Kate Montgomery: The Elusive Art of Comedy Writing

1 Saturday, July 16, 10am-4pm Berkeley
$95 members/$110 non-members
Student Testimonials

“It’s one thing to tell a funny story to your friends over drinks, but to be funny on the page is an art unto itself,” says comedy writer Kate Montgomery. “Comedy is fragile and demanding. With drama, you can get away with so much. With comedy, one extra word can ruin the laugh.”

In this workshop, we’ll explore the elusive craft of comedy writing. You’ll learn the difference between situation comedy, character-driven comedy, comedy drama, and action comedy, how to structure a set up and pay off, and the ever-essential ‘rule of three’. With a combination of screenings, short lectures, group brainstorming, individual writing exercises, games, and improv, you’ll learn how to tap into your comic side and become a more entertaining storyteller.

All are welcome to sign up for this class, whether you’re an actor who would like to start writing, an author who’s curious about crafting comedies, or a journalist who’s looking to get some laughs.

Kate Montgomery wrote, directed and produced the Sundance indie feature Christmas in the Clouds, which won top honors at festivals in Austin, Santa Fe, Vancouver, Philadelphia and Ft. Lauderdale, and endorsements from Oprah Winfrey & Roger Ebert. She executive produced the micro-indie, Ever Since the World Ended, which won at the SF Indie Fest and the London Sci-Fi Film Festival. She has optioned & sold screenplays to producers and studios in the US, Canada and UK, and works for hire as a script editor and production consultant. Her current feature projects include the Italian romantic comedy Pane Vine, and the western Stealing Lily, for which she also wrote the adaptation.