While improv acting can be entertaining, it can also be very difficult. Not knowing what your scene partner will do or what will happen next is what makes it challenging. If you’re looking for ways to create better scenes in your improv acting, here are four tips on keeping the scene moving, no matter what is thrown your way.
1. Try Out Different Characters
To produce a successful scene in improv, you have to find convincing characters that you are able to portray successfully. Don’t be afraid to try out new characters, either, as you’ll never know what works unless you try. Think about characters that would be comical for you to play.
Or if you want to think outside the box, consider characters that are less conventional and find ways to make them entertaining. With these characters, decide on what relationships they might have, or various settings you could place them in. This way, no matter which way the scene turns, you might have something to work off of.
2. Just Keep on Movin’
Participating in a scene you aren’t enthusiastic about can make it that much more difficult to think on your feet. By pausing or trying to drastically change the scene, it can put negative air in the environment, which isn’t fun for anyone. If you just relax and go with the flow, you would be able to create a better scene. Try to remind yourself to have fun, and you might be able to use your improv techniques to turn a tasteless scene into a comical one.
3. Boost Your Imagination and Creativity
Some of the best improv acting stems from those who aren’t afraid to unleash their wildest imagination. If you find that you are struggling to come up with creative ideas, take the time to watch a movie, read a book or listen to music that you normally wouldn’t. The change in your normal routine could spark different emotions from within, and you might be able to come up with some truly original ideas. Then don’t hesitate to use these ideas in your next scene, as it could bring out characters and settings no one else would have thought of.
4. Remember There’s No “I” in Team
When you’re in an improv scene, you probably rely on your scene partner to give you something to work with. Why wouldn’t you do the same for them? Don’t be afraid of putting your partner in a difficult situation, as it could bring out a side to them or their character that no one has seen before. If you and your scene partner use one another to keep the scene rolling, as opposed to making it about only one of the characters, it could create better scenes.