i was introduced to a crucial piece of improv advice many years ago that has forever changed the way i improvise. in scenes with four people, you're only going to be talking 1/4 of the time. and that fraction can be changed depending on how many people are in the scene obviously. since i am never sure exactly of this percentage in a scene i err on the side of less than. better to leave space and support what's happening.
another good one is the concept of the "passenger." with scenes of more than two, the rest of the players should be passengers. they are merely there to act as window dressing or color until the scene decides otherwise. you might be a passenger for 10 seconds somewhere in the middle of the scene, or you might be on stage for the entire scene just miming an action in the corner, never to be used other than for your incredible good looks.
these ideas have forever changed me because they made me into an almost constantly support player. i'm usually the guy who hangs back and reacts to what's been built, somewhat of the passenger in my troupe.
i'm also working out the kinks on a format idea called 31 People, where the cast is 31 strong. 26 or so of that 31 are permanent passengers, or i guess extras in the show. they act as scenery, objects, other characters with little or no dialogue. the other 5 or so act as an ensemble delivering all the dialogue and story stuff. as long as it is rehearsed and directed (practiced and coached) well, everyone will know how they fit in and it should look really sweet from the audience. so while assigning these kinds of roles at a jam would probably be a real dick thing to do, it might be a good way to get a handle on the massive cast issue.
Fustercluck: A longform of Quality versus Quantity
Discussion of the art and craft of improvisation.
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- beardedlamb Offline
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- improvstitute Offline
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I am working on a format called 30 people. It should be slightly easier to pull off and if you play in it you will be 1/30th more noticed that if you are in Jeremy's show. That is unless Bill Stern is in the show. If that is the case, then everyone else will seem invisible. He is just that talented. I think I would have to change the title to 1 Uber God and 29 faint whispers.beardedlamb wrote:i'm also working out the kinks on a format idea called 31 People, where the cast is 31 strong.
-Ted
"I don't use the accident. I create the accident." -Jackson's Polyp
JUNK IMPROV
"I don't use the accident. I create the accident." -Jackson's Polyp
JUNK IMPROV
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- DollarBill Offline
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In which case I wouldn't be doing my job. I hope that the people I play with find it easier to shine because of me. Not in spite of me. I would also like to add that I would be nothing without the monster talents of the other Cupholders. It's easy to look good when everyone else around you covers up your mistakes. Thanks y'all. I appreciate the sentiment very much, Ted, but I hope nobody sees me as a stage hog/scene stealer. If so, that's another thing on the long list of stuff I need to work on.improvstitute wrote:If that is the case, then everyone else will seem invisible.
They call me Dollar Bill 'cause I always make sense.
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- improvstitute Offline
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Of course not...you are very generous on and off stage and in no way a hog/scene stealer. I was being silly. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. Yet another reason to h8 (thx Cody) electronic communication. If you could have seen me act out my post in person, you would have totally been able to tell that I was kidding. The voice in my head was having a great time coming up with what I was typing and how it would be received. I imagined everyone that read that post would giggle and say to themselves "Oh...that Ted! He is so silly." I must admit that I am thinking that exact same thing right now about this post, but I am not being silly this time. Hmmm...DollarBill wrote:In which case I wouldn't be doing my job. I hope that the people I play with find it easier to shine because of me. Not in spite of me. I would also like to add that I would be nothing without the monster talents of the other Cupholders. It's easy to look good when everyone else around you covers up your mistakes. Thanks y'all. I appreciate the sentiment very much, Ted, but I hope nobody sees me as a stage hog/scene stealer. If so, that's another thing on the long list of stuff I need to work on.improvstitute wrote:If that is the case, then everyone else will seem invisible.
On that same note...Jeremy...I am not actually working on a format called 30 people. Again...just funnin'. I like your idea and can't wait to see it on stage. I'd gladly play a bear rug or large-ish filing cabinet for you some time.
-Ted
"I don't use the accident. I create the accident." -Jackson's Polyp
JUNK IMPROV
"I don't use the accident. I create the accident." -Jackson's Polyp
JUNK IMPROV
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- DollarBill Offline
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I haven't followed this thread and I opened it to this post. It made me excited for some smack talking. I started at the beginning. Disappointment.DollarBill wrote:Ya know what, Ted!?!?! If you're gonna be sarcastic, then just don't post at all!!! AND THE REST OF YOU CAN JUST STAY OUT OF IT!!!!
The forums should be for real smack talking that you're too much of a coward to do in person. Read the rules I just made up and that are not printed anywhere.
"Every cat dies 9 times, but every cat does not truly live 9 lives."
-Bravecat
-Bravecat
