Comedy Masterclass

https://x.com/daniellekrage

https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/2-chris-head-comedy-tools-and-frameworks/

https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/40-chris-head-how-to-structure-your-30-min-comedy-or-comedy-drama-script/

52+ guests! That's a wrap.

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 09:07:01 +0100

Hey everybody, Danielle here.

I set out to interview 52 guests about the craft of writing narrative comedy. Oh my goodness, what an adventure and education.

And now I’m at challenge complete.

For me, these episodes have become a treasure chest of tools and approaches that I get to apply to my own work. And It’s been a delight to hear from other writers around the world who have found them helpful.

You’re always welcome to find me here:

https://comedymasterclass.com/contact

Becky Holmes (Author of Keanu Reeves is Not in Love With You)

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 09:49:29 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Becky Holmes, author of 'Keanu Reeves is Not in Love with You'. Becky is also the creator of and voice behind the massively popular Twitter/X account @deathtospinach. Here she shares insights into how and why she uses humour to expose online fraudsters. Plus, what has helped her publish and promote her book.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:19 The Concept and Execution of 'Keanu Reeves is not in love with you'

06:08 Bringing Silly to the Nastiness

08:01 The Power of Humour in Diffusing Difficult Topics

10:16 The Widespread Impact of Online Fraud

12:43 The Publication Process: Lengthy and Challenging

15:15 Finding an Agent: Networking and Building Relationships

23:22 Using Humour to Handle Criticism

26:44 Tips for Confident Public Speaking

34:44 The Benefits of a PR Background

39:18 Future Plans as a Writer

You can find out more about Becky Holmes’ work here:

Becky’s book (wherever you buy your books) – Keanu Reeves is Not in Love With You: The Murky World of Online Romance Fraud

https://x.com/deathtospinach

https://www.instagram.com/deathtospinach

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://x.com/positivejampr

Heidi Vanderlee (A guide to PR for comedy creators)

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 06:44:41 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Heidi Vanderlee, founder of Positive Jam – a public relations firm specialising in comedy, podcasting, film, live entertainment, and social justice. Heidi has worked in entertainment and PR for more than a decade; in this conversation, she shares insights that will benefit comedy writers and creators.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Heidi Van Der Lee and Positive Jam

03:00 The Importance of Relationship Building in PR

06:08 Common Mistakes in PR

08:53 Timelines and Planning Ahead in PR

12:50 Positive Jam's Focus on Traditional Media

15:23 Including PR in the Creation Process

20:09 The Changing Media Landscape

22:31 Positive Developments in the Media Industry

25:26 Authenticity and Ideals in Creative Work

30:20 Catching Attention and the No Press is Bad Press Concept

33:44 Balancing Attention-Grabbing and Authenticity

35:35 Trusting Your PR Professional

You can find out more about Heidi and Positive Jam here:

www.positivejampr.com

https://www.instagram.com/positivejampr

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.katewillett.com

Kate Willett (Combining comedy and personal politics)

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 06:08:24 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Kate Willett. Kate is a comedian, actress and writer who has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Netflix’s Comedy Lineup.

Kate has also toured with Margaret Cho, featured with comedians like Maria Bamford, and has written jokes for Beavis and Butthead.

In this conversation, Kate shares insights from making her recent comedy special, Loopholes, and her Audible Original, Dirtbag Anthropology.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:19 Dirtbag Anthropology: Exploring Positive Masculinity

05:03 Balancing Personal and Comedic Truths

06:19 Feminism and Personal Politics in Comedy

08:14 The Evolving Definition of Feminism

10:59 The Process of Creating an Audible Original

13:47 Filming a Comedy Special

15:14 Writing and Developing Material

19:04 Observations from Touring with Renowned Comedians

20:21 Dealing with Online Pushback

22:14 Recommendations for Comedy to Watch

23:10 Writing Jokes for Beavis and Butthead

25:06 Being Brave in Expressing Political Stances

26:33 Adapting to the Changing Comedy Industry

27:53 Future Projects: Another Book, One-Person Show, and New Podcast

28:23 Prompt for Listeners

29:39 Where to find out more about Kate’s work

https://www.instagram.com/kate.willett

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

52 episodes of Comedy Masterclass (Behind the scenes and what I've learned)

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 06:47:12 +0100

In this episode, Danielle celebrates completing 52 episodes of Comedy Masterclass and is joined by her husband, Jeremiah, as a surprise guest host. They discuss the motivation behind creating the podcast and Danielle’s own thoughts and approaches to comedy.

Note from Danielle: There are 3 more fabulous guests in this season, so listen out. :)

Chapters:

00:00 The Motivation Behind Comedy Masterclass

06:10 Exploring Different Comedy Styles and Formats

09:06 The Influence of Media Consumption on Comedy

11:36 Applying Comedy Techniques to Writing

23:55 Using Comedy to Address the Darkness in Life

26:22 Challenging Gender Roles in Comedy with Female Protagonists

32:59 Overcoming Challenges in the Publishing Industry with Drive and Passion

37:44 Expanding Creativity Through Learning from Different Comedy Forms

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle website here: https://daniellekrage.com

Danielle’s Stash: https://daniellekrage.com/stash

You can find Jeremiah here: https://jeremiahkrage.com

Episodes mentioned:

Chris Head: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/2-chris-head-comedy-tools-and-frameworks/

Stuart Laws: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/7-stuart-laws-surreality-satire-and-stand-up/

John Truby: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/14-john-truby-story-code-and-beats/

Andrew Kaufman: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/13-andrew-kaufman-allegory-and-absurdity/

Zanandi Botes: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/30-zanandi-botes-comedy-horror-for-halloween/

Ray Bradbury: https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/44-writing-advice-from-my-favourite-ghost-ray-bradbury/

Kay Stonham (Creating and sustaining a career as a comedy writer )

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:01:25 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Kay Stonham. Kay is a comedy writer-performer who has worked extensively across TV, film, theatre and radio. For example, she has written 10 original series for Radio 4, including Robin and Wendy’s Wet Weekend, and Bad Salsa.

She’s also the Co-Founder of Female Pilot Club , which was founded to amplify women’s voices and give women writers the chance to prove their jokes and characters in the room – as seen in their sold-out read-throughs of comedy pilot scripts to audiences of writers, producers and comedy lovers.

