WEBVTT 00:00:00.270 --> 00:00:02.310 Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back 00:00:02.310 --> 00:00:05.330 to the SoCap Improv Comedy Podcast. My name is 00:00:05.330 --> 00:00:07.870 Ralph McLeod. I am the owner and artistic director 00:00:07.870 --> 00:00:10.929 of the SoCap Improv Comedy Theatre in Toronto, 00:00:11.369 --> 00:00:15.970 Ontario, Canada. We're at 154 Danforth Avenue 00:00:15.970 --> 00:00:17.989 above the Black Swan Tavern on the second and 00:00:17.989 --> 00:00:20.750 third floor. We have improv classes, improv shows, 00:00:20.949 --> 00:00:23.010 events. We have two theatres, and you can rent 00:00:23.010 --> 00:00:25.649 and use yourself. We have private events, corporate 00:00:25.649 --> 00:00:28.949 events. and a whole bunch of other things uh 00:00:28.949 --> 00:00:33.429 the url is socap .ca that's s -o -c -a -p .ca 00:00:33.429 --> 00:00:36.890 we are we run some of the classes we run we have 00:00:36.890 --> 00:00:39.530 like uh committed classes where you would come 00:00:39.530 --> 00:00:41.969 every week with the same group and the same teacher 00:00:41.969 --> 00:00:44.369 for about seven or eight weeks depending on if 00:00:44.369 --> 00:00:46.189 it's on a weekend or not because we don't run 00:00:46.189 --> 00:00:48.890 classes on long weekends which can cause some 00:00:48.890 --> 00:00:51.710 consternation uh with scheduling and whatnot 00:00:51.710 --> 00:00:55.630 uh and uh those are really interesting but if 00:00:55.630 --> 00:00:58.109 you have a more i guess you should you could 00:00:58.109 --> 00:01:00.810 say like a less structured schedule we also have 00:01:00.810 --> 00:01:04.650 uh dropping classes where you can come uh on 00:01:04.650 --> 00:01:06.650 saturdays at five we have a dropping class for 00:01:06.650 --> 00:01:10.430 improv and new friends which uses improv to sort 00:01:10.430 --> 00:01:13.689 of break down barriers to communication help 00:01:13.689 --> 00:01:17.269 you overcome your self -consciousness and grow 00:01:17.269 --> 00:01:19.870 your self -confidence get out of your head and 00:01:19.870 --> 00:01:21.920 get into the moment the way i like to talk about 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:24.560 that uh we also have a class that's improv for 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:27.879 social skills which goes even deeper into um 00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:30.640 how much of what we've been taught about human 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:33.239 communication is not just wrong but exactly wrong 00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:37.140 uh makes it much harder for us to talk to and 00:01:37.140 --> 00:01:40.579 bond with other people and uh then we have on 00:01:40.579 --> 00:01:43.540 fridays at six we have a like a role -playing 00:01:43.540 --> 00:01:45.739 class that's sort of like the beginning improv 00:01:45.739 --> 00:01:49.560 class for people who uh some may want to perform 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:52.000 uh but also if you want to just learn how to 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:54.519 be more playful with human beings out in the 00:01:54.519 --> 00:01:56.480 real world when you have conversations that's 00:01:56.480 --> 00:01:58.719 a good class for that and then on thursdays at 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:01.560 six we have our drop -in class for performers 00:02:01.560 --> 00:02:07.200 um yeah so it's a real variety grab bag of stuff 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:09.479 and and some people who start in some places 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:12.400 wind up doing other things so that's really interesting 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:15.000 it's it's really fun for me to watch the journey 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:17.979 of people who come and Maybe the first time they 00:02:17.979 --> 00:02:19.860 come, it's because they've heard, oh, improv 00:02:19.860 --> 00:02:22.560 might help me get out of my comfort zone. Think 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:24.800 outside the box. And while those things are true, 00:02:25.300 --> 00:02:29.340 well, I got to say, just a note about the comfort 00:02:29.340 --> 00:02:31.819 zone thing. I do not want to get people out of 00:02:31.819 --> 00:02:34.319 their comfort zone. I like to push up against 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:36.259 the outside of the comfort zone, the edge of 00:02:36.259 --> 00:02:38.560 it, and see if I can expand it in something that 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:42.430 may have been. the hard to do or problematic 00:02:42.430 --> 00:02:45.150 before becomes okay okay i got this i can do 00:02:45.150 --> 00:02:47.490 this now and in that way we can slowly expand 00:02:47.490 --> 00:02:51.250 our comfort zone