Jul 10 2013
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The Pond Upcoming Class, uh, Post

Upcoming Classes

“Comedy in Sixty Seconds“, July 15-29 at VoiceOne, San Francisco

This mic intensive workshop will challenge you to discover the comedic nugget in a radio commercial. You’ll learn to recognize absurd situations, allow the script to open up, take situations seriously, and trust your performance will be funny by staying committed to the character’s needs and wants.

“Comedic Radio Ads“, July 9-30 at VoiceTrax, Sausalito

You’ll work with Sam to perfect your comedy skills by focusing on characters, story, scene-setting and improvisation. As you perform scripts he’s written, you’ll get a rare opportunity to find out immediately whether your interpretations match up with what he originally envisioned, and if not, what you can do to get closer to the mark. In many instances, you’ll also get to hear the actual produced spots and see how your performances compare.

“Comedy Is Not Funny“, September 18 – October 9 at VoiceTrax, Sausalito

A voice acting course? Well, yes. Comedy writing? Yes, that too. Improvising and and writing on our feet? Yes, a lot of that. Many of these techniques were designed for my recent course at Pixar Studios. Funny is what makes us laugh. Comedy tells the truth… about people. And comedy can be taught, even if you’re not funny.

  • Discover comedic techniques and tools for the copywriter and the actor.
  • Perform great TV, film, radio and advertising scripts.
  • View and discuss great comedic scenes from TV, film and advertising.
  • And laugh only if it happens.
Mar 28 2013
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Classes, comedy radio, comedy writing, funny radio, pond radio, sam pond, Sketch, Teaching Technique, Voice Acting

comedy is power

We just wrapped up the final “Comedy Is Not Funny” class and I was truly blessed with a courageous, joyful bunch. We spent at lot of time getting out of our own ways, firmly dialing in to comedic intentions (which are a lot like dramatic intentions except our goals are misguided) and expressing our own comedic lenses.

Remember, comedy is a noble cause. Comedy tells the truth and unites us and wakes us up. Comedy strips off the layers of bullshit and reveals our humanity.

As Robert McKee wrote: “The comedic writer fixes on the social life ­ the idiocy, arrogance, and brutality in society. The comedy writer singles out a particular institution that he feels has become encrusted with hypocrisy and folly, then goes on the attack.”

Comedy isn’t entertainment. Comedy is power.

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Mar 22 2013
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running downhill, arms flailing

We just wrapped our third “Comedy Is Not Funny” class, featuring the brilliant and skillful improviser/teacher, Rachel Hamilton. At first, I wasn’t going to jump in. I was going to act like a responsible teacher and observe, take notes, chicken out. But, in true improv fashion, I leapt in at the last minute. Sure glad I did.

First, I advise all writers to experiment with improv. It is the performance equivalent of the writing experience. You’re actually writing on your feet. And with a good improv guide, there’s a vast safety net awaiting every mistake you make. Remember when you were a kid, the thrill of running down a hill, arms flailing. That’s what it feels like. Dangerous and thrilling.

And like writing, comedy writing in particular, improv starts with a premise. In comedy, it’s the comic premise that feeds your imagination. What impossible world can I fill with characters who might exist there? Fill them with needs, flaws and blind ambitions. Then get out of their way. You play with how far they go to accomplish the inane, absurd goals. Our internal editor tells us that nobody behaves like that. But our inner humanity tells us that people behave like that every moment of every day. People/characters try their best. And comedy is based on the insane notion that this time it’s going to work.

Within the truth of your comic premise, whether you’re an actor writing on his feet (an improviser) or a writer performing at the keyboard, there’s no limit to the choices and ill-conceived beliefs that your character can concoct. We, as writers and performers, ask ourselves, “What’s next?” over and over and over.

And if it doesn’t work, well, improvisers can just keep going and writers can keep writing.

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Mar 01 2013
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just two spots left in my upcoming comedy class

No, a two-headed kitten isn’t necessarily funny. But the kitten(s) represent(s) the following:

One, there are only two spots left in my upcoming class. Starting Tuesday night, March 5th at 6:30.

