OK, so as we go through this, try to remember that this will need to be boiled down and made marketable. Again, see the Kodak=Memories example.
I agree that we are selling entertainment, but so is Salvage Vanguard, so is the Lion King, so is Kitty Kitty Bang Bang. How is ours different? Why do you want to come to ours? How do we boil down the message to it's simplest form while keeping it emotionally powerful and desirable.
For me, the thing that improv sells is the act of creation. I use this metaphor a lot, but when you go to a museum to see the Mona Lisa, you see a final product. A crafted, honed work of art. But how cool would it have been to see that work of art being created. We are ephemeral, temporal...seeing any of our shows only ever happens once. And with each, you are seeing it being created on the spot.
We are also selling stories. Which I for one feel are an important part of the human psyche and intelect.
What primal need are we fulfilling in the individual audience member?
What, exactly, are we selling?
Anything about the AIC itself.
Moderators: arclight, happywaffle
improv = laughter = medicine = good health.
We are selling a stronger, healthier YOU.
Possible new slogan --> Treat your body right. Treat yourself to some laughter at <insert name of show/theater/etc here>
We are selling a stronger, healthier YOU.
Possible new slogan --> Treat your body right. Treat yourself to some laughter at <insert name of show/theater/etc here>
http://www.artofchange.com
Change is inevitable. Progress is not. Discover the difference YOU can make.
Change is inevitable. Progress is not. Discover the difference YOU can make.
Keep Austin Laughing
I think there is a kind of brave magic, an alchemy that happens with improv.
most of my non improv friends are TERRIFIED to even consider doing it, but they love watching it cause it looks so risky and brave and wild and free.
I don't know how to talk about selling that, but for me there is a sense of living life to the fullest, daring to fail and being ok with it that I get a lot out of and so does the audience who watches it.
I think there is a kind of brave magic, an alchemy that happens with improv.
most of my non improv friends are TERRIFIED to even consider doing it, but they love watching it cause it looks so risky and brave and wild and free.
I don't know how to talk about selling that, but for me there is a sense of living life to the fullest, daring to fail and being ok with it that I get a lot out of and so does the audience who watches it.
"Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet." Tom Robbins
I don't think this is insane at all. There is a tension that is created within the audience that is almost never present in scripted comedy work. It makes simple scenes that would not be at all funny or engaging if they were scripted, work very well on the improv stage. Video (non-live) tends to also diminish the effect. People familiar or un-familiar with improv dynamics still instinctively find it enjoyable to watch someone do a yes-and-f*ck-you or otherwise see someone painted into a scenic corner and then get themselves back.Kareem wrote: I wonder if we can even sell that without sounding cheesy or flat-out insane. That unique aspect of improv is definitely what attracts all (or most) of us to it. But I'm not sure if everyone in the audience will even have that reaction. A lot of them just want to sit down, enjoy something, and go away.
What I do think is insane is trying to hook people with our storylines. I have tried to put a personal moratorium on telling people about scenes that I've been in or seen that I really enjoyed. Simply stated, improv does not re-tell well. I always end up saying 'well you had to be there'. Even that recent article about the Available Cupholders and Frank Mills in Frontera - it was very positive but I don't think the writer knew how to write it up. Listing their favourite line completely out of context or some of the more absurd characters or retelling the literal storyline... well... it doesn't sell it to most people, especially since they won't be seeing the same show. I know who these performers are and have seen their improv so I know it was undoubtedly an amazing show - but it doesn't necessarily do good shows justice in the write ups to the general public.
Scripted theatre of course can be just as absurd - for example I saw an absolutely amazing play on Saturday night called 'The Last Castrato' that requires the audience to equally suspend disbelief but seems to do so with greater purpose and their write up reflected this. Well...whatever...I'm just rambling, now.
So.... to Wesley's very pertinent question, what is it that we're selling?
A: A *unique* form of theatre.
If you're asked what makes it unique, answer that the audience gets to witness or participate in the creative formation of it. I see very different faces at improv shows than I do at mainline theatrical performanes - and we should try and bridge that.
I heard that Dave Buckman had some great summary/pitch of this for the Frank Mills' acceptance speech at the B. Iden Payne Awards. I'd like to hear that - it probably hits the nail on the head better than I am able to.
Keep Austin Laughing
I'm sorry, but my days of Keeping Austin anything or Keeping anything Weird are long since past. My new personal motto is "SSKTS - Seriously, Stop Keeping Things Something." The bumperstickers will be in some time next week.
Seriously, though, I agree with risk and bravery and freedom. I like those images, especially for classes. How do we capture and sell them? Hmmmmmm...
Will you be able to make the meeting tonight?
