Workshops
Register for workshops with Visa, M/C or cash
via phone: (323) 962-7560 or at 6366 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028
A portion of all workshop revenue will be donated to The Chris Farley House.
Jim McKairnes, a 23-year veteran of the television industry, 15 at CBS. He is currently a TV producer and consultant, as well as a guest-lecturer at colleges around the country and holds an adjunct-faculty position at Chicago’s DePaul University, where he teaches a self-created “TV 101” course, mentors upcoming industry hopefuls.
At CBS, McKairnes was part of the team that took the network from worst in the 1990s to first in the 2000s under the leadership of CBS President Leslie Moonves.
After 13 years and as a Senior Vice-President at CBS, McKairnes was recruited by Discovery Communications in 2006 to head up that Maryland-based company’s 11 networks as its Executive Vice-President of Scheduling.
Eventually he returned in Los Angeles, where he was invited by Moonves to return to CBS, for a role on the company’s studio side, serving as Senior Vice President in charge of developing new comedies for its cable division from 2008 to 2010.
103 Ways to Get Into TV (2hr) – $25
Friday – 03/22/13 – 2:00 PM – DCT
This lecture explores how 103 people came to LA and succeeded in the business — how they broke into and negotiated both the industry and the city. found jobs, friends, a home, a career.
David Razowsky is the host of the popular podcast “ADD Comedy with Dave Razowsky and Ian Foley,” which is available on iTunes. www.davidrazowsky.com
Stick the Landing: Holding onto Point of View (2hr) – $25
Friday – 03/22/13 – 2:00 PM – LOFT
The greatest gift that you can give your character is a strong point of view. The hardest thing to do is to stick with that point of view. The only thing you got to do is focus on point of view. How hard is that?
Let’s take a little time and look at how to find a strong point of view, how to stick to a strong point of view, and how to heighten a strong point of view. Your scenes will become fuller, funnier, smarter, and, most importantly, easier to create. Be sure to bring a pen and paper.
Tim Jennings has been working in TV comedy for the last ten years. His credits include The Man Show, Mind of Mencia, X-Play, and Stevie TV. He is currently the Executive Producer of the comedy series ‘Foursome: Walk of Shame’ on PlayboyTV.
Writing for Comedy Clip Shows (2hr) – $25
Saturday – 03/23/13 – 10:00 AM – Mainstage
Turn on the TV any given night and one thing is clear. Almost every network has at least one comedy clip show. They’re popular with viewers, affordable to produce, and if you’re a performer or a writer they can offer great opportunities for work. Whether you’re on camera, off camera, or both this workshop aims to give you a leg up when it comes to crafting jokes for a comedy clip show.
Mike Hughes is the co-executive producer and a director of and writer for Top Story! Weekly, the award-winning news-based comedy show new every Sunday night here at iO West. He is a writer for the morning radio prep service the Complete Sheet, which distributes content every morning to over 500 radio stations in 12 countries.
Turning Headlines Into Laughs: Topical Comedy (2hr) – $25
Saturday – 03/23/13 – 10:00 AM – DCT
This workshop will focus on methods for creating sketches and two-line jokes from the headlines of the day, whether from politics, pop culture, or human interest. Topics to be covered will include how to figure out where the comedy is in a news story, how to hone your point of view, how to determine the best medium and structure for your subject matter and how to tailor your material for your audience.
Brian Stack has been a writer/performer with “Conan” for 16 years, the first 12 years at “Late Night” in New York. Before that, he worked for several years in Chicago at Second City, I.O., and in various groups like Jazz Freddy. He still performs at IO-West and UCB here in LA. He has also appeared on such TV shows as “30 Rock”, “The Office”, and “Eagleheart”.
Conan 101 (2hr) – $25
Saturday – 03/23/13 – 12:00 PM – Mainstage SOLD OUT
Brian Stack has been a writer/performer with “Conan” for 16 years, the first 12 years at “Late Night” in New York. Before that, he worked for several years in Chicago at Second City, I.O., and in various groups like Jazz Freddy. He still performs at IO-West and UCB here in LA. He has also appeared on such TV shows as “30 Rock”, “The Office”, and “Eagleheart”.
