Recommended Screenwriters
Adding Prop Comedy to Your Script — ACE VENTURA
- June 25, 2010
- Posted by: HalCroasmun
- Category: Articles
Want to add a little comedy to your screenplay?
One good place to look is the props. Yes, you do have props — every item your characters touch is a prop. But not every prop will be funny. This is all about selection and incongruity.
Don’t worry, it is easier than it sounds. Consider these movies:
In MR AND MRS SMITH, they had humor around their competitive use of cars, the “girl gun,” the “suburban housewife” using the mini-van to fend off bad guys, and automatic doors the Brad Pitt threw bad guys out of.
In GROUNDHOG DAY, there was comedy around food, a water-filled hole in the road, the shower, and the groundhog driving the truck.
In AMERICAN BEAUTY, there was humor around the muscle car, the weight set, and the rose pedals around the fantasy girl.
In THE HANGOVER, there was comedy around the missing tooth, the tiger, the baby, the jockstrap, the mattress, the taser, the wedding pictures, the Mercedes, and the naked man in the trunk who beat the hell out of them.
Now, read how they did it in ACE VENTURA.
From ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE, written by Jack Bernstein, Tom Shadyac, and Jim Carrey.
EXT. STREET – DAY
A UPS Man with a big pot belly is walking down the street,
whistling and carelessly tossing a package in the air. We
hear the sound of broken glass in the box. He passes a
professional woman.
UPS MAN
Good morning, UPS!
NOTE: In the opening visual, we have our first sign of incongruence – the sight of a happy UPS man tossing a fragile package in the air. This is also the start of establishing our main comedy character.
He tosses the box behind his back like a basketball, then
acknowledges another passerby.
UPS MAN
UPS, good to see you!
He takes a couple of steps, then flings the package incredibly
high into the air, spins comp
letely around and expertly drops
to one knee and catches the box. A Hispanic man passes.
UPS MAN
Buenos dias. Uo Pay eSsay.
NOTE: We’ve now got a running gag – this package will continually be abused in many unique ways, many of which are funny. This guy is having fun. So naturally we’ll take the journey with him, having fun all the way.
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING – DAY
The UPS Man dodges a couple of black kids as though playing
basketball. He runs up the front steps of the building. He
reaches out to open the front door and inadvertently flings
the package behind him and back down the steps.
He goes back, retrieves the package, then enters the building.
INT. LOBBY – DAY
Several people stand in the elevator. The UPS Man just makes
it, but the door closes on the package… REPEATEDLY. He
feigns embarrassment.
NOTE: This is a physical topper. First, he was just tossing the package into the air. Now, he allows the elevator door to close on it over and over. He’s taken the joke to a new level.
INT. 3RD FLOOR – DAY
ELEVATOR DOORS OPEN. The UPS Man throws the package out onto
the floor and starts kicking it down the hall like a soccer
player. With one last big kick the parcel lands in front of
APARTMENT 3B. He picks it up and knocks on the door.
NOTE: This concludes our running gag. The same humor (package abuse) used many times with minor changes that continue to have it be funny. Who would have thought a UPS package could be so much fun?
We hear a small dog barking.
GRUFF MAN (O.S.)
Shut the hell up, you stupid mutt!
An angry, burly man pokes his nose hairs out the chained
door.
NOTE: Comedy description. Sticking his nose hairs out the door is much more entertaining than just sticking out his nose.
GRUFF MAN
What do you want?
UPS MAN
UPS, sir. And how are you this
afternoon? Alrighty then!
NOTE: Punchline: Having the UPS Man ask a question, then answer it himself.
The man grumpily unchains the door. He’s a big guy – 6’5″,
250, and 50 of that is chest hair.
NOTE: More comedy description: 50 pounds of chest hair.
UPS MAN
I have a package for you.
The UPS guy thrusts the package toward the man. We can clearly
hear broken glass inside.
NOTE: Here is our list of package incongruity:
Prop: Package.
Physical action: Package abuse.
Expression of incongruity:
– Tossing fragile package in the air.
– Tossing it behind his back.
– Flinging it into the air, spinning around, etc.
– Reaches for door, flings package down stairs.
– Lets elevator door close on it, feigns embarrassment
– Kicks the package like a soccer player.
– Thrusts package toward man, making the broken glass obvious.
As the scene continues, we’ll see other forms of physical/prop humor.
The man takes the package.
GRUFF MAN
It sounds broken.
