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Four Silver Stars
Posted
Err, improvisational? This is the latest theme for the sketch writing competition. A bit stuck as to what they mean here. Surely improv has to be performed, not written, because all writing is just something your making up as you go along. So. hm. What do they want to see in script form exactly? Something a bit rambling with no real structure that you dont go back over and polish? Or?
 
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Four Silver Stars
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And also what would be the point of such an exercise?

The point is that improvised comedy is not written. Its in the hands of the actors. Curb is said to be improvised with a very loose script which is then injected with life. Are we to send in loose scripts?
 
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Four Silver Stars
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Its certainly a bit of a puzzeler . . .
 
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Three Silver Stars
Picture of Short'n'sweet
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It's impossible, just can't be done, as soon as you write it down it's not improv!


Gagsy
 
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Three Gold Stars
Picture of Seth Gecko
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I never thought of the 'Curb' angle, but that's an interesting point.

Maybe it does just mean a scene outline with key lines to hit, so the bulk of the piece is left in the hands of the actors.

I hope not, though. I was planning to just lay it down regular. Confused


_________________________

"It's not finished... It's finished..."
 
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Four Silver Stars
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Yeah, but how do you judge that? Its down to the actors, not the writers.
 
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One Gold Star
Picture of cosmos100
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quote:
Originally posted by mvstott:
Err, improvisational? This is the latest theme for the sketch writing competition. A bit stuck as to what they mean here. Surely improv has to be performed, not written, because all writing is just something your making up as you go along. So. hm. What do they want to see in script form exactly? Something a bit rambling with no real structure that you dont go back over and polish? Or?


I mentioned this in the prop thread because I could'nt be bothered to start one... all im going to try and do is a weird office party sketch and see how it goes


I concur, shallow and pedantic
 
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Four Silver Stars
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I have emailed the 4Laughs team, they have to clear this up. Its hard enough dreaming up sketches let alone trying to decifer the requirements.
 
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Two Gold Stars
Picture of hedge
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Okay, here's my improvised typing ...
qwuh23v c ][q v a'pf NDFLXS ;OIRIUC mNDBALC.M C;
any good?
 
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One Silver Star
Picture of Frankie Rage
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How about this:

A piece of paper is given to the actors, it says:

be funny

Job done!

Frankie


Spare a thought this year, and remember: JUNKMALES aren't just for Christmas...
 
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Two Silver Stars
Picture of Gr0uch0
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I've actually just ignored the 'improvisational' instruction... it makes no sense, I say we form an angry mob! Who's with me?


never judge a book by its flavour.
 
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Two Silver Stars
Picture of Gr0uch0
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actually Frankie, I think you should win this one, that's as close to following the brief as you can come... congrats... oh, and have one of my virtual mugs, tea's up!


never judge a book by its flavour.
 
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Four Silver Stars
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I've adapted Frankie's sketch...

INT. OFFICE PARTY

[4LAUGHS WINNING SKETCH COMEDY]

END
 
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One Gold Star
Picture of cosmos100
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I cant even start to compete with that contains... yet another competition I lose out in lol


I concur, shallow and pedantic
 
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Two Silver Stars
Picture of Gr0uch0
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frankie darling, hand over that mug I didn't actually give you, you've been out done by ContainsNuts... dah, dah-da-dah, dah, dah! We have a winner... or have we, can anyone give us an even shorter entry?

And so our search continues...

Next weeks Script Comp, that's right, Silent Comedy, write nothing (or less) and the person who doesn't enter will be our winner! Second prize going to the first rejected and the third prize will be made into a radio show... and why not enter our caption comp, come up with some captions and we'll show you the picture once the winner has been chosen.


never judge a book by its flavour.
 
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One Silver Star
Picture of Frankie Rage
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I teed Nuts up for his goal!

This impro is a great idea ... you don't have to bother ... just go the pub and then later on just do it, that's it...

and cheques just come through the door, right?


Spare a thought this year, and remember: JUNKMALES aren't just for Christmas...
 
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One Gold Star
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quote:
If you think my stuffs not funny... you should try watching Junk Males!



You're right! Three days now sitting by my letterbox and I haven't laughed once. Pissed myself mind you.

Smile
 
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Two Gold Stars
Picture of The Glamourous Snowdrop
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I once had to do a whole thing on improvisation in comedy at college. It sucked as the tutors involved were so busy telling people what to do, it killed the humour. It was the first time I ever felt stupid doing something stupid in public and I have done a lot (must remember to tell story of straping myself to tree painted as moss for an art piece and the curious dog). I think what they are refering to in creating something to flow from. Starting and reference points. Even comics on shows like Whose line is it anyway have some pre-planed piece they can adapt and extend live when the need is there. That's my penny anyway.


I wasn't the only one who laughed when the news said the Plymouth Hoe was on fire....Member 4675 of the RubyMae James fanclub XX
 
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One Silver Star
Picture of Frankie Rage
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Glam: I reckon you're right, that's what it is

Sab: we're definitely coming to Cromer, OK?

