Humor project is an English project where we were given the freedom to study humorists of our choice that we find effective and experiment with a form of comedy. Some of the options for the project were performance based such as a stand-up act, comedic commencement speech, or skit. The other option was less performance based but more like a series of satirical cartoons.
For me, I decided to group with 4 other people including Janine, Lucy, Theresa, and Zoey. We planned to create a music video parody of the song, Cupid by Fifty Fifty. I value that this project has allowed me to explore the theme of humor in a way I’ve never been able to by analyzing two humorists of my choice. It has opened up a new view of humor for me. I also enjoyed making our own humor.
Analysis:
Both Psy and Ylvis both use absurd humor and Farce in their work. They imply exaggerated dance choreography to make parts of their film funny. Both of them have a group of back dancers throughout the music video, but Psy includes dancing in multiple different locations with a variety of outfits where Ylvis and his dancers wear the same outfits with fixed locations for the dancing scenes. They also use facial expressions to create more humor.
In Gangnam style, it starts with a close up of Psy’s face then zooms out to him lip syncing to the camera. Then a kid appears next to him and starts breakdancing with exaggerated facial expressions. Psy films at random and familiar locations such as in front of a playground, horse stables, a parking lot, sauna, in the middle of a field, a tennis court, inside a bus, in front of a carousel, Hangang (river) park, inside an elevator, inside a subway, at a crosswalk, and inside a restroom. He includes diverse groups of people regarding ages, gender, and celebrities. For example, for the scenes in the bus, we can see a middle aged group of women that seem to be going on a trip. In another scene, Psy is sitting on a bench in the middle of a field, with old men playing Go behind him. The people in the background seem to be doing their own thing but they join in dancing on the highlights of the beat or on certain points of the song. Additionally, his entire song inclusdes blue humor. Especially at a part where he is in front of a group of women doing yoga and when the shots zoom into a butt of a lady doing yoga pose. In fact Gangnam Style’s lyrics are about an ideal woman who knows to be refined and when to get wild.
On the other hand, Ylvis uses Caricature of animals and Exaggerism of the sound they make throughout his music video. In the highlight part, he questions what sound the fox makes and starts to sing different absurd sounds he assumes fox might make. His work is more funny because he stays serious and calm with both his singing and his appearance up until the chorus part where he suddenly gets dressed up as a fox and sings in a high pitch of tone to make the absurd fox noises. In the non chorus parts, he goes back to being serious and exploring the mystery of foxes. He also uses facial expressions in the part where he goes “what does the fox say?” and a part where a grandpa actor is sitting with a child on a chair, reading a children’s book. The grandpa makes overemphasized movements with his head on the parts Ylvis is making fox noises.
Reflection:
The techniques I find the most valuable from their work are absurd humor and farce. I find it is really inspirational how they created a whole song and a video that contains all the humor and spreads joy to people.
This will be a good inspiration for my humor project as I am creating a parody music video with my group. I think I would want to create something similar to their work by including dances in between, lip syncing, and absurd humor. We’ll write exaggerated lyrics of our situation with new freestyle building and re-record the song to make it sound funny. I also want to film in many different locations as Psy did in Gangnam Style and possibly dress in funny costumes in certain scenes like Ylvis’s The Fox.
Proposal:
- Are you collaborating with others? Yes* or No
*If Yes, list the names of your collaborators : Janine L, Lucy W, Theresa M, and Zoey B.
- Which form of humor are you planning to develop? (See menu.)
- A parody music video of the song Cupid by Fifty Fifty
- What is the subject (or, in the case of satire, the target)? Why did you choose this subject?
- I would say the target is Freestyle students and staff as we want to create a funny and relatable music video about our new Freestyle building taking much longer than expected and the moving days keep getting pushed back. At the beginning of this project the moving day for our new Freestyle building was pushed back by 2 weeks again so I thought that was funny.
- Which comedic tools/techniques do you plan to use, and why? (List at least 3 main ones and explain briefly how you plan to use them):
- Blunder – wit based on a person who makes a mistake, which makes them appear foolish
- Slapstick – punching people
- Irony – we are planned to move in while we’re still in the process of making the music video
- Exaggeration – “being homeless” because we haven’t been able to move into the new building
- Why do you think this is the right humor project for you? (If you have a group, can you assure me that everyone is invested in this idea and you won’t have trouble getting everyone to contribute meaningfully?) What makes you excited about this idea? What are some potential pitfalls you wish to avoid?
- I think this is a right humor project for me especially because as a film student I’ve been wanting to create a music video or work with an original music product although this is more focused on humor. I think it is good for others in my group as well because we have been talking about how the song was stuck in our head and some of us have been singing the song consistently. We also came to an agreement that Janine and Lucy can work on the music since they learned how to use pro tools from last year as second year seniors and I can help with filming and editing as a film student. I am excited to see how this will turn out.
- If you get approval, what’s your next step?
