What Really Makes for Successful Improv?

Today we had our 4th improv class at UCB. We learned about characters, leading with different parts of the body and how the physical trait can help us develop a scene because the process isn't cerebral, it's physical. That makes sense because then you are more flexible to go with whatever your partner throws at you. We are also doing mini scenes and laughing a lot more. We also played with status of characters, which is a little more complex and definitely more subtle, but it can really enrich and change the dynamic of a scene. i.e. A high status boss and low status employee vs. high status employee and low status boss. It changes the whole scene when the boss is played more insecure and the employee is confident and driving. Make sense?

Anyway, we went to the BEST IMPROV SHOW I"VE SEEN THUS FAR!!!! Wow, like wow. This is the show that inspired me. I just want to do lots of improv to do what these improvisers pulled off tonight. We saw Bangarang first then Happy F***ing Memorial Day. It was fun because we had a group of 6 from our class all go together, so we were able to debrief about what made the show so successful. Where do I start? Both teams were very tight. There wasn't a single lull the entire show, what?? I know, right. They listened to each other and the other thing they really did was immediately clarify everything. If there was a small confusion or even the suspicion of confusion, they would NOT move on until the confusion was completely resolved so that everyone was on the same page. After everything was clear, the next moment could occur. So it really is listening and making sure you are very clearly communicating with your partner, even if lamens terms are necessary. The second group was two guys that played a long monoscene and they jumped back and forth between eight or so different characters. It's a goo structure because whenever suspicion of a lull occurs, they can just add another character to the scene. It did take a lot of focus and memory because they would transition so quickly. In class today we did mirroring your partners character, so the timing was perfect as well. The other thing is that you have to TOTALLY commit to whatever you're doing. No insecurity, no apologies. If it's flopping terribly, you commit even more and that is usually funny anyway. Also, specificity of choice is important. The walk, the accent, the philosophy as specific as possible is a huge aid as well. It was very exciting to see really amazing improv. I am still trying to figure out how it all happened so wonderfully. But this is definitely a turning point for me. This is what I can strive to achieve, in my own special way of course. The biggest factor is probably just doing it as much as possible. Practice makes better haha.

It makes me feel like I can do this, like acting is closer, more achieveable. It's important to see things done well and to see them with other passionate artists. I could do this every day, live like this and it makes my LA life I've dreamed of not seem as far off and ridiculous as it once did. Beginning of Summer 2011, right after I graduated, I remember driving past downtown La on the way to the Getty and the city looked so huge and distant and scary and intimidating. And the day has finally come when I look at it with excitement as I pass by on the 10 freeway. It's not so intimidating now. My perspective is shifting and that's important! Something to celebrate. The baby steps.

Improv Shows

Tonight was a night of improv. I met up with my friend from class, Tracey and his friend Christie from a trip they took together and we were the trio all night, just talking about being an artist and making it happen. Sometimes you just need to talk with someone, to process, to know that there is another person who can relate. We watched the Harold Night at UCB and then we walked a mile in the Los Angeles evening to IO for the student cage night match which another one of my friends,Tony, was in...It was fun to walk by ourselves because no one really walks in this city, which I actually think is a shame because I LOVE to walk. Anyway, the shows were good, but even they have lulls, even professionals have off days. And I appreciate that, a chance to be human.

I am trying to learn to be more honest, to say exactly what I mean, no more no less. C. S. Lewis inspired that in me. He thinks it will take a lifetime to achieve and he is probably correct.The point is with improv you have to be honest, unafraid if what you say is funny or not because the funniest parts are the most natural, strange and childlike. You have to play and that's all it is. I know that this is old news to all you "brilliant ones" out there, but I am a perfectionist I think. I'm not sure, but I think so. I like to do things well, to be excellent. I think it's part of my Disney Dream/ American Heritage of making the impossible happen and not settling for anything less than amazing... or was I the only one?

On the walk, the new friend I met spoke of the successful people she knew, the projects she's worked on, her offer for representation and she's only been here 2 months. It's humbling when I've been here a year and I can't even properly beg an agency to take me on. It's hard not to compare. I just wish that as we are all showing off for each other I had something to say with weight. Shallow, but isn't that what we are always doing when we meet people in La? The classic...." So, what do you do?" aka. What can you do for me? How can you be a future asset? Who do you know? I understand that's how life is designed, but must we be so crude and obvious about it? This girl was not brash and name dropping however, she is so kind and humble and I hope we become friends. I just wanted to be able to contribute to the conversation. I find I'm always listening to actors talk about _____. Listening, listening, soaking it in. I think maybe when I'm here long enough, I can monologue like they do, though I'd prefer a dialogue.

