UCB Improv 600 “The Movie” Class Notes

Instructors: Neil Casey and Dyna Moe
Date Taken: October 2009

Straight out of my first 501, I was selected to do the The Movie form, and found it is a blast to play and can help you become a better improviser regardless of what form you’re doing.  I feel like I was stuck in my head for most of this class (possibly due to my lack of deep movie genre understanding), but still learned a ton. 

Find out more about UCB’s training program here.

Note: This level of class is now known as Advanced Study Performance and can be any type of performance. Our class focused on The Movie form; although the notes are in regard to the form, they’re also good to keep in mind for other forms of improv.

Class #1

• simplified version of the form: scene paint 3 scenes, then tell the title, then we act out the scenes (with the characters that were in it)
• don’t puppet the people in the scene, just describe what the audience can see
• same thing as all improv, there are no take backs
• your title is your last chance to help solidify the story and the genre
• “you can trip in improv, just don’t fall. if something comes up justify it and its not a mistake”
• don’t feel like you have to come up with a great screenplay and surprise the audience with plot. the fun of the form comes from seeing how you explore a genre

Class #2

• if your 3 scene paintings establish the hero, villain, and object/macguffin then you’ll make it eaiser to tell a story and know the genre
• there are certain characteristics to identify hero (light, handsome, doing something nice) and villain (ugly, wears dark, doing something mean)

Class #3

• be efficient. if its not genre, character or game specific, you don’t need it
• your scene painted scenes should be far apart from each other. we want the characters to have to “travel” to meet each other
• we follow game in this form. we don’t have to create a super plot, that will come from the genre.
• PLOT DOES NOT MATTER!

Class #4

• take the genre specifics and figure out how to turn it into game and heighten
• opening focuses on setting up genre
• middle is all about genre game
• end is about the big finish
• the first set of scenes are your backdrop for the rest of your movie. that means don’t follow plot
• don’t try to combine  two genres, just do one well. it doesn’t have to be more clever than that.
• you can give gifts to the other scenes by referencing them
• its up to anyone to decide/say hero/object/villain. its up to everyone to support it.

Class #5

• back line has to be active in the climax
• end the movie saying “the end” and the booth will black out
• the plot is moved by the cuts and locations you make. play the game in the actual scenes
• the villain has to be villainous / evil. the hero has to have a want
• make stories / plot as simple as possible
• play your role!

Class #6

• its everybody’s job to decide what movie we’re doing
• if we don’t have a clear idea of what the movie is after the title, were behind the curve and need big decisions
• when you realize what movie it is, its your job to make moves that let your fellow players what it is

Class #7

• the genre is like the “real world” in normal improv, ie it is the baseline
• you don’t want everything to be silly, make an honest take on the genre and find the one specific thing you are going to heighten and play
• even when things get intense or energetic, you have to all be on the same page
• the biggest key is to just dive in and have fun

Class #8

• hollywood is racist. in many genres the race of the character can matter
• the climax should come at about 20 minutes in
• skip the extraneous details in the scene painting, keep only the essentials, but with that, be specific
• its ok to lose characters as you go. just keep the important ones (hero and villain)
• like always, play the laugh to find your game

Show #1

• make sure you use the suggestion somehow so its clear that you are using it
• when you’re playing the hero, its often the straight character
• give the hero scenes where he can be the hero
• the villain has to be strong and pursue his evilness
• allow yourself to look stupid within the confines of the genre
• inhabit your character

Show #2

• even if you’re having fun, don’t forget to play the form
• avoid competing with each other on stage in terms of moves
• the camera angles buy you time! they give you time and improve your show
• you gotta know the why’s 

Show #3

• if you set up game moves, don’t forget to play them throughout because its low hanging fruit
• be precise with your moves, p’s and q’s

Show #4

• even with an interesting character, don’t forget the games of the other people
• heighten and explore your games
• drew: be more aggressive, be willing to give bigger reactions
• help each other with your games by putting people in interesting scenes or combinations of characters
• name each other
• if you find a game you don’t want to play, you have to make sure you find a new one to replace it