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FCU's Site Director Comedy Tip of the Week
"Game Changer: Creating Comedy Content"
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| | Paul Douglas Moomjean Site Director, Flappers University |
Hello Students, Comedians, and Citizens of Earth alike!
Whenever I talk shop with comics there are two things they really hate doing: Promoting shows and making regular, consistent, funny comedy content. Both make sense, since both require a lot of extra effort outside of writing and performing jokes, auditions, day jobs, and life's ups and downs. But I would argue that the best way to build a following is to create sketches regularly and often.
With so many video apps and platforms like Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn, there are plenty of ways to build your audience and increase your exposure with sketches that are on brand and help showcase your acting and comedy chops.
Recently, my FUTV Livestream co-host, Dominika van Santen, and I have been creating sketches in the beautiful parks of Los Angeles. With just an iPhone and the TikiTok app, we've been finding ways to showcase our brands and personalities. Me, the heavyset and reserved persona, and her with the over the top ball of comic energy. It's a nice ying and yang. And it allows for us to visualize aspects of our stand up themes.
Steve Martin, in his Masterclass, talked about how not every "bit" is meant for stand up comedy. He mentions in the lecture that some jokes and bits are really sketches or screenplays. Think about that bit that isn't working. Maybe it was a sketch all this time!
A lot of comedians have used the short sketch format to blast into stardom. Trevor Wallace. Tony Baker. Sarah Cooper. All of them have used the 1-3 minute format of sketch writing and/or TikTok to build great followings and keep themselves relevant in the COVID19 era.
Sketches don't have to big or cost a lot of money. In fact, most computers come with basic video editing software. The key is to key it simple and keep it funny. Find a premise or theme and get to work. Challenge yourself to create a sketch for your social media accounts weekly. If anything, you'll have a feeling of accomplishment. You can send them out into the world and get immediate feedback.
While many of us are still on Zoom, in front of honking cars, or performing outside, let's remember that we can always write sketches and create comedy content.
As I mentioned before, the two things comics hate is promoting and creating content. But you will kill two birds with one stone by doing this. Please just don't kill any birds, though.
Now take a look at Chicago and Los Angeles comedian Steven Haas. He makes some of the best sketches. They are funny, short, and clear in the premise. After you watch this, go make your own! I double dog dare ya!
Stay Safe with Your Masks and Clean Hands
Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant is still running classes and virtual shows and hopefully live comedy will be back soon. We are doing our best to ride this COVID-19 season out. Stay safe, and know that we love and care about you!
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ONLINE Stand Up Classes and Television Writing Classes!
If you are looking for ways to expand your comedy platform, here is what we are offering! All Stand Up Classes have an ONLINE showcase you can invite friends, family, and fans too at the end! Here's what comics from all walks of life say about FCU School of Comedy:
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| | See What Flappers University Students are Saying About Their Time Here! |
Take a look at our classes and workshops on the Flapper's University website. We have classes in Stand Up, Writing for TV, and workshops on making money, building an audience, and promoting your brand.
Multi-Week Classes ($195)
WRITING CLASSES - Just Click the link!
 
Have you always wanted to write hilarious sketches for TV? This crash course will not only teach you the various templates of sketches (TV and movie parodies, character driven, fake commercials, etc) but you'll also acquire invaluable sketch writing do's and don'ts that will help your work stand out. In order to master sketch writing, you'll learn how to identify whether your premise is strong enough, as well as comprehend the best structural options for your material. By analyzing some of television's funniest sketches, you'll learn what it takes to create a successful submission packet that shows off your comedic voice.
In this course students will learn basic late night comedy writing including monologue, desk pieces and remotes, with the goal of becoming technically proficient, confident and comfortable submitting material to various late night television programs. Taught by David Letterman's head monologue writer for 5 years, this class also has a showcase where Gabe reads your jokes in a a ten minute set, just like Late Night TV hosts do!
STAND UP COMEDY CLASSES - ALL LEVELS!
We offer Level 1 and Level 2 Stand Up Comedy Classes to help new and emerging comedians and people interested in starting stand up comedy. Classes are taught by professional working comedians who have been on television, worked in writer's rooms, and have opened and performed with the biggest names in comedy. Our classes are 5 weeks and designed to give basic fundamentals in the art form of stand up. We teach to write from a place of truth, the art of brevity, creating turns, tags, and callbacks, all in a supportive environment.
