Submitting to festivals

from jeff lawrence

  • Make sure you read the submission guidelines. Each festival or contest is different. If they ask for a link, don't send your social media page or anything other than a link. They should be able to click on this link and begin watching your video. If a passcode is required make sure you supply it ahead of time.

  • Start your set when you take the stage, not with a long host intro. Time is valuable as festivals often receive hundreds of submissions or more. If they ask for 5 minutes supply 5 minutes. Usually if your tape longer they will only watch 5 minutes. Do not submit a montage or greatest hits unless submissions allow that, most don't.

  • Your tape can be made anywhere, it does not have to be at a top club with the best videographer. I submitted to Comedy Central years ago, they only asked for a video that isn't shaky and has clear audio. That’s it. Any venue even a bar is fine. Again, just have clear audio and video.

  • Be yourself. Don't worry about being clean if you're not. There is no wrong choice of material, just provide your funniest, your aim is to kill!

  • Don't worry about submitting a tape where you absolutely crush. Industry people can tell a good joke or where you are in comedy in the first 15 seconds you take the stage; they are not fooled by someone doing this three months and killing at a bringer show.

  • Do not contact the event host to see if you've been accepted. Again, most festivals are dealing with an enormous amount of submissions and will clearly state how and when you will be notified if accepted.

  • Don’t take it personally. I personally was in several festivals from March Madness to a $1000 Music Comedy festival over the years. I've been eliminated when I destroyed and had the best audience response. I've finished 2nd out of 100 with a terrible set. Go figure.

  • Promote on social media. Many contests or festivals are going to consider audience reaction so having people in your corner is always advantageous. At the least make an effort to promote your appearance as you were probably selected over hundreds of other participants.

  • Don’t ask for special favors. If you’re booked for a Tuesday 8PM show don’t ask the festival organizers to switch because you have another spot. A lot goes into lineups, promotion judges sheets, etc. Show up on time and be supportive.

  • Just have fun! Festivals are usually an exciting week and great for networking and making friends. Don't take it too seriously, enjoy the ride!

writing tips

from John reynolds

(Emmy Award Winning Writer, Instructor of our Late Night Writer’s Workshop)

  • Make a habit of writing one really good topical joke per day. That way when a packet is asked for, you've already got a head start.

  • After you've edited a joke down, challenge yourself to lose one more word. You'll always find it.

  • Try to think of a joke using a subtopic of the headline for the set up rather than just the headline. This will help lessen the chance of you doing the same joke as everybody else.

tips for comics

from kevin dombrowski

(Instructor of our Six-Week Stand Up Comedy Workshop)

  • Get out on the road, rent a car, open for a headliner

  • Practice crowd work, learn to work your material in

  • Remember that hecklers just want attention, give them a little, make it funny then move on. A good club will handle have the personnel to handle anyone that wants to take it further

mic techniques

from gibran saleem

(Instructor of our Six-Week Stand Up Comedy Workshop)

  • The mic will be in the stand already when you arrive on stage

  • Fist bump/dap/shake host’s hand

  • Don’t worry about messing this up, it will feel more natural over time and professionals still mess this up sometimes

  • Take mic out of the stand and put stand to the side

  • It’s a visual obstacle between you and the audience if you don’t move the stand

  • Thank the host

  • Leaving the stage

  • If you know you’re on your last joke, you can grab the stand and start putting the mic back in

  • It can make your “dismount” off stage smooth

hosting tips

from LBC

  • Your job is to warm up the crowd

  • Always check with producer/booker/manager for announcements, birthdays, etc

  • You'll get more work if you work clean

  • When doing crowd work always repeat back what the audience says

  • Have access to a car for road work

  • Always arrive early and don't drink or drug

  • Make sure you know how much time to do in between acts if any. 

  • Be of service to the club or booker; "Anything I can help with"?

10 stand up Tips

from Jeff Lawrence

  • Whatever you put in, you’re going to get out.

  • The only person who can tell you if it’s funny is your audience.

  • #1 Rule: Have Fun! If you panic, they panic.

  • Working clean gets you more pay and work.

  • There’s no such thing as a bad mic or bad stage time.

  • Say the things you don’t think you can say.

  • Don’t give a damn what other people think!

  • Don’t be a people pleaser.

  • Mine the deeply personal stuff.

  • Never tee up your material - no disclaimers.

10 Writing Tips

from Jeff Lawrence

  • No one goes to a comedy club to hear jokes. If that were the case you could read a greatest hits joke book and kill. They go to a comedy club to feel better about themselves, your connection with them will accomplish that, the jokes will cement that.

  • Your act needs to be highly original and your choice of material will define your career.

  • You should write at least one hour a day. Even jotting down bullet points for ideas is writing. Spending time thinking about punches is writing as well.

  • Only the audience can tell you if a joke is funny. Seasoned comics can tell you if a joke is well written but not if it's going to be funny.

  • I was once told to write material that I can do in Minnesota 5 years from now. The point being that your core set does not expire (like topical jokes) and can relate to a mainstream audience, not just a NYC audience.

  • Make sure your topics and choice of material inspire you, if not you will be more likely to quit. The #1 complaint I've heard from aspiring comics over the years is "I'm tired of my material." That's probably because you're playing it safe. Raise the stakes! Take Risks! Fuck the PC Police!

  • Work with others. Sometimes a killer punch is right in front of you but you don't see it. Late Night TV hosts have a team of writers, you can have partners as well. Find someone who has got the "funny" they don't need to be a pro, just someone willing to work like you.

  • Live life. If you're whole life is going to clubs and mics, hanging out with comedians, and never leaving your nest, you don't have much else to talk about.

ALWAYS Tape YourselF

Jeff Lawrence

  • Several years back a few of our comics were lucky enough to meet Joan Rivers backstage after her set. Her first words of advice: "Always tape yourself....if you don't, you won't make it".  And there she was just minutes after finishing her set, methodically going through her notes, with a tape recorder listening to the audience reaction of a set she had just finished. If you're able to videotape, that is optimal. Watch your body language, your eye contact, and how you appear on stage. If you can't videotape always audiotape. Were you talking too fast? Did you step on your laughs? Were there laughs you didn't plan? These are things you probably won't be aware of when the spotlight is shining and the adrenaline is flowing. Think of it like a football team. You must watch last weeks' game to learn from your mistakes, and you must study next weeks' opponent to prepare for them. A videotape will give you the opportunity to examine and reflect on your performance so you can make adjustments and improve your set.

12 Tips for Success

from LBC

  • Open strong with a joke, don't waste time.

  • Have a strong point of view/opinion and be an expert on your subjects.

  • Defend yourself and your material at all costs.

  • Stand up is your struggle, always maintain a sense of urgency.

  • Always have fun, the audience experiences what you experience.

  • Embrace your bombs, never bail on your set, always look at bombing as a golden opportunity to turn things around. This builds confidence.

  • No such thing as bombing at a mic, give yourself permission to fail.

  • Perform as much as possible, there are no bad stages

  • Move on stage with purpose, no nervous energy (pacing looking at floor)

  • Write every day, even 10 minutes if you haven't all day.

  • Always save and archive your writing and ideas.

  • Practice patience, becoming a comedian takes many many years of hard work and dedication.