Improv Tip

Improv, Improv Comedy, Improvisation - whatever you call it, we're here to help. In this week’s improv tip, veteran teacher and improviser Paul Vaillancourt gives you his top 3 improv tips for getting your improv scenes off to a strong start. 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 tip. This is a great Improv for beginners tip.
Paul Vaillancourt is the author of "The Triangle of the Scene".
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[@scottnowlin5842]

Great tips, I am sharing this with my team. I appreciate your help 🙏

[@PVImprov]

Great! Let me know how it works out.

[@scottnowlin5842]

@@PVImprov good time at our zoom rehearsal, we practiced these tips got good feedback from the team!

[@PVImprov]

Scott Nowlin excellent! Glad to hear it.

[@thebiscuitboys257]

GREAT VIDEO! i’m a freshman in high school and i just recently joined their improv team and i’ve had trouble on how to enter scenes if i’m starting long-form. this video helps so much and i’ll try and remember this at tonight’s meet up

[@PVImprov]

Awesome. Break a leg and above all, have fun. Let me know how it goes.

[@fntsywlkr]

As always *fantastic* improv advice.

[@PVImprov]

Aw shucks. thanks man. Thanks for watching.

[@chucklacey7863]

Great advise. Have to start getting better at setting the Where.

[@PVImprov]

Glad you liked it Chuck. As I said in the tip try STARTING with the where before you say ANYTHING. When I started doing that, so much changed for me.

[@debdo1960]

Thnx for suggesting this video. I have been doing improv for the past 4 years. I'm on my 4th round of classes offered. All the instructors have offered great classes....except this last one. I give him somewhat of a pardon as he stepped in to cover the last 4 of 6 six week classes (he shadowed the first 2) as to not doing as good as other instructors.......BUTTTT.....even though he asked for our feedback after his first solo...he didn't follow through and did whatever he wanted. So I reverted in viewing yours and MUT videos. It's hard when you guys give great ideas, but wasn't able to use them in class as doing scenes were limited. I'm currently looking at another improv theater after the holidays blow over. Not trying to bad mouth the place I was at for the past few years, just giving some background as well as letting others know, there is more than one place to do improv. Variety helps you grow and learn new ways of improving. Sometimes trying a different theater offers new opportunities. Thnx for great videos with the best tips 🙏🏻✨️

[@PVImprov]

I totally agree that you should study with a variety of teachers. There isn't ONE WAY to improvise. It's all tools and the more tools we have the better prepared we can be. Happy to be part of your tool belt. Thanks for watching.

[@goingboldlyu-lz4sh]

Where are you located?

[@TeresaDLeecomedy]

Great video. I have a couple of books and am trying to put a group together kinda in a vacuum since I can't physically get to a class near me. One member is an actor and we had to take a break because they wanted more of a script and that shut me down because I kinda thought I was scripting too much already, but I want it to be a longform Harold show, not just games, and I wanted to bring in a theme and have everyone bring a character then take places, nouns and non sequitors from the audience. I'm stuck at home a lot and am particularly looking for character and Where exercise ideas to shake up the feeling that I'm just here and nothing changes. This channel is very helpful.

[@PVImprov]

Hey Teresa thanks for watching and leaving this comment. Looking at what you want to accomplish you might want to check out a series I did about improvising solo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppLWdmOjqbRlbJY I also wrote this FREE improv eBook that might give you some inspiration: mailchi.mp/3a4915dcb396/free-guide-for-improviser You also might enjoy this video about the Harold: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npKuYWeuhtGYgK8 And if you're really going down the Harold rabbit hole maybe check out this playlist of Harold games: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rH2xXmurebGso5I Maybe also look on facebook - there are great communities and opportunities for long form improv. Let me know how it goes.

[@lejune5083]

Thank you!!!

[@PVImprov]

Thank YOU for watching.

[@pandalilpig]

righteous sauce super juice

[@PVImprov]

All of those words are awesome! Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching.

[@MacKenzieJewell]

thank u!

[@PVImprov]

You're welcome! Glad you liked it and that it helped. Thanks for watching.

[@MacKenzieJewell]

@@PVImprov yes! Had my first live improv show at station theatre in houston last night. So was watching videos to prepare, and this helped a ton

[@PVImprov]

@@MacKenzieJewell thats awesome and congrats on your first show!

[@siriusklauspizmantchek4658]

Hey, thx for the video. I appreciate the advices. Sometimes though, when I'm actually the first person on stage I get so uninspired what to actually do, meaning what specific activity I choose. I think I got a little spoiled by reading Keith Johnstone a lot who always suggest starting with a routine. So what I usally do, when I come to a blank stage is starting to read a newspaper, make a fire or a sandwich. Which is good but it feels very uninspirational after a while and I'm sure there's a ton of more ideas how to actually start a scene as in chosing an activity. Any thoughts on that?

