Comedy + Drama = DRAMEDY

Developing a story is often a work in progress. Even the most experienced writers know that story telling takes time. Myself and the creative team behind "Scout's Honor" are discovering first hand the struggles that come with creating a well rounded plot. All the ingredients are there for us, diverse characters, strong environment and a premise we're happy with. And yet, even with all these elements we're still working to get over the hump between draft 2.99 to 3.0 One of the things we've been struggling with is the tone of the piece. We're tabbing our film as a "family dramedy," key word being dramedy. This genre of storytelling combines parts of both drama and comedy, elements we're looking to include in our film. As we write and revise, we've discovered the difficulties that come from this type of storytelling.

Dramedy is tough because the author must establish a fine line between laughs and drama. A big part of a successful dramedy (or any story really) is establishing a tone and keeping it consistent throughout. Part of this is creating reliable characters. If they are, the audience will never question their emotions. Moments whether sad or happy will feel appropriate.

Even with all of these elements, it can still be hard to walk that line between comedy and drama. In "Scout's Honor" we're covering something that isn't necessarily funny: death. While our plot covers a sad part of life, we've been trying to find humor in the situational's, the aftermath. We've tried to create characters that feel real and relatable, however sometimes it can be difficult when the comedic element is added. One of our characters, the attorney, has sort of become our go to guy for comedic relief. In each draft we've tried to work on him so that his character feels multi dimensional and real, not just funny. Once again we had to go back to this character's situation and use that to justify his actions, trying to make them consistent with his predicament. As we work to complete our script we're focusing hard on finding a reliable tone.

One of the things that got me thinking more about the line between comedy and drama, is the netflix show "BoJack Horseman". I started watching this show about a week ago and have already finished the first season. I had heard good things about it, but my expectations weren't exactly through the roof. I liked the premise and most of the voice actors working on it, but otherwise I didn't think it would be much more then an easy to watch comedy. The first couple episodes were about what I expected; funny, decent plot, enjoyable enough to keep watching. As I got deeper into season 1, I was surprised to see storylines carry over episode to episode. Plot points started to get darker and the character emotions became relatable. This is when it really started to differentiate between other adult cartoons such as "Bob's Burgers" and "Family Guy." While it continued to make me laugh, the 2nd half of season 1 really pulled me in with the dramatic aspects. "BoJack Horseman" began to waver between comedy and drama. And while you can't really sell it as a drama, you can't discount the dark moments that resonate with the viewer. In one of the later episodes in season 1 there is a scene where BoJack takes too many drugs and begins to hallucinate. At coming off as funny, his hallucinations take a reflective turn as BoJack starts to visualize what his life would be like if he had a family, if he made different choices. He sees how happy he could have been before he wakes up outside a gas station collapsed in the pouring rain. As silly as the show can sometimes be, this scene really resonated with me. With graduation a year away, I'll soon have a lot of tough decisions to make as I pursue a career and a family. Each of these choices I make could have a ripple effect on the rest of my life. And while these are things everyone will think about at some point, it was this "comedy" "BoJack Horseman" that got me looking to the future.

Dramedies are awesome in that they can connect with the viewer in all kinds of ways. If done right they can connect with all kinds of emotions. Make you laugh, make you cry, and more then anything make you think.

I Know That Voice

Have you ever wondered who that guy is that says "In a world...." at the beginning of a movie trailer?  Or who tells you the side effects of that medication you are now too afraid to take? Or maybe you never noticed. These people are called voice actors, and they are some of the most famous people you'll never recognize. Director Lawrence Shapiro and voice actor/producer John DiMaggio wanted to not only give the actors recognition, but the craft itself. In 2013, they produced the film "I Know That Voice", a documentary of countless famous voice actors talking about their personal experiences and the career of voice acting in general. It provides tremendous insight into a world that not many know about, or even consider a career at all.

