Read more about Write by the Lake, and visit Brad's web site, bradschreiber.com. You can order Brad's book from Michael Wiese Productions.
Dave Watson: In the foreword of your book, Chris Vogler says standards for comedy are falling fast. Do you agree? Why?
Brad Schreiber: Many reasons. The strain to find more outrageous and unique characters and situations naturally leads some writers to become more crass, insulting and disgusting. Don’t get me wrong. There’s a place for shock in comedy writing. But laziness can be the reason why a writer thinks more about vomiting in a script than clever word play or a truly fresh comedic action.
DW: A few years ago I saw a comedy classic, Young Frankenstein, now forty years old. There are deeper ideas Mel Brooks explored, such as man’s inability to have a child.
BS: Brooks is a great example of a comedic film director who really stretched regarding his subjects. How many current comedy directors would explore a comedy horror classic, Western, silent film, science fiction epic as premises, and also put up the money for the amazing, David Lynch-directed The Elephant Man? Again, I am not advocating the elimination of buddy comedies or comedy road pictures or comedies about beleaguered parents, but these often-exploited areas yield less and less in the way of comedy results.
DW: “Groundhog Day” is also a classic that covers deeper ideas, so great comedies seem few and far between. “Spinal Tap” also just turned thirty.
BS: I know a lot of teachers and consultants who refer to or break down Groundhog Day. It’s quite wonderful and if you think about it, it’s a metaphysical comedy. Not a science fiction comedy like Spaceballs or a time travel comedy like Back to the Future, but metaphysical, speculative. Reliving the same day over and over until there is a fundamental change in the flawed lead character is a great premise and can yield a richer final draft than oh, say, another movie about contemporary guys and their messed up lives.
DW: You talk about how gender can be quite funny, and Bridesmaids was a huge hit.
BS: Everything about gender differences can be amusing, even the less-than-tasteful, like erectile dysfunction and PMS. They may not be politically correct as themes in comedy writing, but if the behavior of a character is exaggerated due to a condition we fear or resent, there is not only a chance for great gags, but also a universality to the writing. As for Bridesmaids, I think it should be noted that in addition to fine work of Paul Feig, Kristen Wiig and others, there was a great variety of female characters. One of the great enemies of writing ensemble comedies is not having enough personality differences among the characters, leading to overdependence on one crazy situation after another, which is hard to sustain.
DW: Does humor die at the cultural barrier? Some comedies, such as Young Frankenstein and Airplane! transcend and work with international audiences. What separates those from others?
BS: Yes, good question. Does humor get fried on the electrical fence border? It is taken as a truism that physical comedy translates better than verbal comedy. It would be foolhardy to argue the opposite is true. But I have seen so many marvelous comedies from countries around the world, with English-speaking audiences laughing heartily at the verbal sparring, while reading subtitles. I think we need to stop looking for concrete rules that must never be violated. I also think the good writer of comedy or anything else explores other cultures and their approaches to writing. It’s what Joseph Campbell and Chris Vogler have said, in different ways.
DW: Aside from Write by the Lake in June, what’s next for you?
BS: I’m currently writing the autobiography of Phil Proctor, founding member of the legendary LA comedy group, The Firesign Theatre. I have a book project I am doing as well with Oscar-winning documentarian, the utterly brilliant Errol Morris. I could tell you about the other projects I am working on, but then, I would have to hire Google to delete your website, so let’s leave it at that.
DW: What is the funniest, most memorable cinematic moment for you?
BS: The most memorable cinematic moment for me is the last one I laughed at, because my memory sucks. I think Steve Coogan’s latest film with his two-decade-old character Alan Partridge is the funniest film released this year. But again, I urge writers to see a wide variety of comedic films and to read books and rent videos of classic comedy variety shows, which feature some of the greatest comedic minds in history, etc. Do your homework. Unlike when you were in school, it’s fun.