Two, I’ve changed the name of the class to, ” “Comedy Is Not Funny: A Class In Comedy”.” Because…

Funny is what makes us laugh. (Or not.) Comedy tells the truth… about people. (Not kittens.) And comedy can be taught, even if you’re not funny.

Laughter is an involuntary response. In my class,  “Comedy Is Not Funny: A Class In Comedy”, we’ll be gathering to better understand human choices, under the most challenging conditions, without the appropriate self-knowledge or skills to actually accomplish their goals. Comedy doesn’t arise from a character’s intention “to be funny.” (Leave that to desperate comedians.) Rather comedy arises from a human being’s blind intention that somehow, in some way, “this time it’s going to work and I will be loved and appreciated and respected.”

In “Comedy Is Not Funny: A Class In Comedy” we’ll be:

  • Discovering comedic techniques and tools for the writer and the actor.
  • Voice acting from great TV, film, radio and advertising scripts.
  • Viewing and discussing great comedic scenes from TV, film and advertising.
  • And laughing only if it happens.

Hope to see two more of you there. Sign up here or email me at sam@pondsf.com.

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Feb 25 2013
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the blind hero

Another tidbit from my upcoming class, beginning March 5th @ 6:30. Sign up here!

Now let’s talk about the driver of comedic action – the Blind Hero. Commonly known as “the character” (a horrid misnomer as we’re all characters, aren’t we?) the Blind Hero is the one who does not see. This is the one who adheres so strongly to his misguided notions and dreams of succeeding that he never wavers, no matter how strongly reality pushes back.

The Blind Hero believes that he has the strength, the will, the intelligence to accomplish what he wants. He rubs up against a rational world and he doesn’t feel the friction. Think Larry David. Or George Costanza. Or the best of the best, Ricky Gervais’ David Brent. These characters are constantly struggling against a world that shows them reality, a concept they refuse to accept.

Blind Heroes create the problem but are actually blind to the problem. They’ve got big, fat blinders on. Take Lucy Ricardo. She believed in her heart of heart that she was talented and deserving of celebrity. She never gave up hope on this view of herself, regardless of the information that the world provided.

However, Blind Heroes aren’t funny in and of themselves. They need to be in conflict – with the world, another person, or even themselves. (See Helpless Observer below.) This can be an institution, a spouse, a friend or the walls they put up as a human being to keep reality from intruding .

In my upcoming class we’ll be doing a lot of exploring of the Blind Hero – through improv, TV/film/radio examples, performance and writing technique. Hope you can make it!

You can sign up if you like. Right here…

 





 

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Feb 18 2013
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award winning radio, Classes, comedy radio, comedy writing, great character, pond radio, sam pond, Sketch, Voice Acting, voiceover class in san francisco

the powerless observer

Another tidbit from my upcoming class.

John Cleese once said that when Monty Python first started, they thought that comedy was the silly bits:  “We used to think that comedy was watching someone do something silly. We came to realize that comedy was watching somebody watch somebody do something silly.”

Welcome to the world of the Powerless Observer.

Popularly known as the straight man, the Powerless Observer gives comic perspective to the world, the premise, around him. (By the way, I’m not crazy about the term “straight man.” There are potentially a million layers and intentions to this role.)

The key thing is that the Powerless Observer sees the insanity around him but can’t do anything about it. He may argue, he may sulk, he may simply stand there in astonishment. But he is powerless over the impossible dreams of the Blindman in Action (otherwise known as the “character”, more on that in another post). The Powerless Observer acts as our eyes to the world. He is the one who helps us see. And comedy comes from his inability to change anything.

Neither of these archetypes are a role. Rather each is a situation in which a person finds themselves. A comic non-hero may switch back and forth from Powerless Observer to Blindman of Action, depending on his role in the situation and who he is surrounded by.

For example, watch this clip of Ben Stller, one of our times great Powerless Observers, as he attempts to deal with the airline worker. She is clearly insane and poor Greg Focker is powerless to change her intentions. (Another note about comic non-heroes, if he was an actual dramatic hero, then he’d know what to do. He’d know how to change his situation. Poor Greg. He’s had a hard day and doesn’t have the will or the energy to do anything but stand there.

