FV3S02 - Comedic Traditions in Film and Television 03 Jul 2020 - 31 Aug 2021 | Version 3

Associated Module Information

Module Code: FV3S02
Module Title: Comedic Traditions in Film and Television
Faculty: Faculty of Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Production and Performance
Faculty Sub Group: Film (old)
Module Leader: Lesley Harbidge
Module Team:
First Intended Intake: SEP 2013 Final Year of Intake: 2013
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 6
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100058 - film studies
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 3
Valid From 03 Jul 2020
Valid To 31 Aug 2021

Module Aims

To familiarise students with the varied and complex workings and receptions of stage and screen comedy.

To examine the impact of comedic form on content and reception.

Content Summary

An examination of some of the most significant theories and moments in largely British and American screen and stage comedy history, FV3S02 will introduce students to a range of genres including vaudeville; silent film comedy; stand-up; sketch; short film comedy; sitcom; comedian comedy and rom-com. Further, study of performers such as Chaplin; Pryor; Carrey; and Sandler; and texts such as Saturday Night Live; Scrubs; Curb Your Enthusiasm; The Office; and Modern Family will familiarize students with pertinent discourses surrounding comic forms; audiences; laughter; performance; comedy narratives; race; class; and gender.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 36
Seminar 12
Independent Study 152
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Consider the development of performance style against a background of social, cultural and technological change
LO2 Appreciate the implications of comedic form for performance style and reception

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Portfolio Portfolio 1 Individual Presentation OR Group Presentation OR Group Podcast OR Video Essay 0 N/A 40 No 40
Written Assignment (CW) Essay (CW) 1 Essay 0 3500 60 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Portfolio 1
Essay (CW) 1

Reading List

Reading Lists will be updated annually.TextbooksAjaye, Franklyn, 2002. Comic Insights: The Art of Stand-up Comedy. Los Angeles: Silman-James Press.Beach, Christopher, 2001. Class, Language and American Film Comedy. New York: Cambridge University Press.Horton, Andrew (ed.), 1991. Comedy/Cinema/Theory. U.S.: University of California Press.Karnick and Jenkins (eds.), 1995. Classical Hollywood Comedy. New York: Routledge.Marc, David, 1989. Comic Visions: Television Comedy and American Culture. Boston: Unwin Hyman.Mills, Brett, 2005. Television Sitcom. London: BFI.Neale, Steve and Krutnik, Frank (eds.), 1990. Popular Film and Television Comedy. London: Routledge.JournalsBright Lights Film Journal; Film Quarterly; Scope; Screen; Sight and Sound.Websiteswww.bfi.org.uk; www.film.com; www.film.guardian.co.uk; www.imdb.com.Electronic DatabasesA&HCI; BHI; Film & Sound Online; MLA International Bibliography.