Final Reflective Essay

Key Concerns and Comedy Theory

“Situation Tragedy”…….  how do I even start, this class has taken off since the first week and each week had something different to offer so when it came time to put all those theories, ideas and executions together for one big project. ‘Situation Tragedy’ aims to engage its audience by blending humour with a behind-the-scenes look at the film set, highlighting the absurdities and hidden tensions present. The central incident—a condom found in a sandwich—serves as a catalyst for exploring deeper themes of jealousy, sabotage, and the contrast between public reputations and private lives. The film uses humour as a tool to peel back on these layers, inviting the audience to laugh while the investigation takes lefts and rights.

Our hope is that the film not only entertains but also prompts viewers to By employing a mockumentary style, inspired by “American Vandal,” we aim to create a satirical yet poignant narrative that resonates with audiences familiar with the genre’s conventions. This style allows for a playful exploration of serious themes, aligning with comedy theories such as Henri Bergson’s concept of the “mechanical encrusted upon the living” (Bergson, 1911), where humour arises from the clash between the unexpected and the mundane.

Over the course of the semester, my understanding of comedy has evolved significantly. Initially, I viewed comedy primarily as a means of eliciting laughter through straightforward jokes and situational humour. However, through our project and the study of various comedic theories, I’ve come to appreciate the nuanced ways in which comedy can be used to address complex issues. The incongruity theory, which suggests that humour arises from the violation of expectations (Morreall, 1983), has been particularly enlightening. This theory helped us craft scenes where the absurdity of the situation (like the condom sandwich) starkly contrasts with the serious reactions of the characters, creating a richer, more layered comedic experience.  Another example of how comedy theory was explored in our work was through the theory of Benign violation which broadly discusses how violations that are seemingly harmless, evoke laughter in people (Mcgraw, 2010). 

Refinements

If I were to continue working on “Situation Tragedy,” several elements would benefit from further refinement. Firstly, the character development of Mira, our superfan detective, could be deepened to showcase her media literacy and obsession more vividly as well as her obsession over Justin which is her key motivator to begin the investigation in the first place. Adding layers to her background and her motivations would make her more relatable and compelling. 

Secondly, the method actor character, Arthur, requires further clarification and distinction. Highlighting his method acting quirks more prominently would enhance the humour and make his role more memorable. Adding in additional scenes that showcase his extreme dedication to his craft, even in absurd situations, could provide more comedic value. Another area for improvement is the integration of feedback into the script. Although we managed to incorporate some suggestions, more time would allow for a comprehensive revision. This includes making cuts and shot transitions clearer, which would enhance the overall coherence and pacing of the film. Moreover, refining the interviews to ensure each character’s distinct perspective adds depth to the narrative.

Lastly, I would explore the possibility of expanding the story beyond a short film into a mini-series format. If we had time we could’ve explored our two episode idea even further with the addition of a cold open as seen in shows like ‘Brooklyn Nine Nine’. This would allow for a more detailed exploration of each character’s backstory and the dynamics on set, providing a fuller picture of the sitcom world and ‘real world’ we’ve created. 

Collaboration

Collaboration was a cornerstone of our project, influencing both the process and the final product in various ways. From the outset, our group established a collaborative environment through a group contract which ensured clear communication and shared responsibilities. This foundation proved vital during the intense writing and refinement phases.

Lewis and Zach’s  work on the script helped us with the draft representing a skeleton of our final work.  The informal pitch sessions facilitated immediate feedback, allowing us to review quickly and effectively our issues with our project. Nia, Zach, and Chloe’s contributions in finalising names, characters, and themes were instrumental. Their collaborative synergy brought depth and cohesion to our narrative. This synergy was particularly beneficial when addressing feedback from our presentation panel. Although we faced time constraints, the collective effort to incorporate suggestions where possible improved our script’s clarity and humour.

However, collaboration also presented challenges. The casting process, managed by Chloe, was disrupted by last-minute cancellations, necessitating quick recasting. Despite the stress, Chloe’s efficient handling of the situation ensured minimal disruption. Similarly, our location scouting efforts were initially hampered by unresponsive studios. Visiting the RMIT Studio in person, taken by Zach, Nia and I ultimately secured a suitable filming location, demonstrating how our collaboration can overcome logistical hurdles.

The filming days themselves highlighted the strengths of our teamwork. The first day at RMIT’s filming studio required us to adapt quickly to delays in setup. Our ability to communicate effectively and adjust our plans ensured we finished the shoot successfully. The second day at ‘The Reach Foundation’ benefited from the lessons learned, leading to a smoother process and an early wrap.

Overall, my experiences with collaboration were overwhelmingly positive, significantly enhancing our project. The collective creativity and problem-solving skills of the group enriched the narrative and ensured a successful production phase. This experience underscored the importance of flexibility, clear communication, and mutual support in collaborative projects.

