Submitted By: Laura S James
(Humor)
While many comedians work alone, many others find that a partnership is an excellent way of producing their show. Stand-up is essentially a one-man show, but other forms of comedy such as improv are suited to a duo. When there are two, the horizons are expanded and things can be done or said that would be impossible with just one.
When choosing a partner to work with, it's important that each one should complement the other. The partnership should be an honest one with both standing up equally for
what they want in the show. If there is not honesty, then the relationship is likely to founder after a few years.
Contrary to what you may think, a comic duo does not have to be firm friends away from their work. Friends are often not all that honest with each other - their emotions get in the way. Or one might be offended by the other's vigilance over what material they perform. An attitude of "you should perform this because I like it, not because it's great material" can only harm the career of both in the long run.
If both focus on their work and each one feels they can trust the other to be as career minded and fair with their choice of material as they are themselves, then a good business basis is established and will likely last for years. Of course it does help if the duo have common tastes and outlooks, because they will then respect each other more. And if they share personal tastes, and values, then the business decisions will most likely be taken with regard to that and there will be little conflict.
It's important to work out guidelines to cover future possibilities that you can both agree to. These might cover what will happen if one wants to leave the partnership, if you go broke, or want to bring in another partner and other possibilities. Discussing and settling such issues is a necessary part of the business. Mutual support and honoring commitments are two good ways to make sure a partnership is successful.
While the above is what makes a partnership successful off the stage, you still need to be able to work together on stage. It will help the flow if you are in tune with each other's thought processes and it will help the comedy if you look and act quite differently. One usually plays straight to the other's comic. Very often a comedy duo will seem to be completely different to each other in every way - which is where the humor comes from, of course.
The hardest of your goals to achieve may be to get discovered. You have to work hard to that end and set specific small goals along the way to help. For instance, your first goal could be to succeed at an open mic night or several. Then you would go on to doing gigs at clubs. You could even enter a talent quest either locally or on national television - or preferably, both. Leave no stone unturned.
For instance, you could videotape yourself doing a comic routine and upload it to your website or blog. This would certainly give you exposure and you never know, someone looking for what you do might pick you up. But don't leave it at that.
While your ultimate goal may be to get discovered, remember that you need to be extremely good and if you are, you'll rise to the top eventually. Meanwhile, you are honing your skills, getting more original jokes for your routine and gaining confidence and experience.
So don't want or expect to 'get discovered' immediately. It might be better if you're not, because sometimes, fame can come too soon and if you're not ready for it you could spoil your chances through inexperience.
A good agent will help you get gigs, and should be looking to help you fast-forward your career as much as possible. Try and get gigs at comedy clubs rather than other places that don't usually do comedy. The audiences at these places - if there are any - just don't usually appreciate a comic act and are likely to heckle you out of the place. You'd need a really thick skin to stick with it.
If a talent scout is out looking for comedy talent, it makes sense for him to go to a comedy club, not some place that is not known for showing comedy. Therefore, you should do the same thing and be where you know they are likely to come. Once you get a regular spot at a comedy club, you will begin to make contacts with other comedians and who knows what may result from that?
Once you begin to know who's who in the world of comedy, you'll begin to make contacts with important casting people. You must work on these relationships. Once they know you, they will think of you whenever a role comes up that they cannot fill with another regular comedian.
Meantime, continue to study and develop your abilities by taking courses and getting tuition in acting or writing or whatever areas you think may be your weak points. By the time discovery comes to you, you will be well prepared.
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When choosing a partner to work with, it's important that each one should complement the other. The partnership should be an honest one with both standing up equally for
what they want in the show. If there is not honesty, then the relationship is likely to founder after a few years.
Contrary to what you may think, a comic duo does not have to be firm friends away from their work. Friends are often not all that honest with each other - their emotions get in the way. Or one might be offended by the other's vigilance over what material they perform. An attitude of "you should perform this because I like it, not because it's great material" can only harm the career of both in the long run.
If both focus on their work and each one feels they can trust the other to be as career minded and fair with their choice of material as they are themselves, then a good business basis is established and will likely last for years. Of course it does help if the duo have common tastes and outlooks, because they will then respect each other more. And if they share personal tastes, and values, then the business decisions will most likely be taken with regard to that and there will be little conflict.
It's important to work out guidelines to cover future possibilities that you can both agree to. These might cover what will happen if one wants to leave the partnership, if you go broke, or want to bring in another partner and other possibilities. Discussing and settling such issues is a necessary part of the business. Mutual support and honoring commitments are two good ways to make sure a partnership is successful.
While the above is what makes a partnership successful off the stage, you still need to be able to work together on stage. It will help the flow if you are in tune with each other's thought processes and it will help the comedy if you look and act quite differently. One usually plays straight to the other's comic. Very often a comedy duo will seem to be completely different to each other in every way - which is where the humor comes from, of course.
The hardest of your goals to achieve may be to get discovered. You have to work hard to that end and set specific small goals along the way to help. For instance, your first goal could be to succeed at an open mic night or several. Then you would go on to doing gigs at clubs. You could even enter a talent quest either locally or on national television - or preferably, both. Leave no stone unturned.
For instance, you could videotape yourself doing a comic routine and upload it to your website or blog. This would certainly give you exposure and you never know, someone looking for what you do might pick you up. But don't leave it at that.
While your ultimate goal may be to get discovered, remember that you need to be extremely good and if you are, you'll rise to the top eventually. Meanwhile, you are honing your skills, getting more original jokes for your routine and gaining confidence and experience.
So don't want or expect to 'get discovered' immediately. It might be better if you're not, because sometimes, fame can come too soon and if you're not ready for it you could spoil your chances through inexperience.
A good agent will help you get gigs, and should be looking to help you fast-forward your career as much as possible. Try and get gigs at comedy clubs rather than other places that don't usually do comedy. The audiences at these places - if there are any - just don't usually appreciate a comic act and are likely to heckle you out of the place. You'd need a really thick skin to stick with it.
If a talent scout is out looking for comedy talent, it makes sense for him to go to a comedy club, not some place that is not known for showing comedy. Therefore, you should do the same thing and be where you know they are likely to come. Once you get a regular spot at a comedy club, you will begin to make contacts with other comedians and who knows what may result from that?
Once you begin to know who's who in the world of comedy, you'll begin to make contacts with important casting people. You must work on these relationships. Once they know you, they will think of you whenever a role comes up that they cannot fill with another regular comedian.
Meantime, continue to study and develop your abilities by taking courses and getting tuition in acting or writing or whatever areas you think may be your weak points. By the time discovery comes to you, you will be well prepared.
