What does comedic timing mean?
It means being able to say something funny in a way that has maximum impact. Usually, this is the result of saying something ridiculous and amusing in a way that sounds very natural and casual. A joke or a funny comment can be enhanced, or destroyed, by the manner in which it is spoken. For example: "My chin is as smooth as a baby's bottom... which is more than you can say for my bottom..." (from Blackadder season 4). How much emphasis should you place on the two parts of this sentence? How long should you wait after saying the first bit before saying the second bit? A good comedian has an intuitive sense of how to deliver this line in a way that is most broadly amusing to people. It is a difficult skill to quantify, much like the skills of good actors. Good comedians all use acting skills to some degree, to try and make the punchline an unexpected surprise. This is only part of "comedic timing"... If you are in a comedy play, or sitcom, or sketch, it is valuable to know just how much time to wait until delivering your line, just after someone else has said something funny... there is no arbitrary answer to how you should pace jokes in a comedy sketch, or a 5-minute stand-up routine... the ideal pacing depends upon the reactions of the audience. Put simply, you have to give the audience time to laugh, time to think about what they are seeing and hearing... but not too much time. Good comedians operate on their own sense of judgement in such scenarios, and say their lines right when they think is the ideal moment. This is comic timing... you have to give every joke as much breathing room as it deserves... some people have a talent for doing this, but experience is also a major factor in terms of success.
What is the best way to practice a standup comedy routine?
None of the above. You HAVE to test material out in front of a REAL audience. Here's why...When you tell your friend a joke their going to analyze it to determine whether it's funny or not. But this isn't how real audience members consume comedy. Audiences look at your material as a "whole and complete" product. They don't pick it apart. They simply allow themselves to enjoy it. When you perform in front of a friend the exact opposite happens. They'll try to "protect you" by picking it apart, when in fact it'll likely destroy it. There's a slightly similar problem with open mics. many low quality open mic venues have very inattentive audiences that simply aren't listening. Again, they're not consuming comedy the same way a "normal" audience would. Paying audience members, such as those that go to comedy club open mics are there to have fun. They're actually paying attention to what you're saying. This is the most accurate read you'll get as a comedian.That's not to say you should jump straight to big venues though. Testing material out at an open mic level is often a necessary part of the creative process. You'll notice things about your material that you didn't realize, even though you rehearsed out loud. The only way to really gauge material is performing in front of an audience of strangers. If you want to learn more, I wrote a free new comedian quick-start guide at http://CreativeStandUp.com that a step-by-step process that walks new comedians though developing their material, rehearsing it, finding open mics, and avoiding the most common "new comedian mistakes on stage."
Who are the IITians doing standup comedy?
What do most IIT graduates do?They Explore! They realise their True passion and follow it with putting their utmost efforts .Talking about Standup Comics who left their 9–5 Corporate jobs and pursued their talent in making people laugh!The First person in this list has to be the Vipul Goyal-India’s first English Standup comic who started comedy in 2010 when there was no such thing as ‘Open Mics’. Vipul is a graduate from IIT Bombay and not to forget his rank in JEE Advanced was 165.Next up is Kanan Gill (though not an IITian) who got famous worldwide after his take on Mainstream 90’s Bollywood Movies - Watch Pretentious Movie Reviews on his channel and you can thank me later. His take on Feminism leaves everyone speechless.Last but not the least is Biswa Kalyan Rath He is Kanan’s best friend and they left their High Paying Corporate Jobs together. Biswa is best known for describing the tiniest things in the best way - Watch his take on Pomegranates and Bananas and you will understand why Banana is the Best fruit in the world.They have already realised their passions and now its time for you to do the same!Good Day Quorans!Also - Follow Kanan and Biswa on Quora they are quite active.
Evil dead 2 - a comedy?