Andrea Kittelson is an award-winning playwright, a Los Angeles theater critic and co-founder of Hyde and Turk Performance Works, a San Francisco-based theater company which produced, during its tenure, diverse works of theater and performance art. She holds an MFA in Theater Performance (writing, acting and directing) from SFSU. With six solo shows and hundreds of other works of theater under her belt, Andrea has come to understand what makes solo performances either flop or soar.
Her book “How to Put On Your Own One Person Show” is used as the textbook in university programs and is a comprehensive and practical guide that addresses every aspect of solo performance from creation to production.
Solo Performance (2hr) – $25
Saturday – 03/23/13 – 12:00 PM – DCT
This workshop will help each writer-performer find a vehicle that is uniquely suited to his or her talents. It is not limited to memoir via direct address or to multiple-characters in abstract space.
Shows so far created at iO under Andrea’s guidance include Katie Wilbert’s “This Life Chose Me: A Ninja Musical,” which is this summer headed to Edinburgh, Scotland for the Fringe, Lisa Steele’s “Breaking Through: One Sperm’s Odyssey,” Collin Lee Turner’s “Heart of Kentucky,” where Collin IS the state of Kentucky, and many many more.
DON’T LIMIT YOURSELF TO BE WHAT YOU’VE ALREADY BEEN OR SEEN.
Molly Prather is a writer and performer. TV credits include How I Met Your Mother, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and TMZ. Her solo shows That Girl and Fuck! Marry! Kill! have played at UCB LA & NY,
Comedy Central Stage, IO West, Toronto’s Impatient Theater and the Piccolo Fringe Festival. She is a StorySLAM winner at The Moth (Los Angeles and New York). Her solo shows have been named “BEST THING TO DO LA” – LA Weekly, “COMEDY PICK” – LA Times Brand X “COMEDY PICK OF THE WEEK” – LA Weekly, “TO DO” – Backstage, “LAist FAVE” – LAist. She is currently in development with television and feature projects at Nickelodeon and Sony.
Write Your Life (2hr) – $25
Saturday – 03/23/13 – 2:00 PM – Mainstage
Everyone has a story, why not make some money off it?
If you’ve ever thought about taking your, “You’ll never believe what happened to me” story and turning it into a one person show, television pilot, or feature, this is the workshop for you. Based on the basic techniques of memoir writing and adaptation, this class will explore what EXACTLY is the story you want you tell and how best to tell it.
Cindy Caponera, a native Chicagoan, has built an impressive career as an actress and writer. She started at the Second City Theater in Chicago where she performed in the Main Stage, The E.T.C. and The National Touring Company.
She has written on many television shows including: NBC’s Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central’s Exit 57, and Strangers with Candy. ABC’s Norm, Fox’s That 80’s Show, CBS’s A Minute with Stan Hooper, TBS’s My Boys, Lifetime’s Sherri, Showtime’s Shameless, and is currently developing a TVLAND show for Sherri Shepherd. She has also developed comedies for HBO, FOX, Showtime, TVLand, ABC and CBS. Her television acting credits include, Sherri, Thick and Thin, Curb Your Enthusiasm, That 70’s Show, SNL and Exit 57.
SNL From Pitch to Air! (2hr) – $25
Saturday – 03/23/13 – 2:00 PM – DCT
Join Second City Alum and SNL veteran Cindy Caponera as she shares everything she knows about sketch writing.
“I know it’s weird I can do it all in 2 hours.” — Cindy Caponera
Bring questions and/or sketch samples.
Amy Seeley has been teaching Sketch and Improv since ‘96. She’s a founding member of Chicago’s Factory theater and she taught at Second City LA & Chicago for 11 years. Amy is a freelance writer and sought-after writing coach. Learn more about Amy Seeley at AmyComedy.com.
Dangerous Sketch Comedy Writing (2hr) – $25
Saturday – 03/23/13 – 4:00 PM – Mainstage
Add hard targets, content, and point-of-view to your creative toolbox. Learn the difference between parody and satire, and how the two work together. Tackle both social and political satire. Write smarter and sharper sketches. Be brave. Be DANGEROUS! Take your writing up to the edge without falling over.
Bring a laptop, tablet or paper & pencil.
