the Montreal Improv blog

The Broken Record: Cultivating Confidence in Improv

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:12:31 -0400

The Broken Record: Cultivating Confidence in Improv:

I’ve been thinking a lot about confidence in improv, especially since I started coaching. I think cultivating confidence in nascent improvisers is important.

I sometimes struggle with my confidence as an improviser. I never really know how I’m doing because comedy is so subjective. What’s funny…

Confidence is important.

- vinny

The House That Del Built: As Long As You Listen to Your Body...

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:50:25 -0400

The House That Del Built: As Long As You Listen to Your Body...:

thehousethatdelbuilt:

Every couple of years I get really into spinning. Not the DJ kind, but the “riding a stationary bike in a room with forty other people while a trainer at the front of the room barks orders at you” kind. I like spinning because I’m not very good at self-guided exercise, and I’ve found that it’s…

More coaching advice to digest.

- vinny

Hyperbole Is My Middle Name!: Improv Coaching Etiquette

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:11:58 -0400

Hyperbole Is My Middle Name!: Improv Coaching Etiquette:

khealywu:

I’ve been thinking about making one of these for awhile. This first section is how I think indie teams and practice groups should interact with their coach.

24 hour notice for making any changes / cancellations. If you’re cancelling day of, you and your team owe your coach their standard fee.

2…

Carol Burnett wins Mark Twain humour prize

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:46:07 -0400

Carol Burnett wins Mark Twain humour prize:

Comedy doyenne and TV sketch queen Carol Burnett is set to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Well this just made my day.

- vinny

interweber: #EUROVISION Eurovision is the future exactly as...

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:45:35 -0400

interweber:

#EUROVISION

Eurovision is the future exactly as anime predicted.

- vinny

Discussing a Bit with Matt Holmes – The Secret to Improv « WitOut

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:57:17 -0400

Discussing a Bit with Matt Holmes – The Secret to Improv « WitOut:

I like this approach to improv.

- vinny

The Index (vol. 0)

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:55:00 -0400

After taking a look at our recent guest series, I just realized that our original guest series from the old Without Annette blog is not really findable through this blog. So without any further ado, check out our original guest series with some pretty awesome guests:

Kirsten Rasmussen (Edmonton)
In love with improv
Immanuela Lawrence (Calgary)
Directing & Side-coaching
Anders Yates (Montreal)
Improv’s effect on writing
Sylvia Niederberger (Calgary)
European v N. American improv
Ben Whitehouse (New York)
Keeping your perspective
Pippa Evans (London)
Respecting impro
Bill Arnett (Chicago)
Freedom in restriction
Ian Parizot (Paris)
Taking risks
Jason Chin (Chicago)
Improv forms
Alan Marriott (Vancouver)
London improv scene in the 80s
Gil Browdy (New York)
Does improv have to be funny?
Terence Bowman (Montreal)
Chicago: Improv Town
Brendon Bennetts (Christchurch, NZ)
Fortune’s wheel
Josh Fulton (New York)
How to build a house
Marcel St. Pierre (Toronto)
A Torontonian view of Montreal
Jill Bernard (Minneapolis)
The Fireball Theory
Charna Halpern (Chicago)
Lessons to live by

edited and compiled by Vinny Francois

mullaney: Improv scene templates: You Statements Scene...

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:55:07 -0400

mullaney:

Improv scene templates: You Statements

Scene templates can be very useful for improv scenes. It’s good to have a simple game plan or strategy to help start a scene. And it’s good to practice those strategies over and over so that they become second nature. There is no single right template. Just like there are lots of good ways to begin a chess game or lots of different successful plays in football or basketball, there are lots of good ways to begin a scene.

Here is one that I like:

View Post

THE CHARLEBOIS POST - CANADA: The Question, May 13, 2013

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:26:22 -0400

THE CHARLEBOIS POST - CANADA: The Question, May 13, 2013:

Ahead of this Friday’s show of Veni Vidi Vinny, I’ve got a piece in The Charlebois Post about improv and the theatre.

It’s really short if you’re pressed for time, give it a read!

- vinny

I would like to be this awesome in real life. - vinny

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:36 -0400

I would like to be this awesome in real life.

- vinny

Anthony Bourdain: FOODFUCKED IN QUEBEC

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:18:28 -0400

Anthony Bourdain: FOODFUCKED IN QUEBEC:

anthonybourdain:

Foodfucked: to be fed more food of a ridiculously high quality and deliciousness than deemed judicious by any reputable health authority whilst in no position to refuse

Chefs Martin Picard, David McMillan and Frederic Morin are masters of foodfuckery. They are loved, respected and feared by…

You gotta hand it to him, the guy can write.

Also, I love food.

- vinny

funnyordie: Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: James...

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:23:36 -0400

funnyordie:

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: James Franco

Zach sits down with James Franco for a totally normal, run-of-the-mill interview with absolutely no surprises.

Best one yet.

- vinny

“It’s an all-lady group.” - vinny

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:29:23 -0400

“It’s an all-lady group.”

- vinny

Austin, TX troupe Pgraph visited Montreal

Tue, 07 May 2013 10:00:10 -0400

Austin, TX troupe Pgraph visited Montreal:

Here’s their blog post about it. If you’re an improviser and thinking of swinging through town, let us know! We love to play host.

- vinny

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the..."

Sat, 04 May 2013 14:32:00 -0400

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

- Teddy Roosevelt, “Citizenship in a Republic.”

(via williebhines)

Have a great weekend, lovely readers! - vinny

Sat, 04 May 2013 07:53:33 -0400

Have a great weekend, lovely readers!

- vinny

UCB Workplace: Don't Fear Mistakes; Just Adjust

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:47:46 -0400

UCB Workplace: Don't Fear Mistakes; Just Adjust:

ucbworkplace:

By Will Hines

Success doesn’t mean making fewer mistakes. It just means recovering more quickly. The term I like to use is “agility.” Improv teaches you that mistakes are nothing to fear as long as you have the agility to adjust yourself quickly. Agile brands and professionals understand and…

Yup yup.

- vinny

The Periodic Table of Improvisation by Dave Morris

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:32:00 -0400

The Periodic Table of Improvisation by Dave Morris

#WHENINAUSTINIMPROV

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:50:10 -0400

#WHENINAUSTINIMPROV:

Life in the AIC, inspired by wheninatx.tumblr.com. A Miller-Schak production.

I have to say, I really like this blog.

- vinny

Easy Action this Thursday at 8pm. Only for Atari!

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:06:00 -0400

Easy Action this Thursday at 8pm. Only for Atari!