Jan 11, 2014
5 Mistakes to Avoid at the Top of A Scene
Love this post by Jimmy Carrane
http://www.jimmycarrane.com/index.php/blog/150
seen from Uzbekistan
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Australia
seen from Malaysia
seen from Brazil
seen from Australia
seen from United States
seen from Brazil
seen from Canada
seen from Chile
seen from Germany
seen from Hong Kong SAR China
seen from Uzbekistan
seen from Tunisia
seen from United States
seen from Hong Kong SAR China
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from Germany
seen from Germany
5 Mistakes to Avoid at the Top of A Scene
Love this post by Jimmy Carrane
http://www.jimmycarrane.com/index.php/blog/150
Jill Bernard's Small Cute Book of Improv
I did one of @jillybee72's workshops at @ImprovBoston last year.
Jill's a great teacher and she wrote a really useful book if you want to learn or be better at improv.
It's only $5 plus $2 S&H. Buy it here.
And if you ever have a chance to take a workshop with her...do it!
Have Fun, Yes Man
You Like Me. You Really Like Me. Or Not.
Took a workshop with Micah Sherman (@profdork) last weekend at the Women in Comedy Fest (@WICF).
There are lots of ways to inspire yourself as you get on stage - emotion, physicality, word association, etc.
Micah showed us another technique that was really helpful.
Before you go on stage, ask yourself, "Do I like the other character?"
Whatever the answer, try and stay with that feeling for the entire scene.
Play with the intensity. For example, if you dislike the other character, you could be sad, angry, scared or any of the minor variations of these. And even if you dislike them, you could still be happy because you take delight in "torturing" them.
Have Fun, Yes Man
P.S. - Sorry I haven't been posting as frequently as I would like. I'm taking a comedy writing class and the workload and deadlines are pretty intense.
101 Improv Relationships
Who are you to each other?
Improv teachers ask this question a lot because players commonly forget to establish relationships during scenes.
The audience wants to know who you are to each other. When you don't establish a relationship between your characters, the scene rambles and the audience loses interest.
The audience also wants to know how you feel about each other. They want to know why they should care.
One improv challenge is to broaden the types of relationships you create. Personally, I tend to play husband-wife, parent-child and boss-employee a lot.
So, to help you (and me) generate some new ideas, I've created a list of 101 relationships below.
Think about the conventions associated with each. Master them but play with them too. Make new combinations (e.g., husband-wife who also happen to be superhero and sidekick). Add emotion. Say or show how you feel about the other character. The possibilities are endless.
Please comment and add your own suggestions.
