Writer for Parks and Recreation, Saturday Night Live, Brooklyn Nine-Nine to teach aspiring scribes in live online screenwriting seminar
Emmy-winning screenwriter and TV producer Norm Hiscock will help writers develop their own comedy series
Norm Hiscock.
WHEN NORM HISCOCK was growing up in Montreal, watching so many sitcoms and sketch shows, he found himself drawn to screenwriting. This fascination eventually led him to film school and then to Hollywood, where he has worked on some of the biggest comedy shows of the decade. He has been a screenwriter on Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Saturday Night Live, King of the Hill, and many more.
Hiscock will impart knowledge, skills, and methods to help new screenwriters break into the comedy-writing industry at InFocus Film School’s three-part How To Develop a Comedy Series taking place on April 21, April 28, and May 5. At this point in his career, he is looking forward to sharing what makes his comedy work and how new writers can achieve similar results.
“I think it’s important for new writers to develop a writing voice through constant writing, but I also think that new writers should be given some of the basic tools that most TV writers use and learn how to use them and why… before breaking the rules,” Hiscock says. “I hope they start to recognize the combined elements that make a half hour comedy work. To also see the importance of a beginning, middle and end for scenes and story structure.”
The film industry can be intimidating for new artists, writers, and filmmakers looking to make their mark. Hiscock knows what it is like to be drawn to an industry and eager for more.
“I’m excited to talk about writing with people who are excited by the prospect of writing and hopefully demystify some aspects of it,” Hiscock says. “Even though I didn’t really understand what a writer did, it just seemed cool that creatively the script was the blueprint and this sparked other people’s imagination.”
Over a series of three classes with InFocus Film School’s Screenwriting Program, Hiscock will be teaching attendees how to develop a comedy series from concept to season finale using his industry experience to guide the discussion. He will share how to find your unique voice as a comedy writer and will break down episodes he has written for several successful shows. There will also be an opportunity for listeners to ask questions.
“I am looking forward to imparting some of the things I learned along the way through writing scripts, being in a room with other writers and running writing rooms,” he says. “Rewriting is the most important skill. And a writer shouldn’t be afraid of doing this. It is important to master the basics and apply tools to make scripts funnier and stronger in terms of storytelling. Rewriting helps sharpen the focus of the story … and layering it through character.”
To learn more, click here.
Guest column: Kennedy Randall is a content writer and coordinator at InFocus Film School.
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