Short Film Script
To Vulnerability by Leah Mankarious
RMIT Access: Leah Mankarious – To Vulnerability – Final Draft.pdf
Research Statement
Research
With my assigned genre being dark comedy, I wanted to explore how the different themes and styles would influence my script. There are various takes on dark comedy, some leaning more toward satire, others focusing on the horror aspect, and some being more overtly comedic. I wanted to understand how to balance these elements and combine them to create such a nuanced genre. Given the genre’s ambiguity and the differing approaches seen across different media, I found the idea of dark comedy and satire as ‘an effective means of surviving by seeking the humour in the bleakest corners of existence’ (Fisher 1998: 164) to be particularly insightful. Understanding how to juxtapose the comedic and dark aspects of life allowed me to approach my script revisions with more confidence.
By reflecting on dark comedy films like Harold and Maude (Ashby 1971) and Heathers (Lehmann 1988), I gained insight into how dark comedy often blends comedic elements with dark themes like death and violence. As Mintz (1997: 92) suggests, comedy in this genre is characterised by a refusal to take the dark themes too seriously or to be excessively saddened by them. This approach to confronting life’s dark and tragic events can be seen in common recurring tropes of the genre, such as characters who maintain nonchalant or cynical attitudes in the face of life-or-death situations, as seen in Heathers (1988) and Fargo (Coen 1996). The comedic elements often arise not from overt jokes, but from the absurdity or irony of situations, allowing the humour to emerge naturally from the darker themes.
The use of irony, absurdity, and satire that pushes the boundaries of horror or drama films helped me develop my script into something that captured the essence of dark comedy. As Dixon (2015: 7) points out, dark comedy allows creators to challenge conventional boundaries, particularly in how comedic elements are delivered. This encouraged me to avoid relying on mainstream comedy expectations and instead focus on the juxtaposition of normalcy and the bizarre. The tension that dark comedy creates between the viewer’s discomfort and the comedy pushes boundaries in ways that allow us to challenge societal norms and expose life’s darker aspects.
These ideas shaped how I refined my screenplay, giving me the tools to incorporate humour subtly within darker themes. The result is a script that embraces the genre’s core elements, utilising the familiar tropes of dark comedy while avoiding typical comedic tropes, keeping it more in line with the unexpected nature of the genre.
Reflection
Using genre as a starting point to decide on an idea helped me reflect on the films and series I enjoy within the dark comedy genre. Initially, being assigned dark comedy felt intimidating because comedy often carries the pressure of making an audience laugh or ensuring they catch on to subtle comedic elements without being overtly funny. With genre described as a ‘repetition of formulaic qualities that are easily identifiable and consequently marketable due to familiarity’ (Freeman and Smith, 2024: 10), I struggled to capture the essence of dark comedy while maintaining the subtler comedic style I felt more comfortable writing.
Creating a list of my favourite dark comedies, like The Lobster (Lanthimos 2015) and Heathers (Lehmann 1988), helped me explore different approaches to my story. These films blend satire and absurdity, delivering comedic elements without relying on overt humour or eliciting traditional laughter. This flexibility allowed me to see dark comedy as a space to push boundaries and embrace creative expression, rather than feeling constrained by the expectation to be “funny.”
The juxtaposition of dark and comedic elements in these films inspired me to approach my screenplay with confidence. The absurdity of my script’s main character, Caro, who casually reveals herself as a murderer while remaining nonchalant, offered a way to incorporate humour without undermining the dark tone. Additionally, reflecting on tropes like nonchalant characters and ironic detachment gave me new ways to think about blending light and dark elements effectively.
By embracing the satirical and ironic aspects of the genre, I found a balance that felt authentic to my writing style. Reflecting on the dry, subtle humour of dark comedy gave me the freedom to approach my script without fear of judgment. It encouraged me to focus on creative storytelling rather than conforming to conventional comedy ideas, ultimately helping me capture the nuanced balance that defines the genre.
References
Dixon WW (2015) Dark Humor in Films of the 1960s (1st ed.). Palgrave Pivot. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137562500.
Fisher J (1998) Book Reviews: American Dark Comedy: Beyond Satire’ by Wes D. Gehring. Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism. Lawrence: University of Kansas, Department of Theatre, https://journals.ku.edu/jdtc/article/view/1993/1956.
Freeman M and Smith AN (2024) ‘Introduction or: Why We Still Need Genre’, in Creative Convergence: The AI Renaissance in Art and Design, Springer Series on Cultural Computing, Springer Nature Switzerland, Cham. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-15583-3_1.
Mintz L (1997) American Dark Comedy: Beyond Satire. Journal of Popular Film & Television, 25(2), 91-. Taylor & Francis Inc.
https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/american-dark-comedy-beyond-satire/docview/199351235/se-2?accountid=13552.