Not a big fan of Actor's Access. I'm submitting for a LOT of roles and so far no dice. Hmmm. Also, no luck with e mailing the agencies.

I get really convicted about the finance class I'm taking because right now the best thing for me to do would be to make money and concentrate on paying off my student loans soon, but that so conflicts with my heart of being an actor and wanting to invest money in classes and eventually moving to the area.The young people will understand my heart and the wiser generation will tell me just do it, pay for them and soon it will be over. I was thinking of performing on a cruise for 6 months because I would be 1. Performing 2. Saving money strictly for loans because the other expenses would be taken care of 3. Not having to make excuses for not hanging with people When you say, hey I cant chill, I'm trying to get debt free I would assume it sounds strange 4. Lots of reading because what else do you do with all that downtime on a boat?.2 years and I'd be completely debt free. And then a part of me thinks I'm running away because that would be an easy choice. I'm just beginning to connect to people in La so why would I go away? I'm running from the inevitable beast of building a career. Maybe I know it will take years to do and so it overwhelms me and I'm procrastinating. It's like homework... ugh how dreadful when your career turns into homework. But like homework, the dread is worse than the actual task.

Spoke with a girlfriend on the phone tonight in Texas. When I tell her about acting it sounds cool to myself as the words are coming out of my mouth, why do I seek more? Maybe part of it is I am constantly surrounded by actors. I need to better adjust to my environment and celebrate instead of compete with everyone. I don't feel special or interesting for being an actor. That used to happen to me once in a while, now its strange if you aren't some kind of artist type. But, that's also the beauty of it- a city full of passion and dreams. I'm rambling, yes I realize, but in my defense its 2 am and everyone is sleeping... sheesh.

I don't wish it was easier, I actually really believe hard work brings out the best in us, so I remind myself of that. I was talking to my friend Allie the other day who is a dancer and as she approaches 30, she wants to transition out of it into event planning, another friend from music to communications and other from dance to hair styling. It feels that they are slowly dropping off. I wonder if that's inevitable? If I will mistake my passion for a "phase" and justify the easier road. It tempts me as I get older. A family and the money to live comfortably with them would be nice...  What do you really want Christina? Ugh. Too much! That's my problem, I want too much from life

Inspiration

I went to go see my first UCB harold show last Tuesday night. I was surprisingly impressed. They were really tight and on top of everything. There were no lulls and if they sensed one coming, they cut the scene quickly. It was fun to see a whole world created from a word or an idea. The power of improv. What really struck me was how smart they were and how quickly they came up with ideas. It was exciting to know that I could have that skill at the end of my training.

Some of the agents that I have been e mailing are sending me disgruntled and annoyed e mails. Maybe this annoying them with continual e mails was actually a terrible idea and I am burning all my bridges? How am I supposed to know??? There's no rule book for anything!! That's the frustrating and exciting part. It happens for everyone in no same way twice. So basically, you just have to be there, keep knocking and going and doing all you know how. No one, not even me myself can ask more than that...

I discovered what my inspiration is tonight, beauty! I was feeling restless after a long day of work and the summer evening was calling my name, especially because it's still light out until almost 9 at night. I drove up this hill to all the fancy mansions and toward the top there is this area that has been paved, but not yet developed, so my curiosity and boredom got the best of me, so I ascended into the shrubbery, ducking behind bushes and trees so that cars driving by wouldn't call security on me or something... I hardly looked like a robber in my white leather jacket haha, but you can never be too safe. I got up the slope 20 feet to a gutter, cool. It lead to a bigger gutter around the corner and eventually to this paved, wide road. The street lamps were installed, but not working and I could see the designated dirt lots for future mansions. And the city lights! Amazing! I could see a sparkling menagerie of little dots glittering with excitement. Perspective... and all those little dots were for the thousands of people below. It was a little creepy and proably not the best idea,(I mean there could have been a drug cartel or crazy homeless people who lived at the top) but I followed the road up the hill anyway. The higher I walked in my heeled boots the more panoramic the view became. the best part occured as I rounded the corner and there it was, close and low and as soothing as ever, the moon. Beautiful. I guess I always knew the power of beauty, but I truly felt it tonight when I was alone on this mountain with just the moon and the city lights below. It touched me somehow, like I was in a foreign country. Strangely enough, it reminded me why I love acting so much and inspired this entry. Isn't it funny the things that move us?

