Survey of Sound and Silence

I send the questionnaire of the sound comedy and silence comedy to investigate and result my research.

According to research,

Almost people more enjoy the sound one.

From this follow chart we can see that, audience think that editing, cinematography and the timing are funnier in the silence one

So they think that editing, cinematography and the timing can bring laughter to them, it prove that, the editing, cinematography and the timing in this one improve the comedy effect.

In the sound one, audiences the most like timing in this comedy, and the music, canned laughter sound effect and the editing is funnier that cinematography and color. So they think that the timing, music, canned laughter sound effect and the editing can bring laughter to them, it prove that, the timing music, canned laughter sound effect and the editing in this one improve the comedy effect.

From this research we can result that:

“the idea that canned laughter is an effective method to increase laughter and positive responses." (Platow, M. J., Haslam, A., Both, A., Chen, I., Cuddion, M., Goharpy, N., Maurer, J., Rosini, S., Tsekouras, A., & Grace, D. (2005)."Music tells us a lot and it can replace words if it is further emphasized by good body language and facial expressions.".(Tom and Jerry-use of music to narrate story, 04/02/2008) and "Comedy need aftertaste, if we cannot control the rhythm of action, audience will feel boring or noisy. When the complicate dialogs are changed the characters' body action, the film will show more clear action line, more direct and lively dialogs, at the same time, humors also nearby people."(said by the Chinese drama actor--Xiaogang Su in a interview by sina, 27/08/2010) is correct. But my audience that I researched are 18-25 years old, so it has some incorrect, but this is a part research.

According to these feedbacks from my audiences, I can conclusion that, film technique can improve the comedy effect.

References:

Platow, M. J., Haslam, A., Both, A., Chen, I., Cuddion, M., Goharpy, N., Maurer, J., Rosini, S., Tsekouras, A., & Grace, D. (2005)

Amarit, (04/02/2008) wordpress, http://amarit04.wordpress.com/2008/02/04/tom-and-jerry-use-of-music-to-narrate-story/, 22/10/2013

Ran Mu, (27/08/2010) sina, http://ent.sina.com.cn/j/2010-08-27/12153066551.shtml, 11/2013

Re-editing(2)--Sound(3)

Music：

I put funny music into my sound film at 2’56’’, because the climax in this film is the part of stealing. When I put a funny music and combined the rhythm speed of timing, it can bring a funny feeling to audience, and at the same time, I create a feeling like relax or nervous. Because I research the theory about that sound can affect comedy effect, I think this way can make the comedy effect stronger.

Other Sound Effect：

I put a sound effect into my sound film at 2’35’’,

Because I want to improve the small punchline which the stealer shows different attitude to the toy.

In the final part—the same ads (4’31’’), 

I used the typewriter and seal sound effect, I want to high light the ads’ message. After the end of the lightly typewriter, a weight sound of seal drop down, that can let people notice the ads, and depth the image of the ads.

Re-editing(2)--Sound(2)

Canned laughter：

Research supports “the idea that canned laughter is an effective method to increase laughter and positive responses." (Platow, M. J., Haslam, A., Both, A., Chen, I., Cuddion, M., Goharpy, N., Maurer, J., Rosini, S., Tsekouras, A., & Grace, D. (2005). For this effect, I added many canned laughter in this comedy, and I added different level laughter for different punchlines, it mainly shows the strength of the laughter. At the same time, according my supervisor David advice to me, I delayed each of canned laughter by about 0.2 to 0.5 seconds to give enough reaction time of audience.

References:

Platow, M. J., Haslam, A., Both, A., Chen, I., Cuddion, M., Goharpy, N., Maurer, J., Rosini, S., Tsekouras, A., & Grace, D. (2005)

Re-editing(2)--Sound(1)

Because I researched more about the using of film technique in comedy and a new part--Timing in comedy film, I re-edit my comedy film--good night. I had already finished writing my result of written survey in my blog. This re-editing aims to realize and summarize my research results.

In this sound comedy, I firstly put the part of the master eat medicine into the ending used by memory, it can make film more clear. Then I put timing, canned laughter music and sound effect into this comedy to strong the comedy effect.

Timing:

I changed the speed of time, which is 80% slower than original one in 2’57’’ and 3’01’’.

 

I want to show the time when thieves steal very careful, and at the same time, I want to create a nervous feeling. The similar part also shows on the celebrating (3’27’’, 3’33’’).

I changed the speed of time into 200%-300% in 2’59’’ and 3’02’’ because I want to show the snickers and eager when the thieves stolen the things, and at the same time, I decide to create a funny and easy feeling.