i like that but um i don't like 00:02:51.250 --> 00:02:52.889 to get out of the comfort zone i don't want to 00:02:52.889 --> 00:02:54.750 be out of my comfort zone although i think my 00:02:54.750 --> 00:02:57.349 comfort zone is pretty big i don't like to be 00:02:57.349 --> 00:02:59.370 outside of it because then i'll be terrified 00:02:59.370 --> 00:03:03.469 uh but i do like to do things that are that bring 00:03:03.469 --> 00:03:05.870 me a certain amount of discomfort or that are 00:03:05.870 --> 00:03:09.840 difficult you know i like doing that i like challenging 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:15.719 myself um because i you know i'm 56 so you know 00:03:15.719 --> 00:03:19.400 i do things now routinely that a decade two decades 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:22.000 three decades ago would have filled me with absolute 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:25.080 horror that i'm doing them now but i do them 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:27.979 now and routinely and it's not a big deal at 00:03:27.979 --> 00:03:31.520 all uh but it's interesting to watch people who 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:33.479 come in and that's their association with their 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:34.900 problem and that's what they want to do and then 00:03:34.900 --> 00:03:36.629 before you know what they're on stage Because, 00:03:36.729 --> 00:03:39.770 again, going on stage, you know, not to be a 00:03:39.770 --> 00:03:41.669 professional comedian, because our beginning 00:03:41.669 --> 00:03:45.250 student shows are for other students and friends 00:03:45.250 --> 00:03:50.729 and family. It's very, how would I say? Well, 00:03:50.849 --> 00:03:54.610 I like to make things be, you know, have low 00:03:54.610 --> 00:03:58.129 stakes, have low stresses to them. Because once 00:03:58.129 --> 00:04:00.870 you introduce stakes, I mean, and let's be honest, 00:04:01.009 --> 00:04:03.830 getting on stage, even in front of only classmates 00:04:03.830 --> 00:04:07.520 and friends and family is still. you know, induces 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:11.699 anxiety and fear and, you know, desires to be 00:04:11.699 --> 00:04:13.939 good and perfect and all kinds of things, let 00:04:13.939 --> 00:04:16.639 alone if you're doing that in front of an audience 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.680 of people who've paid and then have a right to, 00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:21.439 I mean, everybody has a right to be entertained, 00:04:21.639 --> 00:04:25.439 but have, I guess, are less forgiving since they 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:27.079 don't know you and they pay money. They might 00:04:27.079 --> 00:04:32.339 be more demanding. and rightfully so but uh you 00:04:32.339 --> 00:04:34.740 know we do our student shows those are free so 00:04:34.740 --> 00:04:36.759 your friends and family and yourself can come 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:39.360 to those for free we do ask for a donation at 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:43.459 the end uh but that's you know that's mainly 00:04:43.459 --> 00:04:47.439 because um some people like to give you know 00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:49.779 they're very nice about that and and everybody 00:04:49.779 --> 00:04:51.800 people have different capacities you know obviously 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:56.660 we have we have uh we have students who you know 00:04:56.660 --> 00:05:03.399 for him A $5 or $10 donation is not easy to come 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:05.980 by. Or other people putting $20 in the hat at 00:05:05.980 --> 00:05:08.019 the end is not a big deal and they're happy to 00:05:08.019 --> 00:05:11.639 do it. So we do accept donations, but it is absolutely 00:05:11.639 --> 00:05:13.680 not necessary. I would much rather people come 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:16.879 and hang out and have a good time and meet people 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:21.379 and experience if improv is right for them because 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:25.680 I have a hard time feeling that it isn't. I think 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:29.649 it's good for everybody. And interestingly enough, 00:05:29.689 --> 00:05:31.910 I just saw someone sent me, I think it's the 00:05:31.910 --> 00:05:36.149 University of Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, somewhere 00:05:36.149 --> 00:05:39.670 in that region in the States, where they now, 00:05:39.790 --> 00:05:41.110 and I'm sure this isn't the only one, but they 00:05:41.110 --> 00:05:44.069 now have improv classes for their law students, 00:05:44.410 --> 00:05:47.149 right? We're going to teach you, and I guess 00:05:47.149 --> 00:05:48.949 it helps, yeah, it would certainly help if you're 00:05:48.949 --> 00:05:52.670 arguing cases in front of juries and saying yes, 00:05:52.850 --> 00:05:57.370 saying yes, so much power in saying yes. Anyway, 00:05:57.509 --> 00:06:01.569 so today I wanted to talk about the beginning 00:06:01.569 --> 00:06:05.529 of the creative process when it comes to improvisation. 