Dates: Saturday, June 20 & Sunday, June 21
Time: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Location: Winnipeg Film Group, 3rd Floor, Media Lab – 100 Arthur Street
Join us for Writing Sketch Comedy, an intensive, two-day workshop led by comedy legend and Kids in the Hall co-founder Kevin McDonald. Over two 4-hour sessions, you’ll dive into the mechanics of what makes a scene funny, moving from a simple “what if” idea to a fully realized comedy sketch. Whether you are a beginner or looking to sharpen your comedic voice, this is a rare opportunity to get direct feedback from one of Canada’s most iconic sketch writers.
What You’ll Learn
- Premise Development: How to take a “one-line premise” (e.g., “What if a guy was $10 short of being a millionaire?”) and break it down into a viable scene structure.
- The Writing Process: Strategies for translating a funny concept into a written script overnight.
- Critique and Revision: Learn to identify “the game” of your sketch and apply professional notes to improve your comedic timing and beats.
- Industry Insights: Kevin will share his personal approach to writing and the methods used to create legendary sketch comedy.
Who Should Attend
- Aspiring Writers: Beginners looking for a structured introduction to comedy writing.
- Comedians and Performers: Those looking to transition their ideas from the stage to the page.
- Filmmakers: Creators who want to improve the comedic writing in their short films or digital content.
- Note: Participants must be able to attend the Saturday session to participate in Sunday’s workshop.
What to Bring
- A One-Line Premise: For Saturday’s session, you must bring one comedy sketch premise (like “What if a guy had a cabbage for a head?”).
- Writing Materials: A notebook and pen, or a laptop/tablet for taking notes and writing your sketch between sessions.
- Commitment to Write: Sunday participants will need to write their full sketch on Saturday night based on the group’s feedback.
Pricing & Support
This workshop is part of the Winnipeg Film Group’s 2026 reduced-rate workshop program, made possible through generous support from The Winnipeg Foundation. Their contribution allows us to offer more affordable, hands-on filmmaking opportunities for our community throughout the year.
- Class Size: Maximum 12 students (Minimum 5).
- Requirements: Students can only take the Sunday workshop if they have completed the Saturday session. Saturday can be taken as a standalone “one-line premise” workshop.
WFG Members receive a reduced rate on this and all workshops.
A General Membership is $60/year and includes reduced workshop rates, access to WFG’s distribution services, funding programs, and discounted Cinematheque admission. If you’re taking more than two workshops this year, membership pays for itself.
Filmmakers looking to take things further can add the Production Add-On — available in-person after application approval for an additional $90 — which opens access to equipment rentals, studio booking, and post-production suites.
Learn more about WFG Membership →
About the Instructor – Kevin McDonald
Comedian, actor, writer and director Kevin McDonald founded “The Kids in the Hall” with friend Dave Foley, after they met in Toronto at Second City, and the television series ran from 1988-1995. In the troupe’s television series and stage shows, he portrays several popular recurring characters, such as the King of Empty Promises, Sir Simon Milligan, and Jerry Sizzler. McDonald went on to appear in a variety of films including Boy Meets Girl, Lilo & Stitch, “Lilo & Stitch: The Series”, and Epic Movie.
On television, he has appeared on “The Martin Short Show,” “Ellen,” “That ’70s Show,” “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” “NewsRadio,” “MADtv,” “Arrested Development,” and “Corner Gas.” McDonald has also done voice work for various animated series, including Nickelodeon’s “Invader Zim,” “The Angry Beavers,” “Catscratch,” and “Clerks: The Animated Series.” He also played an imaginary friend named Ivan in the episode ‘Sight For Sore Eyes’ on “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” appeared in the music video for “Roses” by Outkast, and made an appearance in “Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show.”
In 2006 McDonald hosted a CBC Television special, featuring several of Canada’s best-known sketch comedy troupes. “Sketch with Kevin McDonald” won a Canadian Comedy Award (Best Taped Live Performance – The Minnesota Wrecking Crew). He was recently at the Just for Laughs Festival with the reunion of Kids in the Hall, and also with his show “Hammy and the Kids” with Craig Northey, based on his two dysfunctional families, his father (“Hammy”) and the Kids in the Hall, as well as “Death Comes to Town”on CBC.
Along the way, Kevin was also in the movies, Sky High and Galaxy Quest. He did his podcast from 2016 to 2020. Just recently, he and the Kids in the Hall did another season of their sketch show for Amazon Prime. He has also done a bunch of things that he forgets. And the world is better off for that.
REFUND POLICY
| Notice Given: | Eligible for: |
| At least 7 days prior to start date | Full refund |
| 7 days to 48 hours prior to start date | Full refund less 20% administration fee |
| Less than 48 hours prior to start date | No refund |
The Winnipeg Film Group reserves the right to cancel any course where the minimum registration has not been met. Anyone registered for a course that has been cancelled is eligible for a full refund, Cancelled course fees may also be used towards any other Winnipeg Film Group training programs.
Assistance and accommodations are available to participants with different disabilities. Please call or email us for more information: john@winnipegfilmgroup.com
