AYBS also had one or two "films" made as well, in which Slocombe, Humphries, Peacock and Brahms all headed off to the continent. I have to say, I've never enjoyed any of the feature length films of these sitcoms. The absence of canned laughter, ironically, made them appear a bit flat, IMO.
AYBS didn't have canned laughter, in fact I don't think many, if any British sitcoms have ever had canned laughter.
I agree they do feel very different without an audience, but not sure why that's ironic. Audience laughter is mainly there to provide atmosphere so without it they will feel flat.
Yep - almost all UK sitcoms which feature laughter (not all do - particularly the more location-based obs. doc. style productions like The Office) use a real audience. For studio-based sitcoms the audience are usually present for the recording (*), and are also shown location-shot material to record an authentic (**) response. The latter technique is also used for entirely location-shot productions which have laughter tracks.
Canned laughter is relatively unknown here. (It was obviously used in the 80s in the US as many sit coms used to specifically state "XXX is filmed/taped in front of a live studio audience" (presumably to ensure people knew the laughter wasn't canned on their productions?
(*) Some studio sit-coms (for example Dinner Ladies I believe) will run scenes more than once, with the writers/performers working out what works and what doesn't for later takes (altering delivery, timing or even cutting/adding lines based on audience reaction of earlier takes) This is standard in the US AIUI.
(**) Though many audiences have been whipped into a heightened state of 'funniness' by the process, and would laugh at pretty much anything, and are often 'guided' by a floor manager and/or warm-up person.
One other thing about some 70's sitcoms being adapted as movies was about the sets. They often looked totally
different from the sets used in the TV series. Typical examples of this were Steptoe & Son, and Rising Damp.
While it might not have been possible to re-use the actual TV studio sets for the movie versions, most likely due
to various logistical reasons, you'd think the movie people could've at least tried to recreate the original sets.
Maybe the broadcaster owned the rights to the sets? I'm sure this is the reason the live show of Mrs Browns Boys has a totally different set. The writer owns the rights to the characters while the BBC owns other elements. It's the same for the recent Birds of a Feather theatre tour, which was unable to use the actual theme tune, set design or logo.
Another more modern film adaption that reused material from the TV series was Bean: The Movie.
Maybe the broadcaster owned the rights to the sets? I'm sure this is the reason the live show of Mrs Browns Boys has a totally different set. The writer owns the rights to the characters while the BBC owns other elements. It's the same for the recent Birds of a Feather theatre tour, which was unable to use the actual theme tune, set design or logo.
The production company wouldn't just own the rights to the sets... they'd own the sets!
Something like Mrs Browns Boys wouldn't use TV sets in a theatre anyway, they will have been designed for the stage. Not only are stages much smaller than a TV studio floor but also they're not easy to change quickly. Also didn't the Mrs Brown shows preceed the TV version?
I doubt the BBC own anything of Birds of A Feather, it is presumably a FreemantleMedia programme now. The radio show I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue had similar problems when they started a live tour, I seem to remember that they weren't even sure if they could use the show title at first
Yep - almost all UK sitcoms which feature laughter (not all do - particularly the more location-based obs. doc. style productions like The Office) use a real audience. For studio-based sitcoms the audience are usually present for the recording (*), and are also shown location-shot material to record an authentic (**) response. The latter technique is also used for entirely location-shot productions which have laughter tracks.
Canned laughter is relatively unknown here. (It was obviously used in the 80s in the US as many sit coms used to specifically state "XXX is filmed/taped in front of a live studio audience" (presumably to ensure people knew the laughter wasn't canned on their productions?
Although I'm sure I've heard the same 'laughter' on many 'Entertainment' comedy shows of the late 70s/early 80s. The Two Ronnies in particular seemed to use the same laughter effect an awful lot on some of their set-piece sequences (musical numbers in the main, but some sketches too). Here's an example, with the effect I'm talking about particularly evident at 2'51":
This is obviously a recorded sketch, given the visual effects and the lack of natural reaction pauses from messrs Barker and Corbet. I assume it was shown to an audience and the laughter track 'enhanced'. That female screech in the laughter effect crops up all over comedy TV from that era.
(*) Some studio sit-coms (for example Dinner Ladies I believe) will run scenes more than once, with the writers/performers working out what works and what doesn't for later takes (altering delivery, timing or even cutting/adding lines based on audience reaction of earlier takes) This is standard in the US AIUI.
Yes, as I recall each episode of dinnerladies was recorded twice on successive nights and rewritten in the interim, with the final edit containing the best of both worlds. Not sure this technique has been used since by the BBC...
(**) Though many audiences have been whipped into a heightened state of 'funniness' by the process, and would laugh at pretty much anything, and are often 'guided' by a floor manager and/or warm-up person.
Indeed, I've been to recordings where I swear we were all laughing like drains, only to see the programme go out and find it far less funny than I remember!!
Something like Mrs Browns Boys wouldn't use TV sets in a theatre anyway, they will have been designed for the stage. Not only are stages much smaller than a TV studio floor but also they're not easy to change quickly. Also didn't the Mrs Brown shows preceed the TV version?
Yes by a number of years. The Pavilion in Glasgow is the home of Mrs Brown's stage show.
Yep - almost all UK sitcoms which feature laughter (not all do - particularly the more location-based obs. doc. style productions like The Office) use a real audience. For studio-based sitcoms the audience are usually present for the recording (*), and are also shown location-shot material to record an authentic (**) response. The latter technique is also used for entirely location-shot productions which have laughter tracks.
(**) Though many audiences have been whipped into a heightened state of 'funniness' by the process, and would laugh at pretty much anything, and are often 'guided' by a floor manager and/or warm-up person.
There's some Keeping up Appearances bloopers on youtube which feature outdoor and studio bloopers and there's no laughter on the outdoor/location bloopers.
Heres a question for you all
... why did most of the 1970's sitcom have to have a film made about them .. O the buses had 3.. there was bless this house ,george and mildred, till death us do part.. steptoe and son and more blaintley obvious they was nicking scenes and redoing them from the series so why ?
Often they were used as a vehicle to sell the series.
Most TV shows were studio recordings with film inserts(because of cost) and a result were often difficult to sell overseas - particularly the US. The US networks usually have much longer running series, 24 eps sometimes, so several series here could make a couple of longer US-type series and the film often made once the series was established could be bundled with the shows.
They would also generate money from the home market too.
Also don't forget that at the time studios and VTs were very expensive compared to a relatively small 16mm film crew. Although the spin off movies were shot in 35mm - again to raise tech standards and help sales.
Last edited by Fluffy Bunny Feet on 2 April 2013 3:41pm
:-(
A former member
The 5th Series of Allo Allo had over 20eps to to and get a foot hold in the US market, with everything being done in a studio, if you notice even the scenes from the Town square are in the studio. alas it never pick up in the USA but it did help the BBC.
The 5th Series of Allo Allo had over 20eps to to and get a foot hold in the US market, with everything being done in a studio, if you notice even the scenes from the Town square are in the studio. alas it never pick up in the USA but it did help the BBC.
This series is currently on Gold.
I was under the impression the town exteriors were shot at Elstree for these episodes?
When the exteriors were on film, where were they shot?
