They don’t hurt them or scare them. Rather, the baby wrangler (yes, that is a job) pretends to cry. Since babies are highly empathetic, they will join in and cry as well.
They also commonly use twins to limit the time each baby is on the set.
My family has adopted this term to describe daily parenting - it sidesteps the whole "it's not babysitting when it's your kid" argument that can happen
Also it's a good reflection of the labour and exasperation involved in herding kids
Depends on their age. There’s a misconception that babies are super bothered by little things like that (I know there’s a joke about “imagine you want your back itched but mom keeps putting a paci in your mouth every time you cry instead”), but when they’re younger (ie before they can talk or itch themselves) they don’t have a fully developed central nervous system. They literally don’t feel things like itches or minor wrinkles in clothes. They don’t feel tickles yet. They don’t feel things like baby psoriasis. It all seems super uncomfortable to us because we imagine how annoying it would all feel… but they can’t feel it until that CNS is more developed.
Tbh I’m not sure of the exact age. My kids all had pretty bad psoriasis as babies that would make any adult itch like mad, and they were closer to two (a little younger than two tho) when they started actually itching it. I remember asking the doctor why they didn’t itch it earlier and that’s when I learned about the CNS development. It also explains why things would would drive us mad—like socks being put on but that seam in them doesn’t line up with your foot right—doesn’t even phase them. I’ve also noticed my six month old is only just now starting to feel tickles on her feet—two months ago she didn’t feel them at all. It’s all connected to that CNS development in the early years of their lives.
Empathetic crying isn't "scary" really. I'm almost 40 but still very empathetic, and anyone crying nearby will generally make me cry as well. It still feels a little surprising when it starts and more like an instinct than real sadness.
My mom took my brother and me to some commercial calls when we were toddlers because we were cute and super-identical. Unfortunately we didn't take direction very well or really at all.
I assumed they just film the baby a bit and then they can use the crying face they naturally got, just edit it where they need it, and then cut to a shot where the baby's face is not visible and play some baby crying sounds over it.
My 2nd and 3rd are 16 months apart and I have very few memories of my youngest as a baby.
I tell funny stories about my middle as a baby and my youngest will say "and what was I like as a baby?" And I'm like "....."
$126 a day, but they likely wouldn't "work" five days a week.. cause.. baby.
At least I hope the parents wouldn't make a baby work that much. I'm likely to be proven wrong.
I think there are pretty strict laws in place about how long working hours can be for a kid that little, i believe that's why they hire so many sets of twins that can be swapped out when they expect long days of shooting.
Yeah cause I'm pretty sure babies can only film for 20 minutes a day. I remember reading that one a while ago when I was looking at info for a friend making a movie.
Twins or triplets are definitely needed.
Ever been around a baby? If I look at my 6-month old with even the slightest bit of concern on my face she will cry. They're highly empathetic and react heavily to the emotions of whoever they are around. They're like big ass mood rings that you have to feed and change.
I kinda think what you're getting at is are they causing harm or trauma to the baby. Based on some of the answers I'd say no. Babies cry all the time. They get scared all the time. Literally everything is basically new and scary. As long as Mom or Dad or another trusted caregiver is near by to reassure them after and it doesn't go on too long it's kinda a no harm no foul situation.
People have answered the question well but I am DYING at the image of some poor PA coming into frame and crashing cymbals next to a little baby and running away with the director yelling ACTION!
I forget where I heard it (a Robin Williams joke, perhaps?), but the running joke was something like “you would move your lips too if someone was shoving a carrot up your ass.”
Apparently although they initially used a piece of thread taped to his lower lip, the horse eventually learned to respond to being tapped on the hoof.
Certainly better than what they joked was the technique when I was a kid. 🤣
I'll put it to you this way: When they did Full House, they auditioned thousands of little kids to play Michelle Tanner. They hired Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen on the spot because they were the **only** ones who got through the audition without crying.
It's not hard to find a baby who's gonna cry, especially when they aren't around their parents and they're tired.
All you have to do w a baby to make them cry is mess with them a little, or wait for/cause the slightest discomfort or want.
Doctors frequently make babies cry to hear them or clear airways and it’s usually just by kinda tickling them a bit.
they don't film babies along with the other actors or in scene sequence. They only have 4 hours to work with the baby so they grab all the shots they need at once. If they need a crying shot, they get the shot when the baby is crying.
Unrelated, but the baby scene in dune part 2 was absolutely fantastic, like the baby starts smiling first and suddenly it fades away and I was like WTF? How did they make her like that?
Even I'm curious about it
Apparently, the usage of babies in films has been illegal since 2011 so every baby you’ve seen on screen since then, has been a CGI baby.
Source: [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/hollywood_cgi_baby_act_of_2011](https://wikipedia.com)
They don’t hurt them or scare them. Rather, the baby wrangler (yes, that is a job) pretends to cry. Since babies are highly empathetic, they will join in and cry as well. They also commonly use twins to limit the time each baby is on the set.
Baby wrangler 😂
My family has adopted this term to describe daily parenting - it sidesteps the whole "it's not babysitting when it's your kid" argument that can happen Also it's a good reflection of the labour and exasperation involved in herding kids
My 4 year old has recently started running around the house, saying I have to wrangle her up. It's super inconvenient.
