Stuff You Should Know Selects: How Audience Testing Works
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Jun 10, 2023 Discover how audience testing can dramatically shift beloved movies, revealing why some classic endings were changed. The discussion dives into the amusing frustrations filmmakers face when tailoring content to suit audience preferences. Explore historical methods of testing and how demographics shape comedies. Learn about the delicate balance between artistic vision and audience expectations, with surprising insights on notable films like 'Pretty Woman.' Finally, unpack the ethical dilemmas arising from audience influence on storytelling.
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Somewhere Over the Rainbow Almost Cut
- Some of our most beloved movies had different endings before audience testing.
- The Wizard of Oz's iconic "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was almost cut because test audiences found it too slow.
Comedy and Test Screenings
- Comedies often undergo multiple test screenings to refine jokes and pacing.
- Test audiences help determine which jokes land, which don't, and which might be too much.
Goodfellas' Violent Beginning
- Scorsese's Goodfellas, his first tested film, saw many walkouts due to the initial violence.
- Test audiences found the third act too intense and drawn out, leading to a quicker montage.