What does "funny" sound like?

 The Sound of Funny: How Music & Sound Design Shape Comedy

Hi again :)

I’ve been researching a good amount about genre for my upcoming short film, but this time around, I wanted to dive into something I haven’t covered yet—music and sound design. I don’t always think about it, but sound is huge when it comes to comedy. A well-placed dramatic score, an awkward silence, or even a perfectly timed record scratch can change a scene from mildly amusing to straight-up hilarious. Since my short film is all about breakup rehearsals, I want to make sure I use sound in a way that enhances the humor rather than distracting from it. This may include unique elements specific to the different "bits" (like a tambourine in the poetry dance). 

So, let’s talk about some great examples of music and sound in comedy—and how I can use similar techniques in my film.

1. Over-the-Top Music

Sometimes, the funniest thing you can do in a scene is to take it way too seriously, especially with the music. Romantic comedies often use dramatic love songs to exaggerate emotional moments. A classic example is Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), where Bridget sings "All By Myself" in her pajamas, fully committing to the sad, lonely breakup trope. It’s funny because it’s so dramatic.

Another great example is in Legally Blonde (2001). When Elle Woods gets dumped by Warner, the soundtrack swells like it's the end of the world. But because we, as the audience, know Warner is trash, the dramatic music just makes it funnier.

2. Sound Effects (Or lack thereof)

Comedy is all about timing, and sometimes the best joke isn’t even in the dialogue—it’s in the sound design. New Girl (2011-2018) does this incredibly well. Schmidt’s dramatic one-liners (ex: "I was raised in a wolf pack!") hit so much harder when followed by the perfect awkward silence or over-the-top reaction sound.

A classic example of sound effects in comedy is The Office (U.S.). Whenever something awkward happens, the complete lack of background music makes it ten times funnier. The silence forces you to sit in the awkwardness, which makes it feel even more real.

Another great trick used is sudden cut-offs. Some of the best comedy scenes abruptly end like the filmmakers are saying, “Yep, that’s the joke. We’re done here.” My short film’s ending does this (where the boyfriend just casually accepts the breakup) by cutting off the girlfriend's very dissapointed/infuriated "THAT'S IT-" once she receives the anticlimactic "Okay." 

3. Diegetic vs. Non-Diegetic Sound

One big decision I need to make is whether the music in my short film is diegetic (heard by the characters) or non-diegetic (just for the audience). We learned about this in the beginning of the year or maybe even last year in AS Media. 

An example is shown in 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), Kat’s poem scene is super emotional, but the lack of background music makes it feel raw and authentic. While a dramatic score WOULD have fit here, the choice to not use it worked well too. On the other hand, something like Mean Girls (2004) uses non-diegetic music to add extra punch (ex: the tribal drum sound whenever Regina George gets mad, or the growling scene embedded below). 

For my film, I’m thinking a mix of both would be best:

• Diegetic sound when the best friend is playing music on her phone for the rehearsals (because let’s be real, someone would make a breakup playlist for this).
• Non-diegetic music when I want to exaggerate a moment for comedy—like a sudden dramatic orchestra swell when the breakup speech gets way too intense.

I'm glad I got to familiarize myself with the sound-side of comedy, especially since it's not usually the first thing I have in mind when I come up with an idea (I'm more of a visual picture-er). Soon enough, I'll be starting with pre-production! Bye for now :)