00:06:05.850 --> 00:06:10.629 And again, I know this podcast is really, it 00:06:10.629 --> 00:06:14.350 is about improv. But to me, the big value of 00:06:14.350 --> 00:06:16.110 improv, if you don't want to be a performer, 00:06:16.470 --> 00:06:21.139 is how it helps in the real world. you know and 00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:24.019 without any word of a lie like i in the real 00:06:24.019 --> 00:06:26.339 world i improvise with people they just don't 00:06:26.339 --> 00:06:29.500 know it uh i mean depending on how you define 00:06:29.500 --> 00:06:32.920 improv you might say well just having a conversation 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:37.000 with someone is improv is improvising and i can't 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:40.060 sit here and say it's not it doesn't fit my definition 00:06:40.060 --> 00:06:44.300 necessarily it could but my definition of improvising 00:06:44.300 --> 00:06:49.089 really centers around playing and when you're 00:06:49.089 --> 00:06:51.250 playing with someone it's it's about communicating 00:06:51.250 --> 00:06:54.810 with them and bonding with that person and it's 00:06:54.810 --> 00:07:00.329 less about i guess the um the the needs that 00:07:00.329 --> 00:07:02.550 we have to get from other people like we all 00:07:02.550 --> 00:07:04.170 have needs that we want from people right we 00:07:04.170 --> 00:07:06.449 want to be liked we want to be seen as smart 00:07:06.449 --> 00:07:09.089 we want to be seen as helpful like we all have 00:07:09.089 --> 00:07:11.990 our various gimmicks that we want other people 00:07:11.990 --> 00:07:13.850 that we want from other people we want them to 00:07:13.850 --> 00:07:15.949 see us a certain way we want them to like us 00:07:16.410 --> 00:07:18.209 And just because we want things from people doesn't 00:07:18.209 --> 00:07:22.089 make that evil or bad. It depends on what you 00:07:22.089 --> 00:07:24.430 want from people. But we do want things for people 00:07:24.430 --> 00:07:31.149 to be liked. That's not a bad thing. But I've 00:07:31.149 --> 00:07:33.709 lost my train of thought, which happens every 00:07:33.709 --> 00:07:36.329 once in a while because I'm a bit of an idiot. 00:07:37.250 --> 00:07:41.810 We want things from people. Yes. Right. And right. 00:07:41.870 --> 00:07:46.790 So, yes, what improv is. So what? when you can 00:07:46.790 --> 00:07:50.209 be improvising and playing with people, that 00:07:50.209 --> 00:07:58.149 desire is seconded. It is reduced because the 00:07:58.149 --> 00:08:00.949 play becomes the thing. And at the end of that, 00:08:01.050 --> 00:08:03.009 you know, whether someone likes you or you like 00:08:03.009 --> 00:08:06.430 them is just, it's outside of that. You know, 00:08:06.449 --> 00:08:08.230 you can't make everybody like you and you're 00:08:08.230 --> 00:08:09.769 not going to like everybody, of course, right? 00:08:09.850 --> 00:08:14.110 That's just, we all know that. I think. I think 00:08:14.110 --> 00:08:17.370 we all know that we don't like everybody. And 00:08:17.370 --> 00:08:19.670 not everybody's going to like us. And, you know, 00:08:19.709 --> 00:08:21.689 there's theories that it may have to do with, 00:08:21.790 --> 00:08:24.430 you know, your immune system and whether the 00:08:24.430 --> 00:08:26.410 immune systems of two individuals complement 00:08:26.410 --> 00:08:29.170 each other. And in that case, there tends to 00:08:29.170 --> 00:08:32.950 be more of a like between people who are like 00:08:32.950 --> 00:08:35.470 -minded. You know, we like who we like. That's 00:08:35.470 --> 00:08:39.769 all there is to it. So I think, for me, one definition 00:08:39.769 --> 00:08:42.980 of improv has to include... playfulness and so 00:08:42.980 --> 00:08:44.600 if i'm just having a conversation with someone 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:46.440 and i'm talking about something and they're not 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:47.960 really listening to me because they're busy thinking 00:08:47.960 --> 00:08:49.379 what they're going to say to me and vice versa 00:08:49.379 --> 00:08:52.200 to me that's not really improvising that's going 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:55.240 through the motions but depending on how you 00:08:55.240 --> 00:08:58.019 define improv that certainly could be it absolutely 00:08:58.019 --> 00:09:02.279 could be all right so uh so i want to talk about 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:05.460 the creative process