Archive for the Category "Humor"
Let’s all breathe a collective: “Phew!”
Dan Meth peeks behind the showbiz curtain to bring you the Hollywood that could have been. Some of cinema’s greatest film roles, as played by some of [the] actors initially considered for them.
Video Link via Neatorama
As a writer of action-comedy screenplays, I’m always trying to milk the funny in my scenes. Sometimes that means coming up with multiple jokes or approaches, then deciding which one works the best.
So imagine my joy when I found this site that lets you create your own Batman and Robin comic.
Here are a few that I came up with. But give it a try yourself! It’s tons-o-fun and lets you sharpen your comedy skills at the same time.
Post the links to your comics below!
Quick — what’s the first movie that pops into your head when you think of “Thanksgiving”?
For me, it’s without a doubt: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
If you’re unfamiliar with the 1987 comedy, here’s a description of it from Amazon:
Neal Page is an advertising executive who just wants to fly home to Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with his family. But all Neal Page gets is misery. Misery named Del Griffith – a loud mouthed, but nevertheless loveable, salesman who leads Neal on a cross-country, wild goose chase that keeps Neal from tasting his turkey. Steve Martin (Neal) and John Candy (Del) are absolutely wonderful as two guys with a knack for making the worst of a bad situation. If it’s painful, funny, or just plain crazy, it happens to Neal and Del in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Every traveler’s nightmare in a comedy-come-true!
Planes, Trains and Automobiles is truly one of my favorite comedy movies of all time. It’s well structured, hilarious, quotable and unusually heartwarming. You really care about the two main characters as they take you on their hellacious cross country trip.
The link I’ve provided is to the “Those Aren’t Pillows” Edition, which apparently has a deleted scene and several featurettes. It’s definitely a must-see, or a must-see-again, movie.
Wishing all my family, friends, and readers a very happy Thanksgiving (and a trample-free Black Friday).
Who knew our favorite Star Wars characters were using Facebook?
Four more Star Wars Facebook status threads can be found here (CollegeHumor.com).
There’s a real joy that comes with learning an inside trick of the trade. In film school, one of the first such screenwriting secrets I remember learning was that funny things are made ten times funnier by showing reactions to them — reaction shots1.
Think about your favorite comedy movie and what made you laugh the hardest. Was it a funny event — or someone’s reaction to that event?
Let’s take the famous diner scene from When Harry Met Sally. Is Sally’s (Meg Ryan’s) fake orgasm funny on its own? Maybe a little, but it’s more funny watching Harry (Billy Crystal) squirm uncomfortably. And it’s the funniest when the patron in the diner reacts with the line, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
Remember Superbad when Fogell gets his new ID and McLovin is born? The name McLovin itself is sorta funny, but it’s the characters’ reactions when they learn about the name that really make it hilarious.
EVAN
McLovin? What kind of a stupid name is that, Fogell? What, are you trying to be an Irish R and B singer?
Reaction shots are even more important when there’s no dialogue and there’s just a sight gag.
Do you recall that hilarious scene in There’s Something About Mary, where Healy (Matt Dillon) is spying on Mary (Cameron Diaz) with binoculars? The audience laughter doesn’t come when he accidentally sees her saggy and wrinkly old roommate’s boobs — it comes when we see Healy cringe in horror.
So remember to include reaction shots in your script. It may make the difference between kinda funny and laugh out loud hysterical.