In this conversation, Kay shares really practical insights and advice for writers wanting to create and sustain a career in writing comedy.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:25 Selecting Scripts for Live Performances

04:45 Developing Scripts for Showcases

07:09 Pitfalls in Script Submissions

09:58 Script Consultancy and Considerations

16:21 Misconceptions about the Production Process

24:54 Sustaining a Creative Career

29:29 PhD Research on Comedy Writing and Identity

39:55 Upcoming Projects and Female Pilot Club

You can find out more about Kay Stonham and her work here:

Kay’s website: https://kaystonham.com

Kay’s agent: https://mmbcreative.com/clients/kay-stonham/

Kay’s Audible Series: https://www.audible.co.uk/search?searchAuthor=Kay+Stonham

Female Pilot Club: https://www.femalepilotclub.co.uk/

Female Pilot Club Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/female-pilot-club/id1598357325

The previous episode with Chelsea and Emily from Female Pilot Club is here: https://youtu.be/sFXuYQN2cPw

Previous guest, Lucy Lumsden (Yellow Door Productions) was a judge and sponsor of the live showcase we referenced (along with sponsors Imagine Talent). You can find Lucy’s episode here: https://youtu.be/axiGW8iqMkc

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.alanaschramm.com

Alana Schramm (Unlocking Creativity and Motivation for Writers)

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 05:50:24 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Alana Schramm. Alana is a coach who works with the subconscious, the nervous system and emotions, in a way that is really practical, playful, and relevant to creativity. This conversation is a frank and fun dive into what blocks us and what motivates us effectively.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Alana Schramm and her work

01:27 Negative emotions and creativity

06:20 Embracing imperfection in writing

10:57 Changing the relationship with yourself for creative flow

13:38 Transitioning from high-energy activities to writing

26:23 The Importance of Making Space and Tending to Our Capacity

27:35 Embracing the Present and Enjoying Life

30:08 Exploring the Power of the Subconscious Mind

32:16 Using Emotions as a Portal to the Subconscious

38:07 The Role of Self-Compassion in the Creative Process

43:24 Celebrating Ourselves: The Key to Motivation and Growth

47:00 Conclusion and Where to Find More Information

You can find Alana here:

https://www.instagram.com/alana.schramm

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://twitter.com/ThatNeilMartin

Professor Neil Martin (The Psychology of Comedy)

Wed, 29 May 2024 05:39:58 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Neil Martin, Honorary Professor of Psychology at Regent's University London. Neil is the author of The Psychology of Comedy, and in this conversation he introduces and dissects some of the key research and theories in the field of laughter, humour and comedy.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Neil's Background in Comedy

03:24 The Neglect of Comedy in Psychological Research

06:44 Gallows Humour as a Coping Mechanism

08:31 Exploring the Humour Styles Questionnaire

23:11 The Timelessness of Comedy

24:27 The Influence of Laughter on Enjoyment

28:18 Humour in Learning

29:16 Sex Differences in Comedy

34:36 Comedy and Mental Well-being

41:18 Exploring Different Mediums of Comedy

44:01 The Influence of Sensory Experiences on Comedy

You can find Neil (including his contact email) here:

Neil's Deadpan piece: https://www.the-fence.com/well-theyre-not-laughing-now

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/characteractresslanaschwartz

Lana Schwartz (Build Your Own Romantic Comedy)

Wed, 22 May 2024 05:57:19 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews writer Lana Schwartz, whose interactive book ‘Build Your Own Romantic Comedy: Pick Your Plot, Meet Your Man and Direct Your Happily Ever After’ was named one of Vulture’s Best Comedy Books of the Year.

Lana has also written for The New Yorker, and is a contributor to The Onion. In this interview she shares her obsession for romcoms and the craft of comedy.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

08:57 Favourite romcoms. Beats and tropes.

23:37 Building a Career in Comedy Writing

33:28 Crafting Humour: Specificity, Heightening, and Economy of Words

37:51 Upcoming Romcom Book and where to find Lana

You can find Lana Schwartz here:

https://twitter.com/_lanabelle

https://www.lanalikebanana.com

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Build-Your-Own-Romantic-Comedy/Lana-Schwartz/Gifts-for-Movie-TV-Lovers/9781646040056

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.acesandeightssaloonbar.com/events/liz-trusss-the-traitors/

Suchandrika Chakrabarti and Nerine Skinner (Creating Topical Comedy)

Wed, 15 May 2024 05:56:20 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Suchandrika Chakrabarti and Nerine Skinner.

Suchandrika is a stand-up, who runs the monthly night Good News / Bad News in north London and writes for BBC One's Have I Got News For You. She is taking her second solo show Doomscrolling to Edinburgh Fringe this summer.

Nerine is an actress, comedian, improviser and deviser whose parodies of Liz Truss have gone viral. She was a finalist in the Funny Women Awards for Content Creator and reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent with comedy cabaret trio, The Dots. She’s currently creating her debut show for the Edinburgh Festival.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:07 The Joint Project: Liz Truss’ The Traitors

06:20 Balancing Structure and Improvisation

09:21 Finding Inspiration in the News

13:42 Character Comedy: Tips and Experiences

19:59 The Joy of Character Comedy

21:01 Collaboration and Selecting Guests for a Comedy Show

24:38 Navigating Boundaries in Topical Comedy

33:22 Preparing for the Edinburgh Festival

36:27 Creating a Supportive and Inclusive Comedy Environment

You can find Suchandrika and Nerine here:

Their joint show - Liz Truss’ The Traitors

Suchandrika:

https://twitter.com/SuchandrikaC

https://www.instagram.com/suchandrika

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/suchandrika-chakrabarti-doomscrolling

Nerine:

https://twitter.com/nerineskinner

https://www.instagram.com/nerineskinner

https://www.youtube.com/@nerineskinner

You can find the Lynne Parker Funny Women episode here:

https://youtu.be/q4vB86BGCZY

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://johnderevlany.com/

End of Season 6

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 07:45:00 +0100

Back with you on May 15th.

John Derevlany: (Super Narrative - Storytelling Across Platforms)

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:45:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews writer, creator, and brand builder John Derevlany. John is an award-winning writer, animator, and showrunner who has written or produced hundreds of hours of TV (including for the Jim Henson Company and LEGO). John has also been a game designer, street artist, investigative journalist and played Crackers the Corporate Crime Fighting Chicken for Michael Moore’s TV Nation!

