How Do You Write GOOD Parody in Film and TV?

Parodies can contain a multitude of differences across a multitude of genres. So how do you even approach writing a tricky and difficult-to-define subgenre? In short, you must try to understand the nuances of parody and the nuances of what you’re parodying before trying to write parody in your screenplay.

So in this article, we’ll break down some of the ways that parody can form in film and TV in order to better understand how you can realize it in your own screenplay. We will identify some of the factors that make a successful parody by analyzing some great parody films and TV, as well as outlining what some parody flops did wrong.

What is Parody?

In layman’s terms, a parody is an over-the-top imitation of something.

a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule

Merriam-Webster

You could write parody, for example, of a film, song, style or even a brand.

But what makes a parody successful?

The one condition for a successful parody is that the audience must recognize what is being spoofed. Without that knowledge, the audience is blind to the purpose of the piece.

Another common question when it comes to parody is: how did they get permission to do this? Legally, how is it possible to take, for example, a brand and write parody attacking it? The legality of how parody is possible is covered perfectly in this clip from Nathan For You. Here, the episode uses parody to help a struggling business gain notoriety.

As long as the parody is obviously imitating copyrighted work and not trying to be perceived as the real article, it’s considered fair use. Nathan for You is here itself parodying the existence and use of parody law by pushing the boundaries of logical parody.

There are some distinctions between parody and other commonly mistaken terms such as:

• Pastiche
• Homage

The differences between these names are small but significant. Let’s take a closer look…