Funny Video Ideas for School

Shoot a skit or comedy sketch with an essential joke premise. Many sketches use the comedic tool of escalation. Escalation is used to build a joke from a believable idea to a ridiculous conclusion. Dangerous or embarrassing situations make perfect starting points to expand on. Have one person in the skit play the role of the straight man. This person will be charged with reacting to the absurdity of the situation and will set up the jokes for your other players. Make a "mockumentary" to cover a topic in a tongue-in-cheek manner. Use hidden cameras to capture funny circumstances without getting anyone in trouble.

A spoof of a recognizable film or TV show could be shot for a school video project. Choose something that your audience will be immediately familiar with. Choosing something serious to spoof is usually easier than spoofing a comedy. In a comedy the jokes have already been explored and fleshed out. Spoofing a dramatic or action show gives you first crack at the jokes, making your work easier.

Use black-and-white or sepia-toned video techniques to create a funny period piece video. Some digital editing programs will even allow you to "auto-age" your video, adding dust glitches, lines and burnouts. You will need to gather costumes that represent what was worn during the period your video is imagined to be. Antique furnishings and antiquated clothing accessories will convey the time period without your actors having to say a word. Easy jokes can be made about the simplicity and formalities of the past.

A fake newsroom video will give your comedy video a broad spectrum of topics to work with. News anchors report on stories that range from tragic to hilarious every day. This juxtaposition of circumstance creates a great forum for a comedy video. Your comedy news reporters can lightheartedly cover topics that are on the minds of fellow students with a comedic spin.

The mockumentay format would fit well for a funny school video. A mockumentay is simply a mock documentary. Start by building a fictitious back story, then slowly expand on this premise through supportive video and interviews. A host or interviewer will play the straight-man role, allowing the interviewees to get all the laughs. Additional comic bits can be added during editing through narration and voice-over.

Hidden-camera video can make for very funny footage. Get clearance from your school if you are shooting on campus. Also be sure that you have the permission from your targets, after the filming, to use their likeness in your video. Some people may be embarrassed by what they were caught doing on tape and decide not to allow you to use it. In order for hidden-camera work to be funny, it can't be mean-spirited or humiliating. You also want to catch people doing something funny, not illegal.