I applied for a bunch of roles through actors access, I'll let you know if anything pans out. we'll see how well this website actually works. 

Oh, find whatever inspires you!!! That's important!!!!

UCB Improv

So... I joined an official improv class at UCB. A lot of my actor friends said that this was the thing to do, ultimately to end up on a performing team. Anyway, the class is just plain fun! That's the nice thing about improv, it's relaxed, you just go with it. Life is funny and we are funny, so funny just happens often. We have to watch some ucb shows as a requirement of the class. I was fortunate to be in a class with a bunch of friendly improvers and we started an e mail chain to connect so we dont have to be loners in the audience. I'm just excited to have the next thing for a little bit, to be growing and inspired is life to the actor. It's terrifying not to have the next thing lined up... or is that just me? Okay, fine! Maybe sometimes I'm a little type a. Anyway, our graduation show is June 30 at the UCB theatre LA at 1:30!!! Come see us!

Oh, and I'm bugging a bunch of talent agencies. I'm sure they're tired of me because they keep giving me the kind, polite rejection. It would almost be better if they said no in a really mean way. I suppose it would seem less fake and more genuine that way. Anyway, it's funny because I'm sure they think I'm this really aggressive all-business go-getter, but the TRUTH, for your eyes only is that I cringe as I send each e mail. This "forcing your foot in the door" technique is very unnatural for me, but necessary in a city with 3093840387483743 other actors. I do it as something to check of my list, doing all I can in my power to make this happen, make my dream a reality. 

I talked with my friend in Chicago yesterday. I have a group of girlfriends, all fellow actresses across the USA. We tell each other stories of crazy auditions, listen to our rants and give practical encouragement. Kind of a sisters of the traveling pants, except there are no pants. Which, I suppose means we are all just good friends who have kept in touch and who happen to be in the same field. Anyway, she is new to Chicago, so I (being all too aware of the challenges of being new in a big city) chatted with her about the process. Absolutely, it's difficult. However, it is not impossible to make it as an actor and I'm sure 10 years from now on this blog, I'll be saying the same thing!! ha!

Fun Short-Pot Pie Burglar

Went out to Ojai to film this fun little short. It's subtle humor, but fun. Actually, it was a blast making it as most film projects are. We kept trying to think of the strangest footage for these two weirdo characters and then there was laughing, a lot of it!

End of One, Beginning of Another

Ugh! I've officially decided that I dislike transitions. There is something so reassuring about being in a show, working on a project, being comfortable. But, as an actor I must find a way to make this a positive experience! Something new around the bend, an adventure. And beyond that, the very nature of life is that it is constantly changing.

Lend Me a Tenor was a huge success. Not only did I successfully play a role completely outside my comfort zone, but I made some lifelong friends as well. And sometimes I think that is the more important of the two. All our audiences were incredible for closing weekend. I never realized how much an effect an audience has in a production, well, particularly theatre. They laugh and then you can breathe. Okay. It's funny. They're enjoying it, They're getting it. It gives me more joy to do the show. I think my favorite might be secretly spying on the audience however. Watching them from the nooks and crannies while I'm backstage and especially in the intermission when the lights are on them for a change. People by themselves are fascinating. And especially if I know them. Their smiles mean more, there wide open jaws, confused eyes, a real gasp, that's the stuff of theatre, the real stuff. As David Mamet says, "A standing ovation can be coaxed out of an audience, a gasp cannot."

A friend recently helped me officially put up my IMDb page, so I exist on there! Woo Hoo!!!! Now, I just have to make my page look as impressive as his. Oh dear. The next thing that I am really hitting hard is finding an agent. Yes, that means YOU if you are reading this. There are so many different tips from people about how to do this a lot of it happens by just being around and consistently working on better projects. However to consistently work on better projects an agent is amazingly helpful. One of those chicken before the egg things. I've started by hooking up to the IMDb pro to get contacts and information and then e mailing the agencies I like the best that I think would fit me. I have no idea if this will work or not. However, after months or years of my e mails someone eventually will say, "Sheesh! Just put that girl on our roster. It might make her shut up! I'm so sick of these e mails." The squeaky wheel, am I right? At least it makes me feel better in the meantime while I'm looking for other things. There's probably agent workshops and showcases somewhere, I'll have to ask around.

And besides that its back to all the online casting sites, you know the handful I'm speaking of. I actually genuinely enjoy auditioning, particularly cold reads. I think they are fun! So that actually is exciting. BAM! Here I come guys.