Austin Improv

Ratio.
I'm going to improve my ratio. I like that.

DollarBill wrote:

Jastroch wrote: I'll say this. Props and costumes don't have a place in improv.

That's like saying that a flute or a string section has no place in rock and roll.

We work so hard trying to get long form improv accepted as an art form and you want to place LIMITATIONS on it!?! On IMPROV?!?! Tsk. Tsk.

Fair enough. I was being a dick on purpose. But seriously, I've seen a lot of crazy wigs used as a substitute for good scene work.

Also, it was just pointed out that Jeremy wrote the improvisors are lazy post and that I called him a dip shit. Sorry, dude. I have chronic foot in mouth disease.

There is good and bad improv. There are great improv teams who do bad shows, bad improv teams who do good shows. It is improv, that is all.
People come to see improv and then don't go again and new people find out about improv and start going to see shows. I am not sure that there is anything specific to blame on why people come to shows or don't. It is just the simplicity of improv. The post indicated that people who do improv maybe don't hold the skills to do a more demanding type of art (like a play). Maybe people do improv because it gives them a high, or maybe they do it because they are depressed in their real life and this makes them feel better, maybe they do it becasue they forget about the things in life that are stressful. Maybe they did a show and it wasn't good, maybe they wore an AC/DC tshirt to the show that night. Maybe an audience member saw the show and didn't like it. Does that mean improv is categorized into there being a specific reason why people do it or quit watching it. Probably not. Improv is a simple artform in my opinion. To make it responsible for more that seems to complex.

all good, jastroch. don't sweat it. i was expecting to rouse some folks.

i didn't mean to imply that improv people have no skills. i meant to point out that the skills required are different. to be a good improviser is a very unique and skillful craft. just as being a good scripted actor. i was only saying that the start-up time for getting into improv is much faster and this may lead to why some of it blows so bad.

i don't deny that people get into improv for different reasons. some find a social network they were lacking, some exorcise demons, some are honing scripted acting skills with improv. BUT not everybody who paints watercolors gets to be displayed in a museum, whether it was therapeutic for them to paint it or not.

i think my main point is that if you're tired and just say fuck it and wear an ac-dc tshirt, you're doing the artform a disservice. but i do see where you're coming from.

beardedlamb wrote:
i think my main point is that if you're tired and just say fuck it and wear an ac-dc tshirt, you're doing the artform a disservice. but i do see where you're coming from.

I agree with you completely there. When I first read it, I thought this was some dude who didn't do improv or take it seriously as an art form--hence the dip shit thing.

ColdTowne has encountered a ton of horrible improv on the road. Bad enough so it was obvious that a lot of these people saw "Who's Line is it Anyway" and decided, "Hey I can do that! It's easy." Then they get on stage and annoy the shit out of me.

I think the vast majority of Austin Improvisors are very dedicated to their craft. In part because of the community, but also because we've all had access to kick ass training programs. All the improvisors I associate with feel the same way. These "lazy" types are out there, but I would chock it up to lack of exposure to good improv and a lack of training--a misconception about what improv is.

And I intuitively believe that a lot of these people rely on wacky props as a substitute for good scene work.

This should go without saying:

I was too lazy to read this long post and any/all of the replies.

Here's what I gathered from skimming.

1) Improv sucks
2) It's probably my fault
3) I should probably apologize for that

Anyways, I've got a bunch of other things that I shouldn't be doing right now, so lemme get on that.

love,
-phil

.....would it be harder to know what was "good". There are a lot of bad movies that get made, good ones too. There are bad politicians and good ones too. There are good drivers (me) and bad driver's (my husband). I remember enjoying a number of "bad" improv shows and almost looking forward to watching them. I also love when I am in a bad show, to make fun of what I did and laugh and laugh. I don't really have a point here, other than saying that everything in life has good and bad aspects. I just ate a cookie.

