Information For Attending A Taping

[Suzi]

Thank you Tensor! I have SO much to learn!

I have another question (surprise) should I be logging on to this forum via Tapatalk or the web? I was only abel to edit my profile on the web version and it looks like Tapatalk changed their design, I keep getting lost in it!

[SRAM]

Only because Christmas. Usually I go at nine, and most people turn up by eleven. Just today we wanted to be sure we get in for Christmas.

If you had a confirmed ticket, something other than standby, when would you normally show up? When do they let you in?

[fitzsimmons]

They tend to start separating the line and giving out numbers between 3:30 and 4pm. Then they number you, stamp you, and let you in around 5. I'll pay attention to the exact times today. Anyone guaranteed can basically show up before five and be fine. After that, you may have a chance but they may have given your seat to a standby by then.

Edited November 18, 2014 by MichyGeary

[DrWackaDoodle]

Crossing anything that can be crossed that everyone from our forum gets in tonight. Did Bill Prady ever post the title of the episode? 

[beerok23]

Hi guys, me and husband are eating at Big Boy, coming there for 3.30, tickets guaranteed (no stand by). Will that be fine to get in? We come from Italy!!! We are in honeymoon and we will have t-shirts with a Star Wars quote on them

[phantagrae]

Hi guys, me and husband are eating at Big Boy, coming there for 3.30, tickets guaranteed (no stand by). Will that be fine to get in? We come from Italy!!! We are in honeymoon and we will have t-shirts with a Star Wars quote on them

 

If you have guaranteed tickets, 3:30 should be good.  Have fun!!

[hokie3457]

Congratulations beerok23 & much happiness to you and your husband!! How wonderful for you to attend a taping on your honeymoon! Enjoy it you crazy kids!!!!

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[fitzsimmons]

Hi guys, me and husband are eating at Big Boy, coming there for 3.30, tickets guaranteed (no stand by). Will that be fine to get in? We come from Italy!!! We are in honeymoon and we will have t-shirts with a Star Wars quote on them

That's more than fine or guaranteed. :D Congratulations, by the way! There's a whole bunch of us hanging out at the front of the queue if you wanna say hi. :D

[vonmar]

Tweet from Kazzie

 

Kazzie Cooper ‏@kazzie  1m1 minute ago

We are on our way in

[Dannii]

I hope everyone had a fabulous time /)

[Rick71]

I had an amazing time!! Huge thanks to MichyGeary, Kazzie and Tomasina in particular, as well as a couple of others whose screen names I didn't get, for being so nice and welcoming.

The taping was enormous fun, and I got pulled out by Mark the warm up guy and ended up giving the audience a few tips on the Lancashire accent while the cast reworked the first scene. Great fun and an unforgettable experience!

I'll provide a more detailed account later on, but I need to catch a train to San Francisco first.

Thanks again to everyone!

[notchinc]

I had an amazing time!! Huge thanks to MichyGeary, Kazzie and Tomasina in particular, as well as a couple of others whose screen names I didn't get, for being so nice and welcoming.

The taping was enormous fun, and I got pulled out by Mark the warm up guy and ended up giving the audience a few tips on the Lancashire accent while the cast reworked the first scene. Great fun and an unforgettable experience!

I'll provide a more detailed account later on, but I need to catch a train to San Francisco first.

Thanks again to everyone!

 

There's wifi on the train........................  

[kazzie]

There's wifi on the train........................  

 

Coast Starlight wifi sucks

[fitzsimmons]

Just to give you guys an idea of how things vary week to week and what to expect, here are some stats for a few of the tapings I've been to. 

 

 

Oct. 21 - The Misinterpretation Agitation (with special guest)

10:00am: Five people in line. 

11:15am: Ten people in line.

1:10pm: Thirty-seven people in line.

3:10pm: Line was separated and moved into garage.

3:40pm: Standby line was given numbers.

 

 

Nov. 11 - The Champagne Reflection (with special guest)

3:30pm: Line was separated and moved into garage.

4:00pm: Standby line was given numbers.

