Genre Research: Dark Comedy - Taboo to Titter

Hello everyone! Today marks the first day of researching for what genre I will choose the Final Task to be. The first genre I want to explore is Comedy. More specifically Dark Comedy as it would fit my pitch better. Looking at the whole, Comedy focuses on entertainment through humor; which is difficult considering how subjective deciding if something is funny or not is. The goal of the genre is to evoke laughter through amusement. Typically it is lighthearted and playful. On the other hand, Dark Comedy is a subcategory that merges serious and taboo topics with humor. Often, morbid topics are explored in a comedic manner which juxtaposes the conventions of Comedy, producing an unsettling mood. Notably, Dark Comedy unconventional approaches serious societal issues to build a connection between humor and dark humor. It is difficult to define this sub-genre but one of the most well-known movies is American Psycho (2000). Notably, Dark Comedies have a wide spectrum of comedy to darkness; one movie I love that has more of a comedic touch is White Chicks (2004). To fully understand the effectiveness of the genre, I’ve outlined the basic filming conventions below. 

Camera Angles, Movement, and Shots:

• Dark Comedy employs the use of various unusual angles to infuse certain comedic or dark elements. The use of low angles is important when establishing characters with dominance or highlighting flaws within an important character. On the contrary, high angles typically show the vulnerability of a character. Though, in Dark Comedies high angles are used to foreground the absurdity in the plotline. Dutch angles can be used to create a disorientating effect on the audience. Oftentimes, this heightens the discomfort in the narrative. 

• Regarding camera movements, a plethora of action-packed elements are incorporated. Most commonly, tracking shots, unsteady handheld shots, pans, zooming, and boom shots are used. Starting with tracking shots, are used to follow a character, creating a sense of suspense. Unsteady handheld shots are often employed to contribute to the uneasy feeling of a character. It is common to couple an unsteady handheld shot with a point-of-view shot. Dark Comedies utilize pans, more specifically whip pans, to briefly shift focus to either add details of surprise or comedy. Zooming is used in the same way as pans. Boom shots involve using a jig or crane to create a wider view of the subject enhancing the nuanced blend of comedy and darkness. Importantly, smooth camera movements are used to stress the chaos in a particular scene because of the juxtaposing nature. 

• Moving on, Dark Comedy uses various shots. In particular static shots are used to add a sense of normalcy against the movement. Typically lots of camera movement will follow a stationary shot to symbolize the folly of a comedic event. Over-the-shoulder shots are used to convey the irony between certain characters. Usually, they are paired with a two-shot or three-shot. Scenes that emphasize the darkness of a situation are most likely shot in a close-up since that’s when a character’s expressions are most accentuated. When the facial expressions want to be focused more intensely, an extreme close-up is used. In total, the realm of Dark Comedy uses a huge variety of shots. 

Sound:

• Dark Comedies manipulate sound elements to narrate light and dark themes. Sound effects are the most prominent in this genre. Auditory gags are used to highlight certain movements, for example, when someone is injured. The use of sound effects can be used as a motif of the genre due to its increased frequency. As far as background goes, silence and ambient sounds switch to enhance comedic timing, serve as irony, or hone in on the eeriness of a scene. This can be seen in The Lobster (2015) in which classical music is used as a non-diegetic sound to make a clear distinction of the oddness of the situation. 

Editing: 

• In a Dark Comedy, editing is employed to break up the pace of the narrative, underscore comedic impact, and serve as visual gags. A key component is utilizing the sharp tempo via quick cuts and cutaways. The sudden change in perspective often subverts the expectations of the audience. They act as a rhetorical device playing with the emotions of the audience. The contradiction of the tempo and the visual setup is a common tactic to make a seemingly dire situation one that is comedic. 

Mise-En-Scene:

• As for costumes in Dark Comedies, they often exaggerate the character's personality. The same can be said of make-up This can be seen when a character wears a mismatched outfit to enhance their quirky nature. By exaggerating a costume, comedic elements are added. This is highlighted in White Chicks (2004) when Marcus and Kevin Copeland take over the persona of Brittany and Tiffany Wilson. To replicate the sisters they have to not only act like them but look like them which means making a gag out of them visually. This can be seen in the bright color choice of clothes, additional body elements to make them look female and cakey make-up. The jester of changing their look served as an underlying comedic element throughout the narrative. On the other hand, costumes provide contextualizing details, as in White Noise (2022), where characters wear 80s-style clothing to set the timeframe of the movie. 

  
  

  

• Lighting and Color Design are important to create a visually striking atmosphere. Oftentimes contrast lighting is used to play with the light theme and shadow the dark themes. During the lighter scenes, typically at the start of the movie, golden and white colors are projected to create a feeling of warmth and safety. As the progression towards dark themes occurs, a darker overlay of colors typically black and blue light is enhanced. The connotation of these colors makes the audience feel like they are being observed and crawled up. Now, this is a blanket statement but can be seen in almost all movies, not just Dark Comedies. 

• As for acting, witty remarks are made, ironic reactions are yielded, there is a deadpan delivery, and expressions are heavily exaggerated to amplify the distinct mood. Out of these, the deadpan delivery is the most important to me since it is specific to the genre. Using deadpan delivery can allow a scene to extend the boundary between comedy and terror.  This technique is seen in most Dark Comedies including but not limited to Game Night (2018) and American Psycho (2000). 

• Props are employed in an unconventional nature to heighten the contrast in Dark Comedy. They typically serve as visual gags or emphasize the horror elements. Common props that convey darker themes are the use of guns, knives, and general weapons. From what I’ve observed, there is no common denominator between props and light themes. 

• Set design is also important in adding or retracting from a mundane setting. There isn’t one particular location where a Dark Comedy may flourish. Notably, there is a location that is deemed a site of catastrophe. It serves as a thematic element that will eventually take over. In White Chicks (2004) this was a car crash. In Game Night (2018) this was the “murder mystery house”. In White Noise (2022) this was the train tracks. I like to think of the “point of catastrophe” as the “point of no return” in narrative writing.

In total Dark Comedy focuses on the duality of both its comedic and darker elements within the same scenes or sequences. As for personal notes, all of these conventions are things I would use given I choose this genre. In particular, the deadpan delivery was something I noted and would be sure to include. I feel like this feature can bring forth the scary side of a humorous scene very well. Of course, the quick pacing would be a must. I would pair it with certain sound elements. From a cinematic lens, I enjoyed the use of non-diegetic sound in The Lobster (2015) so I would be sure to use this element. There isn't anything particularly that didn’t appeal to my personal preference but the camera angles, movements, shots, and lighting/color design weren’t especially provoking. Though, I would be sure to adhere to these features due to their much-used nature. Also, if I used this genre I would have to refrain from certain components like the use of boom shots due to the price attached to using a jig. Nonetheless, I am quite fond of this genre. One movie I found that accurately encompasses all of these features is Game Night (2018). Even just in the trailer, a lot of key factors of the genre are included. 

This genre is a top contender for being used in my Final Task. There is for sure a way to incorporate Dark Comedy within the intended pitch. Stay tuned to explore more genres with me!