Level 1 is intended for beginners and complete newbies. Level 2 is for comedians with over 3 years experience or completed Level 1 at Flappers University.
Stand Up: Level 1 - Links Below
Taught by Site Director and professional comic Paul Douglas Moomjean, Level 1 looks at the basics of joke writing and performing. Have a few funny ideas? We can help you form them into timely well-crafted setups and punchlines. Don't have anything funny yet? That's fine too! We can help you "mine for material" and learn to write jokes with a strong point of view! Classes are fun, supportive, and end with a virtual showcase seen by people from all over the country! Paul will share with you the same techniques that got him to be on Laughs on Fox within his first year of comedy and a taped Dry Bar special last year! Click on the links below to sign up!
Stand Up: Level 2 - Link Below
Our Level 2 Class is designed for comics who have completed Level 1 or have at least three years of comedy experience. Comics will learn advance stand up techniques, as well as get to the heart of what they want to say. With a strong emphasis in authenticity and being true to your point of view, Level 2 takes comics to another level in their comedy journey. Taught by Flapper's booker Joshua Snyder, this 5 week class give you clear and guided feedback from the booker of one of Los Angeles' top comedy clubs. Click the link below to sign up!
COMEDY CONTENT CLASSES ($195)
You're already on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, but are you producing the type of comedy content that can build a following and stay on brand? In this exciting 5 week class, you will be taught how to write scripts, cast, and plan out sketches and videos that can help build your online presence and create a social media brand you can share with the whole world. Taught by David P. Kronmiller, a current content creator for Flappers Comedy Club, and former CNN and Cannes Film Festival content creator.
ONE DAY ONLINE Workshops
ONE DAY: Emcee Workshop: How To Be A Flappers Emcee $25 - Discount in Link!
A show emcee or host is an integral part of the success or failure of a stand up show. An emcee is responsible for keeping the energy up in the room, connecting with the crowd and getting them excited about each comic that comes to the stage. Come learn how to perfect your skills as an emcee so you can continue to get booked in this one day workshop for stand up comics. Taught by Flapper's Comedy Club Booker Joshua Snyder, this workshop is the fastest way to more time and more opportunities with Flappers! Whether you're a comedian looking to start emceeing, or an experienced emcee wanting to take your skill set up a notch, you won't want to miss this 3 hour intense Emcee workshop.
 ONE DAY: How to Self-Publish Your Book with Teresa Lo $25 One of the most crucial parts of comedy is writing; and many comedians like Steve Martin, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey and more showcase their prose by releasing books. While printing with a traditional publisher is always an option, many writers have found success through self-publishing. Using avenues such as Amazon/Createspace, Smashwords, and Wattpad, writers often enjoy the freedom to control their content, how its marketed and sold, when its released, and etc. In this one day workshop, bestselling indie author Teresa Lo (Hell's Game, Red Lantern Scandals) explains in-depth how-to self-publish on three popular platforms, dos and don'ts of self-publishing, how to market yourself and your book, and more. The workshop is a tutorial followed by a Q&A, and it is a useful tool for comedians and writers of all levels.
 ONE DAY: Storytelling for Comedians with Christine Blackburn $25From nearly the time children are able to understand a language, storytelling becomes an important part of their lives. However, storytelling can then become a lifetime passion, and in many ways, can play an integral role in human kindness, especially when a story becomes a gift of inspiration and healing. But what are some ways you can become a more authentic storyteller? Most are actually more obvious than you think. This one day workshop will help you convert that favorite dinner party tale into a golden yarn! Date and Link:Thursday 9/24 1pm - 4pm
ONE DAY: Film and TV Acting Auditioning for Comics
Getting an acting gig is every comics dream. But do you know everything that is required and expected by you? In this one day workshop, lead by H2F Manager and special guest industry members, you'll learn how to nail the audition and beyond. The class will go over general interviews, reading sides, commercial and theatrical roles, the call back process, and so much more!
