Improv

(Or Why Interactive Design is Nothing New)

Theater used to be scripted …

(Like TV, Movies and online media)

Until around 1940 someone thought: this is boring.

(Specifically Viola Spolin in Chicago; later Keith Johnstone in

London)

What happens if the audience is a PART of creating the show?

But How Do We Do It? How Do We Train It?

A few very simple rules.

Rule #1: Say Yes

No.

Yes, But

Yes, And

<- Boring

<- Interesting for A Bit

Can Really Go Somewhere ->

Who Says “Yes, And”, Who says “Yes, But” and Who Says “No”?

Try It In the Office!

Who Do You Like Working With?

Rule #2: Be Obvious

(This is the hardest)

Rule #3: Tell a Story

STATUS CHANGE

Climax Protagonist

AntagonistHero’s Journey

Suspense Exposition

What Happens AFTER The Status Change?

Think of a Status Change Between Characters

Try It In the Office!

Imagine What Happens After

Full Story Spine

1. Once Upon A Time ….2. And Every Day …3. Until One Day …4. And Because of That …5. And Because of That …6. And Because of That …7. And Ever Since that Day …8. The Moral of the Story is …

<- Routine

<- Status Change

Result

Rule #4: Justification

(Puts the Audience on your Side)

Rule #5: Re-Incorporation

“The Secret Sauce”

Re-Incorporate

• We have really good memories for stories.• We like to see characters come back that we

had “forgotten” about.• Its how you create a satisfying ending.

Beijing Improvhttp://www.beijingimprov.org

Weekly Bilingual Improv Workshops

Monthly English Language ShowsBi-Monthly Bilingual Shows