5 Tips for Doing Better Long Form

One of my favorite books on long form improv is The Complete Improviser by Bill Arnett. Bill is an incredible teacher, director and improviser from Chicago whom I first met at IO-Chicago back in the late ’90s.

The other day I needed some inspiration for upcoming class, so I took Bill's book off my shelf, and not only did I find some exercises to use, but also when I flipped to the end, I found five long form tips in his conclusion that I thought you would find helpful.

Here are each of Bill’s five tips for doing good long form, and some of my thoughts on why they are so helpful.

1. "Playing the simple reality that your scene presents to you is always a strong and correct choice." – Bill Arnett
   
   I really agree with Bill here. Often improvisers will have a very nice relationship scene going, and then they will make some ridiculous choice out of nowhere such as, "I am really a crab" or "Let's burn the house down."
   
   Why do they do this? Because they panicked and didn't trust that playing the reality of a scene can be funny.
   
   In most cases, when improvisers ignore the relationship, they’ll go right to "crazy town." I have found when improvisers play the simple reality of the scene, it forces them to focus on the dynamic of the relationships, which to me is the vein of gold in long form.
   
2. "You don't need a funny first line or funny response to have a successful scene." – Bill Arnett
   
   In stand-up, the comedian needs to get a laugh in the first line. That's not true in long form. The audience's expectations are different. By taking the pressure off yourself to start with a funny line, you can focus on building the scene, which will increase the success rate of your scene work.
   
3. "Provide clear details. If your partner isn't being clear, ask them for details." – Bill Arnett
   
   Improvisers can be tentative when giving specifics or naming objects in scenes. They fear that they will be wrong or will confuse their partner in the scene, when the opposite is true. When improvisers stop being vague and get specific the scene usually takes off. For example, instead of saying that something is a car, you can say that it's a 2005 Chrysler minivan.
   
   And if your partner isn't clear, it's your responsibility to get clarity.
   
   I have watched thousands of improvisers "Yes, And…" something they were confused about that led to more confusion. You can ask questions if you don't understand something!
   
4. “Truthfully portray the person involved in the funny, idea, premise or conceit.” – Bill Arnett
   
   This can automatically ground the scene and help the audience to be more emotionally involved. To me, Bill is saying don't forget to act. Whether you are playing a slow, grounded scene or a big, over-the-top character, the same rule applies: Play your characters truthfully.
   
5. “Rather than playing to satisfy the rules, play the moment wherever it takes you. Anything can happen.” – Bill Arnett
   
   The whole point of improv is to lose yourself. The shows I have had the most fun doing, I am not even conscious of the rules or what I am saying. My choices come from trusting the situation, the character, and especially my teammates.
   
   I have also had painful shows where before I said a line, I checked the rulebook in my head and edited my response. I have seen improvisers say “Yes, And…” to an idea that made no sense for their character because they were following a rule. Don’t let the rules get in the way of a good scene.

Want to improve your improv? Don't miss Jimmy's next Long Form Tune-Up workshop this Saturday, Jan. 11!