Greg Has To Wait

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Feb 15 2013
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the comic non-hero

In anticipation of my upcoming comedy writing and performing class, (Funny From Nothing) here’s a tidbit of what we’ll be exploring.

Comic heroes (better said, non-heroes) are the optimists of our world. They have a goal, a central belief, that they believe they can succeed. However, they don’t have the skills or the self-awareness to accomplish what they think they need to accomplish

They are not the man about to step on a banana peel. They are the man who decides that walking through a field of banana peels is somehow a good idea. So his reality is perpetually mid-banana-peel slip. He’s off-kilter, trying his best to make himself feel better. Louie De Palma didn’t berate his fellow Taxi denizens because he was cruel. Louie was trying to make himself feel better. Basil Fawlty acted rudely to his guests and staff, only because he lived in terror that he wasn’t good enough. So he chose to see himself as a cultured, charming victim of the morons he was surrounded by. We’re all just doing our best, trying to find our centers. Of course, what’s make people funny is our complete lack of self-awareness and that our goals won’t actually make us happy.

So a simple equation for a comic character is…

  • An ordinary guy/gal
  • Struggling against insurmountable odds
  • Without the required skills and tools
  • And never giving up hope.

Never giving up hope. What makes us funny is that we’re all actually insane optimists. And once we discover our inner truths, we move from being non-heroes to heroes. And that’s where pathos begins.

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Feb 06 2013
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award winning radio, Classes, comedy radio, comedy writing, pond radio, sam pond, Voice Acting, voiceover class in san francisco

comedy writing and voice acting class

Hello All You Voice Actors,  Copywriters and Writers,

Sam Pond of Pond Creative Output is now offering, “Funny From Nothing” where we pull funny out of thin air. A voice acting course? You bet. Comedy writing? Yes, that too. Improvising and and writing on our feet? Yes, a lot of that. Many of these techniques were designed for my recent course at Pixar Studios. Four Tuesdays beginning March 5, 6:30-9:30. $325
  • Perform the funniest scripts in advertising.
  • Write on your feet.
  • Comedic techniques, tools and history.
  • Discover your authentic comic voice (or voices).
  • Learn the springboards to comedy, both writing and performing.
  • Great for voice actors, writers and copywriters.
  • Held at our far-too-beautifully-decorated-to-be-a-respectable recording facility.
Student Reviews
“If you want someone who can mainline humor from a script directly into the actors’ brains with concise and discerned direction, Sam Pond is your person. Working with Sam has helped me to crystallize what it is about me as a voice actor that can make a script come to life with humor, poignancy and connection. He is skilled in cultivating the rare environment of focus along with creative play, between all involved in a project, to make it greater than the sum of its parts. If you want someone who sucks all the fun out of acting, with a focus on how much more important he is than you, Sam is not your guy.”
Bella-Lisa Teeling, Voice Actor, San Francisco
“Every time I have worked with Sam, I have come away from the session with new knowledge. Especially, if there’s comedy involved, hire Sam Pond to direct it. I have never worked with anyone who has such an immediate understanding of what makes us laugh. Sam conveys to the actor what needs to be done, but also tells them WHY. When an actor has that information, the performance will always be better. Sam reinforces the importance of the characters and their interaction. We always explore the relationship between them. Why are they there, why are they talking to each other, why doesn’t one of them just leave!! The time and detail that Sam puts into ‘handcrafting’ the dialog, and the exploration of the characters brings about the best performances. Honestly, I think Sam Pond could get a great performance out of just about anyone.”
Brian Sommer, Voice Actor, San Francisco
“Sam brought his years of experience to the class through his extremely specific direction and coaching. Being new to voice-over, I never felt confused or overwhelmed by his feedback, because it was very clear. I learned how to find the conflict or tension in a scene, how to listen as the character, and most importantly how to let go and let my voice do the work on its own. Sam created a relaxed and playful atmosphere where I felt free to experiment with my voice and did not feel any pressure to be “on”; yet he still kept the class focused and on track. My experience was both challenging and incredibly fun.”
Aurora Simcovich, Voice Actor/Stand-Up Comedian, San Francisco
“As you may remember, I expressed a bit of anxiety early on about being able to be “real.” Getting to this place of being myself–I mean, who’s that? I still can’t quite put my finger on exactly what it was that got transformed in there, but, whatever it was, I know it stemmed from the trust we had in you. Because you were open, real and available. You explored and questioned with us–without judgment. You were curious and delighted to learn something new. How infectious is that?!   I had a notion, coming into this, about comedy– and it didn’t include me. Even though I’d done funny parts in plays years ago, in my mind there were the funny people and the rest of us. But the gift you just gave me is the realization that when relaxed, listening and available, funny things can happen–even for me. But here’s the thing–now, every time I go into the booth to audition I imagine you out there. And I think of what it was like to just tell a story. Not acting being real. Being real. Being me. And I suppose that’s it. That’s what you gave us. I have a reference, now, to what’s real, to that elusive “me” behind the mic.”
Amy Ingersoll, Voice Actor, San Francisco