FREE Joke Labs Are Back! Every Wednesday! Already got your set down - but you could still use help fine-tuning a bit or getting a different perspective on a new joke? Jump in this workshop and get feedback and punch-up on your set from our top instructors at FCU, and possibly some surprise guests!
We ask that you do not sign up more than once every few weeks so everyone can participate!
ONE DAY: Find Your Persona with Barb and Steve North
Why are some comedians able to take on a stylized personality on stage, and how does it affect their material? What's the difference between a comedian and somebody who just tells jokes? In this workshop, veteran comedy coaches Barb and Steve North (comedy managers for Brook Forest Entertainment) explore the idea of 'comedic characters' and how comedians are able to find their onstage persona through the discovery of flaws and applied exaggeration, as well as how the concept of character exaggeration can be used to strengthen comedy act-outs. If you're trying to develop a stronger voice on stage, or bring more life to your characterizations, don't miss this unique one-day workshop!
ONGOING PRIVATE COACHING
Private Coaching (Prices Vary $50 - $125/Hour)
If you are interested in just having one on one time with one of our highly trained and professional instructors, please visit our Instructors Page to pick the instructor you want to work with. Just email Classes@FlappersComedy.com to schedule a meeting. Prices are based on instructor's rate. Email classes@flapperscomedy.com to learn more. FCU is dedicated to creating a community of comedians that can help and support each other. Therefore, if you find these prices out of your range, PLEASE email us, and we will work with you!
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Flappers University Intern Needed
Hours: Monday - Thursday 5:00PM - 8:00PM (Virtual)
Would you like to learn how online education and comedy going hand in hand? Are you interested in taking free comedy classes? Would you like more stage time? Would you like a nice resume builder and gain some administrative skills? I'm looking for an assistant to help me as we continue to grow. August alone we had over 400 students take a class or workshop. I need some help! I need your creative and intellectual brain and winning personality!
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information!
or... like Flappers University on Yelp!
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Flappers University
In Person Class
Survey Question
We are taking a survey to see how comics, students, writers, and everyone in between feel about taking an in person class. The CDC has approved for proper social distancing educational experiences, but we want to hear from you! With restaurants and other venues opening with proper restrictions, we know some of you are out and about. This survey is simply to get a finger on the pulse of our community, and we really do want to hear what you have to say. There is even a text box so you can add to this conversation. We like freedom of speech around here. So
CLICK the link below to answer the simple
ONE QUESTION survey.
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information!
or... like Flappers University on Yelp!
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Flappers University Student Open Mic
Sundays 4:00pm-5:30pm
CLICK HERE FOR FREE LINK:
Flappers University School of Comedy wants to continue one our greatest traditions alive during the Apocalypse, our FREE Student mic open to current students and alumni. This supportive feedback mic is designed to help comics think of new angles and tags and set ups after they perform 5-6 minutes. Lead by PJ Baio, the mic will allow for 10 comics to sign up in advance. Considering all the students that are interested, we are asking that you try not to sign up every week, as to give others an opportunity. Upon registering, you will be sent a ZOOM link an hour before the show.
Looking forward to keeping this great mic going! |
information!
or... like Flappers University on Yelp!
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Flappers Comedy Club
Open Mics & Auditions
Open Mics are at 8:30PM
Flappers Comedy Club has a fun, supportive, and nightly Open Mic for comedians in all stages of their comedy journey. Sign up now!
Auditions For Live Virtual Shows!
If you want to be a part of our Live Virtual Comedy Shows, then drop into our auditions EVERY WEDNESDAY 6pm! Bring your best 2 minutes, and our Booker will find the right show for you! Just visit our Calendar and sign up!
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information!
or... like Flappers University on Yelp!
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Flapper's University Instructor Steve North's NEW BOOK!
How to KILL in Comedy
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Steve North the Comedy Coach, voted #1 Comedy Coach in the USA, starts by teaching you how to create your own unique comedic character for stand up, then offers the twenty best joke-writing formulas developed over 20 years in his workshops, and then helps you put it all together to work as a stand up comedian. Whether you're a beginner or advanced comedian, you need to learn the character method first. Then slay the audience, or just be funnier in life.
or... like Flappers University on Yelp!
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Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Stand Up and many more comedy classes available!
For a full list:
email: Classes@FlappersComedy.com
818-845-9721
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