Story Robot

I mentioned reading Blink some months ago. Other improvisers keep recommending it to me, so I thought I would revisit one of my favourite parts here, which describes the recognition of ‘fists’: distinctive patterns in morse code.

Morse code is made up of dots and dashes, each of which has its own prescribed length. But no one ever replicates those prescribed lengths perfectly. When operators send a message—particularly using the old manual machines known as the straight key or the bug—they vary the spacing or stretch out the dots and dashes or combine dots and dashes and spaces in a particular rhythm. Morse code is like speech. Everyone has a different voice.

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I’ve given up watching Heroes, but it has inspired me to become the improv equivalent of Sylar.
For those not in the know, he’s a serial killer who cuts open the brains of other super heroes and steals their powers.

So I’ve decided to steal other performer’s improv powers (probably not by cutting open their brains). I’ve been doing it for a few weeks so far, and I’ve really been enjoying it. It’s fun to improvise in different styles, and of course, there’s no way anyone is ever going to work out what I’m doing (unless I tell them) since me trying to emulate someone else’s style looks nothing like their actual style.

(ps. sorry I’ve been away so long)

A great article article on utahimprov.com.

Just be on Stage by Joseph Kyle Rogan

here’s a taste

F*ck the environment.

What?!?

Yeah. You heard me. F*ck the environment. I don’t give a rat’s a** about where your scene takes place. And, while you’re at it, f*ck object work, too.

But, Joe, surely you’ve gone mad. Surely, for a scene to be interesting, the audience needs to know where it’s taking place. The scene needs to be grounded in a solid environment. The actors need to interact with that environment, and there needs to be an activity! Object work!

Nope.

For the love of God, what about “Talking Head Syndrome?”

Total, 100%, pure, grade-A bullsh*t. If the two of you just stand there, looking at each other, with your hands in your pockets, talking, for fifteen minutes, fine. As a director, and (more importantly) as an audience member, I’m totally okay with that.

Read the rest.

Well worth a read. I’m so relieved to find I’m not the only person who doesn’t mind talking heads* in a scene. On the other hand, I think environment is not something to be kept for advanced students. So many of my favourite improv moments have occurred at the nexus of relationship and environment.

Thanks to Dan’s Improv Theory Blog, where I found the link.

*Clarification: I don’t mind if actors are standing around so long as they are inhabiting their characters. This is strikingly different from actors who’s bodies are just dangling from their brain stems.

continues from this comic.

earlier comics found here.

Well, I’ve been thinking about this for a while. I figure now is as good a time as any to make some changes to the comic.
Please tell me what you think. It’s all still up in the air.

More pages as they come to hand.

The rest of the comics are here.

If you can’t be bothered reading all of the chapters Johnstone wrote about the flaws in the education system. You can simply read this cartoon from Chris Harding’s WE THE ROBOTS. (which is an awesome website, by the way).