Untitled Slide

THE HUMOR ALGORITHM

"How the Process Works"

Humor is not like a Unicorn

KIWILIVE.COM

The Clarity with which you define something's structure is proportional to the ease in creating it

"A benign violation of a norm that surprises you"
-The Humor Research Lab (HURL)

Movies rely on the predictability of humans and the power of their imaginations

So does Humor

Joke Structure

• Set Up (is either words, actions or expressions or emotions that tell a story)
• This story creates a picture (C.A.P.) in the audiences head
• It is also an invitation for the audience to WANT to be there

Joke Structure

• Set Up (is either words, actions or expressions or emotions that tell a story)
• This story creates a picture (C.A.P.) in the audiences head
• It is also an invitation for the audience to WANT to be there

Set Up example

• "I've been seeing someone"
• What picture do you see in your head?
• Usual answers.... New romance, first dates, flowers, awkward moments, getting to know one another
• Did I say any of that?

Step 1

Painting the picture

• AWE -your Actions, Words, Expressions and Emotions take your audience on a journey using their imagination as your vehicle

Painting the picture

• create a scene (of YOUR choice in the head(s) of the people you are speaking to
• In 1 on 1 conversations, the other person creates the set up.
• many times they do it for you by using "2 way options AKA phonetic ambiguities"

Painting the picture

• Usually a sentence or two. But sometimes its just a look, or an emotion.
• Silent Movies created laughter

I know who will fix the problem of the hole in the Ozone. A Bald scientist.

mad scientist in a lab coat , working furiously with pipettes and beakers...

Step 2 - create a second picture or scene that totally negates the first.

Your negative essence of the Punch needs to:

• Create a Motion Picture, or new picture that creates a surprise.
• You are usually refocusing the audience to a different part of the Set Up

For Example

Example

• The hole in the Ozone will be fixed by A Bald scientist.
• What do you see in your head at this point?

I know who will fix the problem of the hole in the Ozone. A Bald scientist. He'll comb what left of the Ozone, over that giant hole....

The first part makes you focus on the word Scientist, then you give a Bald, non scientific answer.

Joke structure you have all heard

• Set Up
• Punchline
• Extra pieces you may have not heard
• Tags, act outs, Mugging
• Call Backs

Joke structure and how to write

• Set Up( sets the table)
• Create A Picture (C.A.P.) (using words, expressions or emotions)
• Two Way Option (T.W.O.) this is in the joke as a phonetic ambiguity that can be misconstrued as something else
• Crush Audience Perception
• Punch (Actions words or emotions and expressions that are used to tell a second story, that completely destroys the audiences belief in your first picture

In the Set Up There is usually a..

• Picture Painted or Movie beginning
• enough Vagueness to let the audience create the scenes in out head
• A layering effect using Actions, words, emotions and expressions (A.W.E.)
• Phonetic Ambiguity (Two Way Option)
• A word with more than 1 meaning

To Create a Joke, this is how you prepare

• Select a topic - not to large...it should be something that interests you (Sports is too big, but A sport like Golf is OK)
• Write out as many pieces of that topic that you can think of (Ninja trick - TwoWay options as pieces make your job easier.) Golf - Clubs, balls, drive, Driver, grass, bunker, sand trap, Par, hole , rules, Honor system, putt, putter, cart, drink cart, bag, Marshall, Tee, people cheat all the time, Teetime, 19th hole, green, Bugs, mosquito's , ducks, duck poop

To Create a Joke, this is how you prepare Pg2

• now we are going to create the premise for the punchline - not the actual punch- but the general concept. This is done by creating a negative based thought about your subtopic.

KIWILIVE.COM

5 Humor Algorithm Steps

• Deliver an ambiguous line (Set Up)
• Creates a Picture
• Includes a Two Way Option
• Deliver the Second Part as crisply as possible (punch)
• Crushes Audience Perception

Ray Engan

Ray Engan