Generic Conventions of...

Generic Conventions are the features shown by texts that allow them to be put into a specific genre. For example: Almost all Westerns use the Iconography of cowboy hats, six shooters, horses and spurs to place them in their genre. Similarly Situation: Comedies will often have canned laughter, a few specific and long-running characters and locations and several catch-phrases

What is a generic convention...

Types of comedySettingTechnical codeIconographyTypes of charactersThemesSound

Generic conventions of comedy

Slapstick This type of comedy uses physical movement and gestures. Physical comedy is often influenced by clowning.

Dark humour Deals with disturbing subjects such as death, drugs, terrorism, rape and war.

Wit/Wordplay More intellectual forms of comedy based on clever , often subtle manipulation of language (though puns can be crude and farcical).

Types of comedy

Depends on the type of comedyGeneric places:

TownsCitiesBright placesWell populated areas

Teen comedy: High SchoolSmall towns

Social comedy:HomesBars

Setting

High Shots – to capture the whole environment

Natural camera to go along with the characters

Medium shots to capture all the characters expressions

Editing sounds to add humour and slapstick effects

Technical Code

Bright colours e.g. Blue and Yellow. Usually shot brightly when during the day

Props include things such as golf sticks, footballs etc. Anything that can be used to increase the comedic value

Iconography

Idiotic/stupid – very accident proneSmart/Nerd – socially awkwardRegular – accidents appear around them,

they can be very sarcastic

Types of characters

Anarchic comedyGross-outParodyRomantic comedyScrew ball comedySlapstick

Themes

Sound is a very important part of a comedyDiegetic sounds – e.g. Dialogue needs to be

clear to make sure that it the words can be heard and laughed at

Non-Diegetic sounds – e.g. Sound effects need to be heard as they add emphasis on certain scenes

Sound