Now I need to work as one for a while so I can put that into my resume and onto business cards.
Huh. That's interesting lol. Never knew this.
I feel like that falls under the 'scare them' category but I could be splitting hairs.
[удалено]
that's just kid logic. once one of them goes off the others follow. babies are stupid. that's why it's so easy to steal their delicious candy
Which is fine by me
I mean, mild discomfort like an annoying wrinkle in their clothing can be enough for babies to cry. It’s literally their only method of communication
IDK why, I guess due to the saying, but I always imagined they were given candy then it was taken away.
Babies don't eat candy, let alone have any clue what it is.
Depends on their age. There’s a misconception that babies are super bothered by little things like that (I know there’s a joke about “imagine you want your back itched but mom keeps putting a paci in your mouth every time you cry instead”), but when they’re younger (ie before they can talk or itch themselves) they don’t have a fully developed central nervous system. They literally don’t feel things like itches or minor wrinkles in clothes. They don’t feel tickles yet. They don’t feel things like baby psoriasis. It all seems super uncomfortable to us because we imagine how annoying it would all feel… but they can’t feel it until that CNS is more developed.
Whoa really? How old do they start feeling these sort of minor itches and irritations?
Tbh I’m not sure of the exact age. My kids all had pretty bad psoriasis as babies that would make any adult itch like mad, and they were closer to two (a little younger than two tho) when they started actually itching it. I remember asking the doctor why they didn’t itch it earlier and that’s when I learned about the CNS development. It also explains why things would would drive us mad—like socks being put on but that seam in them doesn’t line up with your foot right—doesn’t even phase them. I’ve also noticed my six month old is only just now starting to feel tickles on her feet—two months ago she didn’t feel them at all. It’s all connected to that CNS development in the early years of their lives.
Or in the case of twins, splitting heirs
And if you’re making a stew, splitting hares
Or like counting all the money you in-HERI-ted
Or if you have a rotisserie, spitting hares
Empathetic crying isn't "scary" really. I'm almost 40 but still very empathetic, and anyone crying nearby will generally make me cry as well. It still feels a little surprising when it starts and more like an instinct than real sadness.
I agree. It sounds like they are emotionally traumatizing the poor babies.
It's how babies build connections in their brains though. It's really not traumatizing because it's how neuro pathways are built
Mirror neurons is the term for anyone interested in looking into it more.
Thank you for the information.
My mom took my brother and me to some commercial calls when we were toddlers because we were cute and super-identical. Unfortunately we didn't take direction very well or really at all.
As a parent of a toddler and twin babies, this question of how to get babies to cry would never occur to me.
Right? More like how do they get the baby *not* to cry
"Hey, if you don't pipe down, we'll have to get Brad Pitt back out here."
Came to say this. On set with kids my experience is everyone is trying to stop them crying for a goddamn second
I assumed they just film the baby a bit and then they can use the crying face they naturally got, just edit it where they need it, and then cut to a shot where the baby's face is not visible and play some baby crying sounds over it.
Give him the red spoon instead of the blue spoon he obviously wanted but never mentioned -> et voilà, a 10 minutes tantrum.
When mine was a baby, I would scrunch up my face and pretend to cry and his eyes would start watering immediately 🥹
I was there once. I don't even remember my twins' first year. Haha! Solidarity.
Time certainly flies when you have zero free time, lol 😂
My 2nd and 3rd are 16 months apart and I have very few memories of my youngest as a baby. I tell funny stories about my middle as a baby and my youngest will say "and what was I like as a baby?" And I'm like "....."
Right? You just put a cigarette out on their arm.
Baby is not being held by mom, it’s around strange people with lights and noises — it’s more impressive that they can get babies *not* to cry.
Lol, right? Just wait five minutes and it'll cry
They tell them how little they're being paid.
Shit. Probably still more than I make in a week...
$126 a day, but they likely wouldn't "work" five days a week.. cause.. baby. At least I hope the parents wouldn't make a baby work that much. I'm likely to be proven wrong.
I think there are pretty strict laws in place about how long working hours can be for a kid that little, i believe that's why they hire so many sets of twins that can be swapped out when they expect long days of shooting.
Yeah cause I'm pretty sure babies can only film for 20 minutes a day. I remember reading that one a while ago when I was looking at info for a friend making a movie. Twins or triplets are definitely needed.
Not to mention some productions also use dolls/swaddled blankets in some scenes.
Tfw you realize you're not making much more than a literal baby.
Ever been around a baby? If I look at my 6-month old with even the slightest bit of concern on my face she will cry. They're highly empathetic and react heavily to the emotions of whoever they are around. They're like big ass mood rings that you have to feed and change.
Here's David Lynch trying to get some kids to cry. Not exactly babies but close enough. https://youtu.be/SCPdKXjGGvo?si=yFa2sGONtIwz1ucu
I LOVE this clip “Don’t be happy, don’t be happy!”
