LOL! Genre Research: Conventions of Comedy

Camera Angles and Movements-  

Medium wide shots to show characters interacting with their surroundings. It can also show background characters reacting to the strange actions of the main character, emphasizing the comedy of the situation. Close ups on props or faces (to show emotions) can also emphasize the comedic nature of the effect. Inserts on certain aspects of the setting can show the comedic nature of a prop that is being used.  

Mis-en-scene-  

Costumes: If a character is meant to stand out to create humor, then having an outlandish outfit, messy hair, or makeup can create a comedic effect. 

Lighting: Lighting is usually natural or indoor fluorescent lighting.  

Acting: Depending on the character, acting creates comedy by having a character act oddly and other characters (usually background ones) react. Characters can also crack jokes or be in tense situations and react in a funny way. Characters overreacting or underreacting to certain situations can also create humor.  

Makeup: Makeup is typically normal for characters that aren’t meant to be comedic, and characters can have sillier makeup if they’re meant to be comedic. Normal makeup can also be made silly, in order to create humorous situations.  

Setting: Depending on the story being told, the setting can be natural, like school or a workplace or fantastical, like a fairytale land or just have supernatural characters, like witches (note that these supernatural elements contrasting with the natural world can create humor).  

Sound:  

The nondiegetic soundtrack can have a lighthearted mood, but if a character is overreacting, then the score can reflect their mood, emphasizing the fact that their reaction may be unnecessary, creating humor. Slapstick comedic situations (characters dropping something, running into things) can also be accompanied by diegetic sound (character running into something, a slap against their face can be heard) or a downward turn in the soundtrack, emphasizing their humiliation.  

Editing: 

Action matches are often used to emphasize a character’s movements and can add something interesting cinematographically, so they could likely fit in a range of genres. Jump cuts can add contrast or comparison to different scenes, which work well for humor(usually ironic humor). Inserts can add focus to a funny gesture, prop, or emotion on a character’s face.  

 

The Positives: 

This genre has potential, it would make a nice lighthearted movie. The mis-en-scene could be really interesting to explore. For example, we could have our characters in silly costumes or makeup and I imagine that almost anyone would have fun acting in a comedy film. The settings for comedy can also be a variety of places, so our main setting of the woods does have potential.  

The Negatives: 

While this genre has potential, making audiences laugh could be challenging. Humor is also extremely subjective, so this genre, while interesting, has it’s challenges. It’s also worth nothing how well this would work with our pitch, as it may just lean more towards a horror or thriller.  

 

Film Examples: 

Hocus Pocus 2 

Disenchanted 

Fatherhood  



 

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