In this episode John shares learnings from his creative career, and how he now thinks about Super Narrative – his approach to planning a story across multiple media platforms.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:05 Founding a Comedy Newspaper

03:09 Using Comedy as a Defense Mechanism

04:12 Transition to TV Comedy

05:40 Working with National Lampoon

07:25 Creating Crackers, the Corporate Crime Fighting Chicken

08:47 The Power of Reaction Shots in Comedy

09:56 Transition to Animation and Children's Shows

10:38 The Concept of Super Narrative

15:08 Understanding Super Narrative

16:00 Differentiating Super Narrative from Transmedia

24:02 The Need for Innovation in Hollywood

24:49 Adapting and Pivoting in Creative Projects

25:15 Navigating Humour and Broad Appeal

26:04 Considerations for International Audiences

26:34 Keeping Content Broad and Timeless

27:02 Challenges with Technological Advancements

27:49 Creating Characters and Expanding Worlds

28:18 Using AI for Idea Generation

28:57 Simplifying Stories and Layering Content

29:25 Creating a Multitude of Characters

29:58 The Challenges of Naming Characters

30:25 The Role of AI in Joke Generation

31:26 Using AI as a Tool for Creativity

32:09 The Increasing Speed of Content Production

33:21 The Importance of Trying New Things

34:19 The Uncertainty of the Entertainment Industry

35:28 Take Risks and Embrace Ignorance

36:36 Being Playful and Creative in All Aspects

37:35 Finding Inspiration in Comedy and Entertainment

38:16 John's Website and Projects

40:01 The Resurrection of 'Squish'

41:21 Dealing with Fan Obsession

You can find more about John’s work here:

Videos - https://johnderevlany.com/video-trailers-episodes/

(Including Squish, Legends of Chima, Crackers the Corporate Crime Fighting Chicken, Uke Til U Puke.)

The "Give me a job LEGO” animation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZznS4Y06_Cc

The big, outdoor board game: https://culverland.johnderevlany.com/

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.kenpisani.com

Ken Pisani (Writing Comic Novels)

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:45:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Ken Pisani. Ken is a screenwriter, TV writer and producer, playwright, comic book author, former cartoonist, and novelist. His novel, AMP’D, was a Thurber prize finalist, and in this episode he takes us behind the scenes of creating this comic work.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:18 The Concept of AMP’D

05:01 Choosing the Novel Format

06:09 Challenges of Writing Prose

07:36 Writing Without an Outline

08:06 Balancing Comedy and Drama

09:00 Reversing Expectations

11:20 Writing Situational and Visual Comedy

12:09 Emotional Impact of the Novel

13:30 Finding the Balance of Comedy and Drama

19:02 Creating Beleaguered Characters

20:08 The Play and Game of Comedy

21:41 Publishing and Marketing Challenges

22:03 The Challenges of Funny Novels

25:02 Dealing with Failure and Persistence

29:01 The Appeal of Muppets

33:20 The Humour in Comic Books

38:18 Recommendations

You can find out more about Ken’s work here:

https://twitter.com/kpsmartypants

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

Caleb Warren (What Makes Things Funny)

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:45:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Caleb Warren, Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Arizona. Caleb researches and writes about what makes things funny, what makes things cool, and what helps people reach their goals. In this conversation, Caleb shares some of his key findings about humour and how it works.

00:00 Introduction to Consumer Psychology and Humour

01:20 How Caleb Got into the Study of Humour

04:01 Physical Comedy and Empathy

06:00 Psychological Distance and Humour

07:27 The Role of Absurdity in Comedy

08:21 Psychological Distance and Animation

09:08 The Difference Between Comedy and Serious Settings

09:39 The Flawed Theory of Surprise in Humour

10:40 The Relationship Between Surprise and Humour

11:36 The Benign Violation Experiment

13:19 The Difference Between Humour and Coolness

14:18 Coolness as a Positive Deviation from the Norm

15:10 How Coolness and Humour Overlap

16:00 The Importance of Autonomy and Enjoyment in Goal Pursuit

18:27 The Importance of Product in Marketing

19:54 The Role of Humour in Marketing

20:20 The Benefits of Humour in Enjoyment and Happiness

21:46 How Humour Translates and Changes with Distance

22:44 How Sense of Humour Changes with Age

23:46 The Evolution of Humour and Cultural Norms

26:56 Research on Coolness Across Different Cultures

28:57 The Personality Traits of Cool People

30:06 The Role of Effort in Coolness and Status

32:27 The Tension Between Marketing and Coolness

35:23 The Importance of Being Good vs. Being Cool

36:54 Caleb's Band and Songwriting

You can find Caleb here:

Research website: https://www.calebwarrenresearch.com/
TedX talks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxh-ispLUmA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z7hkfkCEno
Band website: https://bandoftownies.com/

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

Eric Maisel (Fearless Creating for Comedy Writers)

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews Dr Eric Maisel. Eric is the author of more than 50 books - many focused on creativity and the creative life - including Fearless Creating, Deep Writing, The Power of Daily Practice and The Magic of Sleep Thinking. He also writes the ‘Rethinking Mental Health’ blog for Psychology Today and is a regular contributor to Mad in America.

In this conversation, Eric shares insights and practical strategies for writers engaged in a creative process, that by its very nature is likely to include anxiety, doubt and uncertainty.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:55 The Role of Anxiety in the Creative Process

06:19 Using Breathing and Incantations to Center and Ground

07:36 Accessing Flow State in Small Increments of Time

09:58 The Importance of a Morning Writing Practice

11:54 Harnessing the Power of Sleep Thinking

13:50 Embracing Mistakes and the Doubt in the Creative Process

15:17 Existential Intelligence and the Search for Meaning

25:44 Pushing Back Against Authoritarianism and Mental Health Labels

30:38 Overcoming Self-Censorship and Negative Thoughts

35:56 Strategic Goal Setting and Productivity

38:05 Upcoming Books and Projects

Links

https://ericmaisel.com

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.thecreativepenn.com/the-creative-penn-podcast-for-authors

Joanna Penn (Writing the Shadow)

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews Joanna Penn. Joanna is an award-nominated New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than 40 books across multiple genres – non-fiction and fiction (under J.F.Penn). Joanna is also a podcaster, international speaker, and award-winning creative entrepreneur. This conversation dives into Joanna’s recent book, ‘Writing the Shadow: Turn Your Inner Darkness into Words’.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:38 Understanding the Shadow

05:11 Embracing Your Weirdness

07:52 Pushing Boundaries in Writing

09:26 Exploring Family and Relationships

11:17 The Shadow in Relationships and Writing

15:09 Continuing Journey of Integration

19:24 Percolating the Shadow into Writing

21:27 Exploring the Shadow in Characters

23:26 The Shadow in Professional Lives

26:11 Tackling Fear and Judgment

27:07 Unpublished Work and Building an Author Platform

29:10 Using Email Lists for Fiction

31:49 Showing Elements of Yourself as a Creator

33:51 Examples of Memorable Characters and Their Shadows

38:12 Where to Find More About Joanna's Work

You can find Joanna’s work here:

https://www.youtube.com/@thecreativepenn

https://jfpenn.com

https://www.thecreativepenn.com/writing-the-shadow

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1472982282

https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social

Rosie Wilby (Using humour to unpack challenging questions)

