Improving my improv
July 26, 2011 11:32 AM Subscribe
How do I practice improv by myself?
I just recently started an improv class. I love it! It's once a week and is stretching me in all kinds of new directions. The challenge is that I'd like to get better at it. I know that improv is a group activity but are there any exercises that I can do by myself during the week to strengthen my chops?
I just recently started an improv class. I love it! It's once a week and is stretching me in all kinds of new directions. The challenge is that I'd like to get better at it. I know that improv is a group activity but are there any exercises that I can do by myself during the week to strengthen my chops?
I'm not into improv, but I love the creative whack pack for one-man brainstorms. Maybe it could be similarly useful?
posted by Gucky at 11:35 AM on July 26, 2011
posted by Gucky at 11:35 AM on July 26, 2011
Watch episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway, pause it after the announcer reads the challenge, and perform it immediately.
posted by Jairus at 11:35 AM on July 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Jairus at 11:35 AM on July 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
my improv teachers all believe that watching improv is one of the greatest ways to learn what to do (agreement, etc.) and what not to do. you could go out and watch/support others, watch clips on youtube, etc. this "perfect harold" could be a great place to start. also, i play the games with my friends when we're together - super fun for them and good practice for me. i'm sure more experienced improv folks have more structured ideas, but i'm ending my 4th month of classes and this is what has helped me a lot so far. (also, my classmates and i schedule fun "improv jams" outside of class, but we're super improv dorks).
posted by anya32 at 11:37 AM on July 26, 2011
posted by anya32 at 11:37 AM on July 26, 2011
Automatic writing, especially of something structured like the particular form of a poem. Alternatively, do a MST3K-type attack on a movie by yourself.
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:46 AM on July 26, 2011
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:46 AM on July 26, 2011
Go to a lot of shows! You'll have so much fun and improv people are good people. PS this question makes me so happy. Everyone should take at least one improv class. Seriously. EVERYONE.
posted by sweetkid at 11:54 AM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by sweetkid at 11:54 AM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
A lot of comedic actors talk about doing impressions/characters in front of a mirror to work on their technique.
posted by burnmp3s at 11:56 AM on July 26, 2011
posted by burnmp3s at 11:56 AM on July 26, 2011
I get a kick out of putting the TV on mute, flipping it to a random channel, and making up all the dialogue myself. I've never taken an improv class (note to self: why not?? do this!!) but I imagine it'd help.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:58 AM on July 26, 2011
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:58 AM on July 26, 2011
Here's a source for some (long-form) improv videos- the schedule for the upcoming Del Close Marathon. Almost every team has a video on their page, so click around and enjoy.
One specific exercise that comes to mind is something that my old improv friends used to do: they'd take a common hand-help object like a cell phone, a glass, a pencil, whatever, and pick it up and put it down, over and over and over. Then they'd put it aside and MIME picking it up and putting it down. Try it! Getting good at mime, to the point where you don't even have to think about it, will really add something to your scenes. (And bad mime is the WORST- there's nothing worse than a thumb-and-forefinger gun!)
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:02 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
One specific exercise that comes to mind is something that my old improv friends used to do: they'd take a common hand-help object like a cell phone, a glass, a pencil, whatever, and pick it up and put it down, over and over and over. Then they'd put it aside and MIME picking it up and putting it down. Try it! Getting good at mime, to the point where you don't even have to think about it, will really add something to your scenes. (And bad mime is the WORST- there's nothing worse than a thumb-and-forefinger gun!)
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:02 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
I've wondered in the past whether Sleep is Death would scratch this itch.
posted by Jonathan Harford at 12:14 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Jonathan Harford at 12:14 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
I hate thumb guns and also pinky/thumb phones. Additional mime skills--sitting in an invisible chair, walking with a cane, holding an umbrella, swinging sports equipment, stirring a mixing bowl, putting on and taking off clothing, and opening and closing a door. A door is a good example: you want the door to be the same width, swing consistently, and have the doorknob operate the same and be at the same height.
You don't have to be an athlete to do improv, but in addition to mime skills, physical fitness, flexibility, balance, and some strength will broaden your range. Pilates would be an excellent complement.
You could also do some kind of keyword freeze tag. Watch television, and every time you hear a certain word, assume a position and hold it for 30 seconds.
There's excellent reading out in the world from and about the likes of Del Close, Viola Spolin, and Keith Johnstone.
Keep your voice exercised too.
posted by nita at 12:18 PM on July 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
You don't have to be an athlete to do improv, but in addition to mime skills, physical fitness, flexibility, balance, and some strength will broaden your range. Pilates would be an excellent complement.
You could also do some kind of keyword freeze tag. Watch television, and every time you hear a certain word, assume a position and hold it for 30 seconds.
