Think up a situation
What’s odd or unusual about your situation?
Play with that situation – something is off/unusual about it and at least one character should be playing the odd side of it all the time.
The juxtaposition to this whacko is someone who has a “normal” sensibility – your “straight man” (link to def.)
The beats or jokes in the sketch should heighten as the sketch progresses, meaning they need to get more intense (just don’t get stupid with it – stupid sucks)
Finish big – or not at all. When you get to the end you need a button, the button is your close to a sketch. You don’t need Casablanca, in fact, you can just have everyone fart – just get out of the sketch and you’re fine.
How long should I make this thing?
Depends on what you’re writing: (it works out to about a page a minute)
Don’t go nuts with the stage directions
Sketch: 2 - 5 minutes
Commercial Parody: :30 - 2 minutes
Bump: 5 - 30 seconds
Monologue: 5 - 7 minutes
Cartoons: 2 – 5 minutes