Creating Comedy Situations

By Hal Croasmun
You've got this scene...and you want it to be funny, right?
What do you do?
First, you can look for what might naturally be funny about it. Maybe you throw in a twist or two. Create a comedic surprise. Write some humorous lines of dialogue. All good ideas.
Let me present another possibility -- a comedy situation.
Putting the characters in a comedic situation instantly increases the chance for great punchlines, action humor, prop humor, and toppers that take a scene from a mild chuckle to a gut-busting howl.
Let's look at one of those situations from the "Comedy Writing For Screenplays Class."

SITUATION: MISINTERPRETATION
STRUCTURE: One or more characters has misinterpreted a situation and continues to act out of an incorrect perspective.
This creates comic opportunities by having characters operate as if they're in completely different worlds. It is also an easy way for a writer to look absolutely brilliant.
See rest of the article with a hilarious scene from the movie MY COUSIN VINNY."

http://www.screenwritingu.com/screenwriting-articles/36-general-articles/67-creating-comedy-situations