I'm taking an acting class but I suck at improvisation.....?

Question

We had to do this activity where we could use nothing but sounds to get people to move and I was stuck, I couldn't think of any sounds that would help to cause the person to move. I felt I really let my group down because I couldn't actively participate. What does it take to be a good improviser and how can I work on my improv skills

Answer 1

I think you just need to let yourself go and don't be afraid of what you look or sound like :-) The whole point is to just be silly and see where it takes you, not to be brilliant. Sometimes things work out great and sometimes, not so much. The point is, you try. Never say no. Don't be resistant. There are tons of sounds to attempt, you just have to let go of your inhibitions and do them. You can't possibly concentrate on looking good when your an enormous ape going after a scene partner. You're an APE! Or if you're an ambulance running towards them, they'd have to move to the side right? Bot of these sounds could get more erratic if people didn't move :-) You could make a fart sound then maybe people would move. That is definitely not my favorite, but I know I would move.

The main things in improv are to never say no, let yourself go, don't worry about your appearance AT ALL, don't worry about failing because sometimes you will and sometimes it will turn out GREAT but you won't know unless you try, things like that. Just go for it! Don't be afraid to be goofy!

Have fun!

Answer 2

And just how many times do you tink you will be on stage in a part that requires you to move someone with a sound? A new superhero -- Phono-Motion Man? With the exception of Chicago and San Francisco, where improv has risen to the level of a performance art all its own, the rest of us use improv as only one of the tools in our tool box along with dialects, scene study, characterization, vowel formation, and stage movement / combat. Hopefully, you will, in performance, never need to utilize any skill that you use in an improv class, but in case you do need to, it's always nice to know that you can improv in character (or like an animal or move people with certain sounds or whatever other bizarre exercise Viola Spolin cooked up)

Answer 3

Don't give up- it takes some people longer to warm up to improv. It sounds like a bit of self-consciousness.

It may help to know that improv does not always have to be funny. Also, in a classroom setting, you are there to develop skills, NOT to entertain your fellow classmates.


Always focus on the objective of the exercise. Try not to self-censor (it's ok to look foolish in improv!) Always say "yes" to what your partner says or does in a scene. Be patient with yourself- some exercises may not work for you, and others may seem very natural.

Answer 4

EVERYONE is afraid of improv! You don't suck. Improv is one of the best tools an actor can have. Like Marianne said, don't be afraid. Go with whatever you have. A lot of the time you think it was horrible but no one else did. Once you get comfortable with improv it's one of your best friends. Rule number one: Don't deny. Say "yes" to whatever is happening. Then add to it. Remember that as a starting point and you'll get better at it.

Answer 5

umm... I'm not good at it either, but the whole point of improvisation is to get yourself out of a tough spot when something goes wrong on stage. You don't have to be good at improv, but you better be able to think on your feet or lots of embarassment will follow

Answer 6

Wouldn't it be to your advantage to ENROLL in an Improv class?