Comedy has undergone a seismic shift over the past quarter century: from star powered stand-up comics to an ensemble-fueled style marked by support; trust; and collaborative creativity. This shift is mainly due to the long form improvisational theatre structure known as the Harold. The forms philosophies serve as the bedrock for the majority of the most significant comedic performers; writers; and directors of the past quarter-century who are transforming the way peformers and audiences make; view; and interpret comedy. This book examines the development of the Harold and the ways in which it has helped transform American comedy; examining the tensions and evolutions that led to the Harolds creation at ImprovOlympic (now iO) and following it through its use in contemporary comedic filmmaking.
#2071073 in eBooks 2012-06-01 2012-06-01File Name: B00I3C46ZC
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A fascinating inside look at the TV industryBy HollyIf you want to be a TV writer; order this book immediately and start reading it. If you want to be a writer; but youre not sure what kind; check out this book. If you dont care about writing; but you love TV; youll love this book; too.For the TV fan; this book is full of fascinating information about life behind the scenes; including how the TV industry is structured; how pilots work; how series are staffed; and a whole lot more. It includes entertaining trivia about the history of television; as well as surprising facts about past and current shows. Ever wonder how TV ratings work? Its in there. Ever wonder how much it costs to produce a pilot or a single episode of a TV show? Check out this book. You wont be disappointed. Its written in an easy to ready style; and is appealing to the general reader; who hasnt already spent years working in the entertainment business.For the aspiring writer; this book gives you a full view of what its like to get into the TV industry and what life is like as a TV writer. If youre not sure whether you want to be a TV writer; a screenplay writer; or a novel writer; this can help give you an idea of whether television is for you; or whether youre better off focusing your writing efforts elsewhere. It can even give you ideas on how to develop other kinds of writing: character development; point of view; and the premise are present in many other types of writing as well. Personally; reading this book gave me a lot of ideas for non-TV writing.And; of course; if youre looking to break into the industry as a TV writer; this book is the bible you need to get started. Dont make another move until youve read this book. If you think you need to wait tables in LA for years until you get your writing break; youre dead wrong. There are a lot of things you can (and should) actively do to jump start your TV writing career; and this book lays it all out on the line. Step by step; it tells you exactly what you need to do go get started. The rest is up to you.This book first explains how to get started in the TV industry (its not easy; but there are several paths to take and each one is explained here); and then takes an aspiring TV writer through the long process of getting a script onto the air; step by step; with all the details. The author tells exactly what to expect along the way; including pitching a pilot; developing a pilot; the process of pilot pickup; and the development of a series. He also explains the importance of the syndication process (with rare exceptions; a show doesnt generate profit until its been sold into syndication) and how to write a series so that its easy to syndicate (this is very important).Theres also a full glossary of industry terms; as well as a huge appendix of additional reading; including sources for industry news; TV organizations and associations; writing programs and classes; and podcasts on the industry.I cant imagine theres a more informative book about the television industry out there. This book tells it all; in an engaging; easy to understand style. I highly recommend it; for either the aspiring writer or for any TV fan. Enjoy!5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. If you want to work in TV buy thisBy Don McGowanI work in the back office of an entertainment company. Lots of books will tell you they have the secrets for how to get a job; how to make a pitch; etc. Many of them are full of crap. If you have an idea you would like to put onscreen; or if you would like to get to work in TV; this book isnt a complete roadmap. But no book is a complete roadmap.What this book does is much more important: it tells you how the industry already works so you can figure out how to put your idea in language people in the industry can understand. If you pitch a police drama to Cartoon Network they will laugh you out of the room. If you make it animated; that probably wont help. But if you get to the Adult Swim programmers; you have a chance. If you can explain why your idea fits with the rest of their schedule in that daypart; you get closer. This book will tell you why that is the case; and how to make your case.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An excellent read!By Olaf WeyerThis is really a highly; highly fascinating book; broad; in depth; relevant. Im a writer; not some CEO but small screen big picture managed the impossible: Im in love with the BUSINESS now and I dont mean the day-to-day business only; the writer comes into contact with; I mean ALL of it.
