The Eight Characters of Comedy: A Guide to Sitcom Acting and Writing

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Overview

At the core of this Hollywood howto guide is the concept of The Eight Characters of Comedy, the eight specific character archetypes used in sitcoms dating back to the advent of TV. Every actor can find a sitcom niche by identifying with one of these eight characters. Using past and current actors and sitcom personalities, Sedita describes in detail where these characters come from and how actors can play them truthfully.
• who is normally cast as The Logical Smart One'
• why do we love The Lovable Loser'
• why is The Neurotic such a fun character to play' In addition, readers learn how to break down a comedy script, ...
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More About This Book

Overview

At the core of this Hollywood howto guide is the concept of The Eight Characters of Comedy, the eight specific character archetypes used in sitcoms dating back to the advent of TV. Every actor can find a sitcom niche by identifying with one of these eight characters. Using past and current actors and sitcom personalities, Sedita describes in detail where these characters come from and how actors can play them truthfully.
• who is normally cast as The Logical Smart One'
• why do we love The Lovable Loser'
• why is The Neurotic such a fun character to play' In addition, readers learn how to break down a comedy script, how to identify different types of jokes, how to deliver them with comedic precision, sitcom auditioning techniques, and how to market themselves.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780977064106
  • Publisher: Atides Publishing
  • Publication date: 11/28/2005
  • Pages: 244
  • Sales rank: 295,768
  • Product dimensions: 8.26 (w) x 5.62 (h) x 0.64 (d)

Meet the Author

Scott Sedita has years of experience in both New York and Los Angeles as an actor, agent, writer, casting director, and acting coach at his Scott Sedita Acting Studio. He has appeared on numerous shows, including Starting Over, Faking It and Helmets Off, and is resident acting coach on Fight For Fame.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction 1
Chapter 1 Who's Funny? 3
Chapter 2 Sitcom History 7
Chapter 3 Half Hour Technique 13
Rhythm 13
Words 14
Punctuation 18
Timing and Pace 21
The Turnaround 22
Triplets 27
Chapter 4 Acting Technique 37
Chapter 5 The Four C's of Comedy 43
Chapter 6 The Characters 45
Episode 1 The Logical Smart One 51
Who is The Logical Smart One? 52
A profile of The Logical Smart One 55
The Logical Smart One...and more 65
Episode 2 The Lovable Loser 71
Who is The Lovable Loser? 72
A profile of The Lovable Loser 75
The Lovable Loser...and more 85
Episode 3 The Neurotic 91
Who is The Neurotic? 92
A profile of The Neurotic 95
The Neurotic...and more 108
Episode 4 The Dumb One 115
Who is The Dumb One? 116
A profile of The Dumb One 119
The Dumb One...and more 128
Episode 5 The Bitch / Bastard 133
Who is The Bitch / Bastard? 135
A profile of The Bitch / Bastard 140
The Bitch / Bastard...and more 150
Episode 6 The Womanizer / Manizer 159
Who is The Womanizer / Manizer? 161
A profile of The Womanizer / Manizer 163
The Womanizer / Manizer...and more 172
Episode 7 The Materialistic One 177
Who is The Materialistic One? 178
A profile of The Materialistic One 182
The Materialistic One...and more 190
Episode 8 In Their Own Universe 195
Who is In Their Own Universe? 196
A profile of In Their Own Universe 199
In Their Own Universe...and more 209
Epilogue: Finding Your Comedic Note 215
Appendix 1 Ten Rules of Comedy 220
Appendix 2 Who Said That? 220
Appendix 3 Glossary (Finding the Funny) 223
Index 231
About the author
Actor Notes
Order forms

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  • Posted June 15, 2011

    Such a smart book!

    This book finally says the things you know, but have been unable to put your finger on. It is easy to read, and funny too. Well, one would hope with a book about sit-coms.

    As an actor, I found this helped me tremendously. It gave me insight into what to do, and how to do it. I can already see the results.
    As a writer, I find it easier to make choices for my characters, now that I have a guideline for their intentions. Even the difficult part of starting the script is made easier when you just decide what character would go with the ones you already have.
    Definitely a must have!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
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