Beginner Improvsior Quandry

[RonnyPascale]

So, I had a class tonight. I did a scene with a girl I've never done anything with, and whom I didn't know at all. Her initiation was something like "So, how do we get out of this place?". My response was "There is no escaping this place. Jigsaw is watching from all the security cameras. Let's just make the best of it in this here torcher chamber." She looked at me like I was, frankly, retarded. Understandable she didn't get my Saw/Jigsaw reference. Her response was "Nobody is watching us and this isn't a torcher chamber." She "no"'ed me to death in both scenes we did.

So, my two questions are...

1) How do I progress a scene that obviously is failing?

2) Is it bad to use niche/genre specifics like that?

Thanks in advance for helping this uber-beginner out.

Ronny

 

[mullaney]

1) If someone is denying you that hard, just try to survive the scene as best you can. Try to yes and everything she gives you, even if she isn't returning the favor. And feel free to yes and yourself too. You could respond to her with something like, "These sure look like torture devices to me!"

2) It's not bad, you just need to be prepared if they don't know your reference. If that's what you said, most people would get the gist of what you are trying to initiate even if they haven't seen the Saw movies.

 

[Holmes]

For something scenic, like you describe, I'd recommend making it a torture chamber with a crazy killer, instead of making it a specific reference that might get lost and might make you wonder if you're then supposed to act out Saw or have to play a specific character.

If someone says no, you can either force your way or agree to their no.

1. Accept it! We're going to die! These aren't toys; they're made of knives!
2. Well, sometimes this marriage feels like a torture chamber.

Some experts might suggest doing the 'nice' thing and figuring out something that will support what your partner wants.

However, you might find yourself with a partner who makes a knee-jerk reaction and isn't bringing anything to the scene and appreciates your sticking to your guns so you still have something to do in the scene.

 

[RonnyPascale]

Mullaney,

Ah, I wish I thought of that while on stage. With time, it'll come! On the Saw reference... I think most of the class got it. I heard some good laughs at various points. Thanks for the advice.

Holmes,

I see what you mean. Like the "Do it. Don't talk about it" deal?

Thanks both of you guys!

 

[jayrevis]

2) Is it bad to use niche/genre specifics like that?

It's not bad, but it can make things harder for you, especially playing with a beginner. It's a kind of pimp, because the other person may feel constrained by the Saw universe, which they might not know much about, even if they get the reference. For a beginner that can make them very hesitant to agree. A more experienced improviser would probably just go with it even if they don't know much about Saw, because they know it doesn't really matter if they get it wrong as long as they commit to what they do.

 

[lefty]

stone cold denials are tough to deal with.

But, you can't be denied your emotional state, and that is one of many reasons why responding with an emotional choice is so awesome. Someone can like not accept that you feel as you are feeling, but of you play an emotion there is no reason for you or the audience to not think you're feeling that emotion, no matter how hard the denial is from your partner. That already might be a playable dynamic too.

Also, putting it on the puppet from saw for as to why you can't get out of the room while valid isn't as powerful as putting it on your or your partner or both-- you lost your key and her key is on the other side of the locked door or something. Take ownership of it. any "why" question can be answered with an "I" statement (or a you statement, or a we statement) You might get the same denial, and yeah they're tough to deal with.

 

[ChrisCamp]

In situations like that I try to think of a persons non-reaction/denial as a gift in it's own way of sorts. I'd like to echo lefty and say that you can't really fail too bad if you really follow and commit to your emotional choices. If you are truly horrified of an impending doom at the hand of jigsaw, how would it make you feel if a person next to you was that disconnected. You might think/react that they are in on the sick game. You may turn to them and scream "don't shut down on me now damn you! I need you with me". Maybe you label them as calm cool and collected. There are a lot of different ways to go.

 

[Lord Hatsumi]

cut her leg off and leave her on stage alone. /scene!

 

[mike short]

I also think that we need to know who these people are - there's a huge difference between best friends being stuck in a torture chamber versus mortal enemies or ex-lovers in a torture chamber.

 

[Markb]

Another approach might be to build the scene together rather than immediately defining the location, problem, or relationship between the scene partners.

For example, in response to, "So how do we get out of this place?" you could say something such as, "I'm not really sure. But until we figure it out, why don't we enjoy some alone time together?" You've implied some sort of close relationship, but together you can find out what it is, why you feel like you need alone time, and eventually where you are and how you'll get out. If we, as the audience, get emotionally invested in the characters and their relationship, the predicament and solution (or failure to find one) will be that much more poignant, funny, and/or satisfying than just watching two random people trying to escape from a location.

Maybe you're married and can enjoy time away for the kids, or you're coworkers and enjoy not being in front of prying eyes at the office. Then, if we (you, your scene partner, and the audience) find out that you are, in fact in a torture chamber, that could put a nice spin on the fact that you'd rather be there than at home or at work.

 

[Markb]

Dagnabbit. For some reason, I didn't see mike short's response before I posted. What he said (more succinctly than I did).

 

[mike short]

Oh, you make me blush.

 

[RonnyPascale]

Oh, thank you so much for the help fellas. I do like the "cut her leg off" solution. I need to work on my improvising a lot. I see how a lot of these suggestions would work, especially the idea of committing to emotional choice. I am weak right now. So, the minute she denied me I just kind of got "deflated" if you will. I think the only fix for that is to practice a lot more, right?

 

[lefty]

I did a scene like 4 years ago at an improv jam type thing, and after it I vowed to stab any scene partner in the eye with my fork and eat the eye if "that" ever happened to me in a scene again. It hasn't yet.

 

[mike short]

I am weak right now.

Dude, you're only, like, two months into it, right? Go easy on yourself.

 

[sodapony]

Also, not every scene is going to be baller. Thinking back, I wish my approach in class was more along the lines of being the guy who everyone wanted to do scenes with because I was positive and supportive. That guy doesn't rat out his scene partner on a message board.

 

[RonnyPascale]

I understand not every scene is going to be amazing. And I wouldn't consider what I did "ratting out". I'm very new and still very much trying to get a feel for how to do pretty much everything. So I figure the best way is to ask people who have been where I am.
If this all comes off as me whining or ratting anybody out, I apologize.

Also, not every scene is going to be baller. Thinking back, I wish my approach in class was more along the lines of being the guy who everyone wanted to do scenes with because I was positive and supportive. That guy doesn't rat out his scene partner on a message board.

 

[Holmes]

Stop calling yourself new or weak. You're fine.

Don't feel like you have to establish a lot of facts and details right away (though some teachers might want you to and it might feel too scary and vague).

But also don't feel like it's wrong to make a choice and clarify things.