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews Rosie Wilby. Rosie is an award-winning comedian and creator of the global hit podcast and book The Breakup Monologues. She is also the author of ‘Is Monogamy Dead?’ and toured a trilogy of solo shows investigating the psychology of love. In this interview, Rosie shares insights for how we can use humour to unpack challenging questions.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:04 Using Humour to Explore Love and Relationships

04:08 The Structure and Themes of the Book

05:20 Writing Non-Fiction vs Fiction

06:17 The Ethics of Comedy and Vulnerability

07:42 Navigating Comedy Clubs and Diverse Voices

09:15 Balancing Personal Stories and Boundaries

09:50 Writing During the Pandemic and Self-Care

11:20 Exploring Breakups and Identity

12:17 The Challenges of Diverse Voices in Comedy

13:33 Finding Voice on the Page

14:25 Translating Humour to the Page

15:58 Seeking Out Unusual Experiences for Writing

19:27 Crafting Engaging Scenes and Details

20:40 Listening and Observing

21:27 Structural Formats in Writing

22:24 Writing Dialogue

23:14 Writing Non-Fiction vs Fiction

24:06 Writing Challenges

25:12 Exploring Identity and Relationships

26:11 The Discomfort of Comedy

27:09 Writing Endings

28:17 Using Science in Comedy

29:43 Testing and Organizing Work

31:35 Comedy Recommendations

34:47 Where to find Rosie Wilby’s work

You can find Rosie Wilby here:

https://breakupmonologues.wordpress.com

https://twitter.com/rosiewilby

https://www.instagram.com/breakupmonologues

https://www.threads.net/@breakupmonologues

https://www.tiktok.com/@rosiewilbyauthor

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/ruthleighwrites

https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social

Ruth Leigh (Writing comic characters)

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 06:59:33 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews novelist Ruth Leigh. They focus on her delightful Isabella M Smugge series, and what it takes to create a comic character that you can develop and sustain across multiple books. Ruth is also the author of the Jane Austen-inspired book A Great Deal of Ingenuity, and The Little Book of Unexpected Poetry.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:57 Origin Story of Isabella M. Smugge

06:48 Creating a Funny and Complex Character

09:45 Developing a Series and Balancing Character Arcs

11:34 Turning Up the Comedy in the Setting

14:06 Using Conflict to Drive the Story

17:30 The Importance of Setting in Comedy

20:23 Writing Process and Balancing Comedy and Heart

25:23 Favourite Comic Influences

29:43 Prompts and Exercises for Writing Comedy

32:19 Building a Writing Community and Getting Feedback

34:38 The Impact of Reader Feedback

35:27 Real People and Names in the Books

36:47 Overcoming Fear of Events

37:31 Starting Small and Building Confidence

38:58 Finding Comfortable Opportunities

39:06 Where to Find More about Ruth Leigh

Links

https://www.ruthleighwrites.co.uk

https://twitter.com/Ruthleighwrites

https://www.tiktok.com/@ruthleighwrites

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://howtowritefunny.com/

End of Season 5 (Back with you on March 6th)

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Hey lovely listeners. That's the end of Season 5. I'll be back on March 6th with more fabulous Comedy Masterclass guests.

Scott Dikkers (How to Write Funny)

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews Scott Dikkers, founder of the renowned humour site, The Onion. Scott is a New York Times and Amazon best-selling humour author. He has won a Peabody Award, the Thurber Prize for American Humor and over 30 Webby awards. Plus, he has consulted for top entertainment companies like NBC, Comedy Central, and Pixar.

Scott’s How to Write Funny series is packed with helpful insights and frameworks for getting humour onto the page. In this episode, he shares both craft and career advice for comedy writers.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:21 Building a Brand and the Importance of Stick-to-it-ness

04:18 Crafting Reliable and Repeatable Quality

08:31 Balancing the Clown and the Editor

12:39 The Importance of Titles and Introducing Comedy in Writing

22:36 Misconceptions about Writing Comedy

30:31 Favourite Types of Characters to Write

33:13 Satire and its Impact

36:00 Where to Find Scott Dikkers

Links

https://scottdikkers.substack.com/

https://twitter.com/ScottDikkers

https://www.instagram.com/itsscottdikkers

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://daniellekrage.com/10-things-i-learned-from-writing-52-short-stories

https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social

Writing advice from my favourite ghost (Ray Bradbury)

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 07:45:00 +0000

In this episode, Danielle shares the writing advice of Ray Bradbury, a writer who has influenced her own writing process. She introduces Bradbury and his book 'Zen and the Art of Writing', highlighting his practical and joyful approach to writing. Danielle discusses two main practices recommended by Bradbury: the 52 Short Story Challenge and the Thousand Nights Challenge. She shares her own experiences with these challenges and offers tips for making them doable and enjoyable.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ray Bradbury

02:08 The 52 Short Story Challenge

15:38 The Thousand Nights Challenge

23:12 Committing to Challenges

SHOW NOTES

Zen and the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity: https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Art-Writing-Essays-Creativity/dp/1877741094

An Evening with Ray Bradbury 2001: https://youtu.be/_W-r7ABrMYU?si=kGDIee3oMGC51wTY

https://daniellekrage.com/christmas-even/

https://daniellekrage.com/its-hard-being-an-avenger/

https://daniellekrage.com/this-isnt-a-love-story/

https://daniellekrage.com/the-new-life-church/

https://daniellekrage.com/the-last-bite/

https://daniellekrage.com/it-was-for-cerberus/

https://daniellekrage.com/1000-nights/

https://poets.org

https://tetw.org

Julia McKenzie (Getting Audio Comedy Commissioned)

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Julia McKenzie is the Commissioning Editor for Comedy and Entertainment at Radio 4, and prior to that was Creative Director of BBC Studios Audio for 7 years, specialising in comedy and entertainment production.

In this conversation, Julia provides helpful insights for comedy writers who want to understand the audio landscape and find ways to get their work produced.