and at the beginning of 00:09:05.460 --> 00:09:07.899 an improv scene or not even the beginning but 00:09:07.899 --> 00:09:10.929 the whole thing and how this parallels to me 00:09:10.929 --> 00:09:15.370 a conversation with someone in the real world 00:09:15.370 --> 00:09:17.629 when i say the real world you know i mean not 00:09:17.629 --> 00:09:20.830 a work one not a school one but one where there 00:09:20.830 --> 00:09:26.190 is no um i guess expectation like there's no 00:09:26.190 --> 00:09:29.409 formal there's no formalcy to it it's like you 00:09:29.409 --> 00:09:31.669 know a small talk at a cocktail party with someone 00:09:31.669 --> 00:09:35.049 you've just met or banter at starbucks while 00:09:35.049 --> 00:09:36.730 you're waiting for the barista to finish your 00:09:36.730 --> 00:09:41.279 coffee the grocery store lineup, meeting someone 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:45.759 for the first time. That's what I'm talking about. 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:49.159 Or maybe it's a date or a second date or a third 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:53.220 date or eyes across a crowded room at the bar. 00:09:53.340 --> 00:10:00.159 Anyway, the point being that when we start a 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:03.299 scene or when we start a conversation with someone, 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:07.440 what do we do? What are we doing? How do we start? 00:10:08.340 --> 00:10:12.860 Do we think of a line of dialogue? People have 00:10:12.860 --> 00:10:15.980 these small talk cues. Ask them about themselves. 00:10:17.100 --> 00:10:21.019 Ask them, what brings you joy? These questions 00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:24.379 now that are so overused, they become boring 00:10:24.379 --> 00:10:26.519 unto themselves. I think we've learned over the 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:27.799 last 10 years that people don't want to talk 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:30.100 about what they do for a living, which, at least 00:10:30.100 --> 00:10:32.879 in North America, is a question that we ask a 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:34.820 lot. I still get it. What do you do for a living? 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:39.120 I mean, I'll answer it, but it's not my favorite 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:42.139 question. And I don't usually care what people 00:10:42.139 --> 00:10:45.620 do for a living unless what they do for a living 00:10:45.620 --> 00:10:48.320 brings them a certain amount of joy and fulfillment. 00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:51.240 Then I'll care about it all day. But if someone 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:53.639 does a job and that job, they only do it to pay 00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:55.000 the bills and they're working for the weekend. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:56.720 Well, then they don't care about it and I don't 00:10:56.720 --> 00:11:03.659 care about it. So I'll go back to the improv 00:11:03.659 --> 00:11:05.840 example for a second. So when a scene starts, 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:09.620 let's say two people. sitting there in chairs 00:11:09.620 --> 00:11:11.460 looking at each other. There's no suggestion. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:14.000 I don't like suggestions. There's art scenes 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.039 and we just look at each other. Well, what are 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:18.580 we doing? We're making decisions like crazy. 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:22.539 And, you know, how I feel. What does this feel 00:11:22.539 --> 00:11:26.059 like? Does this feel formal, informal? Do we 00:11:26.059 --> 00:11:28.279 like each other? Do we not like each other? Okay, 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:30.840 based on that, here comes a line of dialogue. 00:11:31.139 --> 00:11:33.919 How was your weekend? Hmm, how was my weekend? 00:11:34.179 --> 00:11:35.799 I'm going to decide it was great. It was great. 