4:30pm: First group of audience members let in.

 

 

Nov. 18 - The Clean Room Infiltration (holiday episode)

10:20am: Sixteen people in line.

3:30pm: Line was separated and moved into garage.

4:00pm: Standby line was given numbers.

4:40pm: First group of VIP and guaranteed let in.

5:00pm: First group of standby let in.

 

44 VIP, 55 guaranteed ticket holders in attendance.

[rachelshamyfan]

When you see all the guaranteed going in does it make you a little nervous wondering if you will get in?

[fitzsimmons]

When you see all the guaranteed going in does it make you a little nervous wondering if you will get in?

 

It depends on how many there are. Prom had about a hundred and fifty guaranteeds and somewhere near seventy-five VIP so that obviously made me doubt my chances, given that the studio seats 240. The last two weeks I've been lucky to be close to the front of the standby line, so I kept a count on the guaranteeds and VIPs so I knew how full the studio was and thus how much space they still had for how many standbys. I don't worry much if I'm closer to the front, but the farther back in the line you are, the higher the anticipation. It's helpful that they give everyone numbers so you know exactly what your odds are.

[rachelshamyfan]

Cheers

I have a plan to go in 2016 to celebrate my 40th and if I can I want to get guaranteed but standby might work, especially if I get there as early as you guys did!!!

[Itwasdestined]

I'm planning to be in US for double celebration- 50th Birthday and 25 Wedding anniversary and am planning it around the final few tapings of Season 10. How hard is it to get guaranteeds? ( long way in the future of course) I lined up at Wimbledon in 07 so I don't mind trying my luck with standby ( especially with forum company [emoji9]) but not sure about the missus - she's not good at roughing it!

Edited November 20, 2014 by Itwasdestined

[hokie3457]

This is so fascinating (no sarcasm sign). I really enjoy this sort of info. Thanks for sharing!

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[BBTfanatics]

I would also like to thank MichyGeary for the post on audience stats. As I related in my first post, my wife and I are coming from Spokane, WA for the December 9 taping, holding standby tickets.  We plan on doing the WB  tour Monday afternoon and lining up as early  as possible on Tuesday morning.  We will be prepared to stand in line all day.  I realize cell phones and cameras are not allowed but is there anyone you can check them in with before you enter...assuming we get in! (Not sure if we can go a whole day without!!)

[Gorn on the sofa]

It depends on how many there are. Prom had about a hundred and fifty guaranteeds and somewhere near seventy-five VIP so that obviously made me doubt my chances, given that the studio seats 240. The last two weeks I've been lucky to be close to the front of the standby line, so I kept a count on the guaranteeds and VIPs so I knew how full the studio was and thus how much space they still had for how many standbys. I don't worry much if I'm closer to the front, but the farther back in the line you are, the higher the anticipation. It's helpful that they give everyone numbers so you know exactly what your odds are.

Reading your observations, I couldn't help but think of Raj in "The 21 Second Excitation" speculating on their odds of getting into the theater to see "Raiders." I informed you thusly [emoji12]!

[fitzsimmons]

I'm planning to be in US for double celebration- 50th Birthday and 25 Wedding anniversary and am planning it around the final few tapings of Season 10. How hard is it to get guaranteeds? ( long way in the future of course) I lined up at Wimbledon in 07 so I don't mind trying my luck with standby ( especially with forum company [emoji9]) but not sure about the missus - she's not good at roughing it!

The best thing that I can recommend is to do a few trial runs before you attempt to get your actual tickets. You can try it this season, but I would suggest a couple of weeks before the tickets for the taping that you want to attend go up, get yourself on the website on a different BBT ticket day, and try to get yourself a ticket, just to familiarize yourself with the process. It definitely took me a few weeks before I really got it down, so it's a good idea to do a practice run. But you'll definitely want to pick a day that is doing Big Bang Theory tickets, because no other shows' tickets have quite the same demand.