DiMaggio narrates the film as well as gives his own story. He is best known for his roles as Bender from "Futurama" and Jake from "Adventure Time", but his talents expand far beyond that. He is also an actor, stand up comedian, producer and beatboxer. He is extremely passionate about his craft, and cares about the community of which he is he a part of, hence the creation of the film. DiMaggio skillfully tells the tale of the voice actor from the start of voice acting, to the start of their careers, to their daily lives, to the reason why each and everyone one of them has a passion for it.

One of the most fascinating parts of the film is how they explore the concept of fame in the voice acting world. Unless they were speaking like the character they play, or are also a famous screen actor, most people would have no idea who they were. The title of the film, "I Know That Voice", is a comment on the reaction that most people experience when a voice they recognize comes on television, the radio or video games, but they can't pin down exactly who that person is, due to the facelessness and namelessness of the job.

Some of the cast members of "I Know That Voice"

Another interesting point the film makes is the broad range of areas that voice actors cover. Most people think of animated films when they think of voice acting, but it covers so much more. As previously stated voice actors are required for movie trailers and commercials, as well as video games, television shows, dubbed foreign language films, radio, and audiobooks, among many other fields. Each area comes with it's own challenges and rewards, which the film covers in great detail.

As someone who loves to do voices and comedic bits, this film felt extremely close to my heart. Voice acting seemed like a career that only a select few were chosen to do, and was completely unobtainable. After this film, I realized it was like any other Hollywood job, it required three main things: talent, determination, and luck. This film made voice acting real to me, not just something I wondered about after watching "Inside Out" or "Family Guy". Currently, I'm enrolled in a voice and narration class, which I became more inspired to truly learn about after watching "I Know That Voice". Hats off to John DiMaggio and the rest of the cast of this documentary, this one is a must see for anyone interested in the film and television business.

Cosmos...A Space Adventure *cue trumpets*

After taking the class critical thinking and mass media by professor Ben Crane, I learned the scientific method is the only real way to prove the existence of any theory. But I also learned that the show cosmos sheds light on all of these things I learned in class. In 1980 a television series called Cosmos: A personal Voyage was released on PBS. This show written, and narrated by professor and scientist Carl Sagan created a milestone for any scientific documentary. This year they decided to bring back a new version of the show called Cosmos: A Space-time Odyssey. This series was developed to bring back the foundation of science to network television at the height of other scientific- based television series and films. This show is executive produced by Seth MacFarlane, whose brilliant financial investment helped develop this show into something extraordinary. Not only does the show contain amazing content, its graphics and locations are incredible. This is a show I recommend for everybody, especially for people who love the truth.

The original Carl Sagan above discussing multiple dimension theories.

The new cosmos which is way cooler looking. All in all, a very good show that will appeal to the intrigue, intellect and insight of everyone.

The Difficulty of a Pilot Episode

As of late I have started writing the pilot episode for a web series that I created. The show is nothing special. Just two friends from high school who go to college together. But as this is my first time writing a legit show where there is development and characters and a full on story, there were some really interesting things I learned about writing a pilot episode that usually makes it the weakest of any of the episodes in a series. If I think back to some of my favorite shows, Psych, How I met your Mother, Family Guy, I find that the pilot episode is usually one of the least memorable episodes. Now that I am writing my own show I think I have figured out why it is so difficult, especially when writing a comedy.

1. Developing the Characters
In the pilot episode the author has a very limited time to portray a character and who he/she might be. You need to develop them in a way that lets the audience know who they are right out of the gate. There can't be any dillydally, you have to get right to the point. It needs to be established early on the type of person each character is.

2. The Plot
The plot is the key in any pilot episode, it has to run really smoothly, mostly because without a good plot people lose interest in your story really fast. (Apparently bad stories don't make good television).

3. It has to be funny
The biggest difficulty in writing a comedy pilot is the fact that along with having to introduce the characters, you have to make the story funny at the same time. Now that I have finished the pilot episode I cannot tell you how much easier it was to write the second episode. In the pilot the audience needs to have the characters mapped out for them. In the second episode, people already know who is who and know what each character is going to be like. This allows for a lot less build up and you can go right into the story.

