Comments on: Get unstuck: Ignite your mind and your improv with movement. http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/get-unstuck-ignite-your-mind-and-your-improv-with-movement/ Longform Improv Comedy in Atlanta, GA Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:37:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: John http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/get-unstuck-ignite-your-mind-and-your-improv-with-movement/comment-page-1/#comment-1956 John Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:56:21 +0000 http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/?p=132#comment-1956 Hey Dan, Thanks for your detailed response! That sounds like a great exercise. If you are interested in space work, I recommend you check out our <a href="http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/interview-with-stephen-kearin/" rel="nofollow">interview with Steve Kearin</a>. He is the best space-work improviser I have ever seen! Hey Dan,

Thanks for your detailed response! That sounds like a great exercise. If you are interested in space work, I recommend you check out our interview with Steve Kearin. He is the best space-work improviser I have ever seen!

]]> By: Dan Weisman http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/get-unstuck-ignite-your-mind-and-your-improv-with-movement/comment-page-1/#comment-1953 Dan Weisman Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:24:34 +0000 http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/?p=132#comment-1953 Brilliant work John et all FuseBoxers.... love your topics and intelligent approaches to this remarkable art form practiced all OVER the globe. You know there is an excellent troupe in Berlin? The former HQ of Evil? And they are VERY Funny & popular. That is hopeful indeed. When explaining to students what Space-work is, I tell them: "Space work is what the actors do to create with REALISTIC & Natural pantomime, objects large and small, used in their scene (a counter top, a saloon bar, a beer glass, a steering wheel, camp fire, etc) and THUS help the audience and their fellow actors to imagine and SEE and BE in the location where the action is taking place. I like to help and trick my actors to tap into instinctive choices with a warm up where I give two to 4 players an activity/location such as a flower shop with a rush order for wedding center pieces and they MAY NOT SPEAK. Just create and build the center pieces...THEN I guide them along by asking them to portray a variety of emotional and mental states of mind and we see the wonderful differences in expression of the same repetitive actions. They also may visually communicate with one another during this brief scene.... NO TALKING HEADS ALLOWED AT ALL! It also proves to them how hysterically funny they can be without having to talk while in the act of showing what & where they are... By making the un-natural act of space work more known and familiar through rehearsals and shows the more comfortable (AND FREE) the actors become with their scene work. Keep up the fine effort! Our world is in pain and needs to laugh more than ever. Aloha from Maui, Dan Weisman Founder M.I.T. (Maui Improv Theatre!) ImprovComedyCoach.com 3-29-10 Brilliant work John et all FuseBoxers…. love your topics and intelligent approaches to this remarkable art form practiced all OVER the globe. You know there is an excellent troupe in Berlin? The former HQ of Evil? And they are VERY Funny & popular. That is hopeful indeed. When explaining to students what Space-work is, I tell them: “Space work is what the actors do to create with REALISTIC & Natural pantomime, objects large and small, used in their scene (a counter top, a saloon bar, a beer glass, a steering wheel, camp fire, etc) and THUS help the audience and their fellow actors to imagine and SEE and BE in the location where the action is taking place.
I like to help and trick my actors to tap into instinctive choices with a warm up where I give two to 4 players an activity/location such as a flower shop with a rush order for wedding center pieces and they MAY NOT SPEAK. Just create and build the center pieces…THEN I guide them along by asking them to portray a variety of emotional and mental states of mind and we see the wonderful differences in expression of the same repetitive actions. They also may visually communicate with one another during this brief scene…. NO TALKING HEADS ALLOWED AT ALL! It also proves to them how hysterically funny they can be without having to talk while in the act of showing what & where they are…
By making the un-natural act of space work more known and familiar through rehearsals and shows the more comfortable (AND FREE) the actors become with their scene work. Keep up the fine effort! Our world is in pain and needs to laugh more than ever. Aloha from Maui, Dan Weisman
Founder M.I.T. (Maui Improv Theatre!)
ImprovComedyCoach.com 3-29-10

]]> By: tyler johnson http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/get-unstuck-ignite-your-mind-and-your-improv-with-movement/comment-page-1/#comment-1799 tyler johnson Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:00:25 +0000 http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/?p=132#comment-1799 im in the intermediate level at the groundlings and appreciate all this info. I know that it is funny to do something complex with your hands and also talk about mundane things. thanks for the tips im in the intermediate level at the groundlings and appreciate all this info. I know that it is funny to do something complex with your hands and also talk about mundane things. thanks for the tips

]]> By: Tillery http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/get-unstuck-ignite-your-mind-and-your-improv-with-movement/comment-page-1/#comment-1798 Tillery Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:43:43 +0000 http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/?p=132#comment-1798 I've heard there's an improv duo that goes by the name Talking Heads, because that's their shtick and they are supposed to be hilarious. I was actually trying to find their info and found this instead. I’ve heard there’s an improv duo that goes by the name Talking Heads, because that’s their shtick and they are supposed to be hilarious. I was actually trying to find their info and found this instead.