1. Husband-wife
2. Boyfriend-girlfriend (or girlfriend-girlfriend or boyfriend-boyfriend)
3. Father-son (or Father-daughter)
4. Mother-son (or Mother-daughter)
5. Grandfather-grandson (or Grandfather-granddaugher)
6. Grandmother-grandson (or Grandmother-granddaugther)
7. Bride-Groom
8. Groom-Best Man
9. Bride-Maid of Honor
10. College Roomates
11. Friends (Old Friends, Kids, Girls, Guys)
12. Neighbors
13. Officer-Soldier
14. Admiral-Sailor
15. President-Aide
16. Senator-Senator
17. Clerk-Customer
18. Waiter-Diner
19. Chef-Assistant
20. Master-Dog
21. Dog-Dog
22. Cat-Cat
23. Dog-Cat
24. Chief-Indian
25. Kung Fu Master-Student
26. Teacher-Student
27. King-Queen
28. Driver-Passenger
29. Bartender-Customer
30. Boss-Employee
31. Co-Workers
32. Artist-Model
33. Mad Scientist-Assistant
34. Cowboy-Indian
35. Cowboys
36. Coach-Player (Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey)
37. Boxer-Trainer
38. Boxer-Boxer
39. Fellow Soldiers
40. Sergeant-Private
41. President-First Lady
42. Brothers (or Sisters or Brother-Sister)
43. Priest-Parishoner
44. Bandmates
45. Lawyer-Judge
46. Lawyer-Client
47. Knight-Lady
48. Cops (Partners)
49. Cop-Captain
50. Detective-Dame
51. Robber-Victim
52. Fellow Witches (or Ghosts, Vampires, Werewolves)
53. Blind Dates
54. Fellow Politicians
55. Rival Generals
56. Captor-Prisoner
57. Fellow Gods
58. God-Devil
59. Jesus-Apostle
60. Fellow Coal Miners
61. Pilot-Flight Attendant
62. Flight Attendant-Passenger
63. Passenger-Passenger
64. Ship Captain-First Mate
65. Knight-Dragon
66. Wizard-Apprentice
67. Magician-Assistant
68. Landlord-Tenant
69. Mafia Godfather-Henchman
70. Fellow Assembly Line Workers
71. Car Salesman-Customer
72. Mechanic-Customer
73. Barber-Customer
74. Yoga Master-Yoga Doer (?)
75. Trainer-Trainee
77. Carpenter-Assistant
78. Doctor-Patient
79. Doctor-Doctor
80. Doctor-Nurse
81. Missionary-Potential Convertee
82. Catchter-Batter
83. Salesman-Prospect
84. Actor-Director
85. Santa Claus-Easter Bunny
86. Transformers
87. Creator-Creation
88. Billionaire-Servant (Maid, Butler, Chauffer, Assistant)
89. Boss-Secretary
90. Fire Chief-Fireman
91. Co-Pilots
92. Guards
93. Warden-Prisoner
94. Cop-Criminal
95. Mentor-Mentee
96. Genie-Wisher
97. Fellow Explorers
98. Loanshark-Victim
99. Fellow Astronauts
100. Lovers
101. Winner-Loser
Have Fun, Yes Man
@MontrealImprov has a good post on the topic.
Key takeaway for me: Try not to use questions in a way that puts all the responsibility on my scene partner because I'm too scared or uncertain to make a choice.
Pattern Games for Harold Openings
At @ImprovBoston in my 401 class, we're really diving deep into The Harold.
We're learning that the Opening and First Beat scenes are really important for building a strong foundation to get your troupe in synch for the rest of the show. In the Opening, you simply get a suggestion from the audience and use it in a game to generate ideas for a theme.
While there are lots of games you could play, pattern games are especially popular. And most of us have heard about the Rule of Threes, the minimum number needed to create a patterns (which our human audience monkey brains LOVE). In pattern games, ImprovBoston teaches us an important concept called "Freedom. Power. Responsibility."
The idea is that the first player has the freedom to choose anything. The second player has the power to choose a direction. The third person has the responsibility to follow or further the pattern we are creating.
Here's how it might work for a Word Association game:
Audience Suggestion: Football
Player 1: Coach
Player 2: Quarterback
Player 3: Cheerleader
If player 3 had instead said, "Ostrich" he would be negating the game - a big no-no.
It's not about what you think would be funny or what you wanted to say two or three words ago. It's about us and this game in this moment.
Some Opening games I like to play...
Monologues - Each person tells a true story, inspired by the suggestion or the previous monologue(s). Most of the time, Harold teams will sweep and start the beat one scenes after three monologues which should last around 30-60 seconds each.
Clover - Clover is a pattern game which starts with the audience suggestion. One at a time players do word association until they legitimately find their way back to the original suggestion. For example, football - field - farmer - tractor - pull - rope - gym - class - teacher - apple - computer - game - football. Most Harold teams will do three rounds of Clover in an Opening.
Scene Paint - One by one, players will walk on stage and describe things that exist in this particular location, "painting" the scene so that the players and audience can visualize this world. The players should be inspired by the initial suggestion and the "brushstrokes" of the other players. When asking for a suggestion, players can also ask more specifically for a "location that would fit on this stage." Here's an example taken from an actual class of mine:
Player 1 - Over here underneath the bench is a pair of sneakers and a used, sweaty pair of 1970s style tube socks
Player 2 - Over her on the wall is a poster that says, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
Player 3 - Over her is a laundry bin with 20 used towels on the floor next to it. There are no towels inside the bin.
etc.
We See Eight - One by one, players step out from the back line and say a few lines inspired by the theme or other players. The idea is to find the theme by building on the statements of the other players and heightening the game. For example:
Player 1 - I've been coaching for 20 years, but no matter how loud I yell, I just can't get these boys to practice like champions.
