As I’ve been investigating humor in my studio/ seminar studies, I’ve come upon some unintentional humor. Through watching these videos and adopting a separate lens, I’ve re-ascertained that humor is about framing and timing.
For example, watch this video at a normal speed.
It’s thought-provoking, enticing, and beautiful.
Now try watching it at 2.0x speed.
Suddenly, that wonder and besplendor shifts, in my eyes, to something of bemusement. I’m still absorbing the information and learning about how Refik Anadol is crafting these breathtaking AI art pieces, except at twice the speed. I’m now relying on simultaneously reading the information’s captions to catch anything I’ve missed and interpreted the fast-paced garble that the video propels at me. A lot of the mood and atmosphere become distorted and comical through a faster lens. And this discovery was borne out of the desire to shave off a few minutes of watching a really intriguing video. That’s not to say that I will not go watch it at normal speed, but it’s interesting to completely unroot the serious nature of the video and transform it into something that makes me laugh.
It has led me to think about how timing impacts other elements within humor and how I might find humor in unexpected places. If I don’t discover anything new, at least I get a chuckle every now and then.