What are the names for standard comedy devices/situations?
Some are well-known, like the 'rule of three', but others I don't know.
For example, in a scene that's a noisy room, the protagonist says something sensitive in a loud voice just as the noise disappears. What's that device called?
Or any others?
I've a feeling someone (maybe Griff?) once compiled a glossary of these on this very message board.
I'm rubbish at this. Pull back and reveal is one.
Off the top of my head...
Callback.
Repetition.
Pratfall.
Pun.
Mistaken identity.
Double entendre.
Overstatement.
Amusing simile/strained simile/mixed metaphor.
Spoonerism.
Malapropism.
Dude in a dress.
As for the answer to your question, Nogget, I have no idea. Does it really matter? If you need a phrase so badly just invent one.
How about 'Volume Fail'?
Blacking up.
The Pause
The Triple flip over
The Zing Zang
The Whoops a daisy
The Sandwhich filler
The Hidden snip
The Backwards humdinger
Quote: Steve Sunshine @ December 15 2010, 12:34 PM GMTThe Backwards humdinger
I heard they're illegal now.
(Custard) pieing.
I don't know if there's a proper name for it but there's the "and then I got off the bus".
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ComedyTropes
might be a good place to do some research.
Quote: Nat Wicks @ December 15 2010, 12:20 PM GMTPull back and reveal is one.
'Trifling Affair'; similar to custard pieing, but pie is also mixed with fruit, jelly and cream.
Quote: David Bussell @ December 15 2010, 12:27 PM GMT/...I have no idea. Does it really matter?
Well when I saw it happen yet again, in How Not to Live Your Life, I thought to myself "oh they're using the ole', erm..." & the lack of a ready term led me to feel my vocabulary was lacking. I find it's best to know these sorts of things (if they exist) so that when someone else talks about it, I'm not left baffled.
Writing is in many ways like sex.
In both fields, people who use the all the technical terms tend to perform mechanically and without passion.
Zing!