Mike Upchurch

A clip show hosted by Chris Fairbanks and April Richardson. Pitched and wrote sketches based on viral clips. Utilized a variety of comedic techniques, including V/O commentary, vocal impressions, digital compositing of objects, and green-screening of cast into the clips. Wrote interstitial host banter, intros and outros.

A popular annual awards show broadcast every January on ABC. • Pitched and wrote sketches for host Caley Cuoco (Big Bang Theory) • Pitched/wrote sketches based on pop culture and celebrity nominees. • Performed punch up.

A puppet show utilizing low-cost green screen compositing to create a “puppet cartoon” satirizing reality TV. •Developed 15 episodes of five minute reality show parodies. • Directed 3 shooting days, 4 puppeteers, 50 puppets, at a 2000 sq ft green screen cyclorama. • Composited puppets into photo-shopped backgrounds creating a cool form of animation.

Pitched and kept track of domestic and green tech storylines, traveled to remote locations with Ed and his wife to cover them. Worked from the Begley family garage, and in remote locales during difficult shooting situations. Helped move the show from a process oriented toward a more comedy-reality format.

Sold project to Pop.com, which folded. Continued until it achieved viral success. Sold it again in 2008 to Turner’s Superdeluxe.com . • 20 episodes, 5 million cumulative views. • Produced from a fake office set in my living room. • “Best of the Web,” UK Guardian, 2005. • Garnered established and up-and-coming comedians in guest roles.

A sketch show starring Jeff Foxworthy, and comedians from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. • Wrote “redneck” sketches for ensemble cast • Wrote monologue jokes based on theme of each episode. • Edited and rewrote based on notes from producers and cast. • Performed punch-up based on pre-taping. • Conceptualized remote pieces, and pre-taped sketches.

A sports themed comedy show hosted by the Sklar brothers giving classic sports footage an MST3K treatment. • Analyzed old ESPN footage, wrote commentary. • Wrote jokes and sketches around weekly show’s theme. • Wrote bumpers, throws and interstitial bits. • Developed “strategies and guidelines” for field pieces.