Question What typical genre conventions of the "movie trailer genre" are being skewered/subverted in the trailer for Comedian? For what purpose? Does it work? In "visual language", it shows that "Although all the conventions of what is presented in one genre may not be exclusive to that genre, the pattern or combination of conventions is what distinguishes examples of one genre from another". Now consider the idea of genre conventions, and how they might connect, for better or worse, to both your powerpoint activity (in activity 2 below), and in the larger sense to your web design (Big Kahuna) project? What does subverting such genre conventions have to do with teaching?
Answer Comedies are based on genre subversion, a technique that creates surprise because of unexpected tiwsts. Slapsticks also rely on genre subversion for entertainment. Movies such as Meet the Spartans, Scream 4, Naked Gun and many more turn a serious situation into a funny one or vice versa by suddenly presenting the spectator with an unexpected scene. Although such movies are quite popular, still a few people find them silly or void. Genre subversion has its consequences. There's a time and place when it can be used or it'll backfire. Just as it may reflect a person's good nature, it may also depict the person as superficial. Genre subversion creates the element of surprise in teaching. It keeps students alert in anticipation of what's coming next. What has turned teaching into a dull profession is its element of predictability. Most of the time, students have figured out what the teacher is about to do way before it's done. Reading becomes boring, writing becomes mechanical, and students eventually lose interest in learning altogether. For my Big Kahuna project, I intend to present my material from different angles. This will serve students who are straightforward (script, diagrams) as well as those who enjoy motion and animation (vidoes, gizmos, games, StAIRs).