4. Not everyone is going to think it is funny.
It is a very humbling experience to read your script to a room full of your friends and have some laugh their heads off, and others sit there without once smiling. This was something I had to deal with early on as I realized that in the world we live in you can never write or shoot something that is for everyone. By trying to appeal to everyone, you end up appealing to no one. The best chance you have is to hope you are really as funny as you think you are.

Well... there you go, here is a little bit of a reflection on my experience in writing a pilot episode. It was a really difficult but great learning experience because it differed so much from writing a sketch, where you can just take one funny idea and run with it.

South Park - 6 Days To Air

Last week I watched a documentary about Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of the hit animated comedy series, South Park. The documentary was titled, "6 Days To Air" and It followed the South Park creators over the six days that it took them to create the season 15 premier episode for the show. The documentary took the viewer through the entire pre-production, production and post production process and explained just how an episode of South Park is created. I think the most interesting thing about the documentary was that Parker and Stone created an entire episode of South Park in just 6 Days! It usually takes similar shows, like Family Guy and The Simpsons, approximately 9 months to create a whole episode and they are doing it in less than a week.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone had just finished making their new Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon. I saw the musical over the summer by winning lottery tickets to the show. I won 475 dollar tickets for only 30 bucks, it was sweet! The Book of Mormon was without a doubt the funniest show that I have ever seen, better than any TV show or movie. The songs were incredible and the acting was great. It was hilarious and I highly recommend it to everyone. I also recommend trying to win the tickets through the lottery because they are very expensive.

After completing The Book of Mormon, Parker and Stone had to get back to focusing on South Park. The documentary took you into the writers room and showed the viewer how they came up with the ideas for the episode. The documentary also took the viewer through the storyboarding process, voice recording process, the animating process and the distribution process. I thought that it was incredibly how these guys could create an entire episode in under week. They worked day and night for that week but were able to pull it off.

The episode was called, "Humancentipad" and it made fun of Steve Jobs and Apple. I thought that it was one of the best South Park episodes of all time. This documentary was very interesting and I really liked how it took the viewer through the whole process of creating an episode of South Park.

Family Guy

One of my favorite shows ever is Family Guy. Now I know that this show definitely isn't for everybody but I absolutely love it. It's the kind of show that I can watch at any time and always enjoy it. It's funny, enjoyable and easy to watch.

The show is about the Griffin family. You have Peter, who is the father of the family. He is the big oaf that's usually getting the family into some sort of crazy situation. There's Lois, his wife who is usually the voice of reason and understanding. Meg who is the daughter, is the typical teenage girl that the family happens to hate. Chris who is the son, who is basically just a teenage boy that has some funny moments. Brian who is also sometimes the voice of reason, but he's also the most political of the family. Then of course there's Stewie, the evil one year old with plans of world domination who also happens to absolutely despise his mother. There is also a huge array of side characters that all add to the humor of the show.

As I said before, the show isn't for everybody however. Many people will find it offensive, distasteful or just plain stupid. The show definitely isn't a satire like in the vain of South Park. It's more of a shut your brain off and laugh for half an hour type of show. Now don't get me wrong, there are some heartfelt moments and there are episodes that touch on touchy subjects such as abortion and religion and honestly I feel like they do those episodes pretty well. But for the most part, it's just a lot of fun.

Seth McFarlene is a man who has gotten very lucky in the television world. This show has been cancelled not once, but twice and brought back each time. He now has three syndicated shows, all of which are still releasing new episodes to this day and he just released a feature length film that did pretty well in the box office. He is a man that owes a lot to the fans and I think he does a pretty good job of showing it

Although the show has changed pretty dramatically in its over ten year run time, I still continue to love it. The newer episodes are definitely not as "smart" or "witty" as the older ones but I still think they do a pretty good job. It's a show that I think everyone should watch at least once, you never know, you just might like it.

