'Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated physical violence and activities which exceed the boundaries of common sense.'
'a stick or lath used by harlequins, clowns, etc., as in pantomime, for striking other performers, esp. a combination of laths that make a loud, clapping noise without hurting the person struck.'
The "Of Bots and Bananas" project is all about slapstick so I thought I'd better define the term before doing anything else. After I had fully understood the term 'slapstick' I began to study some classic slapstick comedians beginning with Charlie Chaplin. I had never watched a Chaplin film from start to finish so after acquiring some of his work I did just that.
I have just finished watching 'The Gold Rush' and the biggest thing I learned from this film was just how many similiarities there are between silent films and animation. Both mediums rely on exaggerated body language and mannerisms to convey the emotion and narrative elements that are required for the scene. I found this observation very interesting and feel it will help me when animating my own comedic scene.
I will continue to study and watch more examples of slapstick/silent comedy in the form of 'City Lights', 'Modern Times' and 'The Great Dictator'.
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