How To Craft Your Comedy Pilot: From Concept To Outline

Learn how you can craft the perfect sitcom from a writer who has developed and produced content for VH1, Comedy Central, Funny or Die, Adult Swim, and more.

PLEASE NOTE: Although this exclusive Stage 32 class is no longer live and the teacher is not available on email, we highly encourage you to do any assignments to get the most out of the educational experience.

You’ve done it! You’ve come up with the brilliant idea for the next juggernaut hit comedy. Now comes the hard part: Deliver a story with a fresh point of view and have every reader laughing on every page. It’s an overwhelming process but this Stage 32 exclusive on-demand class will walk you through, step-by-step, from concept to outline, with the guidance of a professional comedy writer.

Many writers don’t invest in the world of their sitcoms. Through this class, you’ll learn to understand world-building in situation comedy, how to create memorable characters that fit in that world, and how the humor comes out of the premise of your show. You’ll examine successfully produced sitcoms and examine different structures to find out which fits your script best.

Walking you through how professionals craft and develop their own scripts is Michael Sokol, a screenwriter and producer whose pilot, TACO TUESDAY, was optioned by PopTV (SCHITT’S CREEK) and Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films. His other credits include CAKE for FXX, MANDY for SpectreVision, and executive producing the feature film POSTAL. 

In this exclusive Stage 32 4-part on-demand class, you'll work on the essentials of sitcom writing, starting with world-building and protagonist development. You'll craft loglines, establish tone, and explore character quirks. Next, you'll create a sitcom family and develop story premises. You'll also break down the 8 points of the Story Wheel and analyze successful script structures. Throughout your journey you'll have writing exercises to take you to the next level. By the end, you'll have a beat sheet ready to go.

If you want to get into the TV comedy writing industry this class is for you. 

Testimonials from Michael's previous Stage 32 Education:

"While incredibly knowledgeable in comedy and writing and structure in general, [Michael] is never trying to impose his own sensibilities on new writers. Instead, he has an innate sense for how to allow that writer to bring out their own sensibilities, even if they've never written a single page before" - Madison H.

"Michael is an incredible comedy teacher. Not because he’s hilarious and a really experienced writer, but because he’s such a good listener and mentor. He encouraged me to better understand my point of view and then up the ante on the funny based on that. And my work got so much better with every pass because of his methodology." - Loretta C.