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:06 Starting in Audio and Comedy

08:11 Working with Producers

13:44 Commissioning Process

19:55 Audio Comedy Landscape

27:56 Pilots and Evaluation

33:36 Audio Formats

38:16 Favourite Comedy Shows

39:44 Recommendations and Resources

40:47 TV Recommendations

41:39 Fresh Take on Narration

43:15 Where to Find More

SHOWNOTES:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning

Jokes feed: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001tzf5

BBC Sounds app: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/questions/getting-started-with-bbc-sounds/sounds-intro

https://twitter.com/juliaamckenzie

Comedy of the Week: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02pc9x6/episodes/downloads

Friday Night Comedy: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02pc9pj

https://twitter.com/dmsareopenbbc

Lynne Parker (Founder of Funny Women)

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews Lynne Parker, Founder and Chief Executive of Funny Women. She created the organisation over 20 years ago now and has made such a contribution to the comedy community, including producing the Funny Women Awards. In this conversation, Lynne shares invaluable advice for women building their careers and networks in comedy.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:10 The Creation of Funny Women

09:45 The Importance of Funny Women

12:24 Supporting Women in Comedy

17:48 Challenges in the Comedy Industry

23:47 Mentorship and Networking

30:18 Taking Comedy into the Workplace

37:10 The Value of Remote Work and Social Interaction

38:29 Creating Fun and Engaging Work Environments

39:52 Running Events for Women in the Workplace

41:46 The Power of Comedy in the Workplace

43:31 Overcoming Gender Stereotypes in the Workplace

45:13 Representation of Women in Comedy

46:42 Challenging Age Stereotypes

48:38 Being Independent Thinkers

49:22 Finding More Information

You can find out more about Lynne Parker and her work here:

https://funnywomen.com

https://www.herlarious.co.uk

https://twitter.com/funnywomen

https://twitter.com/FunnyWomenLynne

https://www.instagram.com/funny_women

20 years of Funny Women:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001qszl

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.franhill.co.uk

Fran Hill (Observational Humour)

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews author Fran Hill about ways to develop your observational humour skills as a writer. Fran is a former English teacher, and had a monthly satirical column about education in the Times Educational Supplement. She further shared her experiences in diary form in her memoir ‘Miss, What Does Incomprehensible Mean?' And she published her novel, ‘Cuckoo in the Nest’ in 2023.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:19 Starting the Satirical Column

03:09 Observational Humour and Learning

07:30 Transition to Writing

10:26 Discovering the Craft of Writing

11:17 Honing Observational Skills

15:00 Exaggeration and Specific Detail

19:19 Writing Poetry for Special Occasions

24:20 Challenges of Writing Fiction

28:30 Observation, Hypervigilance, and Comedy

34:34 Crafting Poems for Others

38:16 Writing with a Macro Perspective

41:07 The Inspiration for Character Development

41:24 The Power of Setting

42:14 Continual Learning and Growth

42:32 Where to Find More of Fran Hill's Work

You can find out more about Fran Hill and her work here:

https://linktr.ee/franhill123

https://twitter.com/franhill123

https://www.instagram.com/franhill123

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/mernitman

https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social

Billy Mernit (The Art of Crafting Funny Love Stories for the Screen)

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews Billy Mernit - screenwriter, novelist and author of Writing The Romantic Comedy: The Art of Crafting Funny Love Stories for the Screen. Billy has served as a story analyst and script consultant at Universal Pictures, an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers' Program, and has published some 20 romance novels under a female pen name. In this conversation, he shares really practical ways of approaching writing romantic comedy, including in today’s landscape of mixing genres.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:00 Love for Rom-Coms

02:25 The Triangle and the Ensemble

07:43 Favourite Rom-Coms

13:16 The Importance of World

17:48 The Connection Between Image and Theme

25:36 Mixing Genres in Rom-Coms

31:06 Rom-Coms in Series Format

34:07 Personal Development as a Writer

37:14 Music and Writing

10:15 The Importance of Characters in Romantic Comedies

20:30 The Role of Conflict in Romantic Comedies

30:45 The Art of Crafting Funny Love Stories

39:41 Recommendation and Conclusion

You can find out more about Billy and his work here:

https://billymernit.com

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.tiktok.com/@alloradannon

Winter Break

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 07:45:00 +0000

Back January 10th 2024 with more Comedy Masterclass guests.

Allora Dannon and Camille Le Baron (Christmas comedy recommendations)

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:45:00 +0000

In this episode writers Allora Dannon, Camille Le Baron and Danielle Krage share their Christmas comedy recommendations. They discuss TV series, films and books that capture the holiday spirit with a Christmas twist. Whether you love Christmas or not, there's something for everyone in these recommendations.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and How They Met. (Plus, shoutout to the brilliant Temeraire series by Naomi Novik)

01:48 Introducing Allora and Camille

03:00 Recommendation: Home for Christmas (Norwegian series)

05:34 Recommendation: The Spirit of Christmas (film)

08:03 Recommendation: Love Actually (film)

12:03 Recommendation: Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas, Adam Kay (book)

20:43 Recommendation: Little Women (book/1994 film version)

26:02 Recommendation: Le père Noël est une ordure/ Father Christmas is a Stinker

37:08 Social media, online presence and more

You can find Allora here:

And Camille here:

https://www.instagram.com/camillelbauthor

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.femalepilotclub.co.uk

Chelsea Kania & Emily Chase from Female Pilot Club (practical advice for entering a comedy script call competition)

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews Chelsea Kania and Emily Chase from Female Pilot Club, and they discuss the benefits of entering writing competitions and the development opportunities they offer.

From their work with Female Pilot Club’s comedy script call, they share practical tips for developing your pitch, engaging with the advice of industry judges, responding to feedback and development notes, and finding the right fit with mentors.

The conversation covers:

00:00 Introduction to Female Pilot Club and Writing Competitions

02:08 The Benefits of Live Script Readings

03:35 The Purpose of the Script Call and Female Pilot Club

05:33 The Importance of Championing Female Writers

07:34 The Development Opportunities in the Script Call

08:08 Tips for Crafting a Succinct and Captivating Pitch

09:34 Advice from Industry Judges on Writing Comedy Scripts

11:05 Balancing Unique Personal Lens and Broad Comedy Appeal

13:49 Tips for Engaging with Script Development Notes

18:04 Considerations for Standing Out in Submissions

20:12 The Value of Script Consultancy and Mentoring

22:33 Finding a Good Fit in Mentors and Consultants

25:45 Staying Centred and True to Your Vision

30:09 Favourite Comedies and Comedy Dramas

32:57 Advice for Writers: Patience and Focus

37:00 Closing Remarks and Script Call Details

You can find out more about Female Pilot Club, their script call, and consultancy here:

https://www.femalepilotclub.co.uk/2024scriptcall

https://www.femalepilotclub.co.uk/script-consultancy

https://www.instagram.com/femalepilotclub

https://twitter.com/femalepilotclub

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.chrishead.com

Chris Head (How to structure your 30 min comedy or comedy-drama script)

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews comedy director, coach and mentor, Chris Head.

This episode is a deep dive into how to structure your 30 min comedy or comedy-drama script. Then Chris and Danielle play with using the structure to brainstorm a new show.

Tactics covered include:

Breaking down the 3 main beats that shape your story.
Ways to keep your protagonist active.
How to navigate phases of play and structuring when writing.
Brainstorming a show in real time, using practical frameworks for character dynamics and story beats.
Bringing in a B and a C story.