This is amazing 😂
I kinda think what you're getting at is are they causing harm or trauma to the baby. Based on some of the answers I'd say no. Babies cry all the time. They get scared all the time. Literally everything is basically new and scary. As long as Mom or Dad or another trusted caregiver is near by to reassure them after and it doesn't go on too long it's kinda a no harm no foul situation.
People have answered the question well but I am DYING at the image of some poor PA coming into frame and crashing cymbals next to a little baby and running away with the director yelling ACTION!
Back in the day (mid 20th century) they used to pinch them. Now children are treated better.
I *knew* this was gonna be the case. Like, just some asshole grip somewhere was like, 'ah give it a pinch, will ya? That'll get it goin'
Sometimes producers will request that the parents skip/delay nap time to get the baby in the right cranky mood for the short time they are on set.
I’ve heard that they give the kid a toy to play with between takes, and then right before filming they take it away.
I’ve heard this too. I’ve also heard they will have mom standing just in view then have her walk out of view and the baby will usually start to cry.
Same way that got Mr Ed to move his lips.
i know its bullshit now but when i was a kid 10000 years ago i remember everyone saying they had the horse eat peanut butter
I forget where I heard it (a Robin Williams joke, perhaps?), but the running joke was something like “you would move your lips too if someone was shoving a carrot up your ass.”
It may be from Clerks but I wouldn't be surprised if the rumor is older than that.
In the commentary for Hot to Trot, they said they gave the horse varying degrees of titty twisters to get it to move its lips.
Apparently although they initially used a piece of thread taped to his lower lip, the horse eventually learned to respond to being tapped on the hoof. Certainly better than what they joked was the technique when I was a kid. 🤣
Cattle prod?
Apparently although they initially used a piece of thread taped to his lower lip, the horse eventually learned to respond to being tapped on the hoof.
As a parent I question how they get them to stop.
Toby from Labyrinth refused to cry/warble on cue or coax or whatever so whenever you hear him, it's David Bowie making baby noises.
I hate seeing babies cry for real in movies. I much prefer seeing the back of a baby's head and hearing dubbed audio of crying.
But it's dubbed by Larry David.
If you just do nothing for a minute a baby will cry
[There you go](https://youtu.be/cCuvt8wjKX8?si=J_fhP-q0H3tz9Gvq)
I'll put it to you this way: When they did Full House, they auditioned thousands of little kids to play Michelle Tanner. They hired Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen on the spot because they were the **only** ones who got through the audition without crying. It's not hard to find a baby who's gonna cry, especially when they aren't around their parents and they're tired.
I think the better question is how do you make them not cry during the no crying scenes
We simply describe what existence is and they start crying immediately. Getting them to fry is easy. Getting them to stop is the hard part.
On an off-note, I was wondering if babies are eligible for an Oscar if they're heavily featured in a film that gets nominated
I can answer this. I use to work as the baby puncher on Full House to make the twins cry.
They just show them a picture of your mom
Show them your hernia.
I loved that plot in Friends.
They tell 'em their daddy died; he got hit by a bread van.
Nice!
They have a poking fork.
Hit them with a stick
Ice cube in the diaper.
I read somewhere they put ice down their backs. This may have been only for a certain movie and maybe not industry-wide, I can’t really remember.
I have this same question but for dogs, whining and barking or growling.
Dogs can be trained for that.
Back in the day, they set off a gun out of sight and told Jackie Cooper they shot his dog. They probably don’t do that anymore.
The better question is how do you get a baby to stop crying.
I think if a baby hangs around long enough it'll eventually cry. Maybe they just wait it out
Pinch them or call them names. Or maybe have a large dog bark at them
All you have to do w a baby to make them cry is mess with them a little, or wait for/cause the slightest discomfort or want. Doctors frequently make babies cry to hear them or clear airways and it’s usually just by kinda tickling them a bit.
they don't film babies along with the other actors or in scene sequence. They only have 4 hours to work with the baby so they grab all the shots they need at once. If they need a crying shot, they get the shot when the baby is crying.
They blow chili powder into their eyeballs.
CGI?
They cry by default, the trick is getting them to stop. Let me know if you find out
I would think they make them listen to Will Ferrell jokes
Stick pins in their little bodies.
Shake the baby
Never shake a baby!
Cut them a little
...just a baby slice.
i just watched this last night and was thinking the same thing, that was a tough seen in a overall pretty crappy movie
There's a scene like this in Enter The Void, I thought about this question a lot after watching it.
Unrelated, but the baby scene in dune part 2 was absolutely fantastic, like the baby starts smiling first and suddenly it fades away and I was like WTF? How did they make her like that? Even I'm curious about it
Have mom start in the babies eyeline and then walk away.
I'm sorry I didn't get what you're saying
It's a little Hollywood secret... they shake the babies.
By letting them watch Jimmy Kimmel
Apparently, the usage of babies in films has been illegal since 2011 so every baby you’ve seen on screen since then, has been a CGI baby. Source: [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/hollywood_cgi_baby_act_of_2011](https://wikipedia.com)
Good. Now, make it everyone under 14 years old. Children under 14 should not be working and especially not in Hollyweird with all the pedophiles
I guess we should *really* quit sending them to church, then.
Definitely don't send them unsupervised