The Importance Of Learning The Basics

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Learning The Techniques To Master Comedy

Just like in sport, the fundamentals are key to succeeding in Comedy! Mastering the basics sets you up with a solid foundation, we want you to get to the point where the techniques we talk about here are second nature! Then you’ll see your progress FLY.

The Craft of Comedy

Comedy is a craft, or an art form! But as with art there are a lot of underlying principles that need to be learnt so that you can use them to express your comedy as best as possible! Here’s a list of the few underlying principles you’ll need to master in comedy!

• Joke writing: Learning the art of constructing effective jokes and punchlines. This is the bread and butter of comedy! You don’t want to be the guy with all personality and no material. Learn to write a joke.
•  Joke structure: Understanding the structure and timing of a joke is crucial to getting laughs, this comes with experience and you guessed it, writing and performing more jokes!
• Act outs: A surefire way to get a laugh! Immersing yourself and the audience in the joke with an act out almost guarantees laughs. But you have to commit to the bit!
• Persona: Understanding your own comedic voice and persona, once you know how you’d respond to something on stage, the jokes start coming a little bit more naturally!
• Warmth and Likability: You need killer material for sure, but the audience also needs to LIKE you. Believe it or not you can LEARN charisma! And you probably should!

By mastering these techniques, you can improve their writing skills, timing, and stage presence. They provide you with a solid foundation to build upon 

The Art of Being Funny

While the craft of comedy can be taught and learned, the art of being funny is something that can only be acquired through onstage experience. You’re already funny, but being funny on stage needs time and practice, and of course you need to make a lot of wrong decisions to learn from them! 

Don’t be afraid to fail! 

No Shortcut: Learn The Techniques First

Mastery starts with the basics. This is true in all disciplines and comedy is no exception. By learning and implementing various comedy techniques, you can streamline your progress! 

Learn from those that have gone before! Find people who’s joke writing you like, break down how they structure things. Find people who’s physicality you like, identify why you like it and apply some principles to your own act!

By understanding and applying these techniques, comedians can:

• Practice good technique from the beginning, avoiding the pitfalls of bad habits.
• Have a clearer understanding of what fundamentals are necessary for successful performances.
• Repeat and refine techniques that have proven to be effective, ensuring laughs every time! 

Thanks to Greg Dean For The Inspiration Behind This Blog

Knowledge vs. Skill

Knowledge does not automatically mean skill. Just because you know and learn certain principles around comedy does not mean that you then have the skill to carry them out!

In this comedy course we are aiming to give you as much knowledge as possible, but it is up to you to go out and develop the skills! Practice, practice, practice! 

Write everyday, get on stage as much as possible, try new voices, try new act outs, keep showing up every day and you will develop your skills in no time.

The Benefits of Learning Comedy Techniques

It might be boring but spending the time in the early days to learn the basics you will get a TONNE of benefits! 

1. Accelerated Progress: Learning established techniques allows comedians to progress faster than relying solely on trial and error. They can build upon the knowledge of experienced comedians and avoid unnecessary detours.
2. Well-Rounded Skills: By exploring a wide range of techniques and trying different things you become more versatile and well-rounded. You can gain access to a toolkit of comedic tools that you can use to enhance your performances.
3. Efficient Practice: Understanding the fundamentals of comedy techniques enables comedians to focus their practice efforts more effectively. You can target specific areas of improvement and work towards refining the skills that need refining!
4. Continuous Growth: With every stage appearance, you’re learning. Trying techniques, reflecting on them after is crucial to this! 

There is no shortcut in comedy. But if you can master Joke Writing, Joke Structure, Act Outs, Finding Your Voice and just having fun on stage you will be on to a winner! 

Learn more about the Comedy Basics here

COMEDY BASICS