What I would recommend specifically for your situation is to get your wife's ticket first, so that way if you can only acquire one guaranteed, she won't have to wait in line all day. Worst case scenario, you would get her guaranteed and yourself a standby. You would be separated in the line, but she would be able to come sit with you once you get inside. I see a lot of couples do that.

However you go about it, good luck! :D

I would also like to thank MichyGeary for the post on audience stats. As I related in my first post, my wife and I are coming from Spokane, WA for the December 9 taping, holding standby tickets. We plan on doing the WB tour Monday afternoon and lining up as early as possible on Tuesday morning. We will be prepared to stand in line all day. I realize cell phones and cameras are not allowed but is there anyone you can check them in with before you enter...assuming we get in! (Not sure if we can go a whole day without!!)

They don't like to advertise it, but yes, you can give your phone or camera or other electronics to security at the studio entrance with your ID and they will hold it until after the show.

[ATM]

Michy your patience and helpful attitude is admirable  :give_rose:

Edited November 20, 2014 by ATM

[fitzsimmons]

I also want to suggest, for anyone who is in line all day, the last few times I've been with a group, we've ordered take out for delivery right to the line. You can use an app like GrubHub on your smart phone to find local restaurants that will deliver to your area (use 4301 W. Olive Ave. for the delivery address). We've ordered from Soo-Ra Thai-American Chic and they've been very good to us. We ordered for eight people one time and got the food in under 40 minutes! Very helpful when you're in line over several meals of the day.

 

And if you drive, you can of course drop your phones off in your cars in the garage before going into the taping. The AU staff will let you know when is a good time to do that (once the line has been split, ask someone to hold your place and you can run it back to your car). That way you can have your phone while in line but don't have to worry about checking it at the studio (which slows loading time).

[Rick71]

Now that I'm finally within range of reliable wi-fi (in the dodgiest hotel in Tenderloin, San Francisco - now I know why it was so cheap. This is not a nice neighbourhood. I daren't step outside after dark!), I can elaborate on my experience on Tuesday.

 

Firstly, I'd like to extend my deepest thanks to MichyGeary, Kazzie, Tomasina and the others, especially Justin who I sat next to in the guaranteed line and the studio itself. You were all very kind, friendly and accommodating. It made the experience for this solo visitor infinitely more enjoyable than it might have been if I'd just turned up without the assurance of people who I "knew" being there. That's largely why I signed up to this forum, and I'm so glad I did. There's something about the shared experience of being in line with other fans, like-minded people, be it for this show or for anything else, that makes it more special and memorable. So thank you all for that!

 

What it's actually like to be in line throughout the day has already been covered by a few people, so there's nothing much I can add that hasn't already been said. And Michy's written a very detailed report of the taping itself, so there's nothing I can add to that either. So I'll just stick to what my experience was.

 

In a word: unforgettable.

 

It was one thing seeing the set during the VIP Tour a week and a half ago. It was quite another thing sitting in the audience waiting for the taping to start and feeling the atmosphere growing. After having seen every episode dozens of times in the UK (E4 show repeats of several episodes daily), knowing that it's made in some legendary studio thousands of miles away, knowing that it's the biggest sitcom in the world, that tickets to tapings are ridiculously hard to come by... Well, it's almost like it comes from another world that will always be completely out of reach. I only ever get to see the finished product. The idea of actually being there to see it being made just seems so unreal when you're sat at home in London. Hollywood is worlds away from my little flat in Roehampton with the noisy neighbours.

 

For reasons I've explained in my post about the VIP Tour, I actually ended up in Hollywood, and not only that, but with a ticket to see a taping. I still can't quite believe I managed to pull that off.

 

So, to actually be sitting in the audience, with the set I've seen on TV so many times in front of me (albeit largely concealed behind black screens), and the cast being introduced and appearing in the actual flesh just feet in front of me was such a joy. As each one appeared my smile got bigger and bigger. I mean, I'm an actor - I've worked with people who are famous. I've spent time with people I've seen a lot on TV and whose work I've admired, and you have to get past any fanboy nonsense when you're in that kind of situation or you just won't be able to work effectively. Nonetheless, there they were, right in front of me, and there I was, still not quite believing I was actually there too.

