Humor

Introduction

“From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.”

——Dr. Seuss

For the humor project, we are required to do a humoral video to make people laugh. I corporate with Channon to finish the project together. After a discussion on facetime, we choose to record the funny moments in daily life, which can not only reflect common people’s experiences but also get our audience empathy. These funny moments are actually just some funny situation moments, so it seems to be kind of short. Also, the video doesn’t include a lot of dialogue, but just actually acting and showing a funny situation. Even though it’s short, but we still think it could make you laugh a little…maybe.

On the project, we always focus on the effectiveness of our actions, we try to make it as natural as possible. Channon and I are not very good actors, actually, it is our first time on acting. We shot our scene part many times and then last pick the most perfect one for the scene we were shooting. We also having some problems in video production, which challenged us for editing our different scenes together, but we still figured it out.

Humor proposal

Analysis of 2 humorists

For my first humorist, I choose Stephen Chow, a filmmaker, actor, and producer.   In the 1990s, Chow promoted the Wulitou (nonsense and causal) culture into every corner of China.  The characters he performs in most of the movies are common, original people – including grassroots, non-heroes, even the losers – so the audience can easily empathize with the characters’ sweetness and bitterness, sadness and helplessness.  Exaggerism is the most common method Chow used to express his characters; the exaggerated actions and expressions show a feeling of absurdity.  Blunder and repartee also appear with high frequencies in the movies.  For example, the protagonist uses repartee to win an argument with the villain, always making the audience laugh.  Even though his themes are usually about a small person’s positive story with a happy ending, Chow takes advantage of the absurd to fight back the absurd and to explain the sad.  Therefore, Chow’s movies are more than funny since the little people’s happiness and sadness are really connected with the audience, and only in a “casual” moment, quietly touched the audience.  

Chow in Flirting Scholar 

The second humorist is Bai-Ke, the protagonist in an online series of short conditional comedy, Unexpentence.  In the series, Bai-Ke spoofs a lot of plots in traditional movies, which is one of the reasons that make the series popular and funny.  Similar to Chow’s movie, Unexpentence also has exaggerated stories and actions. But unlike the method Chow used to demonstrate the feeling of characters by amplifying the expressions, Bai-Ke in the series always has his symbolic faceless expression, the feeling of the character is expressed by the speedy dialogue.  

Bai-Ke and his symbolistic faceless expression
Bai-Ke and his symbolistic faceless expression

Reflection

For the theme of my own project, I am considering doing some funny events happen in daily life so my audience can empathize with my project.  Through the research of the two humorists, the most inspirational of the techniques I find is exaggeration and contrast. 

Description of chosen project

The subject is the usual but funny events happen in daily life. I choose this subject because art is from life, and people could easily get into my project with similar experience.

Script of humor project

Scene 1 

A slow person who walks slow, writes slow, and talks show. 

She is playing the phone on the bed, then suddenly she sees there is only 1% electricity.  Rush down to find the charger and plug it into the outlet.

Scene 2: Extension

Student: “ Hi, professor, can I ask an extension for my essay?”

Professor banteringly repeats the question: “Can I get an extension for my essay?”

The student tries to say something. 

Professor interrupts: “ That is a ‘no.’ bi—-! ”

Scene 3: The book of answers

A girl asks a question to a book of answers, “Will I grow taller?  Will I grow taller? Will I grow taller?” 

Then she opens the book randomly to find the answer

The answer is “ridiculous.”

Scene 4: A thief and a poor guy

A thief sneaks into a house and is discovered by the house owner.

Owner: “What are you doing?”

Thief: “em, I am looking for money.”

Owner: “ oh, okay, I can help you.  Let’s find the money together.”

Scene 5: When you are in hurry but the receptionist is not

When you are sick too bad.

The hospital receptionist types slowly.

When the flight cancel and you are urgent to change the flight ticket,

The airport receptionist types slowly and smiles elegantly.

Vedio