Dave Siegel
June 10, 2004, 12:37 AM
At the beginning of class tonight, James Eason told us about when he took a level 2 class with Ian Roberts (a founding member of the upright citizen's brigade) back when those folks actually taught lower level classes. Ian passed around a handout of basic improv scenework notes. Eason passed the same handout on to us, so I thought I would post it here verbatim for anyone interested.
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IMPROV SCENE WORK NOTES
by Ian Roberts
Scene Work Basics
1. Character of the Space - Start with agreement on one ore more of the following elements:
- "where"/environment
- attitude
- emotion
- intensity/energy
- activity
2. Establsh who you are, where you are and what you are doing as soon as possible. Show, don't tell.
3. Start scenes real and play at the top of your intelligence (the character knows everything you know). This establishes a reality against which the unusual or specific can stand out. Blue doesn't show up well on blue.
4. Don't ask questions, make statements and take action.
5. Yes and. Agree with and add to the reality your partner establishes.
6. Don't be coy. If you have decided something aout the scene, share it.
Finding the Game:
1. Listen and recognize when the unusual or the specific has naturally occured.
2. If, then. Decide what pattern or world this specific thing partakes in (if this happened, thenwhat else would happen?).
3. Play under this "umbrella' and heighten.
4. Don't make jokes. Play the game. Every time you play within the pattern of the game, that's a laugh.
Helpful Hints:
1. The scene is not about __________.
2. When saying "no" people are actually trying to show osmet hing about their character (ie. my character wouldn't like this, do that, agree with that). Recognize that you can say "yes" and we can still know you would like to say "no" by the way you say "yes". This way action continues and we still know how your character feels.
3. Avoid teaching scenes. One person can't participate.
4. Avoid transaction scenes. The scene is over once the transaction is through.
5. When in doubt, confress. Share the secret.
6. Think Action/Reaction. Be affected by and react truthfully and realistically to what your scene parter does. Think of yourself and your scene parter as Lincoln Logs, Legos, the Ying Yang symbol, etc...If your scene partner is the "unusual" one, then ofter you will need to be the "normal" one or straight man.
7. Keep status in mind. This will affect the degree to which you can express your truthful, realistic responses to your scene partner's actions.
8. OR mirror your partner. Have the same interests, opinions, likes, dislikes, passions, enemies, etc. Life is often this way. We associate with people with whom we have something in common.
9. Don't do a scene about "it". Name "it" quickly. The longer you wait, the more pressure there is to make "it" pretty fantastic. "It" scenes are frustrating to you and the audience.
10. Know your scene partner.
11. Don't kill your scene partner.
FINAL RULES
You can break all the preceding rules, however, mosto f the time you'll be better off if you don't. Improv rules tend to be life rules. They exist ot make our work look more like life.
-------------------------
IMPROV SCENE WORK NOTES
by Ian Roberts
Scene Work Basics
1. Character of the Space - Start with agreement on one ore more of the following elements:
- "where"/environment
- attitude
- emotion
- intensity/energy
- activity
2. Establsh who you are, where you are and what you are doing as soon as possible. Show, don't tell.
3. Start scenes real and play at the top of your intelligence (the character knows everything you know). This establishes a reality against which the unusual or specific can stand out. Blue doesn't show up well on blue.
4. Don't ask questions, make statements and take action.
5. Yes and. Agree with and add to the reality your partner establishes.
6. Don't be coy. If you have decided something aout the scene, share it.
Finding the Game:
1. Listen and recognize when the unusual or the specific has naturally occured.
2. If, then. Decide what pattern or world this specific thing partakes in (if this happened, thenwhat else would happen?).
3. Play under this "umbrella' and heighten.
4. Don't make jokes. Play the game. Every time you play within the pattern of the game, that's a laugh.
Helpful Hints:
1. The scene is not about __________.
2. When saying "no" people are actually trying to show osmet hing about their character (ie. my character wouldn't like this, do that, agree with that). Recognize that you can say "yes" and we can still know you would like to say "no" by the way you say "yes". This way action continues and we still know how your character feels.
3. Avoid teaching scenes. One person can't participate.
4. Avoid transaction scenes. The scene is over once the transaction is through.
5. When in doubt, confress. Share the secret.
6. Think Action/Reaction. Be affected by and react truthfully and realistically to what your scene parter does. Think of yourself and your scene parter as Lincoln Logs, Legos, the Ying Yang symbol, etc...If your scene partner is the "unusual" one, then ofter you will need to be the "normal" one or straight man.
7. Keep status in mind. This will affect the degree to which you can express your truthful, realistic responses to your scene partner's actions.
8. OR mirror your partner. Have the same interests, opinions, likes, dislikes, passions, enemies, etc. Life is often this way. We associate with people with whom we have something in common.
9. Don't do a scene about "it". Name "it" quickly. The longer you wait, the more pressure there is to make "it" pretty fantastic. "It" scenes are frustrating to you and the audience.
10. Know your scene partner.
11. Don't kill your scene partner.
FINAL RULES
You can break all the preceding rules, however, mosto f the time you'll be better off if you don't. Improv rules tend to be life rules. They exist ot make our work look more like life.