]]> By: John http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/get-unstuck-ignite-your-mind-and-your-improv-with-movement/comment-page-1/#comment-1795 John Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:41:40 +0000 http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/?p=132#comment-1795 Thanks for your comments everyone! Brett - I agree, performing an elaborate activity while discussing mundane things can be one of the funniest things an improviser can do. We do some exercises like that as well. Once I took a physicality workshop in which the instructor actually had get into actually physically dangerous situations (such as balancing on a chair or holding one another on our backs) and perform "boring" scenes - this was hysterical and very exciting! Jonathan - Having emotional motivations behind your actions, and even your physical posture, puts you in a position of great strength on stage. It's amazing how differently people play when they feel like their character has a goal or a desire versus when they are just trying to "figure out" the scene. Getting into the habit of giving ourselves those goals right from the beginning can make a positive difference very quickly! Kiley - Right, I think object work really does help ground a person in a scene. I know that for me, the "holy grail" of improv is to be able to simply show my character's emotions through physical interactions with the environment and objects and my partner without having to SAY anything. It takes a lot of practice, that's for sure. But on the occasional scene where everything clicks into place, it feels like you are playing on a whole other level! Thanks for your comments everyone!

Brett – I agree, performing an elaborate activity while discussing mundane things can be one of the funniest things an improviser can do. We do some exercises like that as well. Once I took a physicality workshop in which the instructor actually had get into actually physically dangerous situations (such as balancing on a chair or holding one another on our backs) and perform “boring” scenes – this was hysterical and very exciting!

Jonathan – Having emotional motivations behind your actions, and even your physical posture, puts you in a position of great strength on stage. It’s amazing how differently people play when they feel like their character has a goal or a desire versus when they are just trying to “figure out” the scene. Getting into the habit of giving ourselves those goals right from the beginning can make a positive difference very quickly!

Kiley – Right, I think object work really does help ground a person in a scene. I know that for me, the “holy grail” of improv is to be able to simply show my character’s emotions through physical interactions with the environment and objects and my partner without having to SAY anything. It takes a lot of practice, that’s for sure. But on the occasional scene where everything clicks into place, it feels like you are playing on a whole other level!

]]> By: Kiley Fitzgerald http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/get-unstuck-ignite-your-mind-and-your-improv-with-movement/comment-page-1/#comment-1794 Kiley Fitzgerald Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:36:17 +0000 http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/?p=132#comment-1794 Hmmm, I feel that object work is what we do to help us believe what we are doing on stage. It helps us get into character and stay there. I was once told to never do or touch anything in a scene unless it moves you emotionally. This doesn't mean that every time I pick up a glass I cry or laugh, it just means I make some sort of connection in my head to what I am doing. I make some kind of connection to my past, in my vast database of life experience and make a choice to inform myself to where and who I am. I don't always physically stay in that moment because, I don't do that when I talk to people, I usually stop what I am doing to be able to focus on the convo. Happy, Sad, Mad are the point of view and really descriptive words for emotions are the character aspect of it, I think. Hmmm, I feel that object work is what we do to help us believe what we are doing on stage. It helps us get into character and stay there. I was once told to never do or touch anything in a scene unless it moves you emotionally. This doesn’t mean that every time I pick up a glass I cry or laugh, it just means I make some sort of connection in my head to what I am doing. I make some kind of connection to my past, in my vast database of life experience and make a choice to inform myself to where and who I am. I don’t always physically stay in that moment because, I don’t do that when I talk to people, I usually stop what I am doing to be able to focus on the convo. Happy, Sad, Mad are the point of view and really descriptive words for emotions are the character aspect of it, I think.

]]> By: Jonathan Seigler http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/get-unstuck-ignite-your-mind-and-your-improv-with-movement/comment-page-1/#comment-1796 Jonathan Seigler Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:57:38 +0000 http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/?p=132#comment-1796 Creatively speaking all moment in a shared scene defines the relationship or an emotion felt toward your partner. Early on I didn't have a list of emotions in my mind to use. I used happy, sad, and angry as the primary colors of emotion and other emotions were mixes. I had missed love. Talking head scenes were all I had. I moved around mainly because that is what I saw actors do. I went to BBIF in 2007 and ran into Asaf Ramen and took his class. It was all about feeling your movement and giving into it. Those same movements I did because that is what actors do... I suddenly had a reasons for. I was being coy or was the creepy guy slowly sneaking in on his prey. I am sorry you just don't puff puff pass with someone you don't like. Creatively speaking all moment in a shared scene defines the relationship or an emotion felt toward your partner. Early on I didn’t have a list of emotions in my mind to use. I used happy, sad, and angry as the primary colors of emotion and other emotions were mixes. I had missed love. Talking head scenes were all I had. I moved around mainly because that is what I saw actors do.
I went to BBIF in 2007 and ran into Asaf Ramen and took his class. It was all about feeling your movement and giving into it. Those same movements I did because that is what actors do… I suddenly had a reasons for. I was being coy or was the creepy guy slowly sneaking in on his prey.
I am sorry you just don’t puff puff pass with someone you don’t like.

]]> By: Brett Elam http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/get-unstuck-ignite-your-mind-and-your-improv-with-movement/comment-page-1/#comment-1797 Brett Elam Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:32:03 +0000 http://www.fuseboxtheatre.com/?p=132#comment-1797 My friends and I do a few things to get out of this rut. First, we love to spend hours just acting out silent, one person scenes where we really take our time and build our enviornment. Then, we take turns guessing exactly what the other was doing. Also, we like to act out really important tasks (like surgery or cracking a safe) while talking about the most banal things (like fruit salad recipes or Harry Potter). This gets our minds working on one thing while our body creates something different. My friends and I do a few things to get out of this rut. First, we love to spend hours just acting out silent, one person scenes where we really take our time and build our enviornment. Then, we take turns guessing exactly what the other was doing.

Also, we like to act out really important tasks (like surgery or cracking a safe) while talking about the most banal things (like fruit salad recipes or Harry Potter). This gets our minds working on one thing while our body creates something different.

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