“Sam is a quadruple threat of voice over teacher, writer/director, and comedian. As a teacher, he is attentive and clear. He taught me to analyze the structure of a script, in order to bring out a unique performance, while still encouraging my point of view. As a director, he is accessible, casual, and smart. While I was in the booth, I felt like we were working on the script together. I never felt intimidated or lost with his direction. And best of all, Sam is funny! He had me cracking up constantly. And he has such a creative take on voice over character work, I found myself thinking, “I never would have thought of that”. I hope to work with and learn from Sam again… and again.”

Sally Clawson, Voice Actor, San Francisco

“When it comes to creativity, Sam is king. Not only does he create some of the best ads in the world, he is incredible to work with. As a voice talent, I have worked with many, many, many producers. I have never worked with a producer who is better than Sam Pond.”
Max Magill, Voice Actor and Educator at MaxVox, Ohio

“It has been my honor to have Sam use me as voice talent on several of his commercials, including a TV spot that won ADDY Gold. I also had an opportunity to view Sam’s work in a competitive atmosphere when I was Bay Area ADDY Awards Chair. I can safely say that in my opinion, he is the best radio writer/ producer in the Bay Area.”

J.S. Gilbert, Voice Actor, San Francisco


Feb 06 2013
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comedy radio, comedy writing, funny radio, pond radio, radio writing, sam pond, Sketch, Teaching Technique, Voice Acting, voiceover class in san francisco

new comedy class dates

Hello All You Voice Actors and Yes Even You Copywriters,

In order to accommodate a few fine, talented folks, the “Funny From Nothing” class will be held beginning Tuesday, March 5th and the three subsequent Tuesdays. All at 6:30. And still held at our far-too-beautifully-decorated-to-be-a-respectable recording facility. Voice actors and copywriters invited. Oh, and spread the word.

“Funny From Nothing” 

Join us for “Funny From Nothing”, where we pull funny out of thin air. A voice acting course? You bet. Comedy writing? Yes, that too. Improvising and and writing on our feet? Yes, a lot of that. Many of these techniques were designed for my recent course at Pixar Studios. Four Tuesdays beginning March 5, 6:30-9:30. $325

