The Second City Partners with Funny or Die for Exclusive New Video Course

By: Tyler Peterson May. 31, 2013

Two of America's top comedy creators, The Second City and Funny Or Die, have collaborated on an exclusive new video course. The pilot program will launch at The Second City Training Center's Hollywood campus (6560 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028) beginning July 2, 2013. Similar programs will be launched at The Second City Training Centers in Chicago and Toronto in the Fall of 2013.

The first course offering focuses on DIY or guerilla-style filmmaking with an emphasis on creating short form comedic video content. The course curriculum includes pitching video ideas, scripting and on-location coaching. Basic cameras, lighting equipment and editing software will be provided by The Second City. Students are encouraged to use their own equipment as well.

Course curriculum has been co-created by Funny Or Die Creative Director, Andrew Steele, and Second City Training Center Artistic Director, Joshua Funk. Course will be taught by Mr. Steele, Mr. Funk and other key Second City and Funny Or Die talent.

"While The Second City has perfected the process for creating theatrical material," states Andrew Alexander, CEO/Managing Partner of The Second City, "our friends at Funny Or Die have been perfecting the formula for creating funny, edgy and satirical short form videos. In the current comedy environment, it pays to be prolific. Having the right tools and coaching for short form digital content is an important asset for any writer and performer."

"It makes perfect sense to us. No one teaches short form sketch comedy better than Second City and we think we're pretty good at translating that form to the web," states Andrew Steele, Creative Director for Funny Or Die. "We were kind of stunned that they would come to us but I guess they know what they're doing. I hope they know what they're doing." He added, "This is a natural fit for us. We both have short form comedy in our DNA. And it gives us the added bonus of maybe stealing some of their better talent."

Course description
Creating Video for Funny Or Die is a 12 week course in creating comedic digital shorts. Each student receives weekly feedback from Funny Or Die creative staff and has weekly check-ins with a Second City writing instructor and director. After completion of the 12 week course, each student will have his or her own fully produced digital short. Funny Or Die will post all student content on their main site under a section specifically designated for Second City Training Center student works.

- 10 classes meet over 12 weeks, $995 - Prerequisite: None

Class meets at the Second City Training Center Hollywood, 6560 Hollywood Blvd.
Tuesdays beginning July 2. Class runs through September 17. 6:30-10:00pm

Funny Or Die launched in April 2007 and has become an award-winning top destination for comedy on the web. The site has over 19 million unique users per month, over 60 million video views per month, and has grown into a vertically integrated 21st century digital studio that produces high quality content over numerous platforms, operating a social media and marketing division with over 6 million Twitter followers (#1 Comedy Brand), 2 million Facebook fans, and devoted followers on numerous social networking and sharing sites. Funny Or Die has become the "place to be seen" for comedic celebrities, and the obvious destination for a daily comedy fix. Funny Or Die's founders are Gary Sanchez Productions (Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy), Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Randy Adams and Michael Kvamme. Judd Apatow is also a principal partner in Funny Or Die.

The Second City is the leading brand in improv-based sketch comedy. With theatres and training centers in Chicago, Toronto and Hollywood, 11 full time touring ensembles, thriving corporate communications and theatricals divisions as well as television and film operations, The Second City has been called "A Comedy Empire" by The New York Times. The Second City has a current student body of 3,500 per week and is the largest school of improvisation and sketch comedy in the world.

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