Comedy Writing Class – House of Yes!

Elevate your comedy writing skills in this 6-week course taught by comedy writer Carlos Greaves in Charlotte, NC.

@shadesofgreaves

Class Curriculum

Wednesdays, September 18 - October 23

Week 1 — What Makes Something Funny?

Topics: A brief history of comedy, scientific theories of humor, sketch structure (UCB model, heightening), types of sketches

Week 2 — Creating Memorable Characters

Topics: Tropes vs. Stereotypes, SNL characters (Stefon, Debbie Downer, Tina from Temecula) and why they work

Week 3 — Writing a Repeatable Sketch Series

Topics: Why some premises never get old

Week 4 — Production Values

Topics: Recording audio, 3-point lighting, 180 degree rule

Week 5 — Exploring the Medium

Topics: Making sketches for IG vs. TikTok vs. YouTube, pushing the boundaries of the form

Week 6 — Making Promotional Sketches

Topics: Basics of advertising, NBC Soccer Promo

@shadesofgreaves
What other moments would be in the remake? #sketchcomedy #humor #funnyvideos
♬ original sound – Carlos Greaves – Carlos Greaves

Who is Carlos Greaves?

Carlos Greaves is an Afro-Latino electrical engineer turned comedy writer. He is a contributor to The Onion, The New Yorker, and McSweeney’s, and wrote for Kevin Hart and Keenan Thompson’s TV special, Back That Year Up, in 2023. He also writes a weekly humor newsletter, Shades of Greaves, and his debut book, Spoilers: Essays That Might Ruin Your Favorite Hollywood Movies, was highlighted in Vulture’s “Best Comedy Books of 2023.”

McSweeney’s

The New Yorker

Kevin Hart’s Back that Year Up

FAQs

What day of the week is class?

Wednesdays, starting September 18 through October 23, 2024

I can’t make class, will there be make up dates?

At this time we cannot guarantee a make up class, but please let us know if you won’t be able to make it and we will let you know if we offer this class again in the future.

Can I get a refund?

We are a small nonprofit organization and therefore we do not have the resources to offer refunds at this time. If you are unable to attend class, you can transfer your class credit to another student. You can only transfer the entire class credit (all 6 weeks), not individual class days. Your class fees are a donation that helps us fund our programs and we thank you for supporting our mission!

Can I volunteer with House of Yes?

Yes, and we’d love you to! As we grow we will need volunteers to teach improv, support events, and more! If you are interested in getting involved, please email houseofyesclt@gmail.com.