Acting Improvisations

Over the next few weeks my friends and I are going to be doing a little experiment with acting improvisations. Here are some helpful notes for reference.

When doing an improv the actor must make an offer to the other actor and vise versa to keep the scene and dialogue alive. To make a block (not make an offer) is likely to kill the scene dead but at times it may be used to create dramatic effect and bring some intensity into the scene.

The characters who the actors are improvising usually need strong motivations so that the actors can keep pushing the scene.

Keith Johnstone - is a drama instructor who has had a major influence on the art of improvisation. Below are some extra notes.

• Don't over think the scene, be boring, be obvious, say the first thing that comes into your head. This helps the scene and its characters appear spontaneous and more real.  
• Always think; action - reaction. 
• Every movement and spoken word has meaning, observe the other actor and react to his actions, tone of voice, position on stage and props. 
• While improvising you may try to out do the other actor by elevating your self above them. i.e; actor A says his favorite book is war and peace to try and show superior intellect, actor B may respond by saying that war and peace is also his favorite book, this punctuates actor A's attempt to be superior while establishing actor B's intellect.