Everything you need for a GREAT SCENE - Tip #2 (2015)

In this improv tip, veteran teacher and improviser Paul Vaillancourt focuses on the idea of getting the most out of what your partner just said and using it to supercharge the scene. Whether you're doing improv comedy, playing improv games, using improv in your acting classes or expressing yourself with some other kind of improvisation, you are going to love this improv technique.
Paul Vaillancourt is the author of "The Triangle of the Scene".
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[@theanthonyfrancis]

This is such a great way to keep people in the moment. Thank you for all these great videos!

[@PVImprov]

Thanks Anthony. Glad you liked it.

[@Jackdaddyable]

Thanks Paul!

[@PVImprov]

Jackdaddyable You got it!

[@KazzKarenLewsader]

Thank you, Paul. Your tips are so helpful. FYI...The volume is really low when I play the vids on my MacBook.

[@PVImprov]

Would you believe I did that on purpose to help people work on their listening?

[@PVImprov]

Thanks for the feedback (and the subscribe) I'll look into it.

[@mrmrsT]

Would love some ideas on how to practice these tips - teaching an improv group and your tips are great but trying to help them use these tips, as a neophyte, is difficult.

[@PVImprov]

Dustin Tabeta thanks for watching. If you look Arne the Internet there a tons of resources that have exercises etc. Also, I wrote a book “The Triangle of the Scene” that has a focused approach, specific exercise for different improv skills and I think it is the only book with accompanying videos that show the exercises in action. And of course keep watching the tips!

[@scottnowlin5842]

Super, any more tips on listening?

[@PVImprov]

Scott Nowlin this is one of the things that people ask most about - a lot of times improvisers are sort of listening like we often listen in real life - they're just letting the information wash over them - but I think that one thing that can really make a difference in listening is listening "with a purpose" - in this tip, for example, I'm trying to listen to what my partner is saying with the purpose of getting what they're talking about so that I can then react to that. (As a side note, consciously putting off thinking about what you're going to say next is also a good way to improv listening because now the only thing you're thinking about is what your partner is saying). Also, in last week's tip we talked about "playing paranoid" again, another version of "listening with a purpose" because I'm really focusing on what my partner is saying, how they're saying it, every little tiny inflection with the purpose of figuring out what it really means. Maybe I'll do another tip about this but, in the meantime, does this help?

[@improv3000]

PVImprov So are you saying that you are listening with the purpose of responding/reacting to your partner's intent?

[@PVImprov]

improv3000 When I'm listening with a purpose I'm actively trying to take in all the different facets of what my partner is saying (text, context, tone, etc) and (like in last week's tip "Playing Paranoid") making decisions about what I'm taking in and respond from that. Does that help? More tips on this area coming up stay tuned.

[@f.andreadams4246]

I like em' short....great for the ADHD inclined

[@PVImprov]

K

[@PVImprov]

@@hilaryfabre2773 that's a great thing to recognize about how you work. Also, keep in mind though that there's no rush. Reply when you're ready. "Too late" is an idea we bring with us, but I believe that responding to what your partner just said takes some of the thinking out of it and makes us a little "quicker'. You also might find these videos helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYLcaJ-pbpZ7nJo and kzbin.info/www/bejne/d17bpJmKZb5rps0 . Let me know what you think.

[@heididrew5982]

What to do when two players talk at you at once? Say, "you're both talking at me at the same time?" like I would in real life?

[@PVImprov]

+Heidi Drew - I think the shortest answer is respond in character. That might be saying "you're both talking at me at the same time?" or it could be "you're scaring me!" or it could be "You two are always putting me in the middle"...whatever tour character might say. If you use the confusion to fuel the scene then this could be a classic example of the old improv adage that the 'mistake' is the 'gift'. Does that help?

[@heididrew5982]

Yes. Thanks

[@improv3000]

I would like to see tips on different ways to advance a scene.

[@PVImprov]

improv3000 Thanks - look for those coming up!

[@PVImprov]

+improv3000 - Improv Tip #8 that just came out offers two ways to advance the scene!