Project Improviser

ChrisTrew.Com · Post by **ChrisTrew.Com** » June 7th, 2006, 1:38 am

Anyone caught this? Arthur Simone and myself have a friend and her name is Marcy and she is on this show and I don't know how I feel about it but I will watch it. Here is a link.
http://www.projectimproviser.com/

kbadr · Post by **kbadr** » June 7th, 2006, 3:40 am

Huh. The trailer seems to have been cut to make these guys seem like cocky assholes. That's just my 3:45am knee-jerk reaction, though.

madeline · Post by **madeline** » June 7th, 2006, 10:28 am

I think this is a project they edited themselves (the UCB theatre). So, their image/trailer is self-created (not skewed by some outside producer).

shando · Post by **shando** » June 7th, 2006, 10:44 am

kbadr wrote:The trailer seems to have been cut to make these guys seem like cocky assholes.

Yeah, a little icky. Especially the olive complection dude. I want to hurt that guy.

It definitely seems to me there is a whole species of improvisor who equates snide and sarcastic with funny. I don't have anyhting against snideness and sarcasm as tools to use occaisonally, but I don't think they should be default modes in improv. They reek as much of fear as do hestitation and blocking, but are harder to cure, I think.

Mo Daviau · Post by **Mo Daviau** » June 7th, 2006, 11:17 am

I know Jackie Clarke from my NYC days. She's really awesome and, from what I've observed, has a really high tolerance for cocky asshole UCB guys.

It's an entirely different social culture out there. They seem supportive in a way that encourages the occasional physical beating/catfight/restraining order.

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » June 7th, 2006, 12:49 pm

So, their image/trailer is self-created (not skewed by some outside producer).
If by "not skewed" you mean "not improved," then I agree.

It definitely seems to me there is a whole species of improvisor who equates snide and sarcastic with funny.
Why not, it worked for such comedy geniuses as David Spade and Adam Sandler. (I was going to use strikethrough for "comedy" and "geniuses" but the system doesn't seem to support it, so pretend I did.)

It seems interesting enough, but I don't know why anyone that wasn't an improviser would watch it. They didn't really explain what long-form was or why people who didn't perfomr improv would or should care. And, I agree, they came off sounding too smug and sarcastic for my tastes.

We should do something like this here. But maybe not even with the competition. A more open "What is improv?" documentary where we follow each other (maybe a troupe at a time) and talk about what we do outside improv, how we rehearse, warm-up for shows, what goes through our mind, who our influences are, etc and then end each episode with a show. We could make it much more honest and open and targeted at non-improvisers. We can tell the world why we love our craft, why we do this. It would be like Mo's podcasts taken to the visual level.
I would be totally down for this.

kbadr · Post by **kbadr** » June 7th, 2006, 1:35 pm

The Improv podcast for the Austinist will probably hit some of those points, too. Should be up any day/week now.

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » June 7th, 2006, 2:30 pm

Isn't that just an interview, though?

I'm thinking documentary style filming. Think Spinal Tap, but with comedians.

Follow a troupe as they interact as a group. Watch clips of them getting ready for and doing a show, intersperse with glimpses of their side (non-improv) lives, hobbies, living spaces, and interview clips. Add some drama, some heartfelt truth, some hard luck and good luck stories and voila.

I bet we could get people to watch.

Hell, the rollergirls got a show on TV for skating in circles and now the roller derby scene all over the country is exploding. Why not get people interested in improv the same way? Now that Rollergirls is cancelled, A&E may be needing a replacement...

madeline · Post by **madeline** » June 7th, 2006, 4:31 pm

skewed, for better or worse. yes. that's what I meant. as for that cocky style, that seems to be quite prevalent in NYC comedy, from what I've seen the past couple of years. being hard, and all that.

also, it seems a lot of groups now are creating their own online shows, to show tv networks the potential of their particular artform, in the hopes of being picked up. See: Josh & Tamra.

ChrisTrew.Com · Post by **ChrisTrew.Com** » June 7th, 2006, 5:13 pm

A friend of mine in Chicago (Mikah! Anyone know him?) recently wrapped up production on "Why Improv?" which was a documentary with improvisers.
I need to get a copy of it from him.

Another NOLA transplant friend of mine is a filmmaker and he's touched himself up a few times thinking about doing an improv documentary. I'll remind him.

erikamay · Post by **erikamay** » June 7th, 2006, 5:16 pm

touched himself up a few times

i'm not sure what this means chris trew, but i somehow get it.

York99 · Post by **York99** » June 8th, 2006, 12:28 am

I wouldn't jump the judgement gun on this. Who knows what the full interviews were like, who actually did the editing and why, or really what the show will be like.

To me, anything that gives the art of improv some notice is great and deserves support. Like the saying goes, "If they're not talking about you, you're not important."

shando · Post by **shando** » June 8th, 2006, 9:38 am

York99 wrote:I wouldn't jump the judgement gun on this. Who knows what the full interviews were like, who actually did the editing and why, or really what the show will be like.

To me, anything that gives the art of improv some notice is great and deserves support. Like the saying goes, "If they're not talking about you, you're not important."

Judgment Gun. Sounds like the name of a new troupe. Dibs. I own it for a CageMatch name.

I'd also still say that were I not willing to cut these dudes slack since they're improvisers, I wouldn't want to watch the show 'cause they seem jackassy. Just saying.

kbadr · Post by **kbadr** » June 8th, 2006, 9:48 am

I'll watch at least the first episode, out of curiosity.

But I really don't understand the concept. So...they're going to come up with a format, and then this format will somehow be strengthened by systematically removing people you've been developing/practicing the format with?!? I don't see how that will help at all.

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » June 8th, 2006, 10:00 am

The 1-man Harold.

Always innovating up there.