I recently was at a Living Room jam and was so focused on telling my own story that I didn't connect to what was going on in the scene. To me this was a valuable insight in remembering basic improv "rules" even when you've been doing improv for awhile.
That's a great approach, and it ties back to what you wrote about Specific Compliments a few months ago. Giving a specific compliment to your fellow players helps them work through their own process of amnesia. And they can help you.
Yip, there's a lot of over analytical approaches post-show in my opinion. I'm a lot more of a enjoy, move on, and try to improve kinda guy. One of the joys of live performance is the ephemeral nature!
I’ve been in a writing workshop for awhile and we are only allowed to offer praise when listening to each other’s work, even if 90% of the piece stinks, we have to find something good in it or keep quiet. First, this makes it safe for us to share whatever we’ve written, even when we know it’s crappy. Second, the praise helps us see specific strengths in our own writing we may not have noticed because we’re blind to certain aspects of ourselves.
I think a big part of honing intuition happens off stage via thinking about different paths that failed scenes could have taken which would have made them successful. Oftentimes, when I work out a way a failed scene could have worked I rarely think about it again, and definitely don't feel as negatively about it. But pure emotional dwelling is unproductive. Likewise if you immediately try to repress negative feelings, it's probably also unhealthy. Sarah Millican has her "11am rule" which is that she allows herself to feel whatever until 11am the next day at which point she turns her focus elsewhere which I think is a nice compromise.
As an emotional dweller, I’m definitely cheered by working on technique in the rehearsal room and cutting myself slack in shows. But totally appreciate that what works for one might not work for another. Everyone definitely benefits by an approach that works for them
I recently was at a Living Room jam and was so focused on telling my own story that I didn't connect to what was going on in the scene. To me this was a valuable insight in remembering basic improv "rules" even when you've been doing improv for awhile.
That's a great approach, and it ties back to what you wrote about Specific Compliments a few months ago. Giving a specific compliment to your fellow players helps them work through their own process of amnesia. And they can help you.
Oooohhh!! I had not connected those. I wonder if that was an unconscious thing. Thank you, Dave!!
Yip, there's a lot of over analytical approaches post-show in my opinion. I'm a lot more of a enjoy, move on, and try to improve kinda guy. One of the joys of live performance is the ephemeral nature!
Totally agree
I’ve been in a writing workshop for awhile and we are only allowed to offer praise when listening to each other’s work, even if 90% of the piece stinks, we have to find something good in it or keep quiet. First, this makes it safe for us to share whatever we’ve written, even when we know it’s crappy. Second, the praise helps us see specific strengths in our own writing we may not have noticed because we’re blind to certain aspects of ourselves.
I love that approach!!
I think even having the term “mistake amnesia” might be a game-changer for me, even outside of improv. Thank you for that!
You’re welcome, Kendra
I think a big part of honing intuition happens off stage via thinking about different paths that failed scenes could have taken which would have made them successful. Oftentimes, when I work out a way a failed scene could have worked I rarely think about it again, and definitely don't feel as negatively about it. But pure emotional dwelling is unproductive. Likewise if you immediately try to repress negative feelings, it's probably also unhealthy. Sarah Millican has her "11am rule" which is that she allows herself to feel whatever until 11am the next day at which point she turns her focus elsewhere which I think is a nice compromise.
Just adding another comment as TIL via @dehaan and Your Improv Brain podcast that there is a term for this type of analysis: metacognition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLO1Tx8CTYU
Oh awesome - this is the sort of thing I love. Thanks
As an emotional dweller, I’m definitely cheered by working on technique in the rehearsal room and cutting myself slack in shows. But totally appreciate that what works for one might not work for another. Everyone definitely benefits by an approach that works for them