Marion Austin Oberle written and preformed sketch comedy at the New York Sketch Fest, the Chicago Sketch Festival, The San Fransisco Comedy Festival, Sketchingham Festival in Bellingham Washington, The Seatlle Sketch Festival, and Just for Laughs in Montreal. She is was a co founder of the critically acclaimed sketch group Brick in Chicago as well as Karla in Los Angeles. In Los Angeles she has performed with Karla at IO West, UCB, Second City, ComedySportz, Garage Theatre and the McAdden Theater. As well as sketch Marion wrote a webseries for Jib Jab that was directed by John Landis and has written several animated shorts for the Disney Channel.
Producing Sketch Comedy (2hr) – $25
Saturday – 03/23/13 – 4:00 PM – DCT
This workshop focuses on creating material for a live sketch show. Exercises will include creating a running order, balancing scenes to show case each cast member, answering the question “Why is this on stage instead of on video?”, submitting to sketch festivals and most importantly how to avoid doing the same sketch show that everyone else is doing.
Warren Lieberstein has been writing for television for what feels like a month but is really a decade. He performed improv and sketch comedy on numerous house teams at IO West and as a member of the Groundlings Sunday Company where he promptly decided writing would lead to a better life. (Jury is still out.) He then wrote on six shows that you can IMDB before heading to The Office where he’s been for the past five seasons. Warren’s won an Image Award and has been nominated for three WGA Awards and two Emmys. He currently relies on his improv training while trying to impress his four year old daughter with characters such as “princess monster” and “play doh man.” Warren holds a B.A. in philosophy from Kenyon College, where he was a founding member of their improv troupe Fools on the Hill.
Sitcom Writing: from Improv to Script (2hr) – $25
Sunday – 03/24/13 – 10:00 AM – Mainstage
Warren Lieberstein, producer and writer for NBC’s acclaimed series THE OFFICE, will cover the ins and outs of sitcom writing.
Doug Karo’s resume includes: Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Infomania and is the Executive Producer of Deon Cole’s Black Box premiering this June on TBS.
Working In Late Night (2hr) – $25
Sunday – 03/24/13 – 10:00 AM – DCT
Late Night talk shows are one of the most versatile comedy genres on television. Late Night does it all; jokes, sketches, short films, video mash ups and much more. In this workshop late night talk shows will be examined and dissected. We will breakdown the structure and the day to day schedule of a daily TV show.
Matt Craig has taught for the Second City Conservatory in Chicago, the Brave New Institute in Minneapolis, and at both iO and iO West in addition to teaching workshops all over the United States. He works for Norwegian Cruise Lines writing and directing sketch comedy that is performed all over the world, and recently returned from New York City where he was a writer for Saturday Night Live.
Intro to Sketch Writing (2hr) – $25
Sunday – 03/24/13 – 12:00 PM – Mainstage
Matt Craig will review a simplified structure for writing comedic sketches. He will touch on the basics of sketch writing covering form and structure to content and application. A perfect workshop for beginning students looking to take an all-encompassing introduction to scene writing or for experienced writers looking to bolster their already existing arsenal.
Mark Amato’s credits include writing for “Baby Daddy”,“Suite Life on Deck with Zack & Cody”, "Saturday Night Live,” “Son of the Beach,” “Tripping the Rift” “Men in Black”, as well as a spec comedy feature turned ABC/Family hit “Revenge of the Bridesmaids”. Mark has written in almost all fields of television including sketch, half-hour, Sci-Fi, animation and movie-of-the-week. Having pitched and sold three network pilots before even becoming Story Editor, Mark knows a thing or two about getting executives to turn their heads and take notice.
Crafting the Perfect Story for Your Pilot or Spec (2hr) – $25
Sunday – 03/24/13 – 12:00 PM – DCT
Every great script starts with the story. More often than not, writers tend to give this process the short shrift because they’re so eager to start writing. But a mediocre story will only deliver a C average script even if you have the staff of MODERN FAMILY helping you punch it up. Jokes are the icing, the emotional journey you take your characters are the rich moist cake. Learn methods to find the story that’s right for your pilot or half hour spec. Attain muscles that will keep your writing from become stale and cliche. Find ways to accelerate the process so that your storyline is an eye-catching grabber from page one. Every great spec starts with the story—it’s where writers coined the term “it writes itself”. Learn how to break a terrific story, including A, B, and sometimes C story into a workable outline that will have you saying “the script wrote itself” because it was that good!
