MovieChat Forums > Hank (2009) Discussion > don't think its a laugh track

don't think its a laugh track

posted 15 years ago by offthewall898
16 replies | jump to latest

first off, when the door opened, people were laughing at the inside of the house..Hank's face was funny and there was a stove in the middle of the floor and trash everywhere, if I was moving there I would laugh too..

I really don't think they used a laugh track in the pilot episode..if you listen carefully , you can hear varying laughs each time, some male some female voices and some laugh harder at certain scenes or lines and some for just a quick "ha ha ha".. it sounds similar to other live audiences i've heard so i don't think they used a laugh track

And how does everyone here seem to know that in fact a laugh track was used and not a live audience??

Lastly, I don't think laugh tracks have lingering laughs and I definitely heard some while watching it a few times

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Hoptoad4 15 years ago

It's not a laugh track. If you don't believe it, call the studio and get tickets to a taping. I went to a taping and there were honest to God people in the audience. Not a laugh machine in sight.

[–] carbonated_turtle 15 years ago

Sure there may be a live audience, but of course they use a laugh track, don't be ridiculous. Every single sitcom, and I mean every single one on TV today uses a laugh track. You may not have noticed a "laugh machine" (that one made me laugh out loud :D) but that doesn't mean that the laughing you hear when watching on TV isn't fake. And by fake, I just mean that it's prerecorded in a studio, and added to the show in post production.

[–] offthewall898 15 years ago

see that's ok..but then technically it's not fake because it was recorded in front a live audience so it is actual people laughing and not just "a machine" or whatever..but i see your point

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Randy-144 15 years ago

According to the following post it is shot before a live audience.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt1441142/board/nest/148742810

[–] pearshaped 15 years ago

The real question then is the audience prompted to laugh (ie someone presses a button that causes a sign to light up that says "laugh") or do they edit the audience noise to make it sound like canned laughter?

From what I can see/hear it smells awfully like canned laughter, most the jokes that gets the audience laughing doesn't even make me smile just a little bit, the show's content is too formulaic.

The best & most real "filmed before a live audience" laughter I've heard from a US sitcom is on "Lucky Louie", there wasn't the laughter 'drone' you get on shows like this every 5 seconds, people weren't prompted to laugh at all and it all sounded very natural.

[–] carbonated_turtle 15 years ago

I think back in the golden age of the sitcom, it used to be most, if not all real laughter from the audience. But as the years went on, and audiences became less interested in the idea of watching a sitcom being filmed, the amount and quality of the laughter probably got to a point where they needed to add "canned" laughter so it didn't sound like the audience was bored.

Viewers are more likely to laugh, whether they find something funny or not, when everyone around them is laughing, or in this case, when the audience on TV is laughing.

[–] InfoBabe 15 years ago

That is so right. I understand that sometimes in a live taping, they shoot the scene several times and the laughs die off as they are not funny the 10th time. So they sweeten it up with canned laughs.

[–] antiveg2 14 years ago

That's exactly what happens. It's hard to tell because ALL sitcoms use a combination but absolutely NO sitcom is aired using just the laughs from taping. And they do indeed sweeten it up with real laughter sounds. I've seen a couple tapings where they ask the audience beforehand to do different types of laughs (kinda funny, chuckles, and finally whole-hearted gut-buster). That being said a lingering/odd laugh or a "ooh" from the audience is no indication of actual spur of the moment reaction.

One time it was done the other way around, rumour has it monumental "kiss" scene from "Friends" between Ross and Monica got such a reaction, that for time, they had to film it again without the audience and edit a shorter-lasting "ooh" later.

[–] InfoBabe 14 years ago

Most good sit coms have no laugh track. The Office, Curb your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, 30 Rock, Frasier, on and on.

[–] starline 14 years ago

" Most good sit coms have no laugh track. "

That's not true...there's good shows with and withOut laughter.

And you're wrong about Frasier and seinfeld.

Laugh tracks are not a horrible thing. Some of the most loved ...enjoyable ... sitcoms Have laugh tracks. Like MOST past sitcoms...and some new. Like frasier, seinfeld, friends, 2 and a half men, how I met your mother, the big bang theory, 3rd rock from the sun, king of queens, living single, cheers, becker, fresh prince, that 70s show, everybody loves raymond, mama's family, golden girls, designing woman, roseanne, wings, yes dear, coach, grounded for life, reba, will & grace, 2 guys and a girl, mash, the cosby show, home improvement, married with children, the nanny...and more.

I myself hope they don't completely do away with background laughter.

Although...it is true that Hank's laugh track...could be toned down a little.

[–] InfoBabe 14 years ago

In any event, I don't need to be told that "This is funny. Now laugh."

In addition, I don't think most of those you describe, funny, and I don't or never did watch them regularly. As to what is funny, to each his own.

I still don't understand why you seem to need a laugh track. One new show this season which I really like but is getting a bad rap is "The Middle." Again, no laugh track. It doesn't need it.

[–] shawnlaib-1 14 years ago

I kinda like laugh tracks actually. It gives the show that "traditional" sitcom feel, which I love.

HOME IMPROVEMENT IS THE FUNNIEST SITCOM EVER!!!

[–] carbonated_turtle 14 years ago

"In any event, I don't need to be told that 'This is funny. Now laugh.'"

That's not really the point. The power of suggestion and group mentality will actually make what you're watching seem funnier. Whether you realize it or not, you laugh a lot more when you're surrounded by people who are laughing than when you're alone. It's not like they're reminding you to laugh and you're saying "okay, I'll comply by laughing now because you're telling me to", but by hearing other people laugh, the jokes will seem funnier to you.

[–] hff0000 11 years ago

Just wanted to add: while what you said there at the end may have some truth to it, I'm pretty sure I remember reading a Wikipedia article that referenced a study about laughter in a group setting. If I am remembering this and the basics of it correctly, the study found that other people laughing can cause a person to laugh, even if there wasn't anything funny witnessed.