00:11:35.899 --> 00:11:39.009 Thank you very much. Okay, why did they ask me 00:11:39.009 --> 00:11:41.570 about my weekend? Who is this person? Who asks 00:11:41.570 --> 00:11:43.950 that question? And we try to figure that out. 00:11:44.830 --> 00:11:50.669 So to me, the act of figuring that out, when 00:11:50.669 --> 00:11:54.250 it is between individuals, two, three, four, 00:11:54.529 --> 00:11:56.590 including the audience, it could be 100 people, 00:11:56.710 --> 00:12:01.090 we're all trying to figure that out. And in one 00:12:01.090 --> 00:12:05.029 sense, we're discovering together who we are. 00:12:05.340 --> 00:12:07.899 That's one way to do it. Another way is for a 00:12:07.899 --> 00:12:10.620 character to just say it, to have thought about 00:12:10.620 --> 00:12:14.240 it previously and come out and said, well, doctor, 00:12:14.460 --> 00:12:18.279 how are my test results? That's another way to 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:23.080 do it. And that's a different one style because 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:26.960 that involves only one person. And so to me, 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:29.960 when it's one person, I call that writing or 00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:33.759 inventing. You know, I'm going to invent a line 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:35.960 of dialogue or write a line of dialogue and I 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:39.120 will say it or I will invent myself a situation 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:43.399 and I will say it. And it's hard to, I think, 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:46.419 think about this without seeing it happen. But 00:12:46.419 --> 00:12:50.399 when you see it happen, the writing or inventing 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:54.539 or pulling things out of left field is never 00:12:54.539 --> 00:12:58.080 interesting. And it rarely gets a laugh. And 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:01.529 if it does, it'll get a derisive laugh. Or you 00:13:01.529 --> 00:13:03.090 might get a head laugh if it's a really good 00:13:03.090 --> 00:13:06.610 line. You might get like a clever and up in the 00:13:06.610 --> 00:13:10.029 headline. Up in the headline and up in the head 00:13:10.029 --> 00:13:15.629 laugh. Discovery on the other side of that. This 00:13:15.629 --> 00:13:18.570 divergent thinking that happens between and among 00:13:18.570 --> 00:13:22.190 people as we discover things together without 00:13:22.190 --> 00:13:26.190 stating them. And it just becomes somehow clear. 00:13:26.490 --> 00:13:31.860 Like, oh, that's a father and his son. But nobody 00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:36.799 said dad. Nobody said son. We just know it somehow. 00:13:37.559 --> 00:13:40.580 And how did that happen? Well, they've discovered 00:13:40.580 --> 00:13:44.179 that in the course of events. And that discovery 00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:46.820 is based on all the things that happened up to 00:13:46.820 --> 00:13:49.960 the moment when it became clear to us. And it 00:13:49.960 --> 00:13:51.639 started with the way they looked at each other. 00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:54.799 And any kind of initiation that a person may 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:57.440 have, an improviser may have taken on before 00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:59.559 the scene started. Like, I like you or I don't 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:03.129 like you. Or I feel superior to you. Or I'm in 00:14:03.129 --> 00:14:06.769 a good mood. I'm happy. So all of that together 00:14:06.769 --> 00:14:10.350 led eventually to the discovery that it's a father 00:14:10.350 --> 00:14:13.129 and son. And as we go on, we might discover more 00:14:13.129 --> 00:14:18.669 that, oh, this is the son's last day before he 00:14:18.669 --> 00:14:22.350 goes off to war, say. Okay, then it becomes a 00:14:22.350 --> 00:14:26.970 different thing. But these bits of plot or bits 00:14:26.970 --> 00:14:30.620 of information that come out are... much more 00:14:30.620 --> 00:14:35.120 satisfying to ourselves, to each other, to an 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:38.200 audience watching them when we discover them 00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:41.779 almost by accident, as if we're talking along 00:14:41.779 --> 00:14:43.600 and then all of a sudden it just becomes aware 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.340 to me like, oh, I guess you're leaving. Why are 00:14:46.340 --> 00:14:49.500 you leaving? You're going off to war. Okay. And 00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:53.139 that's different from a sort of prefrontal process 00:14:53.139 --> 00:14:55.639 of like, well, what can I say right now that 00:14:55.639 --> 00:15:00.429 will be interesting or funny? And even if you 00:15:00.429 --> 00:15:04.570 can say the best thing, it's rarely funny in 00:15:04.570 --> 00:15:07.190 a sense that connects with people. And you can 00:15:07.190 --> 00:15:08.809 tell the difference between the laughter that 00:15:08.809 --> 00:15:11.210 connects and laughter that doesn't. The laughter 00:15:11.210 --> 00:15:13.529 that doesn't, and this is not a pejorative thing, 00:15:13.629 --> 00:15:15.690 you know, it doesn't say like one is better than 00:15:15.690 --> 00:15:18.570 the other, although I do myself think the connecting 00:15:18.570 --> 00:15:21.669 laugh is better, richer and