Arts & Entertainment
The Evolution of a Scene: Knocked Up
Lesson time 09:37 min
A lot can change between the script and the screen. In this lesson, Judd takes a detailed look at a scene fromKnocked Upand shows how he and his actors brought his words to life. (Bonus: You also get his Seth Rogen impression.)
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include:
Teaches Comedy
Judd Apatow teaches you how to write, direct, produce, and perform comedy for film and television.
Sign UpPreview
What we're going to do now is look at an example of how a scene changes from a draft to its final version. So this is a scene in Knocked Up, and it's the scene where Seth and Katherine are having dinner and she tells him that she's pregnant. So I'm going to read to you what the script is and then what it became. So in this earlier draft, it says, Ben, I brought you here to tell you something. I think I'm pregnant. And Ben says, sweet. I guess congratulations are in order. And she says, it's yours. And he says, what? And she says, you are the father. And he says, what the fuck? How did this happen? I don't know. Are you sure it's mine? Yes. I don't do it that often. Well, you did it with me after like five fucking seconds and I'm not even that good looking. How could this happen? I don't know. I thought you wore a condom. I was going to but you told me not to. That's not true. Yes, I was putting the condom on and then you kept pushing me to hurry up and then you said, just do it already. I didn't mean just do it without a condom. I just meant hurry up. Well, you didn't stop me. I was so drunk I couldn't tell that you didn't have one on. What you just thought it was the thinnest condom on earth? What, did you think I was wearing a condom made out of penis skin? So that's the draft from April 14th, the table read drafts. Now, I'm going to read you, with my acting skill, what that became. So I have something I really need to tell you. It's kind of why I called you here. Here it goes, I'm pregnant. Fuck off. What? What? I'm pregnant. With emotion? With a baby. You're the father. I'm the father? Yes. How the fuck could this happen? I don't know. I thought you wearing a condom. No. What? I wasn't. Why not? Because you told me not to. What are you talking about? What am I talking about? You told me not to. I did not tell you not to wear a condom. Here's what happened, OK? I'll give you a play by play of my memory. I almost had the condom on my dick. It was on the cusp. Then you said, just do it already. I didn't mean do it without a condom ALISON: I meant do it like, hurry up! Like, get fucking going! BEN: Well I assumed you were wearing a patch or a dental dam or one of those fucking butterfly-- - What the hell is a dental dam? - It's like Saran wrap. It's disgusting, OK? But I thought you had one. Why the fuck didn't you stop me once we started? - I don't know. I couldn't tell that you didn't have one on. Obviously, I was drunk. - Was your vagina drunk? Did you think it was the thinnest condom on earth I have on, I'm a fucking inventor? I mean, a dick skin condom. He hollowed out a penis and put it on. What the fuck? - And scene. He also got to see a little half Seth impression there. So what is the difference, I guess, is the question. So hopefully what you could tell from that pretty impressive stage reading ...
About the Instructor
No joke: at age 15, Judd Apatow took a dishwashing job at a comedy club to watch the acts. Today, he’s the comedic genius behind hits including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Bridesmaids, and Freaks and Geeks. In his first-ever online comedy class, the Emmy Award winner teaches you how to create hilarious storylines, write great stand-up, and direct movies that leave audiences laughing.
Featured MasterClass Instructor
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow teaches you how to write, direct, produce, and perform comedy for film and television.
Explore the Class