What factors affect the degree of obviousness you give a gag? At the bottom end of the scale, someone like Richard Whitley would flag up the approach of his bad puns with excruciating deliberation, such that they would be obvious to anyone, and thus rendered entirely unfunny. At the other end of the scale, gags can be so subtle, or be about such a specialist subject, that many people will fail to understand them.
I do like subtle jokes that may take a few seconds to sink in.
But I'm not sure they're the best for getting immediate laughs.
They can work well in dialogue though.
*waits for James Cotter's opinion on this matter*
Quote: Tim Walker @ October 11 2009, 7:04 PM BST*waits for James Cotter's opinion on this matter*
Quote: Tim Walker @ October 11 2009, 7:04 PM BST*waits for James Cotter's opinion on this matter*
I like James's website.
I love subtle gags but I have found that it is almost impossible to have a script made up of them which people will find funny. I also think, and maybe this is me being an egomaniac, that if some producers read subtle stuff from a first time writer they might see this as proof they can't write obviously funny stuff or even fail to get the subtle stuff as their inclination might not be too read into things (due to it being a novice writers work). Would be interested to know if the more experienced writers would agree with this.
I have a co-writer that is far too good at subtle jokes where sometimes no-one else can get them unless they are similarly cultured to him or they have read the script at least five times.
But there's a difference between a line that's subtle & a line that's obscure.
I think I post too obscure references sometimes.
*sinks with the Titanic*
Quote: Steve Sunshine @ October 11 2009, 7:19 PM BSTBut there's a difference between a line that's subtle & a line that's obscure.
True, but when it's subtle and obscure you're f**ked.
Quote: Ronnie Anderson @ October 11 2009, 7:23 PM BSTTrue, but when it's subtle and obscure you're f**ked.
Someone somewhere pees their pants though.
Quote: Leevil @ October 11 2009, 7:22 PM BST*sinks with the Titanic*
Eh?
Quote: ShoePie @ October 11 2009, 7:25 PM BSTEh?
Exactly!
Isn't it all subjective still?
One person finds a gag subtle and another doesn't?
I know but I have realised that maybe comedy has to lose a bit of subtely for enough people to find it funny.
I was involved in a comedy project a few months back and it was written too much towards mine and my co-writers taste (which is very subtle comedy) and as a result some people loved it and proceeded to stalk us (which was very nice) however a lot of peoples response was 'I didn't get it' hence we lost any chance whatsoever of building up a following. I'm not saying it was brilliant but I know we were capable of writing something more obviously funny and perhaps getting more interest.
That's why I try to use a whole range of humour in my scripts, as I'm sure a lot of you do too. You can get away with your obvious gags while having subtle jokes as well, sometimes at the same time!
I like to put lots of visual stuff in to my scripts, sometimes as the main joke but at other times just little bits in the background that you perhaps wouldn't pick up on the first time or even the second time. But it would be this element that I'd hope would encourage people to watch over and over.
That's one of the main reasons I love Arrested Development, I've lost count how many times I've watched that show, and I still pick up new stuff every time!