To see what type of conventions are used in comedy films, I will be comparing 3 film openings within the comedy genre to pick up on any similarities in how the opening conveys the genre of the film.
Step Brothers (2008)
Step Brothers Opening Scene
The film begins with the titles appearing in a casual, handwritten font. This immediately gives the audience the impression that the film is a comedy. The music in the background is non-diegetic, and is very upbeat and lively. This creates an content and relaxed atmosphere for the viewer. The lighting is generally natural or high key, creating an uplifting mood and distinguishing the film as a comedy.
The characters have a humorous appearance which is made up with their bizarre and wacky hair. The costume is also portrayed as comical as one character is dressed in childish pajamas, and the other is wearing an outfit that is too small for him. This suggest the humour used throughout the film will be immature and would appeal to a youthful target audience. This humour is also portrayed through the fact that the main characters are grown men and still live in their parents' houses. The titles follow an nontraditional format as the film title is not shown at the beginning of the opening. This suggests that if the opening is clearly distinct from a film trailer, the film title does not need to be presented at the beginning of the opening.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Napoleon Dynamite Opening Sequence
The film begins with the titles appearing in a casual, handwritten font. This immediately gives the audience the impression that the film is a comedy. The music in the background is non-diegetic, and is relaxed and casual. This creates an content and upbeat atmosphere for the viewer. The lighting is natural, creating an uplifting mood and distinguishing the film as a comedy.
The main character seen is very comical looking and adopts the image of a stereotypical nerd. This suggests that the sense of humour used may be slapstick and immature, which would appeal to the young generation as a target audience. This style of humour is also conveyed in the drawings of fictional beings later in the opening sequence, and the card pulled out of the character's wallet that says "U.F.O. Abduction Insurance".
The titles are displayed in a quirky fashion, suggesting that the humour used in the film is unique. The titles include objects such as pencils, a rubber and a protractor which suggests that the character is a teenager who attends school. This also links into the target audience. The titles also follow a traditional format as the film title is displayed towards the beginning of the sequence. This is used to distinguish the film opening from a trailer.
Superbad (2007)
The music in the background is non-diegetic, and is very upbeat and lively. This creates an energetic and stimulating atmosphere for the viewer. No particular lighting is used as the opening is presented in a cartoon fashion. This could be interpreted and juvenile and suggest that the film's target audience is teenagers and young adults. The dancing is lame and idiotic, suggesting the genre is comedy.
One of the 2 character silhouettes seen is thin and weedy, while the other appears to be more fat. The contrast in character physique also suggests that the genre is comedy. The opening uses a variety of bright colours, contributing towards an uplifting atmosphere. The titles follow a traditional format as the film title is displayed towards the beginning of the sequence. This is used to distinguish the film opening from a trailer.
Overall, there are several conventions used to show that the film is within the comedy genre, such as the following:
The film begins with the titles appearing in a casual, handwritten font. This immediately gives the audience the impression that the film is a comedy. The music in the background is non-diegetic, and is very upbeat and lively. This creates an content and relaxed atmosphere for the viewer. The lighting is generally natural or high key, creating an uplifting mood and distinguishing the film as a comedy.
The characters have a humorous appearance which is made up with their bizarre and wacky hair. The costume is also portrayed as comical as one character is dressed in childish pajamas, and the other is wearing an outfit that is too small for him. This suggest the humour used throughout the film will be immature and would appeal to a youthful target audience. This humour is also portrayed through the fact that the main characters are grown men and still live in their parents' houses. The titles follow an nontraditional format as the film title is not shown at the beginning of the opening. This suggests that if the opening is clearly distinct from a film trailer, the film title does not need to be presented at the beginning of the opening.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Napoleon Dynamite Opening Sequence
The film begins with the titles appearing in a casual, handwritten font. This immediately gives the audience the impression that the film is a comedy. The music in the background is non-diegetic, and is relaxed and casual. This creates an content and upbeat atmosphere for the viewer. The lighting is natural, creating an uplifting mood and distinguishing the film as a comedy.
The main character seen is very comical looking and adopts the image of a stereotypical nerd. This suggests that the sense of humour used may be slapstick and immature, which would appeal to the young generation as a target audience. This style of humour is also conveyed in the drawings of fictional beings later in the opening sequence, and the card pulled out of the character's wallet that says "U.F.O. Abduction Insurance".
The titles are displayed in a quirky fashion, suggesting that the humour used in the film is unique. The titles include objects such as pencils, a rubber and a protractor which suggests that the character is a teenager who attends school. This also links into the target audience. The titles also follow a traditional format as the film title is displayed towards the beginning of the sequence. This is used to distinguish the film opening from a trailer.
Superbad (2007)
The music in the background is non-diegetic, and is very upbeat and lively. This creates an energetic and stimulating atmosphere for the viewer. No particular lighting is used as the opening is presented in a cartoon fashion. This could be interpreted and juvenile and suggest that the film's target audience is teenagers and young adults. The dancing is lame and idiotic, suggesting the genre is comedy.
One of the 2 character silhouettes seen is thin and weedy, while the other appears to be more fat. The contrast in character physique also suggests that the genre is comedy. The opening uses a variety of bright colours, contributing towards an uplifting atmosphere. The titles follow a traditional format as the film title is displayed towards the beginning of the sequence. This is used to distinguish the film opening from a trailer.
Overall, there are several conventions used to show that the film is within the comedy genre, such as the following:
- The music is generally upbeat and energetic
- The font is casual or handwritten
- The characters/costumes are used as portrayed as comical
- The lighting is generally natural
- The style of humour appeals to a youthful generation
When creating our final G321 film opening sequence, these conventions will be taken into account to ensure that our opening successfully represents the comedy genre. From this comparison, I have learnt that all of the above conventions are vitally important to setting the right mood for the audience and introducing the appropriate genre.
