Image from CC, the magic beans are more sinister than we thought by Ruth Hartnup
Visual comedy is very common in older films and is still in many films today, but what is visual comedy exactly and where can you find it in films. Find out here.
Visual comedy is comedy with a visual gags. They were most common it silent films. The visual gag is best when it is a problem for the character or stops them form getting from point A to point B. This draws attention to the gag and gets the audience invested. Exaggerated sound also helps because it draws the viewers attention to the event even more. Exaggerated movements are key. Unexpectedness also helps on the comedy because it makes the audience jump up and say “what just happened?” Another way to get a laugh is to make the audience see something from one angle but from another angle it looks like something completely different.
Reveals are also a great visual gag. A reveal is when something looks normal but the camera reveals something about the character or object. This is unexpected by the audience and makes them laugh.