i don't enjoy being in bad shows. it's one of the worst feelings in the world for me. i feel like i've cheated the audience out of what they want; why they came. of course, there have been plenty of things i've done or others have done in shows that were huge mistakes and maybe we laugh about them now, but my laughing at how bad it was with my buddies doesn't really do much to attract or retain the audience that didn't enjoy it in the first place.
obviously, everyone has their opinions and for me, i find it difficult to watch improv i'm not enjoying. i usually feel an extreme urge to enter scenes and fix things or stop the scene and direct them. this is two parts ego and one part love for the artform. it's hard for me to not have that control and in the audience i feel like i have no control. this is a personal thing.
anyway, i should have some cake and let this thread die. i think it has run its course.
i'm eating cake now.

hey. i wrote that.
sorry ya'll. nadine used my computer before i wrote this post above and then i didn't log out and back in as myself.
the whole thing was true except it was me.
i'm still eating cake.

jeremy lamb (not nadine)

Here's the great thing about being a fat guy. You can always just stop a bad show near the end and say:

"I'm sorry tonight's show hasn't been as much of a success as we'd have liked it to be. But to make sure you don't go without seeing something you really want to, I will now lift my shirt and do the truffle shuffle, which is always entertaining."

cool website , bri bri

here's my favorite movie quote of all time from my favorite movie

http://www.killerclips.com/clip.php?id=126&qid=1853

hey dudes -

i like that link to the clips - just watched a true romance clip - aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh

anyways - I have been lazy with this thread and have only skimmed it - but fuck it -
here's my opinion - i think it relates -

i wish we did notes after every show
15 minutes-ish of organized, scene by scene notes.

that increases show quality (i like to think so anyway)

one of the things i loved about CSZ was notes!
(I may be glorifying the past here - but who cares - this is my memory)

right after the show we'd get together and do notes
starting with 3 to 5 favorite things from the show
and then get right into it, scanning scene by scene

anyone could give 'em, anyone could get 'em
i learned from the notes i got, i learned from the notes other's got
i loved the policy of - "just take the note" - don't defend it - just take it - if you don't like it - you can forget it -

i think the right attitiude for notes is key:
BEING IN A LEARNING / NON DEFENSIVE MODE
RESPECTUFL / HONEST & REAL
NOT TAKING ANYTHING MORE OR LESS SERIOUSLY THAN IT DESERVES

i want to learn. i love the experience of learning something in improv - or feeling like i unerdstand something i didn't before - it makes me feel excited to think i can be better at that thing/ or in that situation next time

duh? does everyone feel like this?

I also like going over what worked and why - i learn a lot from that as well
sometimes things 'worked' and i dont know why
its incredibly helpful to figure that out too
(if i don't know why - then it was a cool accident - if i DO know why - i have more improv power and can do it again)

also duh?

... and there is the occasional exception to the notes-after-every-show rule - which is - if the show sucked dog poop from begining to end - it might be best to get donuts instead of notes. right?

hey - its FRIDAY!!!!!!!! : )

Rachel wrote: duh? does everyone feel like this?

Yep. What she said.

I agree about notes after a show because it's still fresh in your mind...I've done enough both and bad and good improv to know that the more time that passes after it's over it evaporates from my mind. Good improv scenes I can hardly remember becuase I'm usually so damn focused on the moment it just seems to happen like magic. I can't analyze it myself unless their's a coach there taking notes.

When I did lots of stand up I used to tape my sets and watch them afterwards. Stand Up comics aren't into giving you notes after a show. They;'ll tell what jokes they like but generally don't want to break down your set. IT was painful at first to see all the mistakes I was making when I listened to my sets. Then I started video taping and man o man, the video feedback does not LIE! you can see everything...that's you! All the little things I did to distract or take away from my comedy. IT helped me tremendously in figuring out what NOT to do anymore and focus in on what works.

What would happen if Improv troupes broke down their shows with video feedback. Somehow I think that could be an interesting experience... or NOT. Opinions?