Private, interactive class where you'll work directly with Emmy-nominated showrunner, writer, and producer Vijal Patel!

Get a downloadable Sample First 10 Pages handout, plus direct email access to Vijal for the full length of your class!

Only 2 spots remain — don't miss out!

Payment plans available at checkout or email edu@stage32.com for more info

You want your comedy pilot to do more than get a laugh on page one — you want readers to see a world, characters, and story engine with the potential to become a series. That’s what this four-session exclusive Stage 32 class is built to help you create: taking your pilot from a funny idea to a staffable script with the structure and character development industry professionals are looking for. You’ll work directly with Vijal Patel in a small, private group so the feedback you receive is focused on your script, your voice, and how to make your material stand out!

Your comedy pilot has the voice. Now, you’ll learn how to build the foundation that keeps audiences invested. In Vijal Patel’s live pilot class, you’ll develop a comedy world with long-term potential, strengthen your characters, and reshape scenes so they’re driven by character, conflict, and emotional stakes — not just punchlines. You’ll walk away with professional insight, actionable feedback, and a stronger pilot you can use for staffing opportunities, fellowships, and representation.

Work one-on-one with Vijal Patel — an Emmy-nominated, Peabody Award-winning writer and executive producer whose credits include ABC’s BLACK-ISH and THE MIDDLE. Vijal currently writes and serves as co-executive producer on ABC’s SCHOOLED, develops feature film projects for DreamWorks, and created Amazon Prime Video’s #1 comedy series THE PRADEEPS OF PITTSBURGH. He’s built a career using comedy to explore race, family, religion, politics, and class — proving a comedy pilot can be hilarious while still saying something meaningful. For four sessions, you’ll learn from a working writer who understands what makes a script connect with audiences and the industry.

Throughout the class, Vijal will guide you through the process of developing a stronger comedy pilot. You’ll learn what executives, showrunners, and agents look for on the page, study examples from successful comedies, build a premise that can generate future stories, write scenes that showcase your voice, and apply professional self-editing techniques directly to your own draft. By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how to strengthen your script and position it for the marketplace.

This interactive Stage 32 class is held on Zoom and goes substantially more in depth than a Stage 32 webinar. As soon as you sign up, you’ll be connected by email with Vijal and receive a questionnaire so he can better understand your project before the first session. Throughout the class, you’ll have access to Vijal by email for questions about your craft and career — it’s like having a mentor on demand. Can’t make a live session? No problem. All recordings will be available 48 hours later in your Stage 32 Library. Plus, you’ll have access to a dedicated lounge where you can connect with your fellow classmates and continue building your creative network.

PLUS! You will receive the following handout to help you:

• Sample First 10 Pages

Praise for Vijal's Previous Stage 32 Education:

"LOVED IT!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Vijal was very engaging, intelligent and helpful. He gave so much insight to the nuts and bolts of creating comedic characters that are authentic." — Debbie C.

"Exactly what I needed to know." — Shashank M.

Session 1 – The Anatomy of a Staffable Comedy Pilot

Learn what industry professionals are actually looking for when evaluating a comedy writing sample.

You will learn:

• What executives, showrunners, managers, and agents look for in a comedy pilot

• Why many comedy scripts lose readers within the first 10 pages

• The difference between a pilot designed to sell versus one designed to get you staffed

• The essential elements every successful staffing sample contains

• Case studies from recent hit comedy pilots and what makes them work

Session 2 – Building a Comedy World That Can Sustain Multiple Seasons

Discover how to create a series that has longevity and a clear engine for future episodes.

You will learn:

• How to build a premise that naturally generates stories season after season

• Creating relationships that produce ongoing conflict and comedy

• Developing a world that executives immediately understand and connect with

• Avoiding the common "great premise but nowhere to go" trap

• Strengthening your concept so readers immediately see its long-term potential

Session 3 – Writing Scenes That Reveal Character and Voice

Learn how professional comedy writers craft scenes that are funny, purposeful, and unforgettable.

You will learn:

• How every scene should accomplish multiple storytelling goals

• Balancing humor with emotional authenticity

• Making exposition entertaining through conflict and character

• Developing a distinctive comedic voice that stands out in the marketplace

• Writing scenes that keep readers engaged from beginning to end

Session 4 – Making Your Comedy Sample Industry Ready

Turn your script into the strongest possible representation of your talent.

You will learn:

• The most common mistakes that immediately signal amateur writing

• Professional self-editing techniques used before submitting a script

• How your pilot communicates your strengths as a writer

• Best practices for preparing your script as a staffing sample

• Final strategies for positioning yourself for representation, fellowships, and staffing opportunities

By the end of this class, you will have:

• A clear plan for revising your comedy pilot into an industry-ready staffing sample

• A stronger understanding of what today's television industry expects from emerging comedy writers

• Practical tools for elevating your story, characters, structure, and comedic voice

• Greater confidence submitting your script to fellowships, competitions, managers, agents, showrunners, and television staffing opportunities

WHAT TO EXPECT:

PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 class will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis. The opportunity to work this closely and for this long with an expert in the field is an incredibly unique and valuable opportunity. If you are interested, please book quickly. Once the spots are gone, they’re gone for good.

• This class is designed for comedy writers of all levels who want to turn their pilot into a sample that gets them staffed, repped, or into top fellowships and writing programs.

• This is an intimate, in-depth, practical, and detailed class held on Zoom where you will be interacting with your instructor.

• This class consists of 4 sessions roughly two hours in duration and offers significantly more in-depth content than a standard Stage 32 webinar.

• ***Your instructor will be available on email during the entire duration of the class to answer any questions you have about your project.***

• To stay motivated and inspired you will have access to a dedicated Stage 32 Lounge post where you can meet, connect and communicate with your fellow classmates throughout the length of the class and beyond. Let Stage 32 help you find your tribe!

• Can't make it live? Don't worry, each session will be recorded and you can watch it on demand at your convenience. 

• You will be held accountable to take the lessons from each week and move your work forward.

• Payment plans are available at checkout through Shop Pay

• Comedy writers of all levels who want to turn their pilot into a sample that gets them staffed, repped, or into top fellowships and writing programs.
• Screenwriters working on a comedy pilot that isn't generating industry interest and want to identify — and fix — what's holding it back.
• Writers preparing to submit to fellowships, competitions, or writing programs who want their sample to stand out from the stack.
• Aspiring TV writers who want to understand how executives, showrunners, managers, and agents actually evaluate a comedy script before they submit.
• Writers with a strong comedic voice who want to learn how to build a world and story engine that can sustain multiple seasons.

Praise for Vijal's Previous Stage 32 Education:

" LOVED IT!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Vijal was very engaging, intelligent and helpful. He gave so much insight to the nuts and bolts of creating comedic characters that are authentic."

-Debbie C.

"Exactly what I needed to know"

-Shashank M.

"Great info, every moment jam packing with knowledge. Great perspective from a working writer."

-Ashton S.