Wes, are we talking about marketing for the AIC as a whole or the individual troupes?
The AIC as a whole. We can make recommendations to individual troupes, but the Advertising committee is a higher-pupose AIC function. We want to sell improv as a whole, and I don't want to get into the business of dictating, or appearing to dictate, anything to troupes.
I'm sorry, but my days of Keeping Austin anything or Keeping anything Weird are long since past. My new personal motto is "SSKTS - Seriously, Stop Keeping Things Something." The bumperstickers will be in some time next week.
Seriously, though, I agree with risk and bravery and freedom. I like those images, especially for classes. How do we capture and sell them? Hmmmmmm...
Will you be able to make the meeting tonight?
Wes, are we talking about marketing for the AIC as a whole or the individual troupes?
The AIC as a whole. We can make recommendations to individual troupes, but the Advertising committee is a higher-pupose AIC function. We want to sell improv as a whole, and I don't want to get into the business of dictating, or appearing to dictate, anything to troupes.
No I don't think so. My kids were clingy sad monkeys when I got home and all Evan kept saying was, "that's not fair you went ona airplane to node carolino"
Mom needs to be mom.
Mom needs to be mom.
"Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet." Tom Robbins
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- DollarBill Offline
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Um, my answer to the original question is... Happiness? Or on an even lower level: endorphins. I mean really, people are paying Ten bucks to get high for an hour and a half. That's why people come back. It's litterally addictive. Endorphins, man. It's not super marketable, but it's true. Ask Christina.
They call me Dollar Bill 'cause I always make sense.
That's pretty good. Improv as drug. You can go either street drug or pharmaceutical life enhancing or both probably.
Makes your brain say yes!
Makes your brain say yes!
"Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet." Tom Robbins
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- arthursimone Offline
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yes, improv is so much more than just entertainment. You can be entertained watching a movie, reading a book, seeing a scripted and rehearsed show.Miggy wrote: If you're asked what makes it unique, answer that the audience gets to witness or participate in the creative formation of it. I see very different faces at improv shows than I do at mainline theatrical performanes - and we should try and bridge that.
you see improv to watch creation, to watch theatrical daredevils. every roman watched gladiators, not just to see gory death, but a primal victory in spectacular fashion.... Every nascar fan hopes for the dangerous near-wreck, so they can watch the amazing recovery...
you want to expect failure, you want to expect comedic misery and an artistic death sentence so that you can witness its escape- vibrant, immediate, joyful defiance!
"I don't use the accident. I deny the accident." - Jackson Pollock
The goddamn best Austin improv classes!
The goddamn best Austin improv classes!
See Arthur's astute and timely comment. I like the gladiator image, or soldiers, but our weapons are good timing and platform tilts.Wesley wrote:Keep Austin Laughing
Seriously, though, I agree with risk and bravery and freedom. I like those images, especially for classes. How do we capture and sell them? Hmmmmmm...
"Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet." Tom Robbins
This is all very good, but let me rephrase it a little bit to keep us hyper-focused.
Consumers of products, physical or artistic, have emotional needs that they hope the product will fill. What emotional need are we fulfilling for people? What are our own consumer's personal buying motivations when looking for a form of entertainment?
Example:
Have you ever bought or sold a house? A creative agent uses emotion to move homes.
I had a friend who was told to replace pictures on the wall of their kid playing soccer to pictures of their kid playing in the backyard of that house, or sitting around the Christmas tree in that house. They were told to buy cake-scented candles or actually bake before a prospective buyer came over. All of this was done to "trick" the buyer into associating the house with feelings of family, togetherness, happy times, etc. Yes, the person wanted a home, but they didn't just want a home. They wanted a place for their family where they felt the family would thrive and bond. So the house was manipulated to play on those emotions and sell itself based on its ability to fulfill that need.
So, think less about what we do provide and more about what people look to us to provide.
Consumers of products, physical or artistic, have emotional needs that they hope the product will fill. What emotional need are we fulfilling for people? What are our own consumer's personal buying motivations when looking for a form of entertainment?
Example:
Have you ever bought or sold a house? A creative agent uses emotion to move homes.
I had a friend who was told to replace pictures on the wall of their kid playing soccer to pictures of their kid playing in the backyard of that house, or sitting around the Christmas tree in that house. They were told to buy cake-scented candles or actually bake before a prospective buyer came over. All of this was done to "trick" the buyer into associating the house with feelings of family, togetherness, happy times, etc. Yes, the person wanted a home, but they didn't just want a home. They wanted a place for their family where they felt the family would thrive and bond. So the house was manipulated to play on those emotions and sell itself based on its ability to fulfill that need.
So, think less about what we do provide and more about what people look to us to provide.