  • Perform the funniest scripts in advertising.
  • Write on your feet.
  • Comedic techniques, tools and history.
  • Discover your authentic comic voice (or voices).
  • Learn the springboards to comedy, both writing and performing.
  • Great for voice actors, writers and copywriters.
Student Reviews
“If you want someone who can mainline humor from a script directly into the actors’ brains with concise and discerned direction, Sam Pond is your person. Working with Sam has helped me to crystallize what it is about me as a voice actor that can make a script come to life with humor, poignancy and connection. He is skilled in cultivating the rare environment of focus along with creative play, between all involved in a project, to make it greater than the sum of its parts. If you want someone who sucks all the fun out of acting, with a focus on how much more important he is than you, Sam is not your guy.”
Bella-Lisa Teeling, Voice Actor, San Francisco
“Every time I have worked with Sam, I have come away from the session with new knowledge. Especially, if there’s comedy involved, hire Sam Pond to direct it. I have never worked with anyone who has such an immediate understanding of what makes us laugh. Sam conveys to the actor what needs to be done, but also tells them WHY. When an actor has that information, the performance will always be better. Sam reinforces the importance of the characters and their interaction. We always explore the relationship between them. Why are they there, why are they talking to each other, why doesn’t one of them just leave!! The time and detail that Sam puts into ‘handcrafting’ the dialog, and the exploration of the characters brings about the best performances. Honestly, I think Sam Pond could get a great performance out of just about anyone.”
Brian Sommer, Voice Actor, San Francisco“Sam brought his years of experience to the class through his extremely specific direction and coaching. Being new to voice-over, I never felt confused or overwhelmed by his feedback, because it was very clear. I learned how to find the conflict or tension in a scene, how to listen as the character, and most importantly how to let go and let my voice do the work on its own. Sam created a relaxed and playful atmosphere where I felt free to experiment with my voice and did not feel any pressure to be “on”; yet he still kept the class focused and on track. My experience was both challenging and incredibly fun.”
Aurora Simcovich, Voice Actor/Stand-Up Comedian, San Francisco

“As you may remember, I expressed a bit of anxiety early on about being able to be “real.” Getting to this place of being myself–I mean, who’s that? I still can’t quite put my finger on exactly what it was that got transformed in there, but, whatever it was, I know it stemmed from the trust we had in you. Because you were open, real and available. You explored and questioned with us–without judgment. You were curious and delighted to learn something new. How infectious is that?!   I had a notion, coming into this, about comedy– and it didn’t include me. Even though I’d done funny parts in plays years ago, in my mind there were the funny people and the rest of us. But the gift you just gave me is the realization that when relaxed, listening and available, funny things can happen–even for me. But here’s the thing–now, every time I go into the booth to audition I imagine you out there. And I think of what it was like to just tell a story. Not acting being real. Being real. Being me. And I suppose that’s it. That’s what you gave us. I have a reference, now, to what’s real, to that elusive “me” behind the mic.”
Amy Ingersoll, Voice Actor, San Francisco

“Sam is a quadruple threat of voice over teacher, writer/director, and comedian. As a teacher, he is attentive and clear. He taught me to analyze the structure of a script, in order to bring out a unique performance, while still encouraging my point of view. As a director, he is accessible, casual, and smart. While I was in the booth, I felt like we were working on the script together. I never felt intimidated or lost with his direction. And best of all, Sam is funny! He had me cracking up constantly. And he has such a creative take on voice over character work, I found myself thinking, “I never would have thought of that”. I hope to work with and learn from Sam again… and again.”

Sally Clawson, Voice Actor, San Francisco

“When it comes to creativity, Sam is king. Not only does he create some of the best ads in the world, he is incredible to work with. As a voice talent, I have worked with many, many, many producers. I have never worked with a producer who is better than Sam Pond.”
Max Magill, Voice Actor and Educator at MaxVox, Ohio

“It has been my honor to have Sam use me as voice talent on several of his commercials, including a TV spot that won ADDY Gold. I also had an opportunity to view Sam’s work in a competitive atmosphere when I was Bay Area ADDY Awards Chair. I can safely say that in my opinion, he is the best radio writer/ producer in the Bay Area.”

J.S. Gilbert, Voice Actor, San Francisco


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Jan 17 2013
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sam pond

voice acting is unique

Voice acting.

It’s the only acting that requires you to perform while reading off a script. (Except for TV news and presidential speeches, which isn’t acting. Wait, in the latter example it just might be…)

In theatre and film, reading scripts is called rehearsing. So the challenge in voice acting is staying connected to your fellow performers, which often means freeing yourself from the words on the page. Get your eyes off the page, look at your fellow actor every once in a while, listen to what she has to say. Then respond like the human being you’re portraying. Or maybe just soften your gaze, detach from the print, float on top of it.

If we just read the words then we’re no more interesting than a local news anchor. “Thousands spared today when a lone gunman entered a downtown building and shot his a co-worker.” I honestly heard this on the radio the other day.

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