British Comedy Guide

FX: Audience Becomes Unsettled

I found the following radio "stage direction" in the I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue book but my problem is, how do you get the audience to be unsettled at will? It could be solved by just recording them when they are unsettled, but it does seem against the spirit. I suppose you could write on an idiot board SHOWS OVER but that would mean they applaud. FIVE MINUTE BREAK might work, with an ONLY JOKING a few seconds later, but that would produce an unwanted laugh or groan.

What would you suggest?

Quote: Tim Azure @ June 5 2012, 8:31 PM BST

I found the following radio "stage direction" in the I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue book but my problem is, how do you get the audience to be unsettled at will? It could be solved by just recording them when they are unsettled, but it does seem against the spirit. I suppose you could write on an idiot board SHOWS OVER but that would mean they applaud. FIVE MINUTE BREAK might work, with an ONLY JOKING a few seconds later, but that would produce an unwanted laugh or groan.

What would you suggest?

Bring on Samantha.

Quote: KLRiley @ June 5 2012, 8:41 PM BST

Bring on Samantha.

Sadly, I can't see that sort of 'unsettling' bringing much of a sound effect from the audience. You'd have to provide more auditory clues, such as wolf-whistling.

Anyway, I wasn't talking about Samantha. Why should she need sound effects to prove her existence?

Maybe they use pre-recorded unsettled audiences.

Most "audiences" on shows are pretty much manipulated these days. i.e. made louder, or a huge laugh is suddenly (and very unnaturally) cut to silence to allow a comedian to add another quick joke, before ramping up the laughter again.

Quote: Mikey Jackson @ June 6 2012, 2:08 PM BST

Maybe they use pre-recorded unsettled audiences.

Most "audiences" on shows are pretty much manipulated these days. i.e. made louder, or a huge laugh is suddenly (and very unnaturally) cut to silence to allow a comedian to add another quick joke, before ramping up the laughter again.

Wouldn't that read as:

TAPE: Audience becomes unsettled (?)

(shrugs shoulders)

I wouldn't worry about it, Tim. There's too many beautiful girls to be worrying about instead.

Quote: Ben @ June 11 2012, 7:58 PM BST

I wouldn't worry about it, Tim. There's too many beautiful girls to be worrying about instead.

Comedy is much easier to deal with, I'm afraid. Anyway no point worrying about beautiful girls at 36...

You're telling me you're a grown man?!

Was I making particularly childish comments? Maybe it's called creativity...?

Creativity is easily manufactured.

Quote: Tim Azure @ June 5 2012, 8:31 PM BST

I found the following radio "stage direction" in the I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue book but my problem is, how do you get the audience to be unsettled at will? It could be solved by just recording them when they are unsettled, but it does seem against the spirit. I suppose you could write on an idiot board SHOWS OVER but that would mean they applaud. FIVE MINUTE BREAK might work, with an ONLY JOKING a few seconds later, but that would produce an unwanted laugh or groan.

What would you suggest?

F/X: usually means "Sound Effects"

"Effects" abbreviated to FX

So it is clearly intended to come from tape or other pre-recorded media.

But why was it in a script? Was it a "show within a show"? like "Pyramus & Thisby"?

~~~~
What you saw might have been a transcription script, i.e. one made AFTER the show, for publication, with the original scripts lost, so the transcriber was simply noting the audience reactions from the program.

Are we all met? Go on Bill, show us your bottom!

Quote: billwill @ June 14 2012, 2:44 PM BST

F/X: usually means "Sound Effects"

"Effects" abbreviated to FX

So it is clearly intended to come from tape or other pre-recorded media.

But why was it in a script? Was it a "show within a show"? like "Pyramus & Thisby"?

~~~~
What you saw might have been a transcription script, i.e. one made AFTER the show, for publication, with the original scripts lost, so the transcriber was simply noting the audience reactions from the program.

I was just paraphrasing the script, okay the audience making noises isn't a sound effect. For the record it was in the I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue book but it was a script from I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again

I've decided to record the audience being unsettled you just need to brief them, no pre-recording is necessary. As long as the audience knows what they're doing this should be fine.

As for creativity being easily manufactured, we need to visit your factory! For a lot of people, it don't come easy...

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