Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/uJHtHhzf89I

This week I learnt about comic frames, sitcoms and its formats and some steps in creating a story sketch. 

According to Voth and Smith (2002), comic “frames are the constructs humans use to view, group, and interpret experiences with reality.” Therefore the establishment of a good comic frame influences the story and jokes being told and without it it can ruin the context or even the whole sketch. An example that was shown in class, an episode of Kevin Can F**k Himself, stuck out to me when there was a shift in the frames. The conventions of the sitcom; a laughing track, the all so familiar set of the living room, the brightly lit and colourful colour grading, all together created a strong comic frame. The then intentional tonal shift to Allison, Kevin’s Wife, perspective within her everyday life and marriage, strips away the comedic frame that was set before and almost leaves a sour taste in the audience’s mouth when returning back to the sitcom side. 

This week I was heavily inspired by building my comic frame through the conventions of a sitcom, using this as my comic frame. Adding elements like an intro music, a still of a house, the sound of a live audience and the fade into black transitions were all intentional. 

Additionally, I kept in mind Toplyn’s ‘The Nine Steps to Creating a Story Sketch’ model in his ‘Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV’ (2014) to develop my ideas for this week’s sketch. Although not following it fully. For example my comic character, Aunt Suzie, is extra nosy, a clean freak and very condescending, all exaggerated traits. Aunt Suzie pushes the mother character and goes straight to Anna’s room which is something extreme and a violation that guests do not conventionally do. I wanted to include a final twist that they did end up eating dinner in Anna’s room which is unconventional and therefore could be funny. 

Lastly, the question ‘if you were to cast a different character in the week 2’s sketch differently, how would it have affected the sketch?’ was asked by one of my peers during peer feedback. This question influenced me to create a comic character who is an aunty, conventionally middle aged, but casted as my little sister. Dressing her up to make her look older, heels, and mix match clothes made the contrast all the more funny. 

Reference:

Smith, C., & Voth, B. (2002). The Role of Humor in Political Argument: How “Strategery” and “Lockboxes” Changed a Political Campaign. Argumentation and Advocacy, 39(2), 110–129. https://doi.org/10.1080/00028533.2002.11821580

Toplyn, J. (2014), “Story Sketches” in Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV, New York: Twenty Lane Media, pp. 221–238