Comedy or Horror?
The older genre: horror or comedy?
What is comedy? Comedy as a genre can be traced back to ancient Greece before 335 BCE.
Uses psychedelic and unnatural/colourful lighting to enhance Mis en Scene or characters.
What is Sci-Fi?
what type of Mis en Scene is generally used in comedy?
The everyday, ordinary - houses, cars, school, public places, etc
True or false: Horror films often reflect where we are as a society and are a good way to track progress and social consciousness.
What is true? Horror changes as society changes (as do most genres).
see the vary difficult to read horror timeline:
Name the convention:
POV
What is Camera?
Uses unique angles in Camera.
What is horror? It is used to create confusion and unease.
Uses music to break up the character's tension and inner feelings.
What is Disney?
Name 2 types of characters typical in comedy
What is:
the old man
kids
the "dumb" person
the family
animals/pets
True or false: horror and comedy can cross paths in film and television.
What is true? It is often in the sub-category dark/black comedy.
Name the convention:
orchestral music
What is non-diegetic sound?
Often uses family and familial settings as the core characters and Mis en Scene.
What is both comedy and horror?
What is comedy?
Name three different types of comedy (100 points each):
What is:
slapstick
dark/black comedy
romantic comedy
parody/spoof/satire/farce
deadpan
verbal comedy
screwball
*bonus 100 points for each comedy given for the definition (up to 300 points)
slapstick: physical, horseplay, violent 'gags'
dark/black comedy: making jokes of serious topics, often death, illness, war and/or politics
romantic comedy: love in a humorous way
parody/spoof/satire/farce: make fun of something/impersonate in a funny way
deadpan: expression-less comedy - relies on words, not actions
verbal comedy: stand-up
screwball: absolutely crazy behaviour
Name three Camera angles, shots, or movements used in horror to elicit an audience reaction (100 points each):
* an extra 100 points each to say why that Camera convention is used
What is:
POV
over-the-shoulder
Push in
Push Out
long shot
mid shot
pan
close up
extreme close up
possible others the students come up with
why used:
POV - to see from the eyes of the character, to make you feel connected to the character
over the shoulder - seeing what the character can't. What is lurking in the shadows
Push in - highlights the 'off-ness' or the emotion of the scene
Push Out - shows the emotion in relation to the scene
long shot - makes sure the character and the Mis en Scene is in the shot together to show the relatedness
mid shot - still has elements of the Mis en Scene but more focused on the actions of the character
pan - shows what is around, especially if it shouldn't be there or something as suddenly changed
close up - focuses on the emotion so the audience can feel what the character feels (ie, scared)
extreme close up - shows the tension, fear in the face or focuses on an object of importance
name the convention:
squint
What is Acting?
Comedy or Horror:
The use of weather in Mis en Scene is a huge part of setting the atmosphere of the movie.
What is both?
Horror - dark/stormy/windy
Comedy - bright/light/blue skies
Uses clean, sterile environments.
What is Sci-Fi?
How many protagonists are in comedy movies usually?
What is multiple protagonists, usually between 2-4? Comedy movies often feature multiple main characters that experience the same storyline.
What type of pacing does horror generally use?
What is fast-paced? Horror uses fast pacing to disorient the audience and build tension. It is often mixed with one or two scenes of slow-paced editing to give the audience a sense of security.
name the convention:
fade
What is editing?
A push in shot is where the camera moves towards the subject in the film, getting closer and focusing in on the subject and the scene. A push out shot is where the camera moves away from the subject and zooms out on the scene. Would these two camera movements be better in a horror movie or a comedy?
What is both (ha sorry!? the push in and out are both very clear ways to show emotion and how the characters are effected by the scene.
In comedy, there is actually a push too far in shot (to make sure audience knows it is a comedy), and a push too far out shot:
https://blog.pond5.com/16424-10-comedic-camera-techniques-every-filmmaker-know/
for horror: 2:20
Uses parallel editing (the most) to show two characters/scenes happening at the same time, often converging into one scene.
What is suspense?
What is enhanced more than normal in comedy films (more than other films)?
What is diegetic sound (sound effects the actors hear)? -walking on grass, opening a door.
People watch horror movies for the __________ reaction/release.
What is psychological?
1. it highlights our unconscious fears OR
2. we cheer for the hero more because of their harrowing journey OR
3. it gives us a dose of adrenaline and it manipulates our emotions to make it pleasurable OR
4. we are sensation seeking, to feel something OR
5. it is an outlet to social anxieties/failures
- Michelle Park
name the convention:
light-up shoes
What is Mis en Scene? - costuming
*unless lighting plays and important part (like Sneakerella), then lighting