This week introduces the concept of comedy as a satirical mode. In class, we talk about the differences between parody and satire as two typical comic modes. When parody takes inspiration from the conventions of the original text, the influenced aspects can range from visual storytelling, music scoring, and structure. On the other hand, external factors (social issues to be named) contribute to the content of satirical texts. The weekly reading dissects the exemplifying satirical show Brass Eyes and examines why Brass Eyes is considered a successful convertible of traditional UK news. It compares both the similarities and differences between Brass Eyes and standardized news, from multiple angles, which are mode of address, visual graphic, and editing cut. Typically, it illustrates the way the narrator addresses and engages the viewer by consistently using the pronoun ‘we’ in the dialogue. The vox pop is also a positive addition, through role-playing actors mimicking the interview or whatever format that requires a second narrative (Stephen 2012). I am also impressed with the imitation of motion graphics. It showcases the stereotypical visual choices of intro and outro; however, the odd visual stretching appears as a clear mock. As a result, I adapted these techniques to the weekly sketch, a parody of the celebrity house tour. We want to take advantage of the extravagant characteristics of this typical series. We focus on how the host addresses ‘we’ in the entire sketch to engage compassion with viewers, and the visual selection. We invest in the typical YouTube channel intro and outro, plus the dramatic special effects (sudden fireworks, applause, etc.) to help expose the absurdity. We also use the assessment criteria list of satirical texts to achieve the desired vision of this sketch. In the planning phase, we discuss the angles we attempt for this sketch: What is the target of satire? What comic devices can we use? Setting a goal for the work helps order the ideas hierarchically. Therefore, we agree that the goal is to exploit the distorted boasting of some rich people, with the exaggeration technique. One exemplifying example is when Chloe argues how little she spends on clothes to dress ‘just like all of you (viewers)’.
Reference List:
Meikle, G. (2012) Find Out Exactly What to Think—Next! in Chris Morris, Brass Eye, and Journalistic Authority, Popular Communication, 10(1–2), pp. 14–26.
Sketch Link: