CONVENTIONS OF BRITISH SITCOM

By Neresh and Jordan

Different Conventions

• Theme Tunes

• Characters

• Location

• Camera Angles and Shots

• Humour

• Plot

• Audience

Theme Tunes

• Funny

• Catchy

• Cheesy

• Often sung by one person

Only Fools and Horses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBdN3I-joFs

Me and My Girl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hraWUMzNvvw

Characters• Usually characters are not known before

• In the sitcom, they have a close relationship e.g. father and son, daughter, wife etc.

• They can be identified easily

• Normal family lifestyle

• Established sit-com characters are Richard Briers, Robert Lindsay, Prunella Scales and David Jason

Location

• Usually small and consists of a regular setting

• Pub lounge, living room, town hall etc.

• Extra sets might be used in one or two episodes

• Location rarely changes

Fawlty Towers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TES2kgPF4Wk

Black Adder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptm8agr5DV0

Dad’s Army http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuple20I2vs

Camera Angles and Movements

• The cameras are usually stationary, and follow characters with a pan movement.

•The cameras are also positioned at eye-level during conversation, in order to capture facial expressions and to try to emulate the viewpoint of the person that is being spoken to.

•Long Range shots provide the viewer with an insight to the set and the working environment. This camera position is useful for when there is a change in set and an introduction of a new character.

•Tracking movement may also be used to zoom in on a setting.

Video:

0:17 - 0:24 (Long Shot)

0:25 – 0:30 (Track Movement)

1:08 – 1:17 (Medium Range Shot)

Camera Angles and Movement

• Further Examples:

0:36 – 0:46 (Panning)

Camera ShotsYes Minister: 0:30 - 0:40 (Cut transitions are almost always used in sitcoms)

Mid-Range shots are used consistently throughout the clip.

Undermining Conventions

•The positioning of the camera also subverts the conventions of the genre, as they are mostly stationary, whereas The Peep Show looks like it was filmed with a hand-held camcorder. (1:00 - 1:10)

•The camera performs many shot reverse shots

(0:12 - 0:20) and the camera angle is slightly

above eye-level (rather than above), with a close

up shot range which is unusual, as most sitcoms

use a long/medium range camera distance.

•Peep Show undermines many conventions of a comedy sitcom. For example,

the majority of shots are taken from the Point of View of a character, rather than

that of a close onlooker.

Humour• Usually the characters make their mark by their different jokes

• On average, every minute throughout a sitcom episode there is an element of humour

• Majority of jokes are satire and about someone either from the show or someone well known to the public e.g. Prime minister, the Queen etc.

Red Dwarf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtrYvsaGNkA

Men Behaving Badly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stYr4hnHnsU

Father Ted http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gHdwqa8nho

Plot•Usually very short

•Very rarely the plot is continued or referred to through subsequent episodes

•The resolution of a particular plot occurs at the end of the episode

•This is done so each episode would be more interesting.

Absolutely Fabulous http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69j8ftmnUJs

The Vicar of Dibley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx87be_34Do

Only Fools and Horses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjYWMN20qzI

Plot•Main target audience are people aged 25- 55

• Saying this sitcoms can appeal to anyone