I think the first one was not supposed to be funny, but IT came out that way, and when Sam Raimi got the the reaction he did to the first, he decided to go with the dark comic/satiric idea of playing with the horror genre. He then really ran with it when he got to Army of Darkness, which is almost MORE comedy than horror. Check out the IMDB summary of Evil Dead 2 for even better info: Not really a sequel to "The Evil Dead"--more of a remake. Director Sam Raimi expected this to be R rated and figured most people never saw the unrated (meaning it was X) first one. So, he decided to just redo the movie--just quicker, less gorier and with STRONG doses of comedy (the first one was dead serious). He did it, cut some gore but it was STILL unrated. So it was released (with the gore never put back in) and, like the first, didn't do too well. And, like the first, it quickly acquired a following and is now considered a great movie! Basically once the movie gets going it never stops. It's more a comedy than a horror movie--a very SICK comedy! Hands are cut off, eyeballs go flying, BUCKETS of blood are thrown around, knives and axes are used, etc. If you go expecting a horror film, you'll be disappointed. If you approach it as a sick comedy you'll love it! I recommend this highly but only if you have a strong stomach! The sequence with Ash (Bruce Campbell) and his possessed hand is a horrific and comedic highlight. Cool ending too.
Is it worth it to take a stand up comedy class or should I just do stand up?
Take the class first, then do the other.
What is the best way to start a career in standup comedy?
Here is the recepieWrite 5 minutes of materialTest it in 3–5 open micsListen to all open micers wherever you perform and understand what works and doesn'tWatch atleast 1 professional standup comic every weekBuild on your material and improve it till you have a refined setRepeat step 1–5 till you have a solid 30 minutes (can take 3–6 months)Start hosting stand up comedy shows and work on audience interactions and heckler management. I recommend hosting at least 5 shows. If you are connected to your local circuit you can start hosting open mics first and then shows.Start performing your 30 minutes in shows. If you don't get a chance then create one by booking a venue, calling 2 other comics and a host and put up a 90 minute show.Perform your 30 minutes atleast 5 times.Continue steps 1–5 till you have 60 minutes of materialTake 15 minutes of that material and shoot 1–3 videos from that material during your performancesCreate a YouTube channelAdd your videos on YouTube and share your content on Facebook, twitter and InstagramCreate a Facebook page and start building a fan base with your contentIf you feel your content is getting lots of views (atleast 100k) and largely positive comments (>60%) then start planning for your first 1 hour specialIn your 1 hour special, keep 15 minutes for audience interaction and 45 minutes of pure contentPromote your first special for atleast 1 month for an audience of 100–200 to start of with.If the response is good > 60% attendance with positive feedback then try to do a few more shows and perform in different cities.Perform your special atleast 10 times and keep improving itRelease videos from the special and maintain traction on social media. Continue steps 1–5 at open mics or corporate gigsIf you reach step 20 in the first 2 years, think of this as a career full time.It's worth trying this though.Do let me know how it turns out. Here is a link to my channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/...Best wishesFor more Trivia on stand up comedy in India, read my book “One year of Stand up comedy : A Journey in India” here Buy One Year of Stand up Comedy : Journey in India Book Online at Low Prices in IndiaHere are some videos that explain how I do things. Some examples are as below:
Where can I do standup comedy in Bhubaneshwar?
Check the twitter handle @bbsrkomedians
8:30/7:30 central in uk time?
Assuming that's for a US TV show and it's 8:30PM Eastern / 7:30 Central, the UK is 5 hours ahead so it would be 1:30 AM the next morning in the UK.
Is there any course available for standup comedy?
Actually yes there are quite a few. Steve Martin even teaches a Masterclass in comedy that you can take online:MasterClass | Steve Martin Teaches ComedyHere’s another from Judd Apatow, in fact for $180 you can take both and have access to everything on the website:MasterClass | Judd Apatow Teaches ComedyIf I ever get around to having an extra $180 a year I may sign up just to take a masterclass in music with Deadmau5 and cooking with Gordon Ramsay.You can find plenty of other online sources, Udemy has a beginngers class in stand up or if you prefer something local instead of online you’ll need to search for things in your area. You’ll find classes in most big cities, San Diego, New York, Boston, DC, etcstand up comedy class