UPS MAN
Most likely sir! I bet it was
something nice though! Now… I have
an insurance form. If you’ll just
sign here, here, and here, and initial
here, and print your name here, we’ll
get the rest of the forms out to you
as soon as we can.
NOTE: Punchline: Sign these forms so we can get more forms out to you.
The man begrudgingly begins to fill out the form. The dog
wags his tail and whines. We can see that he likes the UPS
guy.
UPS MAN
That’s a lovely dog you have. Do you
mind if I pet him, sir?
GRUFF MAN
(mumbles)
I don’t give a rat’s ass.
The UPS Man bends down and talks to the dog in a really sucky
pet talk.
UPS MAN
Oo ja boo ba da boo boo do booo.
GRUFF MAN
(under breath)
Brother.
Before the Gruff Man can finish, the UPS Man stands back up
and takes the form again.
UPS MAN
That’s fine sir. I can fill out the
rest. You just have yourself a good
day. Take care, now! ‘Bye ‘bye, then!
NOTE: Here is our list of insurance form incongruity.
Prop: Insurance forms.
Expression of incongruity:
– Punchline: “…sign here, here, and here, and initial here,
and print your name here…”
– Punchline: “…we’ll get the rest of the forms out to you…”
– Takes form before the man finishes.
EXT. ALLEY – CONT’D
As the UPS Man/Ace rounds the corner, his shirt opens up at
his pot belly and the Shiatsu’s head sticks out. Ace is
gloating.
NOTE: Sight gag: Dog sticking head out of his shirt.
ACE
(announcer’s voice)
That was a close one, ladies and
gentlemen. Unfortunately, in every
contest, there must be…A LOOSER!
He jumps into an old beat-up Chevy Bel Air, and lets the dog
out onto the passenger seat.
ACE
LOOOHOOOSERRRHERRR!
He then pulls open the car’s ashtray, and to the dog’s
delight, it’s filled with puppy chow.
NOTE: More prop humor: Ashtray full of puppy chow.
He tries to start the engine but it won’t turn over. The dog
shoots him a look.
ACE
(to dog)
No problem, it gets flooded. We’ll
just wait a few seconds.
Ace sits back. SMASH!!!
From Ace’s POV we see a Baseball bat shatter the front
windshield.
ACE
Or, we could try it now.
NOTE: Punchline: Understatement.
Ace frantically tries to start the car. His new friend
continues around the car beating the living shit out of it.
ACE
Oooh, boy.
ACE’S POV: We see the creep wailing on the car in Ace’s side
view mirror.
ACE
Warning! Assholes are closer than
they appear!
NOTE: Punchline: Parody of the mirror saying “Objects are closer than
they appear.”
The dog is barking insanely.
ACE
(to dog)
You think you can do better?!
NOTE: Personification: Ace talks with animals as if he understands them.
The baseball bat is now pummeling the trunk.
ACE
Wanna give me a push while you’re
back there?
NOTE: Punchline: Absurd request.
BOOM! The back window shatters. Then the car’s engine roars
to life. Ace rejoices.
ACE
FARFEGNUGENNNNN!!!
NOTE: Parody of a religious celebration. Instead of saying hallelujah or
something else, Ace praises a car company.
Ace leaves the bad guy in a cloud of dust and gravel,
screaming bloody murder.
EXT. MIAMI CITY STREETS – DAY
Ace and his new pal speed away freely.
Close on the happy dog, hanging his head out the car window.
PAN across the broken windshield to Ace, also hanging his
head out the window to see where he’s going.
NOTE: Sight gag/Metaphor humor: The dog and Ace are similar creatures.
NOTE: Our dog and car humor:
Prop: The dog.
Expression of incongruity:
– Really sucky pet talk.
– Dog sticks head out UPS man’s shirt as he runs.
– Dog barks at Ace to start the car.
– Punchline: Ace: “You think you can do better?!”
– Dog hang head out window, Ace doing same.
Prop: The car.
Expression of incongruity:
– Ashtray full of puppy chow.
– Engine won’t start as Man attacks car.
– Mirror punchline: “Warning! Assholes are closer than
they appear!”
– Broken windshield: Both dog and man with face out window.
This is the opening scene of the movie and you’ll notice how it introduces our lead comedy character in a funny way. From this point on, we are conditioned to laugh at Ace.
Also, notice how this entire scene is an expression of the main area of incongruity in the script: Ace honors animals over humans.
I listed the humor mainly under the “prop” category because most of the physical actions were connected to props.
Want to write a great comedy? Check out our “Comedy Writing For Screenplays” class!