You can find out more about Chris’ work here:

You can find the blog post referenced here (including links to scripts):

https://www.comedy.co.uk/pro/inside_track/structuring-your-30-minute-script

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.johnnysmith.co.uk/

https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social

Johnny Smith (writing screenplays for animation)

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 07:30:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews Johnny Smith, animation and live-action screenwriter and script consultant. His work spans books, TV and film, including Dragon Rider, and co-writer for The Queen’s Corgi, and Gnomeo and Juliet.

This conversation includes:

Creating rules for your world, using setting, and telling the story visually.
Considerations for writing physical comedy.
Lessons learned from working with studios and production companies.
Ways to approach writing in a partnership.
Self-esteem and mental health challenges for writers and creative people.
The importance of finding your voice, and writing for you.
Advice for having and changing agents.

You can find out more about Johnny Smith and his work here:

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://bsky.app/profile/daniellekrage.bsky.social

Jane Lovering and Jeevani Charika (How to Write Romantic Comedy)

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews writers Jane Lovering and Jeevani Charika. They are shortlisted and award-winning romantic novelists in their individual careers, and together they wrote How to Write a Romantic Comedy.

This conversation includes:

Having pen names and marketing your funny books.
Juxtaposition and the unexpected in comedy.
Tropes, heroines and diversifying the genre.
Memorable endings and twists.
The editing process.

You can find out more about their work here:

https://books2read.com/u/4AQBgk - How to Write Romantic Comedy
https://books2read.com/IPBook - Getting Published is Just the Beginning
www.fictiontutors.co.uk Jeevani Charika’s non-fiction site
https://www.janelovering.co.uk/ Jane Lovering’s website

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Jane-Lovering/author/B003NYBX9M?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Jane’s Amazon page

www.Jeevanicharika.com Jeevani Charika’s website

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Jeevani-Charika/author/B07C6W8Z88?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Jeevani's Amazon page

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://davidjcohenauthor.com/

Dave Cohen (The Complete Comedy Writer)

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews Dave Cohen - Broadcaster, BBC TV writer, BAFTA winner for his Horrible Histories songs, and novelist (Stand Up, Barry Goldman, and soon to be released, Barry Goldman: The Wilderness Years).

Dave is the author of The Complete Comedy Writer: Make your Sitcom, Stand-Up, Screenplay, Sketches and Stories 62% funnier. He brings his extensive comedy writing experience to this conversation.

Topics covered include:

Ways into comedy writing (including children’s TV and radio).
The number one requirement for being a comedy writer.
Creating comedic characters – the first questions you should ask.
Balancing ‘emotional truths’ with ‘permission to lie’.
Adding funny to fiction.

You can find out more about Dave and his work here:

https://www.davecohen.org.uk/

https://www.waterstones.com/book/stand-up-barry-goldman/david-j-cohen/9781999313821

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BLZXRG5G

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.aaronstarmer.com

Aaron Starmer (author of Spontaneous)

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 07:45:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews writer Aaron Starmer, whose young adult and middle-grade novels you can find on so many best-of-year lists, from Time Magazine to the Wall Street Journal.

He’s the author of Spontaneous, also adapted into a romantic black comedy horror film, produced and directed by Brian Duffield (Underwater, Love and Monsters, No One Will Save You).

Spontaneous was one of Danielle’s top picks in episode 30 (comedy horror for Halloween).

In the interview with Aaron, the conversation covers:

Humour and its relationship to tragedy and trauma.
Navigating the sensibilities of voice and humour.
Non-visual entrances into characters.
High concepts and hooks.
Writing humour for different age groups.
Characters as vessels for jokes.

You can find out more about Aaron Starmer and his work here:

https://twitter.com/aaronstarmer

https://bsky.app/profile/aaronstarmer.bsky.social

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.youtube.com/@OuterEdgeOutpost2

Isaac Marion (author of Warm Bodies)

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Danielle Krage interviews writer and creative, Isaac Marion.

Isaac is the author of the Warm Bodies series. (Warm Bodies became a New York Times Bestseller, inspired a major film, and was translated into 25 languages.)

This conversation about weaving humour with darker themes includes:

1) Exploring different writing perspectives and viewpoints. Where do we set our zoom level?

2) Deadpan and dark humour.

3) What does creativity give us?

AND there’s a bonus appearance from Bob the cat.

You can find out more about Isaac Marion and his work here:

https://isaacmarion.com

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.cracked.com/members/Zanandi

Zanandi Botes (comedy-horror for Halloween)

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0100

Zanandi Botes, writer and comedy horror expert, is the special guest for this Halloween show. Zanandi and Danielle share 3 picks each, to give you 6 comedy-horror recommendations, just in time for Spooky Season. They span zombies, mockumentary, anthology and more.

You can find Zanandi at:

https://twitter.com/ZaNandi

https://bsky.app/profile/zanandi.bsky.social

You can listen to our previous episode about comedy-horror here:

https://comedymasterclass.com/podcast/12-zanandi-botes-comedy-horror-and-twisting-tropes/

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.blainebrothers.co.uk

Short autumn break and a quick request

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Comedy Masterclass will be back on October 25th (with a special Halloween episode!)

In the meantime, I would love it if you could help me share the show, in a way that makes sense for wherever you listen/watch - rate, review, leave a comment. Or share with comedy-loving friends, or on social media.

And if you want to message me directly, you can find how to do so at
https://comedymasterclass.com

I love hearing what's resonating with you, and how you're applying it to your own writing.

Back soon!

Danielle

The Blaine Brothers (directing comedy)

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews The Blaine Brothers (Chris and Ben) about their work as filmmakers and particularly their approaches to directing comedy.

They directed Sara Pascoe’s ‘Out of Her Mind’ series for BBC2 and Sony TV (through Simon Pegg’s production company Stolen Picture) and received both awards and brilliant reviews for their debut feature Nina Forever.

In this interview, they share practical lessons learned from their highly creative careers.

You can find out more about their work here:

https://www.instagram.com/theblainebrothers

https://twitter.com/blainebrothers

You can find details for Ben’s course (Find Your Voice in TV and Film), and his Substack about stories here:

https://thefreeassociation.culmas.io/class/gKYOkrLHFZ6r2GINYJgO?from=component-api

https://themidpoint.substack.com

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://theprodigaltongue.com/

Lynne Murphy (humour in non-fiction writing)

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Lynne Murphy, Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sussex. Lynne has a fabulous alter-ego as Lynneguist, with an award-winning blog ‘Separated by a Common Language’.

