Oscar Kightley and Dave Fane revealed their comedy writing secrets to the local screenwriting community this week with an honest, no-holds barred account of their personal experiences writing for theatre, television and film. The two Naked Samoans headlined the second event in Script to Screen’s popular new screenwriter focused series, The Writer’s Room, entertaining the audience with their trademark brand of irreverent humour.
The Writer’s Room, held at The Classic Comedy Bar, offers a changing line-up of New Zealand s top writers discussing a different aspect of screenwriting every month.
MC comedian Tarun Mohanbhai rolled with the comedic punches and encouraged conversation that freeranged from the Naked Samoans inability to meet bro Town writing deadlines to stealing from the lives of family to feed the comedy writing, concluding with the importance of beer as an essential ingredient in the creative process.
Despite the lighthearted tone, Kightley and Fane take their comedy writing seriously. They explained the importance of being loose and flexible in the creative process and encouraged writers to trust their instincts when it comes to material and collaborating with others.
‘Oscar and Dave were incredibly open and honest about their writing, especially the struggle with the day to day discipline required, something that all writers face’, said Rebecca Kunin, Executive Director of Script to Screen. Their openness invited an abundance of questions from the audience. This is just the kind of dialogue we hope to encourage in The Writer s Room.’
The large turnout of over 90 people on Tuesday marks the second capacity crowd Script to Screen has attracted to The Classic since launching The Writer’s Room in early June. Kunin says, The large numbers attending show that screenwriters and others in the film and television industry are hungry for writer focused events such as these.
The next Writer s Room is scheduled for Tuesday July 25th and will feature Television Drama. Writers confirmed for the event include Peter Cox, creator of Insider s Guide to Happiness, and Rachel Lang, co-creator of Outrageous Fortune.