Because I researched the theory which shows timing can affect comedy effect, I think this way can make the comedy effect stronger.

Re-editing(1)--Silence(2)

I want to increase the effect which uses the rhythm to control the feeling of audience, and at the same time, I want to create a feeling about confusion and confounded. The similarly style also shows at the part of stealing, celebrating and the time after the house-owner waked up (1’23’’, 1’45’’ and 1’57’’).

Because I believe that timing can affect comedy effect, I decide to use this style to make the comedy effect stronger.

In the silence comedy, I had changed the color of the film, from beginning 0’01’’to the ending 2’14’’, I use the color effect—50s style, because the story is happened in night, when I put the 50s black & white color effect, it can let the lighting in film more bright and prominent. With the aim of making the film clearer, I also changed the brightness contrast.

Re-editing(1)--Silence(1)

Because I researched more about the using of film technique in comedy and a new part--Timing in comedy film, I re-edit my comedy film--good night. I had already finished writing my result of written survey in my blog. This re-editing aims to realize and summarize my research results.

This time I use two sound and color styles to edit my film, because I research the using of sound and timing in comedy movies. One is silence film, another one is sound film, and then I put timing in both of them.

In the silence one, I changed the speed of playing in this film; Also I changed the speed into 200% from 0’01’’ to 1’23’’.

Timing and Comedy

Timing have a very important place in comedy films, it is in every comedy elements and film techniques. According timing, that can strong the comedy effect.

“Comic timing is the use of rhythm, tempo and pausing to enhance comedy and humor. The pacing of the delivery of a joke can have a strong impact on its comedic effect, even altering its meaning; the same can also be true of more physical comedy such as slapstick.

A beat is a pause taken for the purposes of comic timing, often to allow the audience time to recognize the joke and react, or to heighten the suspense before delivery of the expected punch line. Pauses, sometimes called "dramatic pauses" in this context, can be used to discern subtext or even unconscious content — that is, what the speaker is really thinking about.“(1)

"Comedy need aftertaste, if we cannot control the rhythm of action, audience will feel boring or noisy. When the complicate dialogs are changed the characters' body action, the film will show more clear action line, more direct and lively dialogs, at the same time, humors also nearby people."(2) 

"The rhythm of comedy actors is very important." said by a Chinese directors, Weimin Ye.(5)

"A lot of people mistake comedy as being easier than drama, but comedy is more difficult because there is a lot of timing," he said. "Instead of walking to a mark and delivering the line, we are constantly walking, running or moving as we say the lines."(3)

"The most important key to comedy is (pause) Timing. …..A proper pause can help create curiosity with an audience, give them a chance to catch their breath, build tension, then zing; you burst into the funny line, ruling the day!"(4)

"Comedy = tragedy + timing"--said by an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author, Alan Alda(4)

“The secret to good comedy is all in comedy timing.” said by a comedian Andy Williams(4)

Time is a ruler to measure the change. In the film and TV program, the shot timing become the material basis to stimulate audience's time feeling(5) 

 Because the place of timing in comedy, I need to more skilled the useful of it. About this, some people talk their suggests.

"If, for example, you pause at the right time in your delivery, you can provoke any number of positive reactions in your audience, all of which will help you be seen as an ultra funny…funny man (or woman). You could help to generate curiosity within your audience, allow them some important time in which to catch their breath, or even build tension. After this, you hit them with the punch line and—wham, zap, pop—you have them rolling in the aisles (not literally, of course)." (6)

According to the length interval, normal display is long. From the span of time, it show the exaggerate effect, and form the display of comedy....comedy film always to the exaggeration of people's motion for showing comedy elements. In generally, the exaggeration of people's motion include of quick motion, slow motion, and freeze motion......(7)

For example: <The Tricky Master>, <God of Gamblers>, <All for the Winner>, <The Eagle Shooting Heroes>, <Kong Fu>.

Try to keep in mind these fundamental comedy rules that relate to the all-vital aspect of timing: Insert a pregnant pause right prior to the last word in your routine. Increase the volume of your voice prior to a sentence’s end, deliver your punch line more in the form of a question, as opposed to a statement, quicken or slow down your tempo, And alternate between shouting/whispering your line(6)

In my research, I cannot find the argument about timing, it prove that, its important place is been recognition in comedy.