Lynne is also the author of ‘The Prodigal Tongue: The Love-Hate Relationship between British and American English’. In this interview, she generously shares a lot of the tools and approaches that helped her develop the voice of the book, get useful feedback, and make the writing funny and memorable. Plus practical recommendations for other writers who want to bring more humour to their non-fiction work.

You can find out more about Lynne Murphy at:

https://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/lynneguist

https://www.facebook.com/lynneguist/

https://staging.bsky.app/profile/lynneguist.bsky.social

And you can sign up for her newsletter here:

https://mailchi.mp/30d0ffd3a48e/separated-by-a-common-newsletter

Or by following the links in her Twitter bio.

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/dtrscomedy/?hl=en

Adam Courting (improv culture and Shakespeare)

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Adam Courting, a highly curious creative whose experience spans improv, devising, performing Shakespeare and more.

Adam has brilliant insights into improv comedy culture - what needs to change, and what we can learn from it. This includes how we can use improv to reshape how we think about traditional roles, and engage audiences in unique ways.

You can find out more about Adam's work here: https://www.instagram.com/adamcourting/?hl=en

https://www.acaprov.com/

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.michellegallen.com

Michelle Gallen (winner of the Comedy Women in Print Prize 2023)

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews writer Michelle Gallen, whose book ‘Factory Girls’ won the Comedy Women in Print Prize 2023.

Michelle has wonderfully honest and practical takes on the craft and business of writing – from developing the voice and point of view of the book, to successfully pitching it to agents and editors.

The interview also delves into the opportunities of the adaptation process, and is laced with great real-world advice for writers and comedy lovers.

You can find out more about Michelle and her work at:

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://twitter.com/KevinxTomlinson

Kevin Tomlinson (improv and theatre)

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Kevin Tomlinson, theatre maker and Co-Founder of Kepow Theatre Company.

Kevin’s extensive training and live experience in so many forms of improvisation (including with Keith Johnstone, Philippe Gaulier, and John Wright) leads to a rich conversation about diverse aspects of long-form improv – both verbal and physical.

You can find out more about Kevin Tomlinson’s work here: http://kepowtheatre.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/kevintomlinsonuk

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.cheekymonkeycomedy.com

Tim Ferguson (writing narrative comedy)

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews comedian and screenwriter, Tim Ferguson. They dig into his wonderfully practical book, Cheeky Monkey: Writing Narrative Comedy, to talk about characters, conflict, situation, and simplicity.

Tim has so much comedy experience, and wonderfully forthright ways of distilling it down to what matter most if you want to write narrative comedy.

You can find out more about Tim and his work at:

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

http://ian-mcmillan.co.uk

Ian McMillan (poetry and wordplay)

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews poet, writer and broadcaster Ian McMillan about how he approaches humour in his work - whether it’s his poetry collections or his beautiful memoir, My Sand Life, My Pebble Life.

It’s a conversation rich with insights and stories, delivered in Ian’s unique and delightfully resonant style. Vivid, funny and so inspiring, it’s a truly human way into poetry, storytelling and language.

You can find out more about Ian and his work at:

https://twitter.com/IMcMillan

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/hollyhallcomedian

Holly Hall (from online sketch to live solo show)

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews actor, writer and comedian Holly Hall about the process of making her live solo show, ‘You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.’

Holly was first on the show back in episode 3, sharing her process of going from award winning online sketch ‘When podcasts go wrong’… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHg4za15W9o

….to her commissioned short film, ‘It’s what she would have wanted.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkrkASc4J9s

Holly has such an encouraging take on comedy and making work, and shares a great mix of advice and practical suggestions for other creatives.

You can follow Holly Hall and her work here:

https://www.tiktok.com/@hollyhallcomedian

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

Ryan North (comic books and graphic novels)

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Ryan North - writer of games, comic books, non-fiction books and more. They dig into considerations for comedy, including Ryan’s experience of writing The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Danger and Other Unknown Risks.

This fun conversation covers – timing, collaboration, translating comedy, crafting jokes, originality, and entrepreneurial approaches. There’s even a bonus joke from ancient Greece!

You can find out more about Ryan and his work at:

http://www.ryannorth.ca

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://twitter.com/skcomedy

Summer Break - Back Aug 2nd

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage will be back with regular weekly episodes on Wednesday 2nd August.

Steve Kaplan (The Comic Hero’s Journey)

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews comedy expert Steve Kaplan about tools from his most recent book, ‘The Comic Hero’s Journey’.

The conversation covers: ways to create your main character and supporting cast; what to do when your ending isn’t working; and common comic character mistakes (plus how to fix them!).

You can find out more about Steve and his work here:
https://www.kaplancomedy.com

https://www.facebook.com/KaplanComedy

https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Tools-Comedy-Serious-Business-ebook/dp/B00GPCF84K/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1684642840&sr=1-1

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/leslielehr_author

Leslie Lehr (memoir)

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Leslie Lehr (prize-winning author, Novel Consultant for Truby’s Writers Studio, and essayist) about her memoir, A Boob’s Life.

A Boob’s Life has a fascinating structure, interweaving personal narrative with national history, and in this conversation, Leslie shares her practical approaches to achieving this.

Leslie also has a wealth of advice for handling the lens of humour, and for ways to create highly visual scenes that propel the memoir forward.

You can find Leslie and her work at:

https://leslielehr.com

https://www.facebook.com/authorleslielehr

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/onthepage

Pilar Alessandra (screenwriting fundamentals)

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Pilar Alessandra, who is a Hollywood script consultant, author of the top-selling screenwriting book, The Coffee Break Screenwriter, and host of the On the Page Podcast (now in its 16th year). Pilar is known as one of Los Angeles’s leading story instructors, and she has travelled the world teaching screenwriting and television writing.

In this episode, she shares really practical advice to help comedy writers think about character, stakes, sequences, structures, their writer perspective and effective dialogue.

You can find out more about Pilar and her work (including her classes) at: https://www.onthepage.tv

And follow her here:

https://twitter.com/onthepage

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.yellowdoorprods.com

Lucy Lumsden (getting comedy commissioned and produced)

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Lucy Lumsden about commissioning and producing comedy.

Lucy was the first Controller of Comedy Commissioning for the BBC and was then Head of Comedy for Sky for 6 years. She now run Yellow Door Productions, an independent TV and film production company specialising in comedy and comedy drama.

All these perspectives means that Lucy is able to share a wealth of practical advice for writers who are trying to navigate the industry, and get their work made.

You can find out more about Lucy and her work here:

https://www.instagram.com/yellowdoorprods

You can find the transcript at:

Other guests mentioned:

Sherice Griffiths: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enJVaAWpW_U&t=1008s

Chris Head: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIk5C52vMEA&t=6s

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://anatomyofgenres.com

John Truby (story code and beats)

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews John Truby, the founder and director of Truby’s Writers Studio. The conversation is a deep dive into the comedy chapter in John’s most recent book, ‘The Anatomy of Genres’.

