Keeping an Improv Journal
Improvisation is a creative process that involves generating ideas and responses in real time, often with little or no preparation.
Improvisation is a creative process that involves generating ideas and responses in real time, often with little or no preparation. Improvisers, such as actors, comedians, and musicians, rely on their ability to think quickly and come up with unique and spontaneous ideas in order to be successful. For improvisers, keeping a journal is like having an extra brain! It's the perfect way to capture all those great ideas that pop into your head during rehearsal or performance - and let's be honest, we can't always trust our memories when it comes down to recalling creative genius. Keeping a journal can help improvisers overcome this challenge by providing a tool to document their ideas and creative process, allowing them to reflect on their progress and improve their skills over time. Journals help you keep track of everything so nothing gets lost in translation... and life just got easier for improv-lovers everywhere!
Keeping a journal is an invaluable asset for any improviser! It's like having your own personal creative mentor who helps you work through the ups and downs of doing improv. Noting your progress in a journal can give improvisers the confidence they need to keep pushing through challenging times! And, believe me, you will have those challenging moments. You’ll look in the mirror, and think “can I really do this?” Improv is a journey, it will take time to get better, and you part of the struggle is realizing it will take time. Reflection can be daunting, but with a journal it becomes easier to grapple with tough artistic decisions - what worked? What didn't? Plus, keeping track of your progress over time in this way gives you not only motivation, but also provides the chance to pat yourself on the back every once in awhile; document all the achievements along the journey - from small victories to big successes!
Writing things down can be an excellent way for improvisers to free their imaginations and break through those dreaded creative blocks. Keeping a journal is like having your own idea playground – it’s the perfect spot to try out new approaches, experiment with different techniques, and let curiosity lead you in unexpected directions! Studies have shown that creativity is not a fixed trait - with enough practice it can evolve over time! Keeping track of this progress in a journal provides valuable insight into artistic growth as well as inspiration to explore fresh ideas. Keeping a journal is an excellent way to kickstart creativity and break free from creative stagnation; it provides the opportunity to try out new ideas, develop existing ones and simply play with concepts until something fresh emerges.
Want to take your group improv skills up a notch? Keeping track of ideas and documenting the creative process with a journal can be an essential tool for collaboration success! Jotting down what others have said or contributed, plus any thoughts that come to mind during improvisation sessions helps keep everyone on point. It's the perfect tool for fostering effective communication in groups - build team spirit by sharing your ideas with others & discussing them in more detail to make patient progress on long-term projects or collaborations. If you are part of an improv team, your approach, format, and members might change over time. A journal will help give your team something to turn to, and remind everyone the purpose and goals of the team. Plus you'll have the chance to look back over that amazing artistic journey afterwards.
Journaling is a powerful tool for anyone looking to reach the next level of improvisational skill. Taking the time to capture and reflect on your creative processes can open up avenues you never knew existed, allowing you discover new ideas while exploring how far your creativity can take you! Regular journal-keeping gives performers an opportunity to learn about themselves as they continually develop their artistry in meaningful ways. By taking the time to document their ideas and reflect on their progress, improvisers can gain a deeper understanding of their own creative process and develop their skills over time.
List of Genres for Improv
Running an improv class requires some preparation. You have to rent the space, setup the chairs, create a list of exercises, coordinate payments, etc.
Running an improv class, or rehearsal with friends requires some preparation. You have to rent the space, setup the chairs, create a list of exercises, coordinate payments, etc. It’s a lot.
Sure….you’re definitely capable of doing everything, but a little help is nice too.
Well, let me introduce this fancy little device I like to call, “The Random Improv Genre Generator,“ because it randomly generates genres for you.
We can both agree, I’m terrible at naming, but I can put together a decent list of genres.
No longer will you be burdened with thinking of “noir,“ and “post-apocalyptic.“ You need only click a button, and you and your scene partner will be whisked away to a shipwrecked beach…or maybe a jail cell.
And, if you hate clicking buttons (no judgments here!) I’ve included the list of genres too so you can turn the Random Genre Generator into a Random Genre Noticer.
I hope this helps. Have a great day!
Improv Genre Generator
:LIST OF GENRES
Young Adult Fiction
Science Fiction
Romance Novel
Crime
Urban Fantasy
William Shakespeare
Jane Austen
Hemingway
Dr. Seuss
Legal Drama
Police Procedural
Anime
Western
Post Apocolytpic
Horror
Disaster Film
Silent
self help
Game of Thrones style
Coming of Age
Musicals
Film Noir
Superhero
Buddy Cop
Adventure
Adult
Animal
Beach Party
Buddy Cop
Christmas
Costume Epics
Escape
Espionage
Ghosts
Mafia
Man v Nature
Heist
Historical
Lovers on the Run
Monsters
Small Town
Witches
Zoom Meetings and Webcam Solutions
So. much. Zoom. Work. Friendships. Everything. It feels like everything is on Zoom, or WebEx, or GotoMeeting. You know what I mean.
So. much. Zoom. Work. Friendships. Everything. It feels like everything is on Zoom, or WebEx, or GotoMeeting. You know what I mean. We're all connecting with faces that are staring at their monitor. It's impossible to make eye contact with anyone, because we're all trying to see someone. We want to see each other, but in doing that we're also hiding our eyes. If you DO look into the camera you're sacrificing an opportunity to see the other person, because now they're looking at you, but you're looking into that webcam cyclops eye.
This isn't good. We’re taking an improv class online, but none of us are looking at each other? We’re talking to our coworkers during zoom meeting, but we’re not making eye contact?
So...I came up with a solution this morning. I made some printable pictures with an area designated for the webcam. I went on Amazon and found the dimensions for the Logitech 920, because I know that's THE MOST popular webcam (side note: it's the one I use for my cat camera when I got live!) (double sidenote: I wouldn't buy the Logitech 920 right now on Amazon, because so many people are ripping you off with their pandemic inflated prices. It’s gouge city for all livestream equipment. It's ridiculous. If you do want to buy a Logitech 920, or anyhting else livestream related, look on BestBuy, Target or Walmart....or better yet, support a local tech company who sells the equipment).
OK. So....back to the printable forms. Here are the steps:
1. Print them (why did I write this? You're smart! You definitely know this part)
2. Cut out the section that reads, "cut out for webcam" (again, why am I writing this. I'm sorry. I respect you. I do. I think you're very smart. I've also spent the last 8 years teaching improv, so it's hard for me to not explain everything very thoroughly. I'll try to fight this instinct. I won't fail!).
3. Now, pick up the piece of paper (just failed)
4. Slide over your webcam!
Ta-da..or maybe it's all one word. Tada? Either way....success! You're now looking at a Paul, cat, Terminator, Alien, or a well-crafted hinny (we'll assume he gave consent to stare). Now you know where to look, and you won’t feel so awkward staring into a souless camera lens. You’ll be staring at a human, housepet, assassin, xenomorph, or well-crafted hinney.
You can download the files below. Have a great day!
P.S. ‘Hinney’ is a great word!
**RIGHT CLICK ON THE FILE TO DOWNLOAD BELOW**
