Oh no, another Chicago style or not debate!!shando wrote:Also, depends on the style guide you use. It's true, although I go with whatever Ratliff and/or Colonel Klink say.
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Discussion of the art and craft of improvisation.
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This one was for grammar nerds like me.York99 wrote:Oh no, another Chicago style or not debate!!shando wrote:Also, depends on the style guide you use. It's true, although I go with whatever Ratliff and/or Colonel Klink say.
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- kbadr Offline
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- DollarBill Offline
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I just gotta say that I think all these notes are good basic ground rules, but aren't applicable in every situation. It's important to gobble up every piece of knowledge available on the topic of improv, but experience is the best teacher. It's the only way to know when to use the "rules" and the other things you've learned and when to... not, I guess.
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Wow... That totally slid right by me. That's terrible. Terrible. I do <3 Chicago style a lot though.York99 wrote:This one was for grammar nerds like me.York99 wrote:Oh no, another Chicago style or not debate!!shando wrote:Also, depends on the style guide you use. It's true, although I go with whatever Ratliff and/or Colonel Klink say.
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- Justin D. Offline
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I'm way late in responding to this, but here's my take on why I think eye contact is important.
It gives a sense of realism to a scene.
I look people in the eyes when I talk to them normally. A long time ago, I had the habit of looking at people's lips because I was actually reading them as well as listening to what they say. When I was about 18, I consciously chose to stop doing that and start looking people in the eyes when I spoke. It made me a lot more comfortable and relaxed when I did so.
No, you shouldn't constantly be looking the other person in the eyes during the course of an entire show. However, it does help everyone (other performers and audience alike) to actually make eye contact normally throughout the show. And I mean normally. Many times, conversations on stage should mirror conversations off stage with regular eye contact, but I've noticed some improvisers choose to rarely to never look another performer in the eyes, no matter who the characters are or what the situation is.
Think about how you feel when you're talking to someone and they're constantly looking everywhere but at you. Does that annoy you? Distract you? Confuse you? It'll do the same thing to others on stage and to the audience then.
If not the eyes, at least look them in the face. Making eye contact isn't always about intensity or depth of emotion. Sometimes, it's just a simple anchor to reality we can use to ground a scene. Then, the moments you refuse to make eye contact or refuse to break it after establishing a normal tone to the scene through regular, appropriate use of it become much stronger.
One side-note about eye contact, I've discovered that there are two types of people who are not always comfortable with it, employers during job interviews and therapists. Ponder that for a bit.
It gives a sense of realism to a scene.
I look people in the eyes when I talk to them normally. A long time ago, I had the habit of looking at people's lips because I was actually reading them as well as listening to what they say. When I was about 18, I consciously chose to stop doing that and start looking people in the eyes when I spoke. It made me a lot more comfortable and relaxed when I did so.
No, you shouldn't constantly be looking the other person in the eyes during the course of an entire show. However, it does help everyone (other performers and audience alike) to actually make eye contact normally throughout the show. And I mean normally. Many times, conversations on stage should mirror conversations off stage with regular eye contact, but I've noticed some improvisers choose to rarely to never look another performer in the eyes, no matter who the characters are or what the situation is.
Think about how you feel when you're talking to someone and they're constantly looking everywhere but at you. Does that annoy you? Distract you? Confuse you? It'll do the same thing to others on stage and to the audience then.
If not the eyes, at least look them in the face. Making eye contact isn't always about intensity or depth of emotion. Sometimes, it's just a simple anchor to reality we can use to ground a scene. Then, the moments you refuse to make eye contact or refuse to break it after establishing a normal tone to the scene through regular, appropriate use of it become much stronger.
One side-note about eye contact, I've discovered that there are two types of people who are not always comfortable with it, employers during job interviews and therapists. Ponder that for a bit.
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- DollarBill Offline
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Interesting, Justin. I starting paying attention to eye contact in regular life a couple years ago when someone brought it up in improv class. Now I notice that a LOT of people avoid eye contact during a conversation. OR sometimes I notice people looking at me when I talk and then look away when they talk... or sometimes the other way around. It's very intimate to make eye contact and that scares a lot of people I think. It can definitely feel weird sometimes. Hm... veeeery interesting.
They call me Dollar Bill 'cause I always make sense.