What makes a movie funny?
- Thread starter frokeyman
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What trends do you notice in your favorite comedies? For me, I tend to watch a lot of sitcoms, series, and movies that have a lot of improv in them. For me, it's usually situations or subjects that I can relate to, which I find funny. With the improv on top of it, the conversations seem more "real" or "natural".
I think you should pitch some situations or dialogue (which usually makes or breaks the comedy sometimes) to your friends and family and see what their reactions are. I usually will tell a bunch of friends (at separate times) my idea, and gauge their reaction from there.
I think you should pitch some situations or dialogue (which usually makes or breaks the comedy sometimes) to your friends and family and see what their reactions are. I usually will tell a bunch of friends (at separate times) my idea, and gauge their reaction from there.
I think defining humour is one of those things which is such a gray area - there's no real cut or dry! For instance, I love Monty Python but I can't stand shows like "The Big Bang Theory", even though they're both "comedies".
In terms of writing for them, it really depends on the talent you're using.
To clarify; think about actors like Will Ferrell, Robin Williams, Steve Carell or Russell Brand.
These guys have basically built a career on taking a guided script, improvising 90% of it and really putting their acting skills to make it funny... If you are working with actors (or have actors in mind) who are known for their improvisation, then you would be doing them a disservice (and probably wasting your time) to go into a detailed line-for-line script which force feeds them words.
Check out some out-takes from Anchor Man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGG13xG_zAw) and Date Night (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu_kHzUSN40) for some examples of how the actors build upon what they have and pass the puck back and forth.
Then, let's jump over to the other side and look at "British" humor. The guys at the Whitest Kids You Know talk about how they improvise the initial idea but then follow everything to the letter. This sort of humour relies more upon the word play ALA Monty Python. Here's an example of "Grapist" (SFW: 9mil + views) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqq051BU2MY from WKUK.
That being said - it still needs to play well. I, for instance, hate "The Big Bang Theory" with the passion of a thousand suns simply because of the trite crap they spout, the laughter track which ruins it all and the horrible delivery skills of their characters - it seems more of a "hey here are 100 jokes, let's make some dialogue up to fit them" rather than being the other way around.
SO, to sum it up - there's a lot of different shades of humor and, unfortunately, a lot of it comes down to the sort of film (or short, or episode or even sound clip) that you want to produce and the actors you will be working with. It might help to watch some movies that you enjoy and found to be funny and then try to classify it and determine what sort of motifs or techniques they've used (was it slapstick? Was it wordplay? Was it as bad as Adam Sandler's new movie?) and in particular what DIDN'T work.
Phew I think I need a cold beer after that =D
In terms of writing for them, it really depends on the talent you're using.
To clarify; think about actors like Will Ferrell, Robin Williams, Steve Carell or Russell Brand.
These guys have basically built a career on taking a guided script, improvising 90% of it and really putting their acting skills to make it funny... If you are working with actors (or have actors in mind) who are known for their improvisation, then you would be doing them a disservice (and probably wasting your time) to go into a detailed line-for-line script which force feeds them words.
Check out some out-takes from Anchor Man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGG13xG_zAw) and Date Night (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu_kHzUSN40) for some examples of how the actors build upon what they have and pass the puck back and forth.
Then, let's jump over to the other side and look at "British" humor. The guys at the Whitest Kids You Know talk about how they improvise the initial idea but then follow everything to the letter. This sort of humour relies more upon the word play ALA Monty Python. Here's an example of "Grapist" (SFW: 9mil + views) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqq051BU2MY from WKUK.
That being said - it still needs to play well. I, for instance, hate "The Big Bang Theory" with the passion of a thousand suns simply because of the trite crap they spout, the laughter track which ruins it all and the horrible delivery skills of their characters - it seems more of a "hey here are 100 jokes, let's make some dialogue up to fit them" rather than being the other way around.
SO, to sum it up - there's a lot of different shades of humor and, unfortunately, a lot of it comes down to the sort of film (or short, or episode or even sound clip) that you want to produce and the actors you will be working with. It might help to watch some movies that you enjoy and found to be funny and then try to classify it and determine what sort of motifs or techniques they've used (was it slapstick? Was it wordplay? Was it as bad as Adam Sandler's new movie?) and in particular what DIDN'T work.