deeper and more rewarding, 00:15:21.850 --> 00:15:24.860 but a head laugh. you know at a clever joke a 00:15:24.860 --> 00:15:27.679 turn of phrase a pun that's really good we'll 00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:30.720 get a bit of a clever nice i get it but it's 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:34.100 up in the head the discovery lap that comes like 00:15:34.100 --> 00:15:38.419 oh my gosh oh my gosh oh i just get it now she's 00:15:38.419 --> 00:15:41.080 having an affair that discovery lap that happens 00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:44.019 you know the actors discover at the same time 00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:46.519 as the audience discovers it and that is a magical 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:49.820 moment because it brings us all together in the 00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:54.509 here and now into a moment that is for all of 00:15:54.509 --> 00:15:57.629 us and it reminds us that there are people that 00:15:57.629 --> 00:15:59.909 we have groups and tribes and this is my group 00:15:59.909 --> 00:16:02.490 because we've all got there together i'm part 00:16:02.490 --> 00:16:05.230 of something and boy that's what we really all 00:16:05.230 --> 00:16:07.529 want right to be to connect with other human 00:16:07.529 --> 00:16:11.470 beings and be part of something so the two sort 00:16:11.470 --> 00:16:14.710 of ways of of creating scenes is that is the 00:16:14.710 --> 00:16:18.370 writing and inventing route where you know that's 00:16:18.370 --> 00:16:22.950 down to one person generally who lays out a lot 00:16:22.950 --> 00:16:26.629 of information uh who says things that they think 00:16:26.629 --> 00:16:31.110 will be funny but rarely are uh versus the discovery 00:16:31.110 --> 00:16:34.129 where we work hard together and and we think 00:16:34.129 --> 00:16:36.350 about well how do i feel about this person how 00:16:36.350 --> 00:16:38.830 do i feel what just happened given that i've 00:16:38.830 --> 00:16:41.429 made these choices what does this scene start 00:16:41.429 --> 00:16:44.190 to feel like does it feel formal or informal 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:47.679 Does it feel professional or are we a family 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:50.500 or are we a couple? Do we love each other or 00:16:50.500 --> 00:16:52.179 do we like each other? Do we hate each other? 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:55.519 Okay, based on all that, who does this feel like 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:58.840 we are? And that discovery that you work out, 00:16:58.940 --> 00:17:03.139 it happens again and again and again. We'll discover 00:17:03.139 --> 00:17:06.740 the relationship between the characters or that 00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:08.740 one character doesn't like the other one. And 00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:10.660 then I think back on the scene that I've just 00:17:10.660 --> 00:17:12.900 watched, like when, when did I become aware of 00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:15.759 that? Or when did there was no real clear answer. 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:18.180 There's an exercise. I don't do this exercise 00:17:18.180 --> 00:17:21.140 anymore, but it's called the mirroring exercise 00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:25.920 where two actors will face each other and they 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:32.549 will begin moving. And if A is leading, B follows 00:17:32.549 --> 00:17:35.329 exactly and then B leads and A follows exactly. 00:17:35.650 --> 00:17:37.549 And you keep kind of flipping back and forth 00:17:37.549 --> 00:17:40.670 until it becomes hard to know who is leading. 00:17:41.250 --> 00:17:44.230 And it just seems like it's a seamless dance. 00:17:44.630 --> 00:17:47.069 And it's like that. You know, there's also a 00:17:47.069 --> 00:17:49.269 Meisner exercise that I use where I have characters 00:17:49.269 --> 00:17:52.470 standing, actors standing face to face. And character 00:17:52.470 --> 00:17:55.690 A will say, you're wearing a blue shirt. And 00:17:55.690 --> 00:17:58.529 character B will do everything they can to say 00:17:58.529 --> 00:18:02.069 exactly and to reproduce what they've just seen. 00:18:02.150 --> 00:18:05.349 The voice, the line, any flexion, any laugh, 00:18:05.509 --> 00:18:08.990 any titter, any physical thing, exactly. Back 00:18:08.990 --> 00:18:12.509 to the, you're wearing a blue shirt. You're wearing 00:18:12.509 --> 00:18:16.029 a blue shirt. You're wearing a blue shirt. And 00:18:16.029 --> 00:18:17.970 when you do that, eventually it'll start to change. 