Conclusion

The journey of creating “Situation Tragedy” has been transformative, broadening my understanding of comedy and the collaborative process. By engaging the audience through a blend of humour and critical commentary, we hope to offer a thought-provoking and entertaining film. The lessons learned and the relationships forged during this project have been invaluable, equipping me with skills and insights that will inform future creative endeavours.

References

– Bergson, H. (1911). Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic. Macmillan.

– Morreall, J. (1983). Taking Laughter Seriously. SUNY Press.

– McGraw, A.P. & Warren, C. (2010). Benign violations: Making immoral behaviour funny. Psychological Science, 21, 1141–1149

– Nick, M. Matt, S. (2018) Comedy Mechanics & Absurdity. The Comedy Studies Reader, New York, USA: University of Texas Press, pp. 45-70.

– Arthur Asa Berger (2023) ‘The Semiotics of Humour: Universal Humour Techniques in Comedy Writing’, Springer eBooks25–42, doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33422-1_2.

Week 11 Reflection

Our filming was done in an intensive two days. On the first day, we came in early to the RMIT’s filming studio. We managed to book, the process went smoothly despite some setbacks in preparing the set. The cast and crew worked effectively, following our shooting schedule (even though we began behind schedule we managed to go ahead of schedule halfway through the day’s shoot) and we managed to make ends meet with the intended shots we had planned. We were extremely lucky to have had the main studio class in ‘Studio A’ not utilising any of the props we wanted to use for our sitcom which is what allowed us to create that beautiful set design on the day of the shoot.

The second day at ‘The Reach Foundation’ on Wellington Street in Collingwood was even more efficient, with a quicker setup and an early wrap. We managed to get all the individual interviews/interrogations and worked with limited equipment to produce those well lit interviews (minus the one of me in the jacket the lighting wasn’t executed properly which led to issues in the editing stages).

We also had switched roles and positions on set so we’d mostly all had a taste in each role like ‘First A.D’ or ‘Camera Operator’ or ‘Sound/Boom Operator’, etc. I enjoyed the opportunity to handle the camera towards the end of our shoot at ‘Reach’.

During filming, we stayed flexible and turned problems like location issues into creative solutions. The cast’s excitement for their roles was really encouraging and made the experience positive. Their dedication, along with the heavy planning, led to a successful filming phase and set us up well for editing. Once the two days were wrapped, we began editing, which is where our use of continuity sheets saved us as without them, we would have spent hours combing through everything. 

Week 10 Reflection

Week 10 offered an opportunity to present our current work to a panel and peers. Despite missing the deadline to submit our script, we quickly printed copies for the panel. The table read was a positive experience, validating our humour through audience reactions. We received valuable feedback, such as merging our two-episode format into one short film, and making the method actor’s role clearer. However, due to time constraints and an imminent shooting schedule, we could only incorporate some suggestions. Thanks to the feedback we managed to go back to our work with a list of things to discuss and mull over in the back of our heads.

Finalising pre-production tasks was a hectic but productive endeavour. Booking the RMITV Studios, finalising the cast, and preparing all necessary resources like release forms, continuity sheets, and shot lists were completed. Creating a shooting schedule and call sheet ensured that we were well-prepared for filming. Because I was in charge of location scouting I was aware of the issue of having to deal with having no correspondence with the studio that supposedly would be able to schedule a booking for a studio with just a day’s notice. 

On Friday, I along with Zach and Nia had to walk into the campus that morning to confront the studio leader in-person as a last resort. Lucas the studio leader only said I made one booking which was the one I sent Thursday the day before even though I sent one through a week and a bit ago. Andddd they also failed to properly respond to Bradley our studio leader as well as Nia who also sent one after i asked for help from the group to hit them with more booking forms.

Week 9 Reflection

Week 9 was a crucial phase in our project, marked by quite a bit of progress and some unexpected challenges. The completion of our first draft was a major milestone. With the first draft in hand, we focused intensively on refining and enhancing our script. Lewis played a pivotal role in drafting the initial script, laying a solid foundation for our story. Nia and Zach took on the critical task of refining the draft, meticulously editing and improving the dialogue, pacing, and character development. Their collaborative efforts ensured that the second draft was more polished and cohesive which Lewis also drew up a draft for first, bringing us closer to our vision for “Situation Tragedy.”

Simultaneously, we encountered some setbacks in our casting process. While we initially had a lineup of actors who expressed interest and availability, a few of them had to cancel due to some circumstances which I don’t know. This led to a period of time where we were scrambling and reorganising, as Chloe worked hard to secure replacements. Her proactiveness and communication skills were instrumental in managing this challenge, and by the end of the week, we were back on track with a mostly finalised cast. Which we had to fill in a lot with ourselves.