 

And it just got better. After the first take of the cold open, the cast and crew spent a few minutes working through some changes to the script before going for another take. So Mark Sweet, the warm-up man, has to keep the audience entertained while this is going on. He asked people to put their hands up if they were big fans of the show. He might have asked if we were fans who had travelled a fair distance to be there, I can't quite remember, because the next thing I knew he was asking me to come down to the front.

 

As I said earlier, I'm an actor. I'm also in a comedy sketch group (see the shameless plug below and please visit the website), so I like making people laugh. I can handle being in front of an audience. So, of course, I'm happy to come and share the limelight for a few minutes. And given the fact that I am where I am, and that the cast are a few feet away from me, I couldn't be happier that all of a sudden I've kind of become part of the show, even if it isn't the part of the finished product. Of course it appeals to the show-off in me, and what better place for it to happen?!

 

I can't quite recall what followed word for word, it's kind of a blur, so here's the essence of what I can remember.

 

Mark asks me my name and where I'm from. I say, "My name's Rick and I'm from Manchester in the UK". It gets a nice cheer. He asks me what I do, and I tell him I'm an actor. He asks me how it's going, and I tell him it's not going so well in the UK and that's why I've come to Hollywood. He tells me that perhaps I might get spotted tonight and that I might end up in the show some day. I tell him that would be fantastic. He asks me about Manchester, so I mention my northern accent and how it differs from the more familiar English accent in that our vowel sounds are more defined, or, as I put it, "We have proper vowels in the north". He asks me to give an example, so I use the word "up" and demonstrate how much harder the vowel sound is, coaching him as he attempts it. There's some badinage and good-natured mockery, and the audience seem to like how I'm playing along - we're getting some good laughs. He seems to recognise that the audience are responding well to me and he's very good at making the most of it, without at any point being in any way mean in his gentle mockery. He's very, very good at his job, and although I can feel myself shaking as I'm a bit nervous "performing" with the cast of my favourite sitcom only a few feet away (even though they're engaged in working through the changes to the script and were most likely oblivious to anything else, although I'd like to think at least one of them might have been watching), I'm enjoying our interaction and the response from the audience. Yes, I have an ego. There, I've said it!

 

There's a moment where, in response to a question from him about being in America (I can't remember specifically what he said), I start to say something about the fact that Americans are largely descended from English colonists, then quickly stop myself as I realise with some horror that if I actually say that, there's a very real chance that some people might find that offensive, and things might get a little sour. What on Earth was I thinking??!! Jesus Rick, what's wrong with you??!! I ask myself. I think I managed to rescue it and bring it around, it seemed that way anyway, so thankfully disaster is averted. And, mercifully, the word is given that they're ready to go for another take so Mark wraps things up and I go back to my seat before the cold open is shot again with a couple of changed lines.

 

Pleasingly, as the taping goes on, he refers back to the whole "up" thing several times and pulls me out again later for a dating game. And he gives me a cast photo too.

 

I know this may sound like a self-indulgent exercise in patting my own back. "Look everyone! Read all about what I did in front of the audience at a Big Bang Theory taping! Oooh, aren't I great?!"

 

That's not what I want to put across. It's simply that, as if just being there wasn't delightfully surreal enough, that happened. I found myself giving the studio audience of The Big Bang Theory a crash course in the finer points of the linguistics of northern English dialect while the cast reworked a scene a few feet away. There's surreal and then there's this. I mean, what the... Really...??!!

 

Being at the taping was special enough, I was more than happy with that, but to find myself playing a small part in the overall process of putting a show together, albeit the peripheral aspect of keeping the audience going when there's a pause in the proceedings, well, how much better could it possibly have got? It's a long way to travel from my little flat in Roehampton with the noisy neighbours.

 

So, thanks to Mark for indulging me the way he did. He could have shut me down very quickly if he'd wanted to (some might say he should have!), but he was good enough to go with it for a little while and make the experience even more special. I'll never forget it.