Fight Better.
Stay away from fighting in your improv. It stops your scenes cold.
At least, when you’re first learning. All this stuff is guidelines, not rules.
If you're learning this stuff at first, we gravitate to fighting. My educated opinion is twofold:
We want security in our scene, so we make a status move to assert our security over the other person, i.e. "You're doing that wrong."
If you are a well-intentioned person, you can exercise your verbal fighting skills in your improv scenes. You get some catharsis if that's the case.
Now, the problem itself is not with the negativity. If you're getting this note from improv teachers, more than likely the note under the note is that your scene has completely stopped dead in its tracks. Most of the time, improvisers get hung up on the verbal sparring, or the plot details.
In other words, "You're doing it wrong," gets replied with, "No I'm not." And the scene then becomes about repeating "You're doing it wrong" and "No I'm not" in a variety of different ways. Often coupled with this is an escalation in volume, as that offers a simulation of what we're realllllly looking for in an argument scene -
Change. Being affected.
How to Fix The Fight
Again, it's not the negativity. It's the stagnation that negativity can lead to. It's the accidental power fights that can happen as opposed to how you, as the character, can be affected.
So what you can do?
Decide to lose the fight. If you're a sensitive soul (like me), you might take it personally. But it's a pro move. "You're doing that wrong." "Damn, you're right." Then grow the scene by literally asking, "If I got this wrong, what else did I get wrong?"
Emotionally change your character. "You're doing that wrong." Literally make an emotional noise, be affected, and change from the fighting. "Damn, why can't I do anything right?!"
Ask yourself why this character would remain in this fight. You, as a performer, always have the ability to leave a scene. If you find yourself remaining in the scene because you're going, "Well, I have to improv, right?," but your character wouldn't, just bounce. (And bonus points for this move because it always tickles me endlessly)
Once again for the cheap seats.
This note is not purely about the negativity. It's about the stagnation. Like so much at this moment in time, fighting makes no sense if the other part isn't affected by the words. Be affected, be emotionally changed, and you're gonna look like a dang genius.
COME SEE MY SHOWS
Kenny/Rogers @ Friends for Now
Coldtowne Theater, Thursday, March 13 @ 8 PM
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Coldtowne Theater, Sunday, March 16 @ 9:30 PM
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The First 30 Seconds Of Your Scene
The Seed ATX, Monday, March 17 @ 7 PM
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Slow-Prov Forever!
The Seed ATX, Monday, March 24 @ 7 PM
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My Wonderful Media
MOVIE: Mickey 17
Robert Pattinson is incredible in this. Which is crazy. It’s somehow an extremely showy and non-showy performance, which is the testament of a good actor. He fits into this wild movie without overpowering it.
The rest of the movie is pretty good, though I do wish it went even harder into the satire of it all. We live in unsubtle times. Though Mickey 17 is not a subtle sci-fi allegory in the slightest, I do wish everyone would follow the Boots Riley rule of satire and just blow the damn thing up.
TV: Daredevil: Season Three
Season one had me kind of rooting for Wilson Fisk. Season two had Wilson Fisk in the background. Season three has Wilson Fisk as a force of nature, an insidious wind that rules all. This is surprisingly great TV with really great action choreography, great performances, and I’m just over here eating it up and wondering why the rest of the MCU can’t operate on this very small scale.
What I’m Reading: Star Trek: Typhon Pact - Raise the Dawn by David R. George III
I like Star Trek. This is, like…book 63 of an ongoing story. It’s awesome.
Leo T. Dog Says, “Oh, HEYYO!”
