Comedy? It’s probably the second oldest profession, right after you-know-what. Funny guys have been around forever—telling jokes to earn a place at the table. And humor has always been one of the sharpest tools in the sales-and-advertising bag of tricks. Make people laugh and they like you. If people like you, they pay attention, and attention is what advertisers are paying for.
Since one of the first lessons of comedy is getting the timing right, good comedy editors are essential to a comic spot’s success. Admittedly, after you’ve looked at something a hundred times while editing a spot, even a good joke gets worn out. But as a creative editor for commercials who likes to cut comedy, I’m always thinking about what makes something funny. Though I’m sure many directors will think it’s really funny for me to presume to offer them advice on shooting comedy, we editors have learned a few things that might help.
Comedy—like musical taste or falling in love—is damned subjective. It ultimately needs to pass one test: Does it make you laugh? Talking frogs may do it for some, while "Whassup" does it for others.
The commercial comedy genre really got loosened up under the influence of Saturday Night Live ad parodies, the MTV weirdness of Traktor’s spanking "Jukka Brothers" and such, and the deadpan ESPN SportsCenter promos that launched another style of spot humor. Then the dot.comedy boom totally tore up the comic turf because there was seemingly nothing to lose in advertising the ephemeral Internet companies. So we had Outpost.com wolfpacks loosed on half-time marching bands as one spot tried to be more outrageous than the next. Some might think it was sick, but even they were laughing as they said so.
And talk about sick-puppy funny! The truth-in-advertising parodies are probably the most hilarious ad-related stuff out there. But that kind of nasty fun is unlikely to ever become real advertising.
Seems like the frat-boy over-the-top jokes have about run their course. Subtle and smart comedy may be making its way back to the top. Could be it’s time for a "less is more" approach. Let’s look for something funny in the subtleties and nuances of daily life, rather than in slapstick or sight gags. An extended stare, an uncomfortable pause, an unlikely reaction, a striking contrast, or placing characters in unlikely situations—these comic devices can be brought to life in the editing suite.
Like good actors and directors, good editors know that no matter how short a scene, if it’s well constructed it will contain a narrative arc with a beginning, middle and end. Many of the best comedy spots are classic "reveals" where the pressure that’s built up in the first two-thirds is released in the final act.
Letting things play long can sometimes be tricky when working within the :30 format. But comedy needs a few beats to breathe, so don’t overwhelm it with too many cuts. Good directors also know how to give actors some room for randomness, so that editors can have different material to play with. The perfect reaction shot may be at the end of a roll, when the actor is no longer "acting." A cutaway to the right expression can mean the difference between a funny spot and a laugh-out-loud funny spot. The well-placed reaction shot is the visual equivalent of a punch line.
So, some humble advice to commercial comedy directors: Don’t stop the camera; let it roll those extra few seconds after the line has been delivered. What the actor gives you may give us some extra wiggle room in the editing suite. Trust the impact of silence and realistic sounds. Don’t be afraid to discard favorite shots in favor of good comedic timing. And remember: You can play things long, even when working in a 30-second format.