Margot Leitman is a four time winner of The Moth Storyslam, and was the Moth Grandslam winner in New York City. Her first book “Gawky…Tales of an Extra Long Awkward Phase,” comes out this May from Seal Press. She is the co-host of the storytelling shows “Stripped Stories” and “Small and Tall Tales” and has written online for the Lifetime Network, College Humor.com, EHow.com, the Frisky.com and in print for Playgirl Magazine and the NY Press. She is the co-writer of the made for TV movie “Cupid’s Bed and Breakfast,” starring Haylie Duff, airing soon on the Hallmark Channel. www.margotleitman.com
Comedic Storytelling (2hr) – $25
Sunday – 03/24/13 – 2:00 PM – Mainstage
Learn how to use your untapped humanity and embarrassing moments in a way that can reach a wide audience. You will finish this workshop able to fill in the blank, “-———— is the story of my life.”
Each student should leave class with a basic concept of how to make painful, strange or even mundane experiences from their life funny. The students learn to dig inside their own lives to find humorous, relateable material, which unifies an audience making them laugh at their own experiences through the student’s performance. Instructor, comedian and Moth Grandslam winner Margot Leitman will work with each student honing their stories to a performable place. Students will leave class with a strong direction of how to structure a story for comedic purposes. Additional focus will be on getting through the fear of being judged for our honesty. In the past, many students have left saying, “I can’t believe I told a room full of strangers about that and I can’t believe they all laughed!”
Kari Zander is a graduate of Duke University and has been a professional script reader since 2008. She has worked for Paradigm, FilmEngine, and New Films International. She currently works for one of the industry’s premiere screenplay evaluation services, as a freelance writer and story analyst, and as a creative executive and writer with the newly formed CAI Studio, Ltd.
The Script Doctor Is In (2hr) – $25
Sunday – 03/24/13 – 2:00 PM – DCT
Script doctor. Story analyst. Screenplay reader. You’ve heard about these elusive individuals, and now it’s time to meet with one.
This workshop is designed to help writers and aspiring writers step into the shoes of industry gatekeepers — the people with the power to make or break your material. Together we’ll demystify the process of how script readers decide whether or not a story is worth producing or a writer is worth representing.
Topics covered are common misconceptions about screenwriting, script analysis, and the industry itself; persistent mistakes that writers consistently make; techniques that are consistently effective or ineffective and why; ways to hypnotize your reader with the strength of your writing; things readers can deduce about people just by reading their script; what different readers are looking for and why; and the crucial mental habits a writer needs to cultivate to stand out above the competition. Learn how to identify issues in your own material before getting shot down by the powers that be.
Jean Villepique studied theater at Northwestern University and improvisation at the iO, Chicago with Del Close, among other greats. She toured with the Second City National Touring Company, then wrote and performed in 5 original reviews in Las Vegas, The Second City ETC and Mainstage. Her solo show Who Cares was selected for the Chicago Improv festival and she has performed written material in New York at The Magnet Theater, and Los Angeles at the UCBLA. TV credits include: Up All Night, Workaholics, Modern Family, The Office and 30 Rock.
Something From Nothing (2hr) – $25
Sunday – 03/24/13 – 4:00 PM – Mainstage
You are funny. Your duo is so good. Your ensemble is hilarious. But what is your voice and how can you build a whole show from a few good ideas? Also, how can you make these few ideas GREAT ideas?
This workshop will give you tools to find and articulate what your voice is, to structure your scenes and shows, and to reach beyond your comfort zone to create a more varied and challenging script.
Kate Purdy is a TV writer who has written for Cold Case, Mad TV, and Cougar Town. She is an iO alumna.
Understanding the TV Writers’ Room (2hr) – $25
Sunday – 03/24/13 – 4:00 PM – DCT
Would you like to know how the writers’ room on a TV show works? This workshop leads you through the inner workings of a writers room. Learn how to pitch and collaborate with other writers to create an outline for an episode of a TV show.