Comedy writing as method: reflections on screenwriting in creative practice research

ABSTRACT

Comedy writers use their practice to raise questions and create awareness about social, political and cultural issues, but can these practitioners be considered academics? With creative modalities of enquiry now commonplace in universities – where research is used to shape one’s practice, resulting in creative work that embodies that research – when does comedy writing start to take on a different function? In this article, we discuss comedy screenwriting in an academic setting, arguing that it has potential as a rigorous mode of research that can sit happily alongside art, design, creative writing and media practice. Much has been written about creative practice research, yet not so much has been written about the form this type of research takes; specifically, why one might choose comedy to express, embody or otherwise perform the findings of research. Here, then, we draw on our experiences of undertaking screenwriting projects using comedy to discuss the ways in which researchers might use the comic mode to present their findings in imaginative, innovative and fun ways that can expand understanding and, potentially, garner impact.

KEYWORDS:

• Comedy
• fiction
• screenwriting
• screenplay
• creative practice research
• methodology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Professor Craig Batty is Head of Discipline, Creative Writing, at the University of Technology Sydney. He is an award-winning educator, researcher and supervisor in the areas of screenwriting, creative writing and screen production. He also has expertise in creative practice research methodologies.

Dr Stayci Taylor is an Industry Fellow and Lecturer in Media at RMIT University. She brings to her teaching and research a background in screenwriting for New Zealand television, and continues to contribute to that industry as a consultant. She was recently co-editor of a special issue of the Journal of Screenwriting on script development, and has published on screenwriting practice and gender.

ORCID

Craig Batty http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8542-4763

Stayci Taylor http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4426-6092