Sometimes in one of my improv classes, a student will say after doing a great scene with a strong character, “I felt lost. I did not know where the scene was going.” "Good," I will say in an ironic way. "Stay lost. It's working for you." In our creative process, it’s a good thing to […]

I’ve heard that expectations are pre-meditated resentments, and the fastest way to kill your career is to have any expectations about how it is supposed to turn out. Apparently, that’s a lesson I still need to learn. When you have a certain expectation about how a show or a team or anything else is going […]

I am so happy to see so many more people wanting to become improv coaches and teachers. That was not true when I started, where we all wanted to be performers and if you said you wanted to be a teacher it was like you were selling out. I am so glad that times have […]

Last week, I outlined the first five points of my ten-point plan for getting ahead in improv. Read last week’s blog here. This week, I’m back with more of my favorite pieces of wisdom. I hope this helps you, and if you have any questions for me, please email me at jimcarrane@gmail.com. 6. Everyone says […]

I love all of the questions that people ask at the end of each Improv Nerd show. I get inspired by all of the young improvisers who are trying to figure out how to navigate life in this crazy community and create a path for themselves. It's not easy. So, if you’re one of those […]

I have been involved in a bit of controversy around some of my Facebook posts. I have heard through others people that some of my friends are concerned, they think I am ruining my reputation, sharing too much information or having another break down. On the most recent episode of Improv Nerd podcast, we turned […]

In theory, using a suggestion that an audience member throws out at the top of an improv scene should be easy. But in the hands of inexperienced of improvisers, a simple suggestion can cause an entire scene to fall flat. Often, improvisers either over complicate the suggestion, taking themselves out of the moment, or they […]

Is your goal in improv to never have a bad show, scene, class or rehearsal? If so you are doomed. Get out while you can. Improvising is not an exact science. You are never going to master it. That’s why some of us are in it for life. What you need to be striving for […]

We have all been that person stuck on the back line during an improv show terrified to step out and do a scene. We stand there, unable to move our bodies. We’re paralyzed, convinced we have been crazy-glued to the back wall, and we only become unstuck when the show is over. Sometimes we are […]

Jimmy Carrane is pleased to announce the release of his second book, Improv Therapy: How to Get Out of Your Own Way To Become a Better Improviser, on May 4. Improv Therapy is an honest and insightful book about the things improvisers don’t want to discuss: their feelings. The book takes a look at the […]