Stand-up comedy can be a stepping stone to a career in Hollywood. Many comedic actors have started out performing stand-up comedy before making it big on the silver screen – take for example Jim Carrey, Sarah Silverman, or even our own Eric Bana. In this post we look at how the world of stand-up comedy can open doors and pave …
Spoiler alert! Stand-up comedy is as scripted as a movie. Which is probably why so many stand-up comedians have migrated into TV and movie roles. Just take Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Australia’s own Eric Bana and more recently Celia Pacquola. All performed on stage before they moved to screen. And the similarity between stand-up and movies doesn’t end there. Academy …
A misconception is that you have to be born funny to be a stand-up comedian. Certainly you have a sense of humour, but the difference between a comedian and a funny person, is that a funny person can make their friends laugh. A comedians can make strangers laugh. So how do they do it? Timing We’re not talking about spontaneity. …
In Australia, we love a good laugh. We’re known for our dry wit and our ability to find the funny side of even the most difficult situations. So it’s no surprise that humour is often used in our presentations. A presentation with humour can help to break the ice and make the audience feel more relaxed and increase attention, which …
It’s the worst kept secret, women love humour. So why don’t men invest more in improving their skill in humour. Here’s 10 ways to win her over using humour: Here’s the first five to win her over using humour. Go test it out. Unlock the next five by sharing your email address here.
If you’re wondering “how can I learn stand-up comedy?”, then take a leaf out of Jeff Green and Eddie Izzard’s book. Both kicked off their stand-up comedy careers by attending a stand-up comedy course in London. Whoopy Goldberg got coached by comedy school trainer, Greg Dean. And Hard Knock Knocks resident comedy coach, Brad Oakes, has coached some of Australia’s …
Creating new jokes from scratch is one of the hardest parts of stand-up comedy. Our brains are hardwired for repetition, patterns, and habits. If I ask you to think of a number, colour or city, it’s likely that your answers are related to past experiences – a limiter to comedy This is where random words can help. Using a random …
Starting out in stand-up comedy in Australia is tough. Open mic gigs are in the evenings, often on a weekday, and the audience is usually comprised of other comedians with zero interest in your gags. It’s therefore important to learn the ropes, and the mistakes, as soon as possible so you can move up the ranks quickly, and start getting …
Since January 2021, stand-up comedy students at the School of Hard Knock Knocks will each receive a photography package as part of the standard comedy course. Photographer and former graduate of the School of Hard Knock Knocks, Adam Sparnon, has been shooting headshots and body shot photos at each course which are vital for comedy posters, particularly with the comedy …
