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olivertwist Special user Nashua, NH 588 Posts |
I'm mixing sound effects into the music tracks I use and I'm thinking of adding laughter slightly after the funny sound effects. Has anyone tried this with young audiences? I don't intend to use this for shows for teens and adults, but I thought it might work for children's shows.
Is this a bad idea? What do you think? Oliver Twist |
Wolflock Inner circle South Africa 2257 Posts |
It is a great idea. There is a song that has laughing in it, not sure who by or the name of song, but everyone always starts laughing when listening to it. It is a good psycological setup.
Go for it. When you are done, may I ask you if I can hear it. don't worry, I will not use anything of anyones unless I have their permission. Regards Wolflock
Wolflock
Pro Magician & Escapologist Member of JMC (Johannesburg Magic Circle) South Africa |
Tony S Special user New York 582 Posts |
Just don't over do it. You may want to think about putting in a couple of laugh tracks early in the show to help set a mood. Laughter becomes infectious, so you shouldn't need to do this throughout your show.
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paulajayne Inner circle London England 1160 Posts |
Hi
Song = Laughing Policeman. Paula
Paula Jay - Magic to Remember -
--------------------------------- I once wrote a book on elephants, I think paper would have been better. ---- |
Dennis Michael Inner circle Southern, NJ 5821 Posts |
A running gag is to use a laugh bag. If a joke fally flat hit the bag. The bag becomes funny.
Dennis Michael
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Oliver, since I'm part of your 'track'
...I agree with DenDowhy on this. Us the prop Bag as a running gag. Laugh tracks are pretty lame and seen as a manipulative crutch (I'm sure you don't need). You can also use something like Baxt's Lie Detector Lantern to CUE the kids to Laugh when the light and buzzer goes off (by remote). It will also get their attention if that's your problem and can be funny if you prompt them ahead of time that it will go off if they are not laughing enough. Doug
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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olivertwist Special user Nashua, NH 588 Posts |
Thanks for all the responses. I don't have a problem getting kids to laugh but when the audience is small they don't laugh as readily as large audiences (at least that's how it seems to me).
It may be that while editing the track I just wanted to be hearing the laughter. Then I wondered if it would be a useful que to the kids. I'll check out the laugh bag. Tha sounds like fun! Xmoxis (Doug) did a nice voice intro for me which sets the anticipation and raises expectations at the start of the show. Oliver |
jkvand Special user Johnstown, PA 658 Posts |
I think the laugh track is fine, under the circumstances you're using it for. An interesting comparison can be made on using or not using laugh tracks. In the sitcom "8 Simple Rules," after John Ritter died, the show aired without the laugh track for the first episode after his death. They still had some humorous lines, but without the laugh track (which, under those circumstances, it was appropriate to remove temporarily) it was harder to know when to laugh as I watched the show. All sitcoms use them, no matter how funny the show is on its own. A laugh track can definitely help as long as it's not overdone.
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
As to TV shows etc...
"it was harder to know when to laugh as I watched the show." Rather puzzling. Don't you (meaning anyone) laugh when you find something funny? If you don't find it funny then why be 'told' to laugh anyway? I'm glad the movies don't have them! I dislike the *** things...distracting and lame. I'll decide what's funny or not and if I miss it as a joke...then so what. Write better. Notice how much, lately, stand ups like Leno have to TELL the audience they were supposed to laugh...that it was a joke. And these guys have audience cue lights as well as PAID laughers sprinkled in the crowd. Solution...WRITE BETTER comedy. Doug
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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olivertwist Special user Nashua, NH 588 Posts |
Xmosis,
Thanks for your comments. I tend to share your feeling about laugh tracks in general. The routine that I was considering using them with already gets good laughs. But I have noticed that larger audiences respond better than small birthday party audiences, because they feed on each other's energy. So my thought was to add a subtle laugh track for use at small birthday parties. These audiences still laugh at all the right places, but I was wondering if the laugh track could amplify their reaction like having a bigger audience would. Oliver |
Andy Leviss Inner circle NYC 1179 Posts |
On TV it's one thing; in live entertainment, in my opinion, it comes across as cheap and cheesy. As an audience member, it tends to insult me, making me feel like I'm being manipulated--if it's worth laughing at, I shouldn't need to be told to laugh.
In a small audience where laughter is more muted anyway, it's likely to cause them to feel MORE uncomfortable, rather than less, because the fact that it's a fake laugh track will be more obvious. There are workable ways to cue an audience to laugh, just as you can cue them that it's okay to applaud. IMHO, a laugh track is not one of them.
Note: I have PMs turned off; if you want to reach me, please e-mail [email]Andy.MagicCafe@DucksEcho.com[/email]!
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