[@PVImprov]

Hey there, Sirius - are you asking for other ways to start scenes instead of using an activity? Or are you asking how to pick "better activities" to stat with? I'd love you answer your question, just need a little clarification. Thanks

[@siriusklauspizmantchek4658]

@@PVImprov Thanks for your answer :) Well I guess there's not really a way to start a scene not doing any activity. Or is there? I'd be very interested in that as well. I guess the two things I'm asking here is how to pick an activity. And how to get out of the Johnstone pattern which ist always starting with a quite boring every day activity (without any emotion or other added flavour to it) interrupted by something unusual.

[@PVImprov]

@@siriusklauspizmantchek4658 great. A lot of times I'll think of the location and then think of what kind of activity is going on in that location. Like if I got the idea of a mechanic's shop, I think "what kind of activity is going on in there?" fixing a car, cleaning up at the end of the day, etc. Then I could also go one more step and think "what else could be going on in there?" I could be writing a letter to my mother, i could be going through the stuff in someone's trunk, etc. I think that you SHOULD at least try coming in with an emotion and see what that does for you. Are you smashing a car you're supposed to fixing? Crying into the open hood of the car because you can't figure out what's wrong with the car? etc. Also maybe think about challenging yourself just NOT do those habits. It can be that simple. Think of some new locations, those will lead to new activities and lead to more interesting scenes. It seems like you've got the "stat with a routine" tool handled try some other tools on for size. For example, challenge yourself to do scenes that are at different times of the day. A mechanic's garage suggests different activities at 7am, 12 noon, 5pm and 3am. See if these ideas do anything for you.

[@tylerbarker8877]

@@PVImprov hello!! I’m Tyler, I also do improv, and reading your responses, and these are amazing tips!! I have a show this weds and so I try these technique!

[@PVImprov]

@@tylerbarker8877 glad you're enjoyig them. hope the show went well and thanks for waching.

[@CheckMate657879]

Examples would've been helpful, especially the say something about your scene partner, advice. What, exactly should I say to my scene partner? Suppose we're in Walmart's Garden Center, what would I typically say to my scene partner? Thank you.

[@PVImprov]

Hey @checkmate57879 - What, exactly, you might say depends on a lot of things. Let's narrow this down a little more. Let's say you're in the Walmart garden center and your partner is busy moving pots from one stack to another. Seeing that, you might give them a big, playable gift like "You need to relax you're way to stressed about this job." Now they know that they'er stressed and they can play that. In another case, maybe your partner is tending and talking to the plants, you might give a big, playable gift like. "You maybe be a hippie but you've got a heck of a way with plants." Now they know they're a hippie and they can play that. Hope those examples help. Let me know what you think.

[@wealthychef]

do you have a Patreon site @PVImprov?

[@PVImprov]

Hey Rich - Thanks for asking. I actually do NOT have a Patreon site. I'm giving it all away for free. If people want to help support Improv Tips and the KZbin Channel I usually ask them to consider buying my book "The Triangle of the Scene". (amzn.to/2KioghM). Thanks for asking and thanks for watching.

[@user-vk3ux8lc3g]

Thank you! I’m having auditions tomorrow I’m so nervous

[@PVImprov]

Good luck!! You can do it. Take a deep breath, focus on your partner and just respond to what they're saying. Don't try to "be funny". Make your partner look good and YOU will look good. Let me know how it shakes out.

[@user-vk3ux8lc3g]

@@PVImprov thank you I’ll update you, I’m on my way rn!

[@user-vk3ux8lc3g]

I think it went okay! I’m having my next auditions next Sunday again, after that I’ll get results so fingers crossed!!

[@PVImprov]

@@user-vk3ux8lc3g Break a leg.

[@alexanderholland6308]

Do you have examples of how to gift your partner?

[@PVImprov]

Alexander - Here are a couple of videos (that also link to some videos) that kinda all talk about giving a gift to your partner. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIm8pWCsrqecotU kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJu4fGaQjsaXp6M Have a look and let me know if you need more. Thanks for watching.

[@admirald2680]

1. I think of a few scenarios before I take a lesson/show 2. Scenarios which gift as much info to my scene partners as possible 3. Let it run I found premeditated ideas worked for me but goes against EVERYTHING I've been taught! But fk it, its only improv, its a niche art form the vast majority of people; at best find funny. At worst only inprov people care abt inprov

[@PVImprov]

Admiral D - This is an interesting approach. How has it worked for you and, follow up, how has it worked for your partners who don't know the scenario you're bringing in? If you've been doing this for a while I wonder if it might be a fun/interesting challenge to go into the scene blank and discover it as it unfolds. Rich's tip addresses this type of approach. Check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZLUpZ2On7CVgac. Let me know if you try it and how it goes. Thanks for watching sharing this approach.