This Level 2 class is blowing my mind. The first week was pretty much what I expected, though I learned a lot because I have not really had Zach as a teacher since the 03 summer intensive, and because this class is full of amazing talent.
Last week was just intense. We really had to open up, and Zach pushed us hard. Having visited some scary places in my psyche in Ross's early classes, I was reluctant to delve too deep, but I shared. Others in the class really gave so much of themselves, and I wished I had shared more.
Tonight was really the one that blew my mind. We were working with our environment in a different way than I ever have before, and it took most of the class to understand where we were going. Once we got there, though, it was pretty cool. The closest thing I can compare it to is "Wax on, wax off."
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Thoughts on "game"
Quote:
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon
Isn't it something that the game we're all looking for happens when we least expect it? Sometimes we work so hard to try to find something fun to play with, and the things we say and do while we're looking, while we're working instead of playing, are the things that wind up being fun. If we're paying attention, we figure it out and stop trying so hard and just start playing.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Meditations on improv
I get a My Daily Om email every day. Sometimes I skim them and yawn. Sometimes they’re really helpful. This one was particularly interesting, in that it was unintentionally about improv.
So often I find myself searching for what my character would say, not because I’m looking for the funniest line or the most brilliant game move. Those things are usually way out of my reach. No, I just have trouble knowing what my character wants to say. The answer is simple, and something we use every day: eye contact. Scott Jennings emphasized it during the recent Level 2. “The next line is in your scene partner’s eyes.”
Eye contact lets you and your scene partner know each other, and when you know each other, you know what you want to say. Once I make eye contact, I discover that my next line is, indeed, right there. More importantly, it is often something completely unexpected and delightful.
It is also important to listen and pay attention to what our scene partner is giving us, instead of spending the time while they're talking thinking of what we're going to say next. We can't do that. Whatever we're going to say next hinges directly on what our scene partner is saying now. We need to know what that is in order to respond.
We need to not only hear words, but also to read body language and understand feelings. The posture and attitude of our scene partner speaks volumes about who we are and how we are feeling about each other. When you're out in the world, watch people interact with each other. Watch their body language and learn what it means. Learn how to use it in your scenework to express what your words are not necessarily saying. And pay attention to your scene partner’s body language and listen to it. Give it the same weight as you do their words.
As improvisers, we do have to agree with each other about the reality of the scene. We can’t build anything together if we don’t. But we don’t always have the same idea coming into a scene. Sometimes we have very different ideas. Without one of us completely dropping our thing, which is jarring to the players and also the audience, how do we reconcile our two different ideas and agree on a reality? The way we build the reality is by listening and respecting each other’s idea, and accepting and incorporating it into our own. In this way, two seemingly different realities can become one.
Listen to the words your scene partner is saying and acknowledge them. Don’t spend all your energy and attention on the nuance and forget to hear the actual words. Respond to the thing that was just said according to the reality you are creating together. No matter what else has gone on in the scene, no matter what the subtleties of body language and eye contact tell us, the words are out there now, and they must be responded to.
It seems so complicated: read the eyes, read the body, hear the words, play the game. In real life we all do it every day. In real reality. When we improvise, we should just think about the fact that we are creating a reality, and we can communicate with each other in that reality in exactly the same way we do in real reality. If that makes any sense at all.
Quote:
Being a good listener means being an active listener by being fully present when someone is talking to you. Making eye contact when someone is speaking helps to connect us to one another. It also keeps us focused on what is being said, rather than what we are thinking. We need to not only hear words, but also to read body language and understand feelings.
So often I find myself searching for what my character would say, not because I’m looking for the funniest line or the most brilliant game move. Those things are usually way out of my reach. No, I just have trouble knowing what my character wants to say. The answer is simple, and something we use every day: eye contact. Scott Jennings emphasized it during the recent Level 2. “The next line is in your scene partner’s eyes.”
Eye contact lets you and your scene partner know each other, and when you know each other, you know what you want to say. Once I make eye contact, I discover that my next line is, indeed, right there. More importantly, it is often something completely unexpected and delightful.
It is also important to listen and pay attention to what our scene partner is giving us, instead of spending the time while they're talking thinking of what we're going to say next. We can't do that. Whatever we're going to say next hinges directly on what our scene partner is saying now. We need to know what that is in order to respond.
We need to not only hear words, but also to read body language and understand feelings. The posture and attitude of our scene partner speaks volumes about who we are and how we are feeling about each other. When you're out in the world, watch people interact with each other. Watch their body language and learn what it means. Learn how to use it in your scenework to express what your words are not necessarily saying. And pay attention to your scene partner’s body language and listen to it. Give it the same weight as you do their words.
Quote:
We don't have to agree with everything or anything that is being said, but listening with an open mind is respectful to the speaker and it allows us to understand the other person and ourselves better. By letting go of assumptions and hearing what is being said, as well as the tone of voice the speaker is using, we can better understand our differences and perhaps find some similarities.
As improvisers, we do have to agree with each other about the reality of the scene. We can’t build anything together if we don’t. But we don’t always have the same idea coming into a scene. Sometimes we have very different ideas. Without one of us completely dropping our thing, which is jarring to the players and also the audience, how do we reconcile our two different ideas and agree on a reality? The way we build the reality is by listening and respecting each other’s idea, and accepting and incorporating it into our own. In this way, two seemingly different realities can become one.
Quote:
Reflect back to the speaker that you understand and empathize with their feelings of happiness, anxiety, and/or sadness. Ask questions if you don't understand, but respect boundaries if the speaker seems uncomfortable. Sometimes, being a good listener means listening to the silence in between words. Being a good listener is easy - simply listen with your ears, as well as your heart.
Listen to the words your scene partner is saying and acknowledge them. Don’t spend all your energy and attention on the nuance and forget to hear the actual words. Respond to the thing that was just said according to the reality you are creating together. No matter what else has gone on in the scene, no matter what the subtleties of body language and eye contact tell us, the words are out there now, and they must be responded to.
It seems so complicated: read the eyes, read the body, hear the words, play the game. In real life we all do it every day. In real reality. When we improvise, we should just think about the fact that we are creating a reality, and we can communicate with each other in that reality in exactly the same way we do in real reality. If that makes any sense at all.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Second thoughts
Hmmm, I'm still thinking about that quote. When I posted it, I was thinking about it in terms of hesitating vs. making mistakes (and learning from them). I have long struggled, in improv and life in general, with hesitating out of fear of making a mistake, and the quotation seemed to speak to that.
The problem is, I ignored the other half of the quote, which was about being inferior vs. superior. I hope none of us are striving to be superior to our teammates. That isn't why we do this. I hope what we are striving to do is raise our teammates up so that we all feel good about what we do.
And I suppose the same holds true for life in general.
The problem is, I ignored the other half of the quote, which was about being inferior vs. superior. I hope none of us are striving to be superior to our teammates. That isn't why we do this. I hope what we are striving to do is raise our teammates up so that we all feel good about what we do.
And I suppose the same holds true for life in general.
Another quote untentionally about improv:
Quote:
While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior.
Henry C. Link
Words to improvise by.
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