FINISH HIM

(Notes from 2.27 rehearsal)

Three things that stuck out to me in last night's practice:

- FESTER

- "All the information from your first scene should be your arsenal. Not your anchor."

- *Act I: Create the world

  *Act II: Distance yourself from the world

  *Act III: Try to come back to the world

(* As I write these notes, I thought that maybe it would be helpful if we talked about our shows as Act I, II, and III. That way we don't get stuck in the "training wheels Harold" syntax of Scene A2, B2, ect. that we've worked so hard to avoid. Just a thought. I don't think anyone reads this, so this idea might be dead before it was born.)  

Warm Ups

Courtesy of Mitchel Roche:
A To C
Alien Greeting
Alien, Tiger, Cow
Big Booty
Blind Counting
Crazy 8s
Creating An Object
Electric Company
Fickle Me Fiddle
Follow The Follower
Jeepers Creepers
Mirroring
Pass The Clap
Pattern Game
Point & Cross
Prop Switch
Red Ball
Shape Shift
Shared Story
Sound & Movement
What Are You Doing?
Yes And...
Zip, Zap, Zup
101...

(What is this picture!?)

Our New Opening

A - B

A (heightened) - B2

A (more heightened) - B3

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.

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Jam the fuck out!

Notes from Matt (Re: 2/20 rehearsal)

After our first rehearsal-show:
- We need to edit better! You don't need to edit on a button. Especially in those first scenes.

- Never put the breaks on in the first scenes. It's better to land in shit than to not jump at all. Then at least you have something.

- When you come into someone else's scene, make sure it is as simple as, "Woo woo! (that's you coming in as a cop). Here's something to help you guys out. Okay, bye!"

Group Scenes:
- It's the exact same thing as a regular scene. The only difference is you need to find your WHO, WHO, WHO, WHO, WHO, WHO, WHAT, & WHERE.

- Remember there are the same number of lines in a group scene as there are in a two person scene.  Pace yourself with that sense. Know if you haven't said anything, or have said too much.

- When initiating, don't think you have to "Okay guys, get in here" and already have the scene idea all worked out and the game. It can be as simple as "Did you see how big that dragon was?" Then everyone else's job is to create a character, comment on the dragon... and stay on the dragon! Don't move on until you've worn out that ONE idea ONE comment. Then you can all move on, together.

- Do that one thing (big dragon) until the REAL thing exposes itself.

Here is the first group scene I can think of. I loved this season.

Key Party Sketch - SNL

Improv for Humans

Improv for Humans Podcast!

Because I've never taken UCB, listening to this podcast blows my mind. They improvise so simply. Someone tells a story off of a one word suggestion... and then people just improvise that exact same story!!! (For the most part). A part of me is angry with this style, because it is SO easy. And I would have gotten my ass kicked in levels 1-3 of iO Chicago (where I feel you learn the mechanics of where to start a scene) if I based a scene off exactly what was just said. But, on the flip side, it really doesn't matter. I can't stop listening to these shows because they are just so goddamn funny.

It is training my ear to think simply.

It's also infuriating because it is SO opposite of what Groundlings stands for. I'd say 80% of these scenes are two strangers talking, lots of them are transaction scenes, there is a lot of saying no and asking questions. And it is so funny and entertaining. I guess it's just Punk Improv. Learn the rules and break them! Whoo!!! *Pouring beer on myself*

Plus, Matt Besser is crazy hot. I'd say, like, top 10 celebrities hot. 

How to Add Information to a Scene - Groundlings

This is from my first class of level one. This list is so old school and mathematical. I love it. It's so standard, yet I forget that adding information/details can be as simple as doing these following things. 

1. Space Work - Immediately begin a scene working with something. "Grab. Label. Respect." is the Groundlings rule. Pick something up. Figure out what it is. And care about it. 

2. Emotional Adjustment - Pick something to care about. Especially works if the scene isn't going anywhere. 

3. Character - Have a point of view. Don't play yourself. Don't play crazy. Don't play a straight man. 

4. Movement - Cross. Don't stand just where you've been standing. Interact with the environment.

5. Dialog - the most obvious way to get information out. 

Isn't this interesting? I don't agree with all. But it's interesting. 

One Idea, One Comment

"The basic idea of one idea, one comment, is that whoever speaks first in an improvised scene has created the what of the scene. The next person to speak, the partner, provides the comment to the what.

Person one: I think it's a beautiful day.

Person two: I couldn't agree with you more. Beautiful days make me happy.

In this case the idea is: I think it's a beautiful day. The comment is: I agree and it makes me happy.

Technically, those two ideas, that the day is pretty and that the other person happily agreed is all this scene needs to be about. From this point forward, it is all about heightening that idea. And exploring it.

In short, focus right out of the gate on what is being said and how you feel about it. It is an artificial way to get you to express your point of view early in a scene, and then stick to it."