Location scouting presented a whole can of worms (set of difficulties). Despite our efforts, responses for the studio locations were non-existent. This posed a significant challenge, as securing a suitable filming location is critical for our project. I took the lead on this task, reaching out to the studio booking leader and exploring alternative venues. While the lack of responses was frustrating, this process underscored the importance of persistence and flexibility in production planning.

In reflection, The successful completion and refinement of our first draft were major achievements, thanks to the dedicated efforts of our team. Despite the challenges in casting and location scouting, we remained resilient and adaptive, finding solutions and making necessary adjustments to keep our project moving forward. This week highlighted the importance of teamwork, communication, and perseverance in the face of obstacles.

Week 8 Reflection

Week 8 was an important period in our project development, one of the most critical steps was the creation of our major project Google Doc. This centralised document became the hub for all our ideas, drafts, and collaborative edits to the written work, streamlining our workflow and ensuring that everyone stayed on the same page. The document also allowed us to organise our thoughts and plans effectively.

Having the completed informal pitch allowed us to present a broad version of our idea and its premise. This exercise was invaluable as it forced us to articulate our concept and vision for “Situation Tragedy” (which wasn’t dubbed as such until later on). The pitch not only clarified our narrative but also highlighted areas that needed refinement. Presenting our ideas and receiving feedback from peers and mentors provided fresh looks into our concept and constructive criticism, which we used to refine our storyline.

This week was also heavily focused on writing. The intensive writing sessions allowed us to flesh out the script and develop the narrative arcs. With the interesting idea of a B plot storyline of a forbidden love/office romance idea. Lewis was also joining our group and so we all got to meet him and introduce ourselves before cracking on with the task of the assignment. The collaborative effort was particularly strong this week, with Nia, Zach, and Chloe taking the lead on finalising the names, characters, themes, and overall plot structure. Their contributions were instrumental in shaping the characters and defining the themes that underpin our story.

A challenge we faced was balancing the comedic elements with the seriousness of the on set issues, such as workplace sabotage and personal vendettas. The absurdity of the condom sandwich incident aligns with the idea of what would kick off an actor from a set but not be enough to inform authorities or completely stop productions. Drawing from comedic theories like ‘Benign Violation Theory’, which suggests that humour arises from the violations that are safe or acceptable (Warren,C & Mcgraw, A.P, 2015). By ensuring that the comedic moments were unexpected yet generally safe and acceptable, we maintained the film’s humorous tone without taking away from the more serious aspects.

In summary, Week 8 was a highly productive period where collaborative efforts and intensive writing brought our project closer to fruition. The presentation of the informal pitch and the heavy focus on writing were significant achievements that set a solid foundation for the weeks to come.

References:

Warren, C. & McGraw, A.P. (2015), “Benign Violation Theory” in Attardo, S. (ed), Encyclopedia of Humor Studies, Los Angeles: SAGE Reference.

Week 7 Reflection

Week 7 was the week after all our individual week 1 through to 3 and group sketches from 4 to 6 and I missed this class but was notified by Nia, Chloe and Zach that they added me to their group which I was extremely grateful for (but I’ll never let them know that). The inception of ‘Situation Tragedy’ I think came from an amusing and slightly grotesque incident in Building 57, Level 4, at EJ’s Cafe. During a causal study session much earlier on, Zach, one of our group members, bit into a chicken sandwich containing a condiment that suspiciously resembled a clear, sticky liquid. This sparked the hilarious notion of having a food item filled with something that shouldn’t be there and he lingered on the whole “condom in a sandwich idea,” leading to our film’s incident. This combined with the ‘American Vandal’-esque idea, the initial inspiration came from the mockumentary style of “American Vandal,” which brilliantly satirises true crime documentaries through high school pranks. This approach allowed us to blend humour with investigative storytelling, creating a narrative that is both engaging and comical. Though it’s a bit weird it provided a fertile ground for exploring the unexpected and often humorous drama that can arise in mundane settings.

One significant breakthrough was the decision to have the investigation led by a superfan, Mira. This choice added a layer of authenticity and relatability, as Mira’s character embodies the passionate curiosity of fans who often delve deeper into the lives of their favourite shows and actors. It also allowed us to explore the contrast between the over the top cheesy sitcoms and the messy, seriously taken investigation drama behind the scenes.

Thinking comedy, more specifically parody, we embodied some of Toplyn, J’s ideas in ‘Parody Sketches’ when discussing how to execute the parody we were thinking of regarding ‘American Vandal’ but mainly sitcoms and the cheesy over the top aspects and how instrumental they were in shaping our narrative. 

Our group contract facilitated an environment where we could foster a healthy collaboration (we did make a few jokes in the contract and that helped bond us together i think). The informal pitch where ideas could be freely shared and critiqued. were particularly effective in refining our concept. By presenting our ideas and receiving immediate feedback, we could iterate quickly and enhance our storyline.

Reference

Toplyn, J. (2014), “Parody Sketches” in Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV, New York: Twenty Lane Media, pp. 239–261.