Are audience cutaway shots usually fake?

[senseless]

I'm pretty sure most infomercials are phony. The reactions always seem too big or ill timed. But, I wonder if standup comedy specials are real laugh reactions or not.

Do pros just shoot a lot of audience shots and then cut them in as needed? Or is an effort made to use realtime shots?

 

[iParis]

It depends on the show, I'm sure. I was in the audience of The Daily Show and even though they didn't show up, they definitely used our laughs.

 

[Giuly]

You must've watched some pretty bad standup.

 

[handsome pete]

I'm pretty sure most infomercials are phony. The reactions always seem too big or ill timed. But, I wonder if standup comedy specials are real laugh reactions or not.

Do pros just shoot a lot of audience shots and then cut them in as needed? Or is an effort made to use realtime shots?

I'm sure some editors will just throw in some audience b-roll for coverage if they don't have anything else. But I imagine most larger scale live performances are shot and edited multi-camera. So the reactions you're seeing are likely authentic.

 

[ChrisA]

I'm sure some editors will just throw in some audience b-roll for coverage if they don't have anything else. But I imagine most larger scale live performances are shot and edited multi-camera. So the reactions you're seeing are likely authentic.

Yes authentic and shot live but. Many times they have large lighted signs near the stage just off camera that they can turn on and off that way "applause" or "laugh" or whatever. Yes sometime they queue the live audience. It's common on game shows and cooking shows and like that.

 

[handsome pete]

Yes authentic and shot live but. Many times they have large lighted signs near the stage just off camera that they can turn on and off that way "applause" or "laugh" or whatever. Yes sometime they queue the live audience. It's common on game shows and cooking shows and like that.

Of course, for stuff shot in studio. But for something like a stand up comedy special it's extremely unlikely.