The Complete Improviser: Concepts, Techniques, and Exercises for Long Form Improvisation

You don’t need a funny first line or funny response to have a successful scene.

Don’t blame an outside force of higher status. You did whatever you did because of a flaw in your moral character that you’re either proud or ashamed of.

teachings. For an audience to laugh or cry, they must care. For them to care, they must believe.

“You gotta know the rules before you can break them.” I’ve never liked

feelings like disappointment, failed expectations, and the notion that one’s will is being resisted. These are valuable components to defining a point of view.

The solution here is the same as with any impasse: someone must lose without changing their character.

If I had to throw a net over all of the reasons why we don’t like certain movies or books, it would be this: we quit believing what we’re seeing is real.

changes weren’t forced, because the trail of inspiration

the audience quits believing in the reality of your scene, they’ll stop caring.