Reference:

1. Jing Qi. (11/2012). Comic timing. Publish Film. 3, 35-36.

2. Ran Mu, (27/08/2010) sina, http://ent.sina.com.cn/j/2010-08-27/12153066551.shtml, 11/2013

3. Scott Iwasaki, (04/27/2012) Parkrecord, http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_20498302/park_city-contact_us, 11/2013

4. Harmon Leon, (05/08/2009) Craveonline, http://www.craveonline.com/lifestyle/articles/144554-how-to-have-amazing-comedy-timing, 11/2013 

5. Long Yu. (2008). Analysis The Long And Short Shot Rhythm In Chinese TV Sitcom. Art Education. 3, 27-28.

6. David Parlour, (09/04/2012) comedytiming, http://comedytiming.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/secret-to-comedy-timing.html, 11/2013

7. Ji Li. (2012). Talking to Exaggeration‘s Display in Hong Kong Comedy Film. Light industrial science and technology.12, 18-20.

Film Technique--How Sound affect Comedy（2）

3. Sound Effect
There are many genres of sound effect in comedy, one of them is a special sound effect, it called "canned laughter"

“A laugh track, sometimes called canned laughter by critics, is a collection of pre-recorded audience laughs and applause sounds added to television programs during post-production. The main purpose of the track is to trigger a response from home viewers who may not understand all of the intended humor during a taped sitcom. The belief is that laughter creates laughter, so canned laughter supplements natural reactions to a set-up and punchline. Some television producers call this practice sweetening the track.”(1)

In my opinion, it can improve the desire of laughter to audience, when the "canned laughter" is added into comedy suitably, and it can strong the comedy effect. It's used by "herd mentality" in psychology.

"There are canned laughter in many of  situation comedy, audience know that canned laughter is not true, but the producer always enjoy it. This is the strong role of the 'social identity theory' in psychology, is also called 'herd mentality' by people"(2)

"Herd mentality, or mob mentality, describes how people are influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors, follow trends, and/or purchase items. "(3)

I also find out some evidence about the comments which said " It is helpful if we put canned laughter into situation comedy making"

“There are lots of situation comedy borns out of some television programs, aims to describe the modern urbanism and give audience a pleasant sensation like snooping,  and it will also giving audience a better immersing through the spot laughing sound.  It will also decrease the pressure of laughing arrange。”（4）

"The comedy show needs mental aura. The audience surely expect to laugh happily when watching situation comedy. But the audience have different knowledge and experience so they might won't laugh in every laughing arrange, sometimes the audience didn't shows the response when the punchline appears. So to the audience, the laughing sound aims to to give them condition of laughing preparation." (5)

"Laughing can be enjoyably contagious."(1)

"people's own laughter (and other humor responses) only when others are viewed as in-group members." (6).

"Contagious laughter raises the possibility that humans have laugh detectors.In other words, people are made to respond with laughter on hearing laughter itself, much like the mystery of spreading a yawn"(7)

Through my investigation, I find that there are also some arguments about canned laughter, some critics believes that the canned laughter is helpful to the comedy.

"The situation comedy with laughing sound are invented by Americans, they often records laughing in local when making situation comedy making, so it looks real, there are also appears some clapping and whistle to follow the story." --said by the famours director in China, Jing Shang.(4)

"Canned laughter is used to increase audience appreciation."（8）

“Research supports the idea that canned laughter is an effective method to increase laughter and positive responses." (9).

There are also some critics believe that it is not an effective method to put canned laughter into situation comedy making.

"To be a film production, it could have its own feature, but it will make audience averse if there are some artificially element to show the atmosphere. So it will be a trust of your own production if you don't put background laughing in your work" said by a Doctor in someone University--Maojiao Yang, 04/2013(5)

"The reason why to add laughing sound into the film is the phenomenon that the filmmaker have no confidence of there work and worried about the audience don't laugh" said by an Chinese actor--Xiaofan Sun, 06/2012(5)

Reference:
1. O. Wallace& Tricia Ellis-Christensen, (20/10/2013) wisegeek, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-canned-laughter.htm, 1/11/2013

2. Robert B. Cialdini. (12/2007), Influencer: the power to change anything, McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (22 Aug 2007).

3. Zicheng Wu . (2007). Comparing the Herd Mentality with mind of rivalry in consume. The Reference of The Politics Teaching In Middle School[online]. 10, 50.Available From:http://www.cnki.com.cn/Article/CJFDTotal-ZXZZ200710029.htm.

4. Xiao Luo. (2012). Why there aren't laughing sound in some situation comedy such as 'My Own Swordsman' and 'Modern Family'. Modern Films. 8, 30-32.

