Tips for Writing the Comedy Set Piece

Here are some tips for writing the comedy set piece. But first you may ask, what is the comedy set scene?

“A set piece is an extended scene or sequence that exploits the setting or world of the movie to build from one joke or thrill to a series of same, climaxing in a satisfyingly big payoff topper.”

Writing the Romantic Comedy, by Billy Mernit at p. 275.

Billy Mernit writes that,

“What a set piece has come to mean in movieland is the thing everyone talks about when they’ve seen the movie.”

Writing the Romantic Comedy, by Billy Mernit at p. 276.

Here are a list of tips:

• Start with a Comic Premise,
• Create the set piece as an “inspired collision between character and circumstance” (Id. at p. 276-277),
• That forces an emotional turning point.
• Most importantly, be HONEST (honestly emotional, vulnerable, true-to-life) in the set piece. The comedy will come from readers/viewers recognizing the truth of the scene. Like the scene in the new OVERBARD when the men are discussing married life in my prior post. Ok, it’s a bit exaggerated, which is part of creating comedy, but you get what I mean.

START WITH A COMIC PREMISE

If you have a comic premise, the story writes itself. At least, that’s what Steve Kaplan says in his book The Comic Hero’s Journey, at p. 39. That makes sense. Think of SPY, with Melissa McCarthy and the comic potential in that premise (the desk-bound CIA analyst becomes the OO7 spy). At the very least, the comic premise should provoke ideas of funny scenes. Which may very well become our set scenes. But you only need start with the comic premise, according to Steve Kaplan. From there, you follow the character and do what the character would do. Don’t try to write funny scenes.

“Once you introduce the comic premise, you need to trust that the characters–their wants, needs and fears will create more than enough action and plot to keep the narrative rolling along.”

The Comic Hero’s Journey, by Steve Kaplan at p. 68.

So I actually found that encouraging, because it is daunting to try to think of a “set piece.” Sometimes I have the inspiration for a funny scene, but sometimes I have to write the scene and find the humor.

Another way to make it funnier is for everything to end in disaster. Which follows the basic writing advice of writing guru Jack Bickham: “He must leave in worse shape than he was when he went in.” Scene & Structure, by Jack M. Bickham, at p. 27.

So here are some ways to think of comic premises:

• Fish out of Water
• Comic Opposites
• Normal Character vs. Crazy Characters

Fish Out of Water

One of my favorite comedy movies is THE INTERNSHIP. That definitely uses the fish out of water trope. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn sell watches, but nobody buys watches anymore now that they have phones. So they apply for a Google internship, successfully and are competing against tech-savvy young millennials for a shot at full-time employment. One of my favorite scenes is when they are interviewing for the Google internship–in the public library–and they are not tech-savvy. Here’s a clip of that scene.

Comic Opposites

According to John Vorhaus, ask “who could give this comic character the worst possible time?” The Comic Toolbox by John Vorhaus at p. 52.

So, in BRINGING UP BABY, you have workaholic paleontologist Cary Grant paired with fun-loving, free-spirited socialite Katharine Hepburn. In the Odd Couple, you have neat Felix paired with messy Oscar. This creates the comic moments and the tension.

Or WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. As Nora Ephron writes in the Introduction to the screenplay (it’s such a brilliant introduction with such much wisdom, I highly recommend reading it – I love Nora Ephron):

“So I began with Harry, based on Rob. And because Harry was bleak and depressed, it followed absolutely that Sally would be cheerful and chirpy and relentlessly, pointlessly, unrealistically, idiotically optimistic. Which is, it turns out, very much like me. I’m not precisely chirpy, , but I am the sort of person who is fine, I’m just fine, everything’s fine.”

When Harry Met Sally by Nora Ephron, at p. X.

Normal Character vs. Comic Character

Another comic set-up is a normal character vs. a comic character. See The Comic Toolbox by John Vorhaus at p. 24. “The gap between their personalities is the comic premise of the show.” Id. at 24. But note that the characters have an emotional bond. They care about each other.

The Character vs. His World

As noted above, Billy Mernit describes a set piece as an inspired collision between character and circumstance. This parallels Steve Kaplan’s advice that you have to be true to your character. But now, add your character’s world that you’ve created. Here’s Billy Mernit’s tips for creating set pieces:

“consciously comb your story for potential set-piece situations. Explore the world you’ve created and see what’s there to tap into.”

Writing the Romantic Comedy, by Billy Mernit at p. 279.

I’m in the middle of watching PRIVATE BENJAMIN with Goldie Hawn, but the set pieces arise out of the obvious collision between pampered Goldie Hawn and the US Army world. My novels are all set in New York City, but I’ve still created my own NY world.

Force An Emotional Turning Point

Set pieces should force an emotional turning point. As Scott Myers writes, the set piece is tied to a plot point. In DESK SET, when she and Spencer Tracy are having dinner at her apartment and Gig Young shows up, it’s the first time Katharine Hepburn is not thrilled to see Gig Young. In ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE, Sasha realizes her boy friend Kevin is a jerk and goes home with Marcus.

Let’s Talk: Do you have any tips for writing that comedy set piece?

What are some of your favorite comedy scenes?

I’d love to hear about what you find funny.