John shares so many practical storytelling strategies as they relate to comedy - its beats, themes, tonal considerations, character types, and power. Plus, where it fits in relationship to other genres.

You can find out more about John Truby’s books, classes and story software at:

https://truby.com

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://chbooks.com/Authors/K/Kaufman-Andrew

Andrew Kaufman (allegory and absurdity)

Wed, 31 May 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews the writer, Andrew Kaufman, whose books include All My Friends Are Superheroes, The Waterproof Bible, and The Ticking Heart.

Andrew’s work is known for being both incredibly funny and incredibly sad, and he shares some beautiful insights into the creative process that produces this brilliant and distinctive blend. Including, how humour, for him, is like oven mitts. You’ll have to listen/watch to hear just how touching and accurate this analogy is!

You can find out more about Andrew and his work here:

https://www.instagram.com/manualtypewriterforever/

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/julietagiglio

Zanandi Botes (comedy horror and twisting tropes)

Wed, 24 May 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Zanandi Botes, who has so much fun experience writing for theatre, TV, comics and her own film. She has written articles for cracked.com since 2016, with a particular love for horror comedy as a genre! All this makes for a lively discussion about excellent comedy shows, and areas where there's still a lot of room to do better.

You can find out more about Zanandi and her work here:
https://twitter.com/ZaNandi
https://www.cracked.com/members/Zanandi

2 fun articles to start with are:
https://www.cracked.com/article_37408_each-succession-characters-funniest-moment.html
https://www.cracked.com/article_35860_ranking-jason-stathams-funniest-movie-moments.html

You can find the transcript at:
https://comedymasterclass.com/

And Danielle’s socials here:
https://twitter.com/daniellekrage
https://www.instagram.com/dekrage/

Juliet & Keith Giglio (co-writing comedy)

Wed, 17 May 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Juliet Giglio and Keith Giglio about their co-writing process. This includes for their delightful rom-com novel, The Summer of Christmas. Plus their next book, The Trouble With Tinsel (out this autumn).

Juliet and Keith also share so many practical tips from their numerous screenwriting projects, taking us behind the scenes into what it takes to write a really great Christmas movie.

They also dig into some of the key concepts from Keith's craft book, The Comedy Blockbuster, and how they apply them.

It's a fun conversation, stacked with hard-earned tips and advice for comedy writers.

You can find out more about Juliet and Keith's work here:

https://jkgiglio.com

https://www.instagram.com/keithgig

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.instagram.com/aalexmandeldallal

Aalex Mandel-Dallal (using your truth)

Wed, 10 May 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews comedian Aalex Mandel-Dallal, about the process of creating and developing her solo comedy Edinburgh show. This includes how Aalex works with the audio recording of her 'lockdown breakdown' onstage, in a way that gives the audience permission to laugh, and 'a sense of relief for their own wobblies'.

You can find out more about Aalex and her work here: https://linktr.ee/aalexmandeldallal

You can find the transcript of this interview at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.thesscancelled.com

Kyle Mazer (musical comedy)

Wed, 03 May 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Kyle Mazer about music, comedy and collaboration. Kyle is a playwright, composer, stand-up comic and web3 creative strategist.

They explore the practical example of his comedic musical, The SS Cancelled - including creating the tone, characters, and the development process.

You can find more about Kyle and his work at:

https://kmazer15.wixsite.com/mysite

https://www.instagram.com/kmaze19

https://adimverse.com

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle's socials here:

Kelly Pantaleoni (comedy characters to Web3)

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Australian actress, filmmaker, and philanthropist Kelly Pantaleoni. They dig into self-generating comedy characters and projects - from developing your own short film in lockdown, to new opportunities in Web3.

You can find the transcript at:

https://www.instagram.com/kellypantaleoni/

You can find out more about Kelly's projects here:

https://twitter.com/KellyPantaleoni

https://www.kellypantaleoni.com/

https://www.40secondsfilm.com/

https://www.50shadesOfQuarantine.com

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://linktr.ee/stuartlawscomedy

Stuart Laws (surreality, satire and stand-up)

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews Stuart Laws.

Stuart is a writer, director, actor and stand-up comedian. He also runs a production company, Turtle Canyon Comedy.

He brings all these sensibilities to his work, and in this interview Danielle asks him about the creative process for his play, The Journey (a break-up on a spaceship!) And how playing with surreality, reality and audience expectations has continued to be part of his comedy, from satire (Grave New World) to his latest stand-up show.

You can find Stuart and his work here:

https://www.instagram.com/stuartlawscomedy

https://twitter.com/thisstuartlaws

And from April 20th 2023 his special will be at:

https://800pgr.lnk.to/StuartLawsIsAllInPR

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://shericegriffiths.com/

Sherice Griffiths (mockumentary and more)

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews writer and director Sherice Griffiths about writing and making her short film, a mockumentary featuring a household of assassins, called Killing for a Living. She shares advice for others who may way want to submit to festivals.

Sherice also takes us through the creative process of writing her pilot, The Big Three O, which won the BAFTA Rocliffe new writing competition. Plus what she has learned practically from her roles in production, including on commercials and music videos.

You can find out more about Sherice and her work here:

https://twitter.com/Sherice_G

You can find the transcript at:

And Danielle’s socials here:

https://www.youtube.com/@comedymasterclassDK

John Vorhaus (a comic toolbox)

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews John Vorhaus about his fun and practical approach to creating comedy. John is the author of The Comic Toolbox, The Little Book of Sitcom, and more. This masterclass includes tips and tools for: bringing comic characters to life; key questions for driving story; and strategies for increasing your creative output and failure tolerance.

You can find out more about John’s work here:

https://johnvorhaus.com/

https://amazon.com/author/jv

You can find the transcript at:

Danielle Krage Twitter Instagram YouTube

And Danielle’s socials here:

Holly Hall (from online sketch to short film)

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 09:00:00 +0100

Danielle Krage interviews actor, writer and comedian Holly Hall about her comedy creation process.

Holly won BBC New Comedy Award’s Digital Comedian of the Year award in 2021, with her sketch ‘When podcasts go wrong.’

And as part of the award Holly received a commission from the BBC to write and star in a short film, ‘It’s what she would have wanted.’

This interview digs into the tools and approaches that Holly used to make these, including improvisation. Plus how improv plays a part in Holly’s current live solo comedy show, ‘You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.’

You can find Holly and her work at:

Instagram Twitter TikTok YouTube

You can find the transcript at: