Week #1 Reflection:

• The readings and self-research drew me into a much more anticipated comprehension of what comedy truly means. Comedy is the pursuit of lightness and the formal presentation of humor (Simons 2023). This definition is precedent to the following theories and maybe, assumptions. Should I consider comedy a genre, as serious as tragedy and drama? According to Emilio Audissino (2023), comedy is not properly appraised in high culture, especially if we revisit the critical acclaim it received from the Academy Awards. Comedy can be debatable because of its unseriousness and detachment from moral values which have long time considered to evoke the malicious nature within humans (Audissino 2023). Acclaimed theorists like Plato and Socrates discourage the use of comedy because it “translates hostility, aggressiveness, and violence into more acceptable symbolic forms” (Audissino 2023). Moreover, the attempts to understand humor are obstructed by the stereotypes rooted in racial, ethnic, gender, and cultural aspects. What we feel appropriate in one context might not be suitably ensuite in different contexts, raising questions about “how to reach an equilibrium between freedom of speech and respect for diversity” (Audissino 2023). However, theories of humor have delved into more acceptable explanations. We will focus primarily on the incongruity theory, in which the initiating cause of humor is not the debasement of someone but rather the “detection of some disruptions of expectation” (Audissino 2023). The unfamiliar setting is then subverted by the punchline. When we were asked to identify the definition of humor/comedy, “familiarity, absurdity, build up tensions” were the highlighted keywords. Those are mostly the total characteristics that sum up contemporary comedy forms. However, it raises conflict within me: if a considered drama has these characteristics, then would it be called a comedy? Hence, we should not only categorize comedy as a stand-alone genre, but we can also consider comedy as an aesthetic mode. Emilio interprets the main factors that contribute to the comic film, including oriental style (satire, parody), moments of humor (comic impetus), comedy-writing techniques (specifications of plots), and audiovisual contribution (Audissino 2023). Yet, concerning the transformation of media forms, especially when the boundaries between genres and modes fade, it is debatable how we perceive comedy later on. In conclusion, comedy is the combination of harmonious elements that differentiate yet fusion with other kinds of aesthetic modes and styles.

• My media artifact responds to the concept of deviation from normal norms – the incongruity theory. My idea was to build up the conflict through the imaginative rivalry between the two gangs and then have a turnaround at the climax. The narrative shows the violent nature, combined with the settings, and audiovisual. At the climax, it turns out they have a ridiculous dance battle, thus the film environment changes.

Experiment #1: Sketch: Gangster Battle