Finding a good writing partner
You need someone you can work with and trust. Comedy director Michael Bonfiglio: "Two heads can be better than one."
Advice from Michael Bonfiglio, who directed Gary Gulman’s Great Depresh and Jerry Before Seinfeld which both mix doc and standup.
Find a good partner. Find someone you can work with and bounce your ideas off of and help collaborate with you. Someone who you trust and who’s sensibilities align with yours. Sometimes two heads can be better than one…It can really help getting a fresh set of eyes on things and a fresh perspective and somebody who you can take gentle criticism from.
Great advice for comics who are struggling to get stage time. A good writing session with another comic lets you dive deep on jokes and can often be a more productive use of time than a crappy mic where no one cares. Just remember that a real audience is the ultimate arbiter.
His collaborator Gary Gulman said something similar in an early Gulman Tip and mentioned Bonfiglio in a later one:
Tip No. 7: Find a comic friend to call/meet and go over jokes/premises/ideas. Play “Is This Funny?” Be honest but gentle and don’t just wait until it’s your turn! Tell them if you’ve heard similar bits! Two people is best, more is okay. It’s one of the most fun and helpful exercises. Even if your partner just gives you more confidence in a new joke/idea, it is invaluable. A lot of times they will suggest excellent tags (additions to the joke usually but not limited to the punchline) or different angles. It also gives you a safe place to say things out loud…
Tip No. 174: I have never collaborated so extensively as I have with director Michael Bonfiglio on my current special: The Great Depresh. It has been a revelation how much better two minds have made it. Collaborate! One rule: you have to make each other laugh, hard.
Btw, back to that IG chat: I like how this thumbnail features synchronize water swigging. Stay hydrated out there, folks.