Joke Video Analysis

For this project we had to make two approaches to the same joke. Here are the links to our jokes:

Joke One

AND....dun dun dun

Joke Two

Our first joke video, structurally, contrasted our second. Although the video looks primitive with the hand made props and such; we tried to focus line and shape. Our shots of Adam on the ground playing with the train were specifically designed to have put him amongst horizontal and vertical lines. The pillar behind Adam puts him within a frame. He is directly between two vertical lines. Additionally, the lines from the couch cushions and the lines from the trimming on the wall, all lead to Adam's body. Adam sticks out in shots for two main reasons:

• First, his clothing is much darker then his surroundings. His black shirt contrasts with the green couch, and again when he is sitting in the stairway (which is supposed to be his room)
• Secondly, Adam is one of the only curved elements in each shot. Everything Adam is surrounded by is essentially made up of squares and rectangles. So throwing in Adam, who is curved and not so right-angled (is that a word?), makes him stand out.

Our second video completely plays with space and line. Line is used to narrow in on our characters. The white pillars lead you to the mother and son. The use of space in this video is clear. Its one shot, and the only indication of scene change is Adam merely moving closer to the camera. It works though...the point is made. One thing I like about the composition of this video is the colors. The basic colors of the white pillars and red background really makes this look like a video game. The color helps add to the rhythm of the scene. The pillars with the addition of the white door distinctly slices the frame into 1/3 (or 1/4 depending on how you look at it).

Overall, I'm pleased with the videos. They were more or less nothing like our intended scripts, but it worked.