When you have nothing...

[vine311]

Good point. Big difference. I've done that quite a bit too.

[Milquetoast]

I like this topic. As a fellow noob (hi Jericho!), I don't have a bajillion experiences of coming out with nothing. What I do know is that early on, if I had nothing, it'd be a panicked moment (fear based choices!). Now I know that patience will get you everywhere, so I just slow down and figure out where I am. The end result is usually good!

[TexasImprovMassacre]

I pick another improviser in the AIC and do an impression of them.

[Wesley]

Ha! I've done that one several dozen times. Either I suck at it or people fail/refuse to recognize themselves on stage.

[Wesley]

Ha! I've done that one several dozen times. Either I suck at it or people fail/refuse to recognize themselves on stage.

[HerrHerr]

I like all this input. I do know about having an emotion and sticking with it or know already how you'll feel about the next character you have a scene with, etc...

I was curious to know of any little tricks or fallback bits, etc...or what fun quirks you've learned about other people from playing with them often--whether in the same troupe or not.

Andy P. used to like to load a gun or pick tic-tacs back in their container. Chris RB Fay used to start many scenes measuring the floor with a tape measure.

Yeah, whenever I "have nothing" and start a scene combing my long hair, I do sorta have something...but the cool thing is that I may not have any idea for a scene and I do let the other person's reaction to me sorta inform who my character is. Scary, but fun. Like Grace Jones.

[madeline]

When I have nothing in the start of a scene, I like to make a grand sweeping gesture.
Par example, crossing the width of the stage and pulling away a huge sheet, punctuated with "Voila!"

So yeah, a big reveal.

[Spaztique]

Here's more newbie input.

If I have nothing, I...

-Go to a stock character, a character from a story I've written/read, or I impersonate a fellow improviser.
-Wait for my partner to endow me as something, using only a physical trait as my only form of character.
-Throw out a suggestion of my own in my head and see if it works.
-Completely ignore the scene, throw out a random line, and hope my partner "Yes, And"'s me. (Surprisingly, this leads to the best scenes)
-Head to a stock pose, like lying on the floor, sitting down with my legs crossed, or leaning against the wall.
-Use Asaf's staple beginner-level scene starter: A "You are..." statement.
-Say the most generic statement I can say and hope my partner can explain what just happened, or at least have enough time to think when he asks for a response.
-Simply walk-off if there's another improviser in the scene, playing only a secondary character (I've only done this once, though. Normally, I stick these out, these days).

[Marc Majcher]

PGraph's version of that used to involve stacking of chairs.

Which in turn, was stolen from Polite Society.

I've seen Craigy do this a lot too and have stolen his love of moving furniture as well.

You know, now that I think about it, I remember Lamb telling us in a workshop once to rearrange chairs when you've got nothing. "It looks like you're doing something intentionally, and it gives you time to think something up." Or something.

Lots of thinking about chairs. Mmmm, chairs.

[beardedlamb]

i was going to say my thing was to go for the chairs. jon benner used to bust my balls on it and called it chair comedy.
on a different note i would take care of your scene partner by taking care of your scene partner. that means connecting with them and building a scene together. if there's no one there, go for the chairs to stall.

[DollarBill]

Just say or do something with (any) emotion behind it and some semblence of detail, and it doesn't matter what, and yr good. Anything can be a scene start, the key is just not second guessing yourself or your partners in what it is.

Or pirates.

I forgot to post my notes from my last class with Joe Bill, but what Bob posted is what I took as the most valuable point from that class. Strong emotion behind almost any action or phrase makes it worth something.

We did an exercise where we entered with nothing and then instantly (and silently) connected with either our scene partner or something in the space. The connection is the important part. It's not brushing your hair or moving furniture that's important, but knowing exactly how you feel about doing those things, holding onto that feeling, and then letting that inform how you interact in your scene.

Also you should love what you do at the beginning of the scene (and through the rest of it, but especially at the beginning). And if you don't, you should pretend that you do so the audience knows that you're in control.

[Roy Janik]

Also you should love what you do at the beginning of the scene (and through the rest of it, but especially at the beginning). And if you don't, you should pretend that you do so the audience knows that you're in control.

Can you explain a bit? Is it that you, the improviser, should love the fact that you're doing whatever it is you're doing, or that the character should love it?

[DollarBill]

The improvisor. Obviously there's an exception to everything, but for the most part, if you love (or force yourself to love) your choices then you start off on a much better foot.