Table Top Video - Artist Statement

The purpose of my table top video project is to explore the deadpan and slapstick of two inexperienced people trying to play blackjack. The main goal is to play of the literal nature of how the game can be interpreted (especially by two inexperienced players who don't really know what they are doing). This is demonstrated by having the dealer purposely (for the video) accidently (in the storyline) deal the starting hand wrong (with a joker face-up) One, the joker shouldn't be in the deck at all, showing the inexperience and two, it shouldn't be face up (also showing that the dealer and player don't know exactly the right way of playing. This insight of literal inexperience shines throughout the whole demonstration by having the player continue to ask to be "hit" and not understanding that he is supposed to stop at "21." The dealer also goes along with it continuing to add the numbers showing that she doesn't exactly know what shes doing either. Finally, the climax of the player literally being slapped (or hit) shows the literal interpretation the inexperienced dealer may have trying to figure out what to do. This is a direct play on literal interpretations, deadpan, and slapstick humor. The main purpose is to bring out those qualities in this demonstration.