"Who do you tag out?" I've asked improvisers. "Keep the Crazy," some reply. Have more fun with a fun character. It's a fine thought. "Change the catalyst," I say. The audience loves watching improvisers affected by imagined reality. When we heighten the reality we force the affected character into a heightened reaction. So when choosing […]
Objective: Players entering a scene in progress should always seek to heighten the games already in play. Heightening those games with concentrated pattern mechanics will increase the impact of those tertiary moves. The following outlines Tertiary and Polish moves with supporting video of me actually teaching a class those moves: Walking On and Walking Off […]
Here's an example of a Tag-out from The Johnsons. Notice how they leverage the Help Desk dynamic, repeating/heightening the sequence of dialogue. [wpvideo B5sbwlAF] I'd've preferred they'd've never sat down, instead playing out being high on the job. It's hard to keep a scene active while sitting down. Chairs are a privilege, not a right. […]
Objective: To practice initiating and supporting moves from the bag of tricks players utilize when entering scenes-in-progress as a tertiary addition.
Pop quiz, hotshot. When do you add on to a two person scene in progress? A. When you have a funny idea B. When the scene needs to be saved C. When there are holes in the information on stage D. When you want to get in on the fun E. When you can heighten […]
We enter a scene only to serve what is already in play. We enter to heighten a Personal Game. We enter to heighten a Scenic Game. We may help our fellow players by focusing them on one aspect of the scene when they're juggling too much, but in that effort we are focusing on what […]
Objective: A scene’s stakes (situational, behavioral and relation-based) can be heightened with more scenes, especially when emotions are heightened, too.
Heightening Through Tag-Outs: A “tag out” allows the audience to see how a character from a previous scene will react to another character/scenario/etc. We want to execute tag-outs in service of heightening the emotional stakes. TAG OUTS –To perform a tag out, a player enters a scene in progress and literally tags the player that […]
Tag out – a “tag out” allows the audience to see how a character from a previous scene will react to another character/scenario/etc. To perform a tag out, a player enters a scene in progress and literally tags the player that he/she will replace on stage. The player tagging in should work to be clear in […]