Why all the standing?

[GameShowKid]

Long time Price viewer here, so I've seen quite a few changes in the show, large and small, over the years. This post is about the audience. Have you noticed that most, if not all, of those in the audience directly behind Contestant's Row have begun standing up and remaining standing for each item up for bids? Often, they remain standing through the entire pricing game.

Why is this occurring, or is it just me? Is the audience now prompted to do this? I've noticed that more of the younger audience members seem to be placed in the middle section. Is this related to it?

I'm old enough to remember when standing ovations were truly something special.

[Off_trak]

I think they're less standing o's, and more the audience trying to see the action on stage. I believe during the Barker era the show used a maximum of four cameras to film the show. Currently, I think there are 6 cameras on stage, not including the boom cam (? - I'm probably off there, but I seem to recall on Mike Richard's podcast, he stated that was the set up he preferred for filming the show.) Add to that mix, stagehands, producers and a lot of movement; and I think those sitting in the front rows, which are lower than the seats further back, have trouble seeing what's going on, therefore stand up to see, which causes everyone else to stand, so they can see over the heads if the front rows. And they happen to be clapping at the same time.

But then there's also the case, that people standing, jumping and clapping wildly on camera looks good to the home audience, so its most likely encouraged by the stage managers to the nth degree.

If you view episodes per decade, you'll see that in the early 70s, the audience was very demure and polite. As the years moved on, the crowds become more and more lively, especially during the 80s when the show was hugely popular with college students. Audiences kept getting more and more boisterous, so much so, it became as significant a part of the show as bidding $1 or hearing 'a new car' being shouted. If you tried to wrangle the audience's enthusiasm, the show would feel very weird without it, even if it does seem exaggerated at times.

[Josh444]

At the most recent taping I attended, George explicitly said when he first came out that the audience can stand whenever they like, except for the First Four Calldown. It has to do with camera blocking and the hectic nature of following four contestants. I also think the younger audience has more energy than audiences of the past. It's just more exciting to stand up and cheer for a contestant, just like how it's more exciting to cheer for a sports team while standing.

[GameShowKid]

But then there's also the case, that people standing, jumping and clapping wildly on camera looks good to the home audience, so its most likely encouraged by the stage managers to the nth degree.

If you view episodes per decade, you'll see that in the early 70s, the audience was very demure and polite. As the years moved on, the crowds become more and more lively, especially during the 80s when the show was hugely popular with college students. Audiences kept getting more and more boisterous, so much so, it became as significant a part of the show as bidding $1 or hearing 'a new car' being shouted. If you tried to wrangle the audience's enthusiasm, the show would feel very weird without it, even if it does seem exaggerated at times.

Thank you for the detailed reply. I think it is encouraged as well, and it definitely seems exaggerated at times, in reference to the audience as a whole and to more and more of the contestants who appear on stage. Personally, I prefer more natural reactions, but this is television in the 21st century. I do recall episodes from each decade, and I still watch some online.