Here is a little compilation of moments from the show. If you find these funny, chances are you'll enjoy the show.

Ted

Last week I watched the comedy film "Ted" starring Seth McFarlene, Mark Whalberg, and Mila Kunis. It was also written and directed by Seth McFarlene. I thought the movie was incredibly funny and unique; the protagonist is an animated talking stuffed teddy bear and it worked. And because the movie was from the mind of the same mans behind projects like "American Dad," "The Cleveland Show," and "Family Guy," many of the voice actors in these television show appeared as in the movie as the supporting cast. As a fan, it was something that I appreciated very much. Even though it bordered on the verge of absurdity, it was able to hold my attention throughout, while at the same time keeping me on my toes with unpredictable plot twists. In the end, Ted was overall an entertaining movie and I recommend it to anyone wishing to enjoy themselves at the movie.
-Kofi

Off the Air

Last night, or morning rather, I stayed up until 5:00 am. Why you may ask? I wanted to watch the adult swim series called Off the Air that airs at 4:00am on Adult Swim. Off the Air, produced by editor David Hughes, is a 15 minute show that features online viral videos, various animations, archival footage, strange transitions, and psychedelic imagery. It premiered in early 2011 and has been on at 4:00 am since. Each episode has a theme that each short animation or video highlights. For example, last night the episodes were about color and falling down. My friend is a fan of the show and when I asked what it was about, he said I just had to watch it. After watching it, I don't exactly know how to explain the show; just watch it. The editing draws different videos and shorts together in a flawless and smooth way. The show puts you in a trance with the mix of the psychedelic images and spacey music. Adult Swim has always been one of my favorite programs but I'm usually in deep sleep by the time it airs. Some of my other favorite Adult Swim programs include Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Family Guy, and now Off the Air. If you're contemplating staying up all night, watch Adult Swim and you will either leave 1.) Extremely satisfied 2.) Confused with a headache or 3.) You will hate it. You don't know what you will get when you watch Adult Swim.

Watch an episode of Off the Air below. The theme in this episode is food.

Importance of music in film

After reading a few blogs and after what we were speaking of in class today I thought I'd share my opinion on the importance of music in film. The music of a film can sometimes make or break the scene of it. For example, the scene in Robert Zemeckis' Cast Away, where Tom Hanks' character wakes up to find his best friend the volleyball "Wilson" missing and floating away in the ocean, is very heavily weighted on it's music bed. The reason for this being is because if you were to watch the scene with out the actual music  bed, it would actually be slightly comical. The scene itself begins with out a music bed but ends with one and rightfully so since the scene was NOT meant to be comical at all.
Here is the scene:

As the scene ends Tom Hanks' character begins to cry historically, if the music bed were not there to direct the emotion of the scene, the concept of a grown man crying that hard over a lost toy, is quite silly. Knowing the circumstances  it's not meant to be funny. Thus, the epic, emotional music piece. Family Guy actually mocked the scene and made it funny by making the famous reference of "Wilson!" and then adding a bit of comic reality coming from a cartoon volleyball. Notice there is no music bed.
Here's that video:

Oh, easy stupid comedy... On the oposite spectrum; a serious situation that shouldn't be funny is Something like the "WOW freak out kid". If this person were really this way or not is entirely debatable. I understand the boy was on Tosh.0 and made sure to stress that he was just acting. On the realistic side of things Human's can act animalistic and freak out the way he did, if I had a mental break down and freaked out about anything (especially being at his age) and it were filmed and posted on the internet by my Justine-Beiber-look-alike little brother I'd probably tell the world it was fake too so that Some day I could look forward to a normal social life in the near future. Aside from that rant, The concept of Asperger's syndrome, is a very serious issue that obviously can hurt himself and others. The reality is sad but the video is terribly funny.
here is that video:

The point is that music can change the entire mood of a film just like the setting of a terrible concept can make it funny.