Impfest Workshops

So, I took Jill Bernard's Fireball Theory workshop during Impfest. I took SO much away from it! I must say that I am now jonsing to take her other workshops!

Intellectually, I have known for quite some time that you have to have confidence and that you have to shut down the negative voice. (The one that tells you that you aren't good enough, smart enough, funny enough, shaped right, etc) I have applied the clamp on this negative voice of doom in my normal, everyday life. So, when Jill talked about out running the negative voice as though there is a fireball chasing, it made COMPLETE sense! I think I was letting the negative voice catch me. Sometimes, in normal class, I am able to stave it off, then John stops the scene and has me fix something. While I'm stopped, the damn voice catches up with me. (Not criticizing John! He is amazing and nurturing, the things he critiques are valid and he is definately NOT mean in ANY way when he fixes them.) So for that concept, I was like, 'AHHHH, YES!' Along with that, Jill said to 'Think you are awesome!" Makes sense, right? Then why don't we?

The next amazing NUGGET from Jill's workshop is the amazing anti-argument idea. It is all about LOVE, which I freaking LOVE ! It makes absolute sense, really. In order to get out of an argument, you LITERALLY put yourself beside the person you are arguing with. Then take on the blame, even apologize! "You stole my boyfriend!" -response- "I know, what was I thinking, I am so sorry!: or " I know. God, I am such an asshole!" You put yourself on there side. It is damn amazing!

My very favorite thig that Jill Bernard has ever said or written,
DON'T EAT THE FUN
OMG, I freaking love it!

We did the Mad, Sad, Glad, Afrad (afraid) exercise where someone comes in with a benign line and the person already onstage reacts completely off the hook. This is what I pulled from that exercise (this time)- Strong reaction impell more information, it prevents you from being vague.
Jill also said, "Everybody is secretly afraid that they are monsters." That was in relation to people holding back their emotions. I think that is true. People are afraid of what their emotions will do, so they mute them. I think that using emotions make you vulnerable, so you have to be careful of your scene partner's emotions. That also falls into the TRUST category, in my mind. If you don't TRUST your scene partners, then you will not emote with them the way you should!

Jill Bernard side-note quote of goodness-
"If you can't set aside your ego, it fells terrible to be the straight man."
WOW! how freaking true! Way to name it Jill!!!

Fireball Workshop End. Next, Fix it up shop with Jill Bernard.

Nifer and I were doing a scene in the Fit it up Shop. She was my spouse, and did not work, just stayed at home all day. We were arguing about her needing to get a job. Jill stopped us and asked, "which one of you is wrong?" Neither answered. She asked again and said, " Somebody is wrong." Nifer fessed up that she was wrong. ( rightly so- :D jk) and she played that way. Defending herself by saying that T.V. needed to be watched, etc. Long story short, conflict gone- scene great- and I was able to be magnanimous rather than angry and argumentative. So- One person in an argument is wrong, admit it to yourself, and play it that way.

Three things for/ about starting a scene:
1. Start with a predator/ prey mindset.
2. In the first two lines of a scene each person says something, regardless of the actual words, the first person says, "I'm proposing a game." The next person says, "I'm playing the game with you." OR " I think this game is stupid." Which one is more interesting? YEAH- NOT DENIAL! Don't make your fellow actors feel bad! Play their game.
3. The body segment thing-
head- intellect/or lack thereof
chest- love or superman type/ or lack thereof
loins- lust or sex/ or lack thereof
legs- worker or grounded/ or lack thereof.

Whew. That's a lot! Fit it up Shop over- next Trish Berrong's connections workshop.

The first and foremost thing that we talked about is listening like you have a crush on the scene. AKA Take in EVERY DETAIL. Remember specifics, but not necessarily EVERYTHING! Better to remember a few specifics than vague lots. :D

TRISH'S GOSPEL- Plot is Evil and will Kill you.- I think that is self explanitory.

So, Trish doesn't believe in sweep edits, or well, doesn't LIKE them. I am not sure I am on board with that thought. Her reason was that it gives imrovisers time to think of plot. I personally don't do that. When I sweep edit, I am thinking, " Edit, Edit, Edit, Edit." I know, deep of me, huh? I do agree with her when she says, " Edit by starting a new scene." There is nothing wrong and a great deal right about starting a scene from the edge of the stage. Keep ahead of the asshole voice, right? SoI get what she is saying, but I wouldn't get rid of sweep edits completely. Along with Jill's line of thinking, Trish says you should trust yourself to edit.

Finally, the last amazing nugget in Trish's workshop is about people. FOCUS on WHO someone is and NOT on WHAT they do!
I love that. Genius.

So, that is what I leared last weekend. No wonder I am tired now. :D
The end.