Have you ever noticed how when people responses to humor change with the setting? If you watch a comedy alone, you'll smile a lot, maybe chuckle once or twice. If you watch it with a bunch of friends, you'll probably all laugh out-loud quite a bit. And if you see it at the theater you'll probably laugh so hard that you'll be gasping for air.
What causes this phenomenon?
The same question applies to the related question of perception - when you're in a big group things seem funnier than they do in smaller groups.
My senior year of college I made a short film. It was, I thought, a pretty even split between romance and drama, with a strong humorous undercurrent. But there weren't any moments in the movie which struck the funny bone. There were big jokes. No place where I felt people would actually laugh.
But when it was first screened for a large group (ok, that was the only large group screening), everyone in the audience laughed - out loud - quite a bit. And I was surprised. Ever since I've wondered why this happens. Very few people have laughed out loud during private screenings. How can this be explained?
Anyone have thoughts on this matter? Why do people react differently to humor when in different sized crowds?
Turn in your teasing comb and go back to highschool
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Thoughts on the matter...
Well, it was a college event, which may have had some alcohol permeating the environment, though I don't recall seeing consumption at the time. I do think you go a little far in saying 'strong humerous undercurrent,' although that would make your claim stronger.
Do you think the reaction would have been different had you made it known that the film was intended to be more dramatic, perhaps in the opening credits? A little audience manipulation to set the mood...
Maybe a different opening. But I guess I feel like the music sets the tone more than anything, and Beethoven isn't generally comedic music. And you're right the humorous undertones might not have been very strong - but that's what made the laughter all the more surprising.
Right, that's what I said...or meant.
As the lead actor in said film (wow, how strange does that sound?), I never really found it funny at all until that screening. The entire time we were making the movie, I found it to be sad, frustrating, and even a little depressing. I don't think the humor of it struck me until we had an auditorium [not at all] full of people laughing. Since then it gets more amusing every time.
That said, I have noticed this humor phenomenon. You pretty much nailed it: the more people laughing, the louder people laugh. It's eerie.
Hrm, after all that discussion, I can't help but wonder just how loud I'd have been laughing were I watching the Simpsons with friends right now. Homer just elicited an honest-to-goodness LOL from me.
Post a Comment