F


Spare a thought this year, and remember: JUNKMALES aren't just for Christmas...
 
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Four Silver Stars
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So what:

Man walks into full room and his trousers fall down, he's wearing his wifes underwear

We then find out that his wife borrowed the underwear from her friend, who was given the underwear from her boyfriend who has walked into room

Boyfriend gets wound up, the end.

?
 
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Two Gold Stars
Picture of The Glamourous Snowdrop
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ConfusedI DON'T KNOW! AM NOT EXACTLY EINSTEIN!!!!!!

Ask ya mum or something.

****Goes into big sulk and kicks over small children and puppies****


I wasn't the only one who laughed when the news said the Plymouth Hoe was on fire....Member 4675 of the RubyMae James fanclub XX
 
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Four Silver Stars
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I'm surprised that no one at 4Laughs has responded to my email or this thread. Its obvious it needs clearing up.

Many of us contribute a lot to the website so I can't see how ignoring an understandable plee for clarification is fair. Only a few days left. :-(
 
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Four Silver Stars
Picture of Yielding
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I'm not sure if this is right, but if it helps here's a sort of example of what I THINK they might be looking for...

..............

INT. OFFICE

THE ROOM IS ADORNED WITH CHRISTAMS DECORATIONS AND IS FULL OF DRUNK AND SEMI-DRUNK OFFICE STAFF.

THE CAMERA PANS THE ROOM SLOWLY.

Among the revellers, JENNY (who clearly knows nothing about politics) is trying to impress BRIAN with her views on the G4 summit. BRIAN is trying desperately to catch the attention of anybody else in the room to save him from her ramblings.

TERRY is attempting to convince JOSEPH that his hobby of collecting barbie dolls may be construed as 'slightly gay', JOSEPH states that he collects the dolls purely for research into his lifelong ambition of being a fashion designer, which TERRY thinks is also 'a bit gay-ish'.

HELEN is attempting to impress MARK with her less than impressive dance-moves, MARK is too drunk to notice, his own dance-moves stemming from his inhebriated attempt to drink his cocktail through a bendy straw.

In plane sight of everybody DEREK is sitting on the photocopier with his pants down talking with ROBERT about his wife and how she has become more distant since taking up Salsa lessons. ROBERT misunderstands, thinking that Salsa lessons are culinary courses in mexican sauce making and the two men go on to discuss the merits of the plain dorito over the flavoured kind.

Office secretary JANINE is sitting behind her desk alone, looking bored and building a snowman out of office supplies.

DAVID, the only one wearing a fancy dress costume (Andy Pandy), is trying to explain to PETER that just because he's forty and still lives with his mum, it doesn't mean he's immature. PETER is ignoring DAVID and looking longingly towards JANINE.

BILLY is asleep on his desk, a mountain of shaving-cream on his crotch and his hand in a bowl of warm water. MARGARET is drawing crude images on his face in permanent marker.

HENRY and VERITY are kissing and fondling each other in the corner.


THE DOOR BURSTS OPEN AND HORACE ENTERS WEARING A SANTA COSTUME.


HORACE, who is clearly drunk and very happy, wishes the room a Merry Christmas, then launches into a tirade of insults, one by one giving his true and scathing opinions of the people in the room. He calls several people ugly in increasingly humourous ways, names one or two as lazy, and within his rant he reveals that JENNY gave him a venerial disease, JOSEPH should come out of the closet and marry BRIAN - who should also come out of the closet. DEREK should stop trying to photocopy his face and come to terms with the fact that his wife's having an affair with ROBERT. DAVID should just buy a motel and name it after Norman Bates. PETER should give up on JANINE because she's a lesbian and have a go with MARGARET, who has slept with every man in the office except the 'gay ones', and HENRY should take his tongue out of VERITY's mouth and have a grope at her testicles, since she's still saving up for the operation.

THE ROOM IS SILENT FOR A TIME, ONLY HORACE IS SMILING.

After a moment, JANINE clears her throat and tells HORACE that he has a memo from head-office stating that there had been a clerical error and his promotion has actually gone to somebody from a different department.

HORACE is clearly aghast and embarrassed by the news, he struggles for what to say but in the end all he can muster is a forced smile and a half-hearted Merry Christmas.

THE ROOM IS UNIMPRESSED.



FADE OUT.

..........


I think that's the kind of thing they mean. It's basically just like using the outline of a scene without any padding, sort of like putting the basic idea down on paper and leaving it at that.

Of course, I may be completely off target, but if it helps, there it is.


This is my signature, there are many like it but this one is mine.
 
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Four Silver Stars
Picture of Missyme25
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You can alays rely on yielding to come up the goods! The 4laughs mentor!! Welldone mate! I feel that the comp is now closed. Fancy a pint Frankie?


Sharper than your average blonde
 
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One Gold Star
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quote:
Originally posted by ContainsNuts:
I have emailed the 4Laughs team, they have to clear this up. Its hard enough dreaming up sketches let alone trying to decifer the requirements.


I think you should clear up your own sick, C/nuts!
 
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