Trailer for "Alan Partridge": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7yhz8bUFK0
Dave Watson is a writer, educator, and loves movies.
Dave Watson: In the foreword of your book, Chris Vogler says standards for comedy are falling fast. Do you agree? Why?
Brad Schreiber: Many reasons. The strain to find more outrageous and unique characters and situations naturally leads some writers to become more crass, insulting and disgusting. Don’t get me wrong. There’s a place for shock in comedy writing. But laziness can be the reason why a writer thinks more about vomiting in a script than clever word play or a truly fresh comedic action.
DW: A few years ago I saw a comedy classic, Young Frankenstein, now forty years old. There are deeper ideas Mel Brooks explored, such as man’s inability to have a child.
BS: Brooks is a great example of a comedic film director who really stretched regarding his subjects. How many current comedy directors would explore a comedy horror classic, Western, silent film, science fiction epic as premises, and also put up the money for the amazing, David Lynch-directed The Elephant Man? Again, I am not advocating the elimination of buddy comedies or comedy road pictures or comedies about beleaguered parents, but these often-exploited areas yield less and less in the way of comedy results.
DW: “Groundhog Day” is also a classic that covers deeper ideas, so great comedies seem few and far between. “Spinal Tap” also just turned thirty.
BS: I know a lot of teachers and consultants who refer to or break down Groundhog Day. It’s quite wonderful and if you think about it, it’s a metaphysical comedy. Not a science fiction comedy like Spaceballs or a time travel comedy like Back to the Future, but metaphysical, speculative. Reliving the same day over and over until there is a fundamental change in the flawed lead character is a great premise and can yield a richer final draft than oh, say, another movie about contemporary guys and their messed up lives.
DW: You talk about how gender can be quite funny, and Bridesmaids was a huge hit.
BS: Everything about gender differences can be amusing, even the less-than-tasteful, like erectile dysfunction and PMS. They may not be politically correct as themes in comedy writing, but if the behavior of a character is exaggerated due to a condition we fear or resent, there is not only a chance for great gags, but also a universality to the writing. As for Bridesmaids, I think it should be noted that in addition to fine work of Paul Feig, Kristen Wiig and others, there was a great variety of female characters. One of the great enemies of writing ensemble comedies is not having enough personality differences among the characters, leading to overdependence on one crazy situation after another, which is hard to sustain.
DW: Does humor die at the cultural barrier? Some comedies, such as Young Frankenstein and Airplane! transcend and work with international audiences. What separates those from others?
BS: Yes, good question. Does humor get fried on the electrical fence border? It is taken as a truism that physical comedy translates better than verbal comedy. It would be foolhardy to argue the opposite is true. But I have seen so many marvelous comedies from countries around the world, with English-speaking audiences laughing heartily at the verbal sparring, while reading subtitles. I think we need to stop looking for concrete rules that must never be violated. I also think the good writer of comedy or anything else explores other cultures and their approaches to writing. It’s what Joseph Campbell and Chris Vogler have said, in different ways.
DW: Aside from Write by the Lake in June, what’s next for you?
BS: I’m currently writing the autobiography of Phil Proctor, founding member of the legendary LA comedy group, The Firesign Theatre. I have a book project I am doing as well with Oscar-winning documentarian, the utterly brilliant Errol Morris. I could tell you about the other projects I am working on, but then, I would have to hire Google to delete your website, so let’s leave it at that.
DW: What is the funniest, most memorable cinematic moment for you?
BS: The most memorable cinematic moment for me is the last one I laughed at, because my memory sucks. I think Steve Coogan’s latest film with his two-decade-old character Alan Partridge is the funniest film released this year. But again, I urge writers to see a wide variety of comedic films and to read books and rent videos of classic comedy variety shows, which feature some of the greatest comedic minds in history, etc. Do your homework. Unlike when you were in school, it’s fun.
Trailer for "Alan Partridge": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7yhz8bUFK0
Dave Watson is a writer, educator, and loves movies.