- We’ll start re writing the lyrics and making shot lists
Script of Humor Project
Overall song ideas for the theme:
- Freestyle building taking long time
- Struggles
| Original lyrics: La, la, la, la-la-la La, la-la-la, la, la-la-la [Verse 1: Aran, All] A hopeless romantic all my life Surrounded by couples all the time I guess I should take it as a sign (Oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why?) [Pre-Chorus: Sio, All] I’m feelin’ lonely (Lonely) Oh, I wish I’d find a lover that could hold me (Hold me) Now I’m crying in my room So skeptical of love (Say what you say, but I want it more) But still, I want it more, more, more [Chorus: All] I gave a second chance to Cupid But now I’m left here feelin’ stupid Oh, the way he makes me feel that love isn’t real Cupid is so dumb | Revised Lyrics: La, la, la, la-la-la La, la-la-la, la, la-la-la (add pop rap idk man) [Verse 1] Been dreaming of Freestyle’s new campus Excited to leave the portables, But Moving Day keeps being pushed back….. (oh help, oh help) [Pre-Chorus] I’m feelin’ underwhelmed (underwhelmed) Oh, I wish I’d have a building that could house me (house me) Now I’m crying in a box So tired of waiting (Say what you say, but I want a new building) I’m But still, I have no room, please, please! [Chorus] Gave second chances to construction!! But now I’m left here feeling homeless! Oh, the way my teachers make us feel we’ll move soon Waiting is so dumb! DIALOGUE: “I’m so excited to move in next week!!” Dead: “It’s not happening” “What about next year?” [REPEAT Pre-Chorus] I’m feelin’ underwhelmed (underwhelmed) Oh, I wish I’d have a building that could house me (house me) Now I’m crying in a box (wah wah) So tired of waiting (Say what you say, but I want a new building) But still, I have no room, please, please! |
We got to actually record it at the new recording room in the first week we moved in. We were the first group to ever record in the new recording studio. Thanks to Janine that worked on the instrumental we needed beforehand and thanks to Lucy who put our vocals together, eventually completing the song. Thanks to Theresa and Zoey for creative shot ideas.
Lyrics to shots
| Everyone + TaeLa, la, la, la-la-laLa, la-la-la, la, la-la-la (add pop rap idk man) | Ping pong |
| [Verse 1] – TheresaBeen dreaming of Freestyle’s new campus 🐙 | Zoey in old campus zoom out |
| ZoeyExcited to leave the portables, | Of us jumping in front of the new campus building ?Or running out of portables |
| LucyBut Moving Day keeps being pushed back…..(oh help, oh help) | Janine punching lucy (Lucy is Moving Day) |
| [Pre-Chorus] – Theresa + LucyI’m feelin’ underwhelmed (underwhelmed) | Tired in chairsLying down over benchesIn those benches by the orange net |
| LucyOh, I wish I’d have a building that could house me (house me) | House with arms by Theresa and Lucy; Zoey running through and sitting inside ‘house’ |
| Janine Now I’m crying in a box 📦 | Crying in box |
| Zoey So tired of waiting (Say what you say, but I want a new building) | Theresa against portable wall |
| Janine But still, I have no room, please, please! | Act like we’re trapped in a space that we can’t break through? MimeBehind glass wallZoey |
| [Chorus] – LucyGave second chances to construction!! | Everyone point at the constructionBow and arrow and fake heart things Something with number TwoEnd with pointing at construction |
| Lucy But now I’m left here feeling homeless! | Someone crouched in corner of Photo room, little light |
| Lucy Oh, the way my teachers make us feel we’ll move soon | Any of the teachers talking? Or pop-ups of the Freestyle teachers’ heads |
| Everyone Waiting is so dumb! | |
| DIALOGUE: Excited: “I’m so excited to move in next week!!” (Lucy)Dead: “It’s not happening” (Janine) “What about next year?” (Tae) | Us talking.Film in the hallways between the softball field and fence. Backpacks as props. Someone (Lucy?) runs up to Tae & others with backpacks on, filming the run, then dialogue. Say “It’s not happening” in a sharp tone |
| Theresa [REPEAT Pre-Chorus]I’m feelin’ underwhelmed (underwhelmed) | Pillow fight to show frustration? (slo mo)Or a prom scene showing us going crazy? |
| Janine Oh, I wish I’d have a building that could house me (house me) | Hug a stuffed animal? Hippo |
| Zoey Now I’m crying in a box (wah wah) | Box on top of head (while dancing) |
So tired of waiting (Say what you say, but I want a new building) | Prom scene with three – Tae, Janine, Lucy – heads down, cut scene to reveal each person. |
| But still, I have no room, please, please! | Begging? Idk if that’s too literal |
| [Chorus repeat] – everyoneGave second chances to construction!! | Rewind effect if we have time maybe? |
| But now I’m left here feeling homeless! | Sleeping outside |
| Oh, the way my teachers make us feel we’ll move soon | Cartwheels Rolling down a hill |
| Waiting is so dumb! | Ending – should it be sad or happy?Sad ending – still Happy ending – |
Final Product
It was overall a fun project to work on and I’m happy with the final result. I hope this was relatable for those who were in Freestyle with me through the constructions this year. I am glad we were able to move into the new building even just for the last month before I graduate. Thanks for reading about my humor project!