"Avoid comedy that hinges on language where possible (such as puns, idioms, accents)."

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As explored at multiple points throughout the literature review of the associated research, language centric humour could be surmised to be the source of most issues in the translation and adaption of comedy elements.

 

Most verbal comedy elements require familiarity with the language or script of origin, therefore, if taken out of the context of this language, they often make little to no sense and can elicit confusion over a humour response.

 

While these elements can be altered and adapted by translators, the original nuances are often lost. Therefore, it may be beneficial to avoid comedy that hinges on these elements to be understood. 

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"Avoid pop culture references or humour that hinges on specific pop cultural knowledge."

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As highlighted in the qualitative questionnaire feedback on the case study film ‘The Trip to Spain’ (2017) explored within the associated research, if the pop culture reference being referenced is something the audience are not familiar with, not only will this moment fail to elicit a humour response, but it may also leave the audience confused and negatively impact their overall perception of the text in question.

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As referenced in the other guideline points prior, pop culture references are often considered universal by some, and therefore included in media texts to elicit a humour response. However, even if one has familiarity in other aspects in the scene but not the pop culture reference in question, the moment of comedy can be recognised as such.

 

However, it could lead to a humour response not being elicited, and the audience feeling that they are being left out of an inside joke of sorts.

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"Avoid leaning into more nuanced comedy styles such as sarcasm and dark comedy."

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While this guideline point is not something fully explored within the context of the associated research project, there is enough existing research at present to suggest that different nuanced humour styles only appeal to smaller audiences in general, regardless of the cultural or societal differences.

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Therefore, this guideline suggestion has been included for screenwriters to consider in the context of writing comedy for international audiences. While it is not explicitly expressing that nuanced humour styles do not work as intended across different audiences, it is simply acknowledging that caution should be taken when using these elements as they often rely on an individuals “sense of humour” to be received well.

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"Different styles of comedy can be utilised if routed in universally understood settings and situations. However, slapstick centric comedy provides greater universal reach."

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Parody can be utilised if the elements being parodied are universally known or understood, for example, archetypal characters or classic narrative structures that provide the opportunity for comedy elements of Observation and Recognition to be present.

 

However, this point briefly highlights that slapstick comedy specifically has a proven broader reach with the success of characters such as Mr. Bean (1990) on an international stage. Therefore, screenwriters should take that into consideration and act with caution when implementing other comedy styles into their work. 

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