Sophia Forese

February 10, 2017

Unspoken Comedy: A Genre Analysis of a Twitter Video

Many people, for unknown reasons, believe that things tend to have a more definite

understanding when referred to with an exact name. They feel as if naming things allows us to

obtain some sort of structure or organization. Therefore, for our convenience, we created the

term genre. All things considered, genre is a broad term with many different interpretations. A

genre can be both a complex, yet simple term an individual uses to categorize entertainment. It

can be concluded that categories results in framework, while framework enables the audience to

feel secure in ones knowledge. Overall, genre is a critical tool simply used to study texts and

label different types of works based on their similar elements. A genre can be applied to music,

literature, writings and films. In other words, a genre can be correlated with anything we have

ever encountered in both the media and the world around us.

A video found on Twitter, with the caption of The smallest things be funny when youre

with a true friend is a perfect example of an artifact that portrays unspoken comedy. To start, the

caption contains improper grammar. That alone represents a comical and colloquial aspect rather

than anything else. In order to understand the true genre of any composition, it is essential to

analyze each and every part of it. In this specific video clip, the incorrect grammar shows that the

video is laid-back, instead of a serious clip. Before watching the video, one can gather enough

information from the caption alone to understand the overall purpose and theme of the comedic

video.

In order to clearly define the entire video, the source of where the video is derived from

must plays a significant role. Twitter is a form of social media used primarily for entertainment.

Before scrolling down ones news feed, it is vital to distinguish what the particular platform is.

With that being said, when an individual is active on Twitter, they are typically aware beforehand
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that they will not come across many serious items, but will instead encounter many jokes and

funny interpretations of current events.

Twitter has two main elements of response- retweets and favorites. Additionally, twitter

also has the ability to allow a person to create an original statement of his or her own choice. The

more retweets and likes a certain tweet has, the more viral it becomes. Overall, it can be shown

that twitter is a network used merely for enjoyment. All of this information ties back to the

original video of the two best friends laughing about nothing obvious. Rather than this video

being seen as serious, many would find this video playful and interesting.

It can be concluded that genres can often be hidden or simply not apparent throughout

any piece of work. It is common that the genre of a particular item is unexpressed, and it may

depend entirely on the publics judgement. The video of two friends laughing can be identified as

cerebral, or one that makes you think. The people in the video did not plan for the video to

happen. The two boys most likely had zero interest in amusing other people. The boys were

focused solely on each other and not the fact that the good time they were having could possibly

go viral. The simple, nonchalant video represents such a real life situation that it portrays humor.

Ultimately, the viewers then classify this unique video with comic, giving it a genre. This video

gives off a joyful feeling and makes one want to laugh along. The video, after being posted for

the world to see, shortly became a very popular video that each person wants to share with his or

her best friend.

Although the video contains no verbal discussion, the constant laughter stands for a

category or genre alone. The video is both weird and intriguing, which reflects highly on the

genre. All of these factors relates back to the motives of either the narrator or just the video, or

the intended audience of the video in the first place. Once somebody watches this video, the
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February 10, 2017

feeling of familiarity rushes over them. The well-known emotion of friendship, complete

comfort, or strictly the bond between one and their best friend, is shown throughout the video.

This aspect allows the viewers to sense a realistic fiction genre, on top of the main genre-

comedy.

In each separate piece of work, there is generally an overpowering genre, as well as many

genres hidden in between the main points. As stated before, a genre is a tool that allows people to

identify broad groups of things, without having to break something down to an exact name.

Genres allow people to very easily find something that they enjoy by narrowing their choices by

removing certain characteristics that they do not care for. Furthermore, genres are functional

devices when searching for something specific to an individuals desires. For some, the video of

two people uncontrollably laughing, is something they would laugh along with. On the other

hand, other people can watch the same video, and become bothered by the dullness of the short

film.

Labeling each specific piece of work with a genre is strictly beneficial for the intended

audience. The motives of a distinct item can indicate the audience intended for each artifact. This

states that the true purpose of genre can be purely for differentiating different types of

compositions. For instance, the video on Twitter of the two friends enjoying each others

company can represent comedy- a form of literary genre. Rather than the video containing any

other characteristics, the video interprets indistinct amusement. This video not only demonstrates

one apparent genre, it also indicates that genre as a whole, can occasionally be unexpressed.

The thirty second clip between two friends expressing their undeniable friendship

through laughter does not openly illustrate comedy. However, the witty sentiment obtained

through watching this video is shown throughout the actions and emotions within the video,
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February 10, 2017

rather than any verbal dialogue. With that in mind, genre as a whole is determined through

observations from the viewer. When one item is classified as funny, the purpose of that is to

increase any interest of the spectators. The video contains two people uncontrollably laughing,

which undoubtedly causes any audience to laugh right along with them. Laughter is easily

contagious, in that it can be spread simply by seeing someone else so highly entertained.

For instance, although the video falls within the realms of comedy, the overall purpose is

to express the effortlessness shared between friends that can make one be just as amused as the

other even without knowing what was considered funny in the first place. In any circumstance,

the genre of a distinct artifact will be discovered, rather than immediately or obviously placed in

front of ones face. However, at the same time, in certain situations, genre can in fact be evident.

In this specific artifact, the caption of the video provides a visual image, causing the video to

consist of even more wit then intended. The improper grammar, the laughing face emoji, and the

fact that the video has entirely no sound, expect for laughter, all relates back to the original and

dominant genre of the artifact.

In the final analysis of genre, it can be concluded that the motives, the intended purpose

of any piece of work, and the audience, all equally ties back to the original definition of genre.

Overall, genre is different classifications of different topics based upon common characteristics.

The video acquired from Twitter, a form of social media, ideally depicts comedy- one type of

genre out of many. As shown through the video clip, a genre can simply allow people to judge an

artifact from a broad point of view. Genre is a critical tool used to apply individual titles to

anything published or anything we have ever experienced.