master Class
Master Classes are in-depth, interactive learning experiences focused on craft and career building and led by renowned industry experts. Topics include fiction and documentary filmmaking, TV writing and production, and navigating and succeeding in the entertainment industry.
The entertainment industry adage goes that comedy is the hardest genre to write. This three-hour, live, online master class with a celebrated comedy writer reveals the creative process of crafting feature scripts that engage audiences with humor and pathos. Using real-world examples, the class focuses on how to develop compelling characters, the importance of obstacles and stakes in your screenplay, and how to create successful comedic setups and payoffs.
Resources:
Download the list of resources from Victoria Strouse
Topics presented include:
5:45 - Introduction
8:55 - Victoria Strouse on What Comedy Is
19:05 - Why Comedy Can’t Be Taught
20:30 - Using Truth and Specificity in Your Writing
30:15 - Developing Character
32:25 - Character in Parenthood
49:08 - Creating Obstacles
56:00 - Generating Stakes
1:03:00 - Building Relationships
1:19:30 - Q&A
1:37:40 - Disguising Exposition
1:50:00 - Setups, Payoffs, and Jokes
1:52:50 - Creating Complex Scenes Through Efficiency and Layering
2:04:00 - High Concept vs. Low Concept Films
2:05:20 - Concept Writing Exercise
2:25:10 - Bridesmaids Scene Breakdown
2:35:50 - Rewriting and Using Notes
2:45:45 - What it is to be a Comedy Writer
2:48:00 - Closing Q&A
Master ClassTeam
Victoria Strouse
Instructor
Just out of film school, Victoria Strouse began her career with two major script sales - the second of which - JUST LIKE A WOMAN, sold in a bidding war to Newline Cinema. In between script sales, she has written for every major studio, sold several television pilots, and staffed on TV shows. Her script, SEEKERS OF PERPETUAL LOVE was included on the Black List in 2008 and she is now preparing to direct it. After being the on-set writer for Universal’s LITTLE FOCKERS, Victoria spent three years at Pixar, writing FINDING DORY. She is now writing (and rewriting) feature films, including LET IT SNOW (currently filming) for Netflix, SNOW WHITE (to be directed by Marc Webb) for Disney and SILVER WINGS (to be directed by Tommy Kail) for Disney. She recently sold an original TV pilot to FX and is attached to direct her original script, US VS. THEM, with STX producing.