Sam Jenkins' "Rules" of Improv - Part 2
Laugh-Masters Academy is proud to bring you this 3-part series outlining some of the “rules” of improv by Sam Jenkins. His list is a great reference and we look forward to reading his forthcoming book on the subject soon. In the meantime, if you want to learn how to put these rules into practice, or simply polish up your skills, an LMA Workshop is the way!
If you missed Part 1, click right here.
If you want Part 2, move your eyes slightly downward.
Hello Laugh-Masters!
I’m Sam Jenkins. I’ve been invited to write a guest blog on my Rules of Improv. A list of simple rules that will (on average) make your scenes more enjoyable.
Picking right up where we left off in Part 1…
16) “Cuts To’s” Offer New Info
“Cut to’s” need to offer new info. Else you’re just repeating yourself. Repeating yourself is postponing!
“Cut to the time you said yes to marrying me.”
“Yes! I’ll marry you.”
“Cut back– and we’ve been happily married ever since.”
vs
“Cut to the time you said yes to marrying me.”
“If it will stop you murdering my family, then… Yes! I’ll marry you.”
“Cut back– and we’ve been happily married ever since.”
17) Talk About Each Other
Don’t talk about characters outside the scene. Talk about each other. This makes us care, makes it immediate, and makes your character deeper.
“My aunt is an alcoholic.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
vs
“I am an alcoholic.”
“I’m sorry for bringing you to this wine tasting.”
18) Accept The Offer
If told to shoot, do it, immediately, then explain why.
“Please sir, can I have the game station for free?”
“No! I’d rather spend my time bargaining, or forcing you to think of new offers.”
vs
“Please sir, can I have the game station for free?”
“Yes! Nothing makes me happier than giving away my most expensive toys.”
What the actor offers can be different to what the character offers.
“Jenny, I’m going to blow my brains out. Say goodbye to the kids for me. ”
What is the character offering? To blow their brains out.
What is the actor offering? Probably to have a scene with some gravitas.
You can accept either offer.
“Jenny, I’m going to blow my brains out. Say goodbye to the kids for me. ”
“Yes! And I’ll see you in hell Larissa!”
or
“Jenny, I’m going to blow my brains out. Say goodbye to the kids for me.”
“Larissa, please don’t!”
The former is more comical, the latter more compelling. Pick the one which suits the show, and if you know the other actor well, then pick what they would want you to respond.
If in doubt, “Yes and…”!
19) “Yes And…”
Accept the offer and give new information (an offer) back.
“Aesop, this pasta looks delicious.”
“Yes.”
“It doesn’t taste right… you forgot to add in any offers!”
“Yes.”
vs
“Aesop, this pasta looks delicious.”
“Yes, and you’ll find I’ve added a secret ingredient.”
“Yes, and it’s love.”
“Yes, and it’s not just philic, it’s eros.”
20) Accept The First Offer
Declining to more offers, makes you an information theif.
“You’re angry at me because… I killed your dog!”
“Ehh.”
“I stole all your money!”
“Ehh.”
“I’m running out of ideas!”
“Yes, I’m angry because you’re running out of ideas, and I’m lazy!”
vs
“You’re angry at me because… I killed your dog!”
“Yes, I’m angry because you killed my seeing-eye dog Wags!”
21) Yes, And It’s Special
Accept offers as if they’re the greatest idea ever.
“I brought you this banana.”
“Yes, and I like bananas.”
vs
“I brought you this banana.”
“Fantastic! I’ll get to taste my first banana.”
That goes for negative offers too.
“I’m dying.”
“Yes, and that’s sad.”
vs
“I’m dying.”
“Yes, and I cannot live without you. Here’s to our love!” (drinks poison)
or
“I’m dying.”
“Yes, and your death will be the happiest moment of my life.”
22) Accept, Don’t Join
Accept that they’re an alien, don’t be one too.
“Britta, I’m a vampire!”
“Me too!”
“Well, that removes any possible tension or need for change.”
vs
“Britta, I’m a vampire!”
“Please don’t kill me!”
“Damn it, only because you asked nicely, that’s my weakness.”
23) Accept Even If You’d Say No
Accept even if you’d normally say no. This helps you master “Yes and” and justifying. And it always makes for interesting scenes.
“Greg Niceton, can I kill you and eat your flesh?”
“No. Get away from me freak!”
vs
“Greg Niceton, can I kill you and eat your flesh?”
“Yes, I’m at the pinnacle of my life, and now I’ll make the news with my death!”
Eventually you’ll learn sometimes.
24) Justify
Explain conflicting offers.
25) Say Yes And Justify Why
It’s not enough to just say yes and leave the audience hanging as to why you’re suddenly okay helping the bad guy, or why that phone you’re holding is suddenly a gun (it’s a “phone-gun, the latest release from the Samsung Military line”).
The audience wants their information holes filled. You need to be the person to fill their holes.
26) Don’t Wimp
Wimping is accepting an offer, but doing nothing with it. You can “Yes and…” but still wimp.
“Jimmy, I bought you a New Idea magazine for your birthday!”
“Thanks Uncle Gregg, it’s summer 2009, my favourite edition! Now let’s talk cake.”
Wimping is a quick way to lose focus in your scene. If every offer goes nowhere, so does your scene.
27) Don’t Block
Blocking is rejecting an offer, or down right dismissing it’s existence.
“Jimmy, I bought you a New Idea magazine!”
“No thanks Uncle Gregg. I don’t like reading. I don’t like anything. I hate existing.”
or
“Jimmy, I bought you a New Idea magazine!”
“No you didn’t Uncle Gregg. That’s just empty space you’re handing me. You’re just miming it. We’re both actors on a stage and I’m ruining the scene.”
Naturally, we want to block. Blocking allows you to keep your own ideas in place. Blocking protects you from changing.
28) Don’t Talk Over Others
29) Yield
If there’s a locked door and they suggest a key, yield! Accept their offer. Don’t suggest TNT, the key is perfect!
30) Use The Most Recent Offer
When conflict arises, the most recent offer is correct, justify why.
“Don’t worry, I’m a doctor!”
“I thought you were an executioner.”
“Oh, I am an executioner.”
“Yes, and you’re not a doctor.” (rubs middle finger all over the executioners face)
vs
“Don’t worry, I’m a doctor!”
“I thought you were an executioner.”
“Now I’m a doctor. My doctorate arrived seconds ago by express courier!”
“Congratulations Doctor Killbot 3000!”
Ah yes, Killbot is a doctor now! The circle is complete. Or is it?
In PART 3 we’ll cover the remaining rules: 31-100+
And as we say here at Laugh-Masters… “Killbot 3000 for President!”
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