COMEDY 108 [M] [READING] [ASSIGNMENT] - Classroom A - Classroom B

Lesson 2

Comedy Writing  Workshop

Working With Captions

"Inanimate Playhouse"

Everything you see tells a story. The photograph is real action, the cartoon is imaginary action, now we'll see that even inanimate objects can take action--at least in the mind.

In this workout, you'll provide the image, the imagination, and the caption.

HERE'S WHAT YOU DO FOR THIS WORKOUT

1. Create and stage a scene that you will caption. Limit yourself to just one area-anything related to:

a. Food d. Handyman's tools

b. Stationery or office supplies e. Letters of the alphabet

c. Shoes and socks

In creating and staging your scene, be as inventive as you want, but use only items from the area you selected. Food can be milk cartons, fruit, pretzels, snacks, soft drinks, whatever. Office supplies can be paper clips, staplers, rulers, pens, pencils, paper, and so on. Shoes may be ladies' shoes or men's shoes, athletic footwear, loafers, boots, or baby shoes--anything people put on their feet. Handyman's tools can range from screwdrivers and hammers all the way up to electric power tools. Letters of the alphabet can be typewritten, handwritten, ornate, scribbled--any type of letter at all.

The scene that you create should give some life to these objects--a life that your caption (step 2) will explain.

2. Caption the scene that you have just created.

HERE'S WHAT THIS WORKOUT WILL DO FOR YOU 

This workout will give you some practice in assigning different meanings, purposes, and intents to ordinary, inanimate objects. It will train your imagination to put some life into everything. It will train you to see things for what they are, and also for what they might be.

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES

Here are some sample cartoons that I created using food:

1. In this scene I set up two soft pretzels. One is plain; the other is covered with mustard. The caption reads:

"You're a nice girl, Mabel, but I think you use too much make,up."

2. A plum is pictured next to a peach. The caption reads:

"The next time you expect to kiss me goodnight, Orville, you'd better shave first."

3. A can of sardines lies open. One solitary sardine is lying beside the can. The caption reads:

"Why is it always me that has to wait for the next elevator?"

A WORD BEFORE YOU START

It's hard to summarize this workout because it can go in any direction. However, it's good all-around practice for creating, visualizing, and thinking funny.

Have fun working at it.

 

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