Happy Endings (2011)

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How do you make extended technical scenes funny on the page?

AI✦Examines the pilot’s approach to writing physicality by layering multiple running gags into a single scene, demonstrating how early establishment of room layout and character beats creates a foundation for actors to move and talk through interconnected jokes.✦

⏱ 1h 35m

Words · Structure · Genre | 26 FEB 2025

Listen if you're writing physical comedy and have no idea how to make it work on the page

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Mel joins Chas to tackle physical comedy. We limited our homework selection to extended scenes (as opposed to moments and sight gags) in live action projects and – with the help of our Patreons – selected early sequences from BRINGING UP BABY, the pilot for HAPPY ENDINGS and that wonderful food poisoning scene in BRIDESMAIDS… →

Films: Bridesmaids (2011) , Bringing Up Baby (1938) , Game Night (2018) , Happy Endings (2011)

Shows: Happy Endings 1x01

Words: Big Print , Whitespace , Dialogue

Structure: Setups & Payoffs , Narrative Velocity , Narrative POV

Genre: Visual Language , Genre Conventions

"one of the really good things I think about this scene and how it's written on the page is it has two running gags that it sets up on the page very early on in the scene."

— chas | DZ-116: Writing Physical Comedy

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