Quick Improv Games: Press Conference

Good morning on this dreary, drizzly day!

Want to shake these gray-day doldrums? Try a fun improv game that has quickly become a favorite of the class I'm currently teaching--Press Conference!

This is a fun guessing game that where everyone can get a turn. As with all of the games in our Quick Improv series, the premise is simple: one person leaves the room (or if you're on a car trip, covers their ears) and everyone else decides who they are. The person returns to the room (or uncovers their ears) and is immediately the star of a press conference. Everyone else is a reporter--and it's their job to help the guesser figure out who they are through the questions asked.

Now this seems easy, but if you want to have maximum fun, the reporters have to be very clever. They must use our favorite improv technique: escalating tactics! This means starting off with clues that may not be obvious right away and working up to the more revealing ones.

Let's do an example. Say the reporters decide the speaker is Mickey Mouse...

Bad first question: "How do you like being the mascot of Disney?" (This gives it away far too quickly.)

Good first question: "Do your big ears help you hear?" (This tells the guesser a little bit about who they are, but it could still go in many different directions!)

Bad question: "Tell us about your friends." (This puts the guesser in a terrible position! They don't know who they are yet and can't get any information out of this. They would also have to make up an answer that will throw everyone off track.)

Good question: "Why do you like hanging out with a duck and a dog?" (This gives them information while letting them answer in a way that will make sure the game keeps going in a good way!)

The guesser also has a lot to keep track of. They need to answer the questions while not knowing who they are! If our guesser is still Mickey Mouse and the question is "Why do you like hanging out with a duck and a dog?"....

Bad answer: "Ummmmmmmmmmmmm....'cuz."

Good answer: "Well, they make for good company. I can count on them to catch flies and chase cats."

If you're the guesser, try working your guess into an answer! Instead of "Am I Mickey Mouse?", try "I love cheese because I'm Mickey Mouse!"

Have lots of fun! If you want an extra challenge, add an extra step: the guesser has to figure out who they are AND what they did! Whether you're Peter Pan or Voldemort, this game is lots of fun.

-Allie

Improv Scene Basics: Creating a Character

Creating a character is a ton of fun. You get to completely define who you're going to be and what you're capable of! You can give yourself superpowers, be a talking animal, or become the richest human being alive. Unless you're Superman, Flounder, or Bill Gates, your character probably isn't exactly the same as you. But it's very easy to fall into the trap of forgetting your character over the course of the scene (especially if it hasn't been assigned to you). By the end of the scene, it's YOU finding your way out of the forest, breaking out of jail, or taking a tour of the floor factory. While this can definitely work, it's not quite as fun or advanced. If you're comfortable taking your improv to the next level, here are some handy questions to keep in mind for creating your character.

-What's your character's name? What does that name say about you?

-Where is your character from? Another town? Another country? Another planet?

-How was your character raised? Were you teased? Are you insecure about anything?

-How does your character stand? Are their shoulders hunched? Do they stand tall and proud?

-What's your character's personality? Are you a know-it-all? Are you sneaky? Are you eager?

-What are your goals? If the world worked your way, what would it be like?

-How old are you? Did you see the fall of Rome? Are you in preschool?

-What are your hobbies? What do you like to do? Homework? Rock collecting? Archery?

-What clothes are you wearing? What do those clothes say about you? How do they feel?

-Is there a gesture or facial expression you're known for? Why do you make it?

-How does your character walk? What speed? Is there a limp?

These are just a few of the ways you can bring your character to life. Obviously, you don't always have time to think all of these through in the few seconds between the audience's suggestions and the beginning of your scene. But if you can define even a few of these, you've created something engrossing for the audience to enjoy. You'll also notice the scene become a lot easier. There are more places you can go as a character than just as yourself! You get new ideas and discover ways to solve the conflict--plus the audience will just eat it up.

In fact, Chris Farley, who was a very famous actor, got his start because of his renowned character improv. He joined Second City and rose quickly through the ranks until he was on the Mainstage--and it was because he could create those well-rounded characters. In fact, there was one improv scene he did as a waiter to a couple on a date when he first started on the Mainstage . The couple was fairly normal, but he was an incredibly depressed waiter. Everything he did was with an air of hopelessness and the audience couldn't get enough. They hadn't given him this quirk, he just came up with it on his own. Don't be afraid to go for it onstage like he did! (Fun fact: did you know Chris Farley's famous SNL sketch "Livin' in a VAN down by the RIVER" was born on the Second City stage?)

Best of luck shaping your characters! Perhaps your character can come with you to school or work tomorrow...

-Allie