Wednesday, August 31, 2011

I'm holding another Sitcom Room Seminar

After a two year's hiatus I'm holding another Sitcom Room weekend seminar.  It will be the weekend of November 12-13, 2011 at the elegant LAX Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Anyone who's been a professional sitcom writer knows that the most fun part of the job is being locked in a room with incredibly funny people.  Yes, at times you want to tear your hair out, but even then -- imagine going to work and laughing for ten hours every day.

And more and more sitcoms are being room-written these days.  Shows like BIG BANG THEORY don't assign scripts to individual writers.  The entire staff sits around a table and cobbles the draft together.  The more training you have in this unique way of writing, the more marketable you become.

And this is the only seminar/workshop that teaches you those skills.

THE SITCOM ROOM is a two day EXTENSIVE workshop that simulates just what it's like to be on a sitcom writing staff.   You'll be broken up into groups of "writing rooms", actual working Hollywood actors will perform a scene, and then (after an extensive briefing and many insider tips) you'll go back to the room and rewrite the crap out of it.   The next day the actors return and perform YOUR scene.

It's a great learning experience, a great bonding experience, a great glimpse into the real workings of television.   But be forewarned -- this is only for people who enjoy laughing.

For details, just go here.   Registration is limited to only 20 attendees.  Each person gets personal attention.  Soon I will announce when registration is open.  But if you're on the email alert, you will get the word before I post it in the blog.

Once again.  Here's where you go to learn more.  I've already had one graduate land a staff job on a network show.  Whether you're interested in becoming a sitcom writer or just want a "fantasy camp" experience to see what it's like working on a TV show, the SITCOM ROOM is for you.

UPDATE:
Here's an article that T.V. critic Alan Sepinwall wrote for the N.J. Star-Ledger about the first Sitcom Room.  You'll notice a lot of the article is devoted to whether the sitcom is dead?  I think we can agree, now five years later, that the sitcom is back and only getting stronger, which is good news for me.  I sure didn't want to start the PROCEDURAL DRAMA ROOM. 

16 comments :

nobody said...

friday question: was there some kind of rule amongst the writers that sam malone and later frasier (in "frasier) were not allowed to get laid?

Johnny Walker said...
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KG said...

Oh my God, I would die to go to this Seminar. Too bad I live in Germany.....

Johnny Walker said...

"But be forewarned -- this is only for people who enjoy laughing."

There's always a catch...

Great to hear you're doing another one of these, Ken. I bet they're unlike anything else. They sound incredibly instructive and tons of fun. Oh, to attend!

ed.j. said...

Ok, but GlamourCon is the week before that. How are you going to provide the extra surrealistic experience of trying to be funny next door to a soft core porn shoot? I ask you?

So I have to book 10 days now?

ed

Dan O'Day said...

@ed.j.: There IS another event scheduled at the hotel that weekend.

No near-naked women running around, alas, but something that should provided added entertainment for this year's Sitcommers.

Chris said...

Been there. Done that. Loved it. I also have to say I'm dying to know what show your graduate landed a job on and which seminar he/she attended. Wait, crap, is it me?

Jack Danielson said...

Can you record the event and sell the DVD?

Didn't Sam Malone get laid all the time? Not that it was ever shown on TV...so did Frasier, certainly not as often, but a couple of times...Jean Smart comes to mind, as does the always hot West Wing alum, currently on House, Lisa E.

John Pearley Huffman said...

Has it really been five years since the first SitCom Room? Wow.

Dude of The House said...

I can't think of anywhere better to spend the anniversary of my Bar Mitzvah. Looking forward to the details.

JJ - The Dude
dudeofthehouse.blogspot.com

Pat said...

I would love participate in this, but am wary because I'm funnier (allegedly) on paper... not so much in real life.

Which brings me to a Friday question:

When assembling a staff, what types of writers/personalities do you look for? Are most working sitcom writers life-of-the-party extroverts?

Lou H. said...
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Lou H. said...

[2nd try. URL got truncated the 1st time]

Did you see the long, detailed paean to Cheers by the Parks and Rec showrunner? http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/09/cheers_parks_and_recreation_mi.html

Unknown said...

Phew. Don't shock me like that, Ken.

Alan wrote his review in 2008.

I honestly thought I lost two years of my life just now because I was damn sure that I haven't been reading for five years already. So it's 3 years later not 5 :-D

Dan O'Day said...

@John Pearley Huffman Nope, it's been only 4 years since the first Sitcom Room.

The hotel says the lingering aroma of the Chinese food should fully dissipate by Year 7.

calvin8tor said...

The teleseminar was great. Thanks. Would be grabbing that last spot if I wasn't working in the Middle East in Nov.
Thanks again,
Matt Sarles