audience mic

[DrPinto]

But is that really that different than electronically reinforcing the laughter from the audience to make the audience think there is more laughter than actually exists?

It's not different at all. I wouldn't go to any performance where the audience's reaction had to be manipulated. That's cheating! If the performance is so lame that laughter had to be added, I'd rather be somewhere else where there was something more entertaining on stage.

It's similar to the season premier last night of "Two and a Half Men". I was a fan of Sheen, but I liked Kutcher too. I watched the show, hoping it would be funny. It wasn't. The thing I noticed the most was the laughter from the audience. There were funny parts, and there were not so funny parts. The way the audience laughed, you'd think it was the best show on TV ever. I could tell that there were people in the studio audience who were being paid to laugh at anything that moved on stage. I felt as if they were trying to deceive me into thinking that this was the greatest show ever produced. It was a HUGE turn off.

If you can't put something on stage that can stand on its own, you don't need to add canned laughter or microphones in the audience, you need to fix your show.

 

[Footer]

If you can't put something on stage that can stand on its own, you don't need to add canned laughter or microphones in the audience, you need to fix your show.

Hince the reason many shows that start with a laugh track lose it by the time they become big. Producers love laugh tracks, directors hate them. Just watch Sportsnight. Second season is much better without it.

To the OP, if your still around... try it. Get an SM58 or an SM81, hang it from the ceiling and point it so the plug side of the mic is towards the speakers. Buy a feedback destroyer and route it though that. Its worth a try. If the boss wants it, give it to him. Its his show. Whenever we have a comedy promoter in, they tend to be pretty specific on how they want their show produced. Then tend to not take no for an answer. I have a feeling your boss is the same way.

 

[museav]

I agree with Kyle. Set up a demo that is a valid attempt to do what they want, although I doubt it will work as they envision. If the results are indeed unacceptable then have options such as a laugh track or the room providing more natural reinforcement within the audience, similar to desired interaction when a congregation sings in a church, to offer as alternatives. That way you're doing what they requested and knowing that it is potentially problematic, being proactive beyond that.

 

[gbirdsall]

thanks for all the input guys
@Drpinto its not an issue with the headlining comics and wouldn't be used when there are more then 100 or so people in the room.


as to the initial question i took the advice and did a trial run with a few different things, but for the most part you guys are correct i tried an sm58 as those are the mics we use, and got feedback in all positions. then i tried, just for s's and g's, the new sennheizer me4 lav that i got for use in a different set up and hid the pack and the mic so that they were paralytically invisible and it worked moderately well but when i told the boss the price of the units she nearly had a heart attack. so the idea is thankfully off the table.

thanks for all the help guys

-Garrett