00:18:18.190 --> 00:18:20.069 They'll get self -conscious, they'll laugh. The 00:18:20.069 --> 00:18:23.210 other character will also laugh back. um and 00:18:23.210 --> 00:18:26.430 it's amazing when you watch that uh how often 00:18:26.430 --> 00:18:28.549 there will be things that will change and in 00:18:28.549 --> 00:18:30.470 retrospect will say well who was the first person 00:18:30.470 --> 00:18:32.849 who laughed and nobody will know we just know 00:18:32.849 --> 00:18:35.269 they started laughing and that's the quality 00:18:35.269 --> 00:18:38.650 of discovery that is magical and transformative 00:18:38.650 --> 00:18:44.410 where invention is often boring derivative obvious 00:18:44.410 --> 00:18:48.150 you know and especially you know even if you're 00:18:48.150 --> 00:18:51.480 really good at writing a lot of dialogue And 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:53.900 I mean pretty good. Of course, there are some 00:18:53.900 --> 00:18:56.460 really great improvisers who can do this on the 00:18:56.460 --> 00:18:59.799 regular. But for most of us, even if you write 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:01.140 a pretty good line of dialogue, you might get 00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:04.099 a ha! Or you just come across as a smart aleck. 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:06.519 Now, I'm going to wrap this up in another minute. 00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:09.980 But this also, to me, works in the real world 00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:12.400 where I meet someone for the first time. And 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:13.740 I'm just trying to figure out, well, what is 00:19:13.740 --> 00:19:15.759 this? What does this feel like? Are we going 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:18.539 to become lifelong friends? Is this a single 00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:20.640 serving acquaintance? Do I want to get out of 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:23.680 here as fast as possible? You know, I try not 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:27.900 to make decisions beforehand. I want this interaction 00:19:27.900 --> 00:19:29.980 to proceed and then I'll let the interaction 00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:32.920 tell me what it is rather than me imposing it. 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:35.740 Right. And that way, you know, hopefully if there 00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:39.220 are friends out there or, you know, the future 00:19:39.220 --> 00:19:41.920 Mrs. McLeod, I won't miss them because I won't 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:45.119 be I won't arrive with my preconceived notions. 00:19:45.849 --> 00:19:48.990 I will instead let the situation unfold as it 00:19:48.990 --> 00:19:51.990 wants to unfold. And then I will find out what 00:19:51.990 --> 00:19:54.430 people are. Anyway, that's my time for today. 00:19:54.529 --> 00:19:57.170 Thank you very much. Discovery versus invention. 00:19:57.309 --> 00:20:00.450 Discovery or uncovery. You know, one thing I 00:20:00.450 --> 00:20:02.609 think about with scenes and with interactions 00:20:02.609 --> 00:20:04.630 is that they've already taken place. And my job 00:20:04.630 --> 00:20:06.849 is just to come in and move away all the dust 00:20:06.849 --> 00:20:10.430 and sand and see what it was. And discover what 00:20:10.430 --> 00:20:13.170 was already there. You know, the characters with 00:20:13.170 --> 00:20:15.599 the improv. The characters already know what's 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:17.920 going on. They already know their lives. But 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:19.940 they're sharing it with me. And I'm figuring 00:20:19.940 --> 00:20:23.339 that thing out rather than me imposing something. 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:25.960 You know, and one of the problems with imposing 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:27.619 is you don't know what's in your scene partner's 00:20:27.619 --> 00:20:31.380 head. And it often leads to fights over whose 00:20:31.380 --> 00:20:33.420 reality, whose games are we going to play. All 00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:34.920 right. Well, that's it for me today. Thanks so 00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:37.339 much, everybody, for tuning in to the Socap Improv 00:20:37.339 --> 00:20:40.740 Comedy Podcast. Discovery and Uncovery versus 00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:45.380 Invention and or Writing. or solo creation the 00:20:45.380 --> 00:20:48.400 differences and why i think one is superior to 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:50.539 the other all right you have a great week we'll 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:52.720 see you here next time on the socap improv comedy 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:53.640 podcast bye