A masterclass with Tim Ferguson
Image: Tim Ferguson. Image by Nick Brightman
Tim Ferguson has been at the centre of the Australian Comedy Scene for almost four decades.Ferguson lives and breathes comedy. When he talks about it; he talks about it with a supreme understanding of why comedy is essential to life. Importantly, he waxes lyrical on why comedy is central to the future of the Australian Film Industry. It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say comedy is Ferguson’s religion.
The unstoppable comic has taught comedy screenwriting worldwide, including New York University, Scotland Screen Academy, Australian Film Radio & Television School, RMIT University and Victorian College of the Arts. Tim tours the world performing stand-up and musical comedy. He’s co-written dozens of live stage comedy shows and hundreds of hours of comedy and entertainment TV.Ferguson authored a “how to “manual on comedy-writing in 2010 titled The Cheeky Monkey: How to Write Narrative Comedy. In 2013, he wrote a moving memoir, Carry a Big Stick, described as ‘a funny, poignant and inspirational story of widely acclaimed comedian, writer and producer, Tim Ferguson’. He is currently busy writing another “how to” screen-writing manual.This juggernaut of jokes manages to do all of this through his comedy academy, Cheeky Monkey Comedy. Through CMC, Ferguson has taught thousands of students. In his own words:
“Cheeky Monkey Comedy teaches writers what the university screenwriting academics don’t. Comedy has motors; there are two faces to comedy. Australian screenwriters too often forget the need to counter-balance drama with comedic effect. I want to pass on what I know. I want to teach that comedy adds balance to films. Comedy makes film more robust and digestible; this simple rule is not being taught through the standardized higher education system”.Ferguson works at a relentless pace and his passion towards his comedic craft is palpable –from the Doug Anthony Allstars to Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush to Good News Week; editing sitcoms for Sammy J and Randy; co-writing the feature film, The BBQ, with Shane Jacobson and Magda Szubanski – and countless other works and contributions. Ferguson has helped to define Australian comedy as we understand and love it.Through Cheeky Monkey Comedy, with Ferguson at the helm, the future of Australian comedy is in safe hands. He is holding a two-day online comedy screenwriting masterclass and encourages creatives from all backgrounds to reach out for what he considers to be the key content that will usher in a new generation of exciting and engaging Australian film-makers, writers, and screenwriters.