Phew I think I need a cold beer after that =D
Poop jokes never get old.
Seriously, though, I don't think this is something that should be over-intellectualized. What do you think is funny? Write that.
Hopefully, you think poop jokes are funny. Cuz they are.
Seriously, though, I don't think this is something that should be over-intellectualized. What do you think is funny? Write that.
Hopefully, you think poop jokes are funny. Cuz they are.
There is no real formula to humor, however make humor often works when it makes the viewer feel superior to others, reduces the
emotional impact of anxiety-provoking situations, or surprises the viewer.
http://www.laughlab.co.uk/ did research into what makes a funny joke, and has interviews and research available on their site.
I recommend reading their research paper http://richardwiseman.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/ll-final-report.pdf
emotional impact of anxiety-provoking situations, or surprises the viewer.
http://www.laughlab.co.uk/ did research into what makes a funny joke, and has interviews and research available on their site.
I recommend reading their research paper http://richardwiseman.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/ll-final-report.pdf
Write what's funny to you. Then get other people to read it and get some feedback. Also, watch a lot of comedy films. I'm a sucker for those Judd Apatow films (the good ones), the classics like Woody Allen and those films with my favorite comedy actors. Pretty much if you have a sense of humor then this would just come out to you naturally. Remember, keep it simple. Don't over do it. =]
Humor is very natural for me. Some people are born with more comedic gifts than others. So I don't even really think about what would be funny. It just comes. But what helps is finding what YOU think is funny in movies. I agree with Justin; get feedback from others and watch comedy films.
My advice? Stop....do somting else.
Or....jou only option is to watch al of the Ren and Stimpy episodes, Monty Pyton, Smack the pony, Hans Teeuwen, Half in the bag, The It crowd, Cyaninde & Happines, Soutepark, Filmcow, Blockhead, Beavus & Buthead, Postal, Black Dynamite, The Boondocks, phantom menace and Jon Lajoie....
Or....jou only option is to watch al of the Ren and Stimpy episodes, Monty Pyton, Smack the pony, Hans Teeuwen, Half in the bag, The It crowd, Cyaninde & Happines, Soutepark, Filmcow, Blockhead, Beavus & Buthead, Postal, Black Dynamite, The Boondocks, phantom menace and Jon Lajoie....
Poop jokes never get old.
Seriously, though, I don't think this is something that should be over-intellectualized. What do you think is funny? Write that.
Hopefully, you think poop jokes are funny. Cuz they are.
You are obviosuly an amateur. Dick jokes are where it's at.
Don't have your characters respond to situations the way you or a rational person would.
Have them respond the way you WANT to, but know better than to.
It's not about the story you would be in.
It's about the story your CHARATCERS are in.
Make the audience scream and shout "YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! THAT's what I'd wanna do. Slap that b!tch!"
Have them respond the way you WANT to, but know better than to.
It's not about the story you would be in.
It's about the story your CHARATCERS are in.
Make the audience scream and shout "YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! THAT's what I'd wanna do. Slap that b!tch!"
The timing and the rhythm of the jokes. In addition, make sure the jokes are actually funny.
I Youtube-searched for a film entitled "Gus" that a group of kids at my alma mater did as a class project for digital cinematography, but came away unsuccessful at finding it. The reason being is because it was the perfect example of what NOT to do when making a comedy film. If I manage to come across it, I'll post it here.
I Youtube-searched for a film entitled "Gus" that a group of kids at my alma mater did as a class project for digital cinematography, but came away unsuccessful at finding it. The reason being is because it was the perfect example of what NOT to do when making a comedy film. If I manage to come across it, I'll post it here.
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josh-orzirigpro makes a very good point. I think you could write the funniest script ever made, but depending on your actors, it could turn out to be the least funny things ever. Just depends on the talent really, you can't force funny, it has to be natural. Go with what rayw said to, dont go for the rational approach. If you look at a lot of big comic actors, Jim Carrey, Will Ferrel etc. Their reactions to situations are very exaggeration and non-naturalistic , they do things which you don't really expect to happen. Also, enthusiasm! In comedy you and your actors must be very enthusiastic over everything, thats what brings out the life in comedy!