There's excellent reading out in the world from and about the likes of Del Close, Viola Spolin, and Keith Johnstone.
Keep your voice exercised too.
posted by nita at 12:18 PM on July 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
Do improv with people who don't realize you're doing it (seriously) - "yes and" everybody (salespeople, your barista). As you move on in your classes, you'll do activities involving status, or creating background stories, and you'll find it interesting to just observe (and participate) in the real life versions of those things.
As a beginner, though, the biggest gift you could give yourself is practice, and watching. In toronto, there are amateur and professional improv nights around town - go see them! and jump in and participate if you can - practice helps.
posted by Kololo at 12:18 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
As a beginner, though, the biggest gift you could give yourself is practice, and watching. In toronto, there are amateur and professional improv nights around town - go see them! and jump in and participate if you can - practice helps.
posted by Kololo at 12:18 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
"yes and" everybody (salespeople, your barista). In addition to helping with improv, this makes all of life better.
posted by sweetkid at 12:23 PM on July 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by sweetkid at 12:23 PM on July 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
liz/nita - I disagree on the forefinger gun, but that's just me, apparently. I think a bigger problem is continuity.. i.e., you use the forefinger/thumb gun, and then you change in the middle of a scene to some other faux-gun variant. Oops. (same thing with telephones)
A skill I think is also worth working on is: when you're miming doing an 'invisible' activity, try to have a conversation with somebody else while you're doing it - but have the conversation NOT be about the thing you're doing. That was one of the toughest things for me in my classes. (for example, pretend you're ironing, or washing dishes, or getting dressed up for a fancy function, and converse at the same time)
posted by bitterkitten at 12:49 PM on July 26, 2011
A skill I think is also worth working on is: when you're miming doing an 'invisible' activity, try to have a conversation with somebody else while you're doing it - but have the conversation NOT be about the thing you're doing. That was one of the toughest things for me in my classes. (for example, pretend you're ironing, or washing dishes, or getting dressed up for a fancy function, and converse at the same time)
posted by bitterkitten at 12:49 PM on July 26, 2011
liz/nita - I disagree on the forefinger gun, but that's just me, apparently. I think a bigger problem is continuity.. i.e., you use the forefinger/thumb gun, and then you change in the middle of a scene to some other faux-gun variant. Oops. (same thing with telephones)
Just you -- you always want to make your gestures "real" like feel the weight of the phone in your hand, the trigger of the gun, etc.
posted by sweetkid at 12:57 PM on July 26, 2011
Make short, improvised movies and post them to YouTube, or just keep them for yourself. Can be done with a webcam or with a digital camera that has a digital video function.
My background is in improv, but I haven't been on the stage in years, until two months ago. But I have been making these little improvised movies the entire time, sometimes by myself, sometimes with others. Going back onstage was no problem, and I killed.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 1:43 PM on July 26, 2011
My background is in improv, but I haven't been on the stage in years, until two months ago. But I have been making these little improvised movies the entire time, sometimes by myself, sometimes with others. Going back onstage was no problem, and I killed.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 1:43 PM on July 26, 2011
Best answer: Mick Napier's Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out has a section on solo improv exercises, and is otherwise an excellent book on the philosophy and mechanics of improv.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 4:40 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 4:40 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I find Viola Spolin's Theater Games for the Lone Actor: A Handbook (Amazon, GoodReads) useful. Seems custom-made for your question!
Seconding the recommendation on Napier's Improvise.
posted by WalterMitty at 6:12 PM on July 26, 2011
Seconding the recommendation on Napier's Improvise.
posted by WalterMitty at 6:12 PM on July 26, 2011
I would favorite sweetkid's advice above one hundred times if I could. Also, Mick Napier's book is excellent.
disclaimer: used to do improv in Chicago
posted by davejay at 6:14 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
disclaimer: used to do improv in Chicago
posted by davejay at 6:14 PM on July 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Read newspapers. Understand what is going on in the world. Nothing better than making an "inside baseball" reference and 5 people in the audience laughing. Get out of your head. Practice emptiness. Trying to rid yourself of preconceived funny before you have to create a scene is difficult but is the essence of improv.
I have studied with Mick Napier and agree on the advice around his book.
posted by zerobyproxy at 9:35 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
I have studied with Mick Napier and agree on the advice around his book.
posted by zerobyproxy at 9:35 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone for your replies!
I have also found the following book to be excellent as a general improv primer: The Improv Handbook.
posted by storybored at 5:12 PM on March 30, 2012
I have also found the following book to be excellent as a general improv primer: The Improv Handbook.
posted by storybored at 5:12 PM on March 30, 2012
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posted by storybored at 11:33 AM on July 26, 2011