5. Hairuo Wen. (2012). Why to add canned laughter in situation comedy?. Modern Film. 7, 40-41.

6. MJ Platowa. (2005). “It's not funny if they're laughing”: Self-categorization, and social influence,responses to canned laughter. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 41, 542–550.

7. Robert R. Provine. (2001), Laughter, Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated.

8. Furnham, Adrian, Hutson, Ella, McClelland, Alastaire. (2011). The effect of gender of canned laughter on television programme appreciation. North American Journal of Psychology. 3.

9. Platow, M. J., Haslam, A., Both, A., Chen, I., Cuddion, M., Goharpy, N., Maurer, J., Rosini, S., Tsekouras, A., & Grace, D. (2005). "It's not funny if they're laughing": Self-categorization, social influence and responses to canned laughter. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 41, 542-550.

Film Technique--How Sound affect Comedy（1）

According to my investigation, I know that the effective of comedy film can be improved when the sound is added into the comedy film.

"According to 'the space out of the frame',  it cause someone dramatic. this effective is always dramatically, for example, comedic,  tragic, etc. Sound always combines different situations to let audiences feel a change and vivid, according character's different mood, listen to the sound, and with the plot to cry or laugh, that can be caused a strong drama effect......because the sound in comedy, the comedy film get a unexpected comedy effect."(1)

Then, how to use sound to improve the comedy effect? First one is Music.

"Music tells us a lot and it can replace words if it is further emphasized by good body language and facial expressions.".(4)

from this, we can conclude that music can affect the whole atmosphere in comedy, and different music style can give different feeling to audiences. For instant, <4>, 

"This cartoon actually rely plot on the background music and body language to explain the story. They use a louder sound when Tom is walking and a softer and more animated sound effect when Jerry is walking. This is related to their size obviously. When they are happy, sad, scared, angry or shocked, the music will change accordingly to tell us the mood of the character. "(4)

The second one is language. there are different genres in language, and the dialect, and accent are popular in language genres.

"dialect is a particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group"--from Oxford Dictionaries.

Dialect has a nice effective in comedy, from this, Chinese films are prominent, such as <The Crazy stone>by Hao Ning, <Joy> by Gan A, <bullfighting>by Hu Guan, and <My Own Swordsman>....., all of they are dialect comedy film.

"dialect element can improve the comedy effect extremely, because of the comedy films is a entertainment form from grassroots plebification in essence. Only in the dialect environment,  the grassroots characters in comedy can highlight the value of the life."(<Talk about the dialect element in chinese comedy films in the new century>, Huan Jiao, 2012)

The Russian and Soviet critic, writer, and pamphleteer--Viktor Borisovich Shklovsky created "Estrangement" theory, he said that, the condition of language estrangement is the art estrangement. So, dialect is more estrange and natural than standardized universal language, and reduce the "fatigue" by Mandarin dialogs. 

the effect in comedy.

1. Aid to character development.

"every language include a different worldview", "human created the language from themselves, but because this, they fetter themselves in language."said by Wilhelm von Humboldt--A Prussian philosopher, government functionary, diplomat, linguist and founder of the University of Berlin.

so, different dialect can show the personality of the speaker. When the character in film use dialect, the personality of character will be show.

2.Aid to make comedy effect on atmosphere.

"dialect saved the happy, vivid ethos from grassroots better than Mandarin, so that have more animate, and make more comedy effect."(3)

Argument:

in the dialect comedy movies, it also has some argument. some people think that,

"....the mix and collisions of different dialect restore living in the truth, for make and characterization the character has the key role. "
(2)

But another people think that,

"there are more different of culture and living between in the dialect, a dialect comedy film can be get the nice reaction in location, but the other area's audiences cannot understand the humor form, because of lack the background knowledge in the dialect comedy, and cannot feel funny."(3)

In conclusion, the music and dialect in sound can improve the comedy effective.

Reference:

1. Sheng Yu. (2013). The Artistic Charm of Movie sound's model. Publish Art. 7, 22-24.

2. Bo Zhao. (2009). Talking to The Sound Art in The Film 'The crazy stone'. Publish Art. 3, 58-59.

3. Huan Jiao. (2012). Talk about the dialect element in chinese comedy films in the new century. Modern Film. 8, 22-23.

4. Amarit, (04/02/2008) wordpress, http://amarit04.wordpress.com/2008/02/04/tom-and-jerry-use-of-music-to-narrate-story/, 22/10/2013

Farce Is a Basic Genre of Comedy Genres

When I decide to research comedy, I choose the comedy genres. According my research, I understand the definitions of every comedy genres. Among them, I am interesting Farce. By my investigation, I found that, farce is a basic genre of comedy. First, let’s me read the definitions of comedy and every comedy genres:

