Select a non-comedy genre or format, and make a piece of media that hybridises or supplements that genre/format with comedy

For this week’s sketch, our group decided to create a seemingly vulnerable and dramatically charged scene between a couple that then introduces the element of incongruity to create a comedic effect. This week’s reading explores how “by subverting generic expectations the audience have, comedians are able to toy with conventions, play with plot lines, and offer disruptive experiences that the viewer finds funny” (White & Mundy 2012). With this in mind we wanted to prolong the establishment of a comic frame in the beginning, adopting the style and tone associated with dramas. This hopefully caused the viewer to adjust their expectation according to the perceived genre. Techniques such as a darker, more harsh colour grade, attempting an intense, serious performance and applying emotional music as the soundtrack were deliberately employed so that when the comedic presence of K’s character was revealed, first by sound and then appearance, the surprise was unexpected and humorous.

We chose the genre of drama because of its favourable relationship with comedy. White and Mundy argue how comedy has the “ability to express and explore our deepest fears and anxieties as well as life’s ecstatic joys, being an effective bedfellow for dramatic material” (White & Mundy 2012). Comedy enables people to delve into uncomfortable and tragic topics, being both a safety net and a tool to push boundaries. Our sketch comments on the intensity and heartbreak of relationships, with K’s absurd presence reminding us that there is more to life than being with somebody.

These past three weeks of collaborative making have helped me see my strengths e.g. Parody, quick thinking and comedic dialogue and my weaknesses e.g. Satire, struggling to use the camera as a comedic tool in itself and using the sketch short time limit most effectively. I find myself most drawn to  genres such as documentary, dramedy and comedy horrors and would like to potentially pursue one or more of these in the major work.

If I were to revisit this sketch, I would want to change some aspects of it. The introduction of possibly flashbacks, a voice-over, a dramatic chase scene, and more prolonged/intense performance from myself and Amy could’ve worked more in our favour to further establish the genre of drama and the stark contrast between it and the comedic aspects revealed. 

References

White, G., & Mundy, J. (2012). Laughing matters : Understanding film, television and radio comedy. Manchester University Press

Link to Sketch: https://youtu.be/dTbSjFjoFJo?si=npBRZJqb98xv_eMK