Player 2 - I try and help Susie with her homework, but this "new math" is confusing. She failed a quiz because I confused the Pythagorean Theorum with the Quadratic Equation.
Player 3 - You're damn right I told W. to invade Iraq. Americans need their oil. Halliburton needs the work. And I need my "blind" trust to grow so I can pay for 10 more heart surgeries.
etc.
Maybe the theme of this Harold is "ineffective mentors."
Tag-Out-but-Continue-the-Story/Theme/Scene - I don't know the exact name of this game, but @GinsburgImprov did this at @HaroldNight as an opening. First player steps out to start a scene inspired by the suggestion. After 2-3 lines, the next player steps out to continue the story/theme/scene. The idea is to make it flow seamlessly from one person to the next while still trying to find the theme. For example,
Player 1 - My dad used to take me to Patriots games when I was a little kid. I loved the games, but hated the traffic. But my Dad would always tell me, "Son..."
Player 2 - "...Son, I think you should get a job and stop mooching off me and your mother." You see, I was a newly graduated English major with dreams...
Player 3 - ...dreams of never having to work. I would buy lottery tickets every day so I could quit my job as a janitor and lie on a beach the rest of my days. (scratches a ticket) Damn. Another loser. I really wish I had studied a lot more and smoked a lot less pot.
Maybe the theme of this Harold is "poor life choices" or "regrets."
Anyway, hope you can use these in your next Harold.
Have Fun, Yes Man
Improv Principle: Rule of Threes
In comedy, The Rule of Threes says that things that come in threes are funnier than things that come in other numbers.
Since three is the minimum number needed to create a pattern, maybe the reason it works in comedy is because human brains love making connections and recognizing patterns.
There are several ways to use The Rule of Threes in improv:
Heighten the Drama - One of my teachers @Bryce1984 summed it up in a lesson learned from one of his drama teachers: "Kill the puppy. Kill the baby. Kill the retard." I'm not sure this represents a clear pattern of escalation, but you have to admit, it does have a certain ring to it.
Diane - "George, I'm not sure that you REALLY love me. You need to prove it."
George - "Of course. Anything for you honey. If only I could think of something."
Diane - "Here. Carry my purse."
George - (taking it) "No problem. It's too heavy for you sometimes."
Diane - "Well, if you REALLY loved me, you'd sell your Harley."
George - (posts an ad on Craigslist) "If that's what it takes, you got it. Motorcycles are dangerous anyway."
Diane - (seeing how far she can go) "That's nice, dear. But I'm still not sure. OK, I want you to wear my bra and panties so you know what it's like to be me."
George - (quickly lifting up his shirt) "One step ahead of you dear!"
Break the Pattern - The first two things are totally normal while the third thing breaks the pattern and causes surprise (another thing human brains love).
"I can't think of anything worse after a night of drinking than waking up next to someone and not being able to remember their name, or how you met, or why they're dead." -- Laura Kightlinger
Tap-Outs - In improv, a tap out means that a player enters an existing scene and taps one of the other players. The player who was tapped leaves the stage. In order to use the Rule of Threes, the entering player continues the previous pattern.
Player 1 - "If you're gonna live under my roof, you're gonna play by MY rules."
(tap out)
Player 2 - "If you're gonna live under my roof, you're gonna have to do your fair share."
(tap out)
Player 3 - "If you're gonna live under my roof, you're gonna have to sing for your supper."
Have Fun, Yes Man
Improv Principle: Disrupt the Routine
You're the elderly mother of a tough cop and you move in with your son. It's his birthday.
Do you...
Knit him a nice sweater. Make him his favorite dinner (meatloaf and applesauce). Fall asleep watching Wheel of Fortune.
Buy him a machine gun. Meddle in his love life. Help him fight crime.
Since this is a blog dedicated to improv, I think you know where I'm going with this.
A is the safe choice. Most people's real lives are normal, routine and boring. As a result, we become numb to normal.
Choose B.
Why?
By disrupting the routine, you'll captivate the audience because uh-oh, this day is NOT going to be like all the rest. Finally, something crazy and exciting is happening!
Viva La Revolución!
Have Fun, Yes Man