Start to Portfolio Project Genre #1: Comedy

Portfolio Project Genre #1: Comedy 

 

Comedy is a genre in media in which the primary goal is to humor the audience. In most cases, people consume comedic pieces of media to turn off their brain and just have a laugh to feel good. However, comedy is a genre that can go deeper than a slapstick joke or a simple-minded comic relief character; comedy can invite commentary on current events/issues. Unless you’re watching Fraiser S2 EP1. Or Fraiser in general.

My reaction to that episode and Fraiser in general because it is 90% ragebait

The target audience of comedies varies by the subgenre: sitcoms, romcom, slapstick, parody, dark comedy, action comedy, and mockumentary. The most popular Sitcoms, or situational comedies, can be geared towards many different audiences depending on the show/film.

Sitcoms such as The Office (look I included something British!) or Brooklyn 99 are geared towards adult audiences ranging from 18-39, while shows like iCarly or Jessie are geared towards teen audiences. Overall, slapstick comedy (e.g. Tom and Jerry or SpongeBob) appeals to younger audiences, aged 5-12, and most other subgenres cater to older audiences, 25-60.

Tom and Jerry is a good example

The marketing for comedy films commonly relies on the characters. A classic example are the Deadpool movies, where the main appeal is the protagonist, Deadpool, and his sarcastic personality are the primary feature in the promotional pieces. Additionally, The Naked Gun (2025) is marketed in a similar fashion. What the majority of comedy film trailers have in common are that the funniest scenes of the movie are featured, with some clips explaining the plot being used sparingly.

Three frames from The Naked Gun (2025) trailer

I do not understand the plot

Comedy is a delicate thing. If the jokes suck, everything falls apart. Classic comedies like Napoleon Dynamite and Monty Python and the Holy Grail had low budgets, yet the witty writing saves it from being “so bad it’s good” to “wait this is actually really good.” One can’t rely on commonly used exaggerated stunts and gags, frustrating misunderstandings, and a happy ending. Along with quick editing, props for visual gags, and bright lights. When the jokes fall flat, everything is too fast paced for you to even realize that the joke was bad. Which is why I struggled with choosing comedy as one of the genres for my project.

Best and stupidest joke in the movie
The best joke in the movie by the way

I was inspired by Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’s action-comedy style, since my story also revolves around a band. However, part of the movie’s appeal is that it isn’t grounded in reality, since it is based on a comic, and utilizes action-packed and cartoonish fight scenes to keep the watcher engaged. With my generous budget of a whopping twenty-five cents, I do not think that an action-comedy genre should be what I focus on, but will take some conventions here and there.

Comedies that I think capture the genre well:

    Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) 

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) I would put the 2025 version but the original is better. 

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