Writing Comedy Genres

The course structure is as follows: 

• Week 1: Horror Comedy 
• Week 2: Romantic Comedy 
• Week 3: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Comedy 
• Week 4: Action Comedy 
• Week 5: Satirical Comedy 
• Week 6: Location Comedy 
• Week 7: Musical Comedy 
• Week 8: Understanding Form: TV vs Film 
• Week 9: Rewrite: Premise and One-Pager 
• Week 10: Table-Read, Pitch, and Q&A 
• Week 11: Conclusion and Next Steps 

Each week, you’ll tackle one of seven tricky comedy subgenres, where blending horror with laughs or satire with stakes often trips up even pros, and break it down through short, focused video lectures that make the challenge approachable.

You’ll get script extracts from icons like Life of Brian and The Thick of It to study hands‑on, spotting exactly how masters handle structure and punchlines, followed by guided readings that clarify pro techniques without the guesswork.

Expect structured writing exercises tailored to that week’s genre, building to a creative task you submit for peer review, all paced to fit your life with asynchronous forums for discussion and consistent tutor feedback to iron out hurdles as you go.

In the final weeks, you’ll channel it into your own premise, outline, and 10 script pages with individual tutorial support, emerging with a polished portfolio piece and real momentum in comedy writing.

To hit the ground running, watch at least one essential or cult film or TV episode from each week’s reading list, such as Ted Lasso for Location comedy or When Harry Met Sally for rom com, and, if available, read one corresponding script before the course starts.  

This upfront viewing and reading familiarises you with the key beats, tone shifts, and humour engines we’ll dissect together, ensuring you engage fully from week one rather than playing catch up. No need to binge everything; one strong example and script per subgenre unlocks the discussion and writing exercises, maximising the value of lectures, peer forums, and feedback right away. 

​​The following resources are available to participants enrolled on this online short course:  

• ​Dedicated easy-to-use virtual learning environment (VLE) 
• ​24/7 technical support available through the VLE  
• ​An online learning community   
• ​Accessible online written and audio/visual content    
• ​Live webinars
• ​Feedback from your online tutor
• ​Support from your online tutor for all course-related and academic queries.   

​You can also contact our shortcourses@falmouth.ac.uk email if you require any support with any other aspects of your studies.  

​​​​This course is taught online in our dedicated virtual learning environment. You'll learn through a blend of recorded learning content, written content, learning activities, live webinars, tasks and discussion forums.  

No formal qualifications or prior writing experience required, just a passion for comedy and a desire to turn your love of sharp laughs into screen‑ready scripts. Whether you’re new to storytelling or have dabbled in drama, this course starts from enjoyment of iconic films like Hot Fuzz or shows like The Thick of It, building your skills week by week into professional‑level genre mastery.  

Your enthusiasm for comedy’s wild subgenres is the only entry ticket, unlocking a pathway to original material, expert feedback, and Comedy Writing MA (Online) eligibility that levels the playing field for all. 

To get the most out of your online studies with Falmouth, we recommend using a desktop or laptop computer with reliable internet access. This will enable you to fully experience our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), which houses your course materials, videos and webinars, discussion forums and more. Please note while a mobile phone or tablet can support you in your studies, they are not suitable as your primary means of engagement. You will however need a smartphone or other device capable of installing an authenticator app in order to access our VLE, as a security requirement when accessing your account for this course.