Comedy is a kind of drama, it with exaggeration, amusing form and technique of expression, ingenious structure, witty lines and the comedy character portrayal, to produce effect of comical and jocose, and let people laugh at the ugly, funny things, to make sure the positive life and perfect ideal. (1)

Happy comedy is usually perfect and positive, the aim someone wants to get is strange people's value, promote the liberation of personality, even some of them against asceticism. According thing they did to express freedom of life, the sweet life, the happiness youth and comfortable enjoyment. Comedy of humors'is that aim someone wants to get always is right, rationality, even very noble and positive. But the thing they do is always opposite, run counter to their aim. Satirical comedy is a effect that use the failed object in living, in normal circumstances, someone’s ambition is that stale, outdate, without rationality, or the thing which to do for finish the ambition is not true, no really. The thing they do is losing truth of history and realistic significance. Dramedy change the negative part to positive part in living. Laugh is not belittling and sarcastic people's disadvantage, bad habit and humble. The laughter in dramedy is praise confidence, talent and virtue of people. Absurd comedy according to distort the most deep suffering and death in life, and put them into reverse comic kingdom (2)

This is the definition of farce:

Farce has no the profound meaning, rich personality and psychological analysis, it only use funny action and stupid playing to let audience laugh. (2)

From these evidences, I can get the conclusion, although farce does not have ‘the profound meaning, rich personality and psychological analysis’, but it has the most model features: exaggerate, funny, stupid. These features are included the features of comedy film. So my point is, farce is a basic genre of comedy. And in the process of these evidences I found, I discover that there are some argument about farce and comedy. Many people despise farce, they think that farce is coarse and vulgar, and farce is not comedy, for example:

‘… only monotone imitate, imitate, and again, the wisdom elements of comedy film are disappeared, if there is a new genre in film—farce, it is a good choose.’(3).

“Most of comedy in China is just farce, audiences want to watching the films that stupid them”—said by China director Zheng Xu.(3)

‘Farce challenge the IQ of audiences again and again, can make comedy film so unprofessional?’—Many audiences’ question and points.

‘Hoping comedy film does not become farce”—said by a <Famous Cooker>’s magazine editor.(06/07/2013)

And another people against these points:

‘…Farce is one of the few forms that is pure comedy.’—Said by the famous comedy actor in British--Rowan Atkinson.

‘Comedy is the development of farce. It keep the whole important elements in farce, even more perfect, and it has its own style.’—said by a Doctor Qijia Chen in someone university.(4)

In conclusion, comedy is a basic genre of comedy.

Reference:

1. Longzi Jiao. (2008). Comment: should exaggeration, , Actress Na Pei is Perfect. Film Entertainment. 4, 21.

2. Xiaozhi Lv & Jianzhong Gao. (2006). Talk The Feature Of Comedy—E.g. The comedy film of Chaplin. Modern communication. 4, 33.

3. Haoyue Han. (2009). Comedy was dead, farce growing. Modern communication. 8, 40.

4. Qijia Chen. (2010). Stephen Chow: From Nonsense Farce develop to people comedy. Modern communication. 9, 32.

The Conclusion of the articles before I read（2）

4. Dramedy

In this comedy type, directors change the negative part to positive part in living. laugh is not belittling and sarcastic people's disadvantage, bad habit and humble. The laughter in dramedy is praise confidence, talent and virtue of people. for instant in 18th century, <Le nozze di Figaro> is in this category.

5. absurd comedy

This comedy type has very strong personalization, it full of inconceivable and absurd. Some people said that, ' the "noisy" in absurd comedy is weird, noisy and eerie, cross-dressing men or women, chaotic time and so on.' absurd comedy according to distort the most deep suffering and death in life, and put them into reverse comic kingdom, for example, Samuel Beckett<En attendant Godot>

6. Frace

This is my favorite comedy type. Many people think that it is crude comedy, because farce has no the profound meaning, rich personality and psychological analysis, it only use funny action and stupid playing to let audience laugh. but the famous  comedy actor in British--Rowan Atkinson said that, farce is one of the few forms that is pure comedy. So farce can bring  people pure laugh, and relax people's pressure in max, even that can ease the pain. This is the reason why I want to research it.

Reference:

http://www.filmsite.org/comedyfilms.html 

http://www.ehow.com/how_6729933_make-comedy-movie.html

Robert R. Provine, <Laughter>

By Geoff King, Film Comedy

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60E12FF345A0C7A8DDDAD0894DD404482

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