Business As Usual
Abstract
Ayson, A.P. (2019). Business as Usual. Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis. University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.
Business as Usual is a short satirical comedy film that tells the story of two office workers, Chan and Kody, as they deal with a threat of a raid against their office. Their new boss makes matters worse by ordering the employees to defend the office from the raid.
The film discusses and critiques the sociopolitical state of the Philippines through the use of symbolism and humor. Utilizing social constructionism, the film uses the office setting to represent a microcosm of Filipino society, with familiar Filipino traits present in the characters of said office. Meanwhile, the film is told in an absurd manner with the film hiding a deeper meaning behind comedic gags and an absurd plot. Through Albert Camus’ absurd theory, it is necessary to accept the reality of the absurdity of the sociopolitical state of the Philippines for one to be able to fully understand it. The film presents itself humorously while being a metaphor for a pressing current topic.