Instructor: Billy Merritt
Date Taken: January 2010
I took a 3-hour workshop with Billy Merritt and definitely enjoyed it, especially the Ninja, Robot, Pirate metaphor and exercises. Here are the notes from his workshop.
Workshop Notes
- Improv is 2 things: pattern and rhythm.:
- Mirroring also means stage picture.:
- Turn improv technique into story.:
- If you’re tentative as an improviser, your scene will be too.:
- When you name someone, you own a piece of them—so name your scene partners.:
- Surrender yourself to your personal rituals on stage so you don’t have to think about what you’re talking about.:
- Action is what the scene is about. : Activity is what you’re in doing in the scene.:
- Going through personal rituals on stage aren’t game, they just ground you in reality.:
- Don’t wait for class to become a better improviser.:
- Don’t let fear crash on your couch.:
- A strong improviser is a pirate, ninja and robot.:
- Pirate—Attack scenes like a pirate. : No fear, be ruthless. Bathe in the blood of game.:
- Robot—Analyze scenes like a robot. : Every scene is like a program, find the program and then just follow the logic of it.:
- Ninja—Edit / Add to scenes like a ninja. : The audience should never notice your moves.
