Screw the Checklists. Trust the Movement.

I teach improv by starting with silent object work and movement — not scene goals, just doing. When you move first, the rest of the scene reveals itself.

Screw The Checklist

Last night I was teaching an improv class when we hit on the idea of establishing the Who/What/Where/Why (the "4 Ws") of the scene.  Now, personally, I hate the 4Ws framework because it makes beginners treat them like a checklist — forcing each one into the scene instead of discovering them through play.  I’d rather they use just enough brain power to move, interact with their space, and listen. React to their partner. Let those discoveries tell you who you are, where you are, and why any of it matters.

Hit The Reset Button By Trusting The Movement

One thing I preach to everyone is:

If you don't know who you are, what you are, what's going on, get in your head, or just need to survive the scene, go back to the object work.  It will save your ass!

I learned this lesson when I had to improvise by myself unexpectedly for a long time at a show a few years ago.  If it wasn't for my dedication to object work at the top of the show, it would've been a disaster.

However, last night, I put together my framework with this mantra for the first time.  I finally understood why object work saves you.  It's a reset button for your involvement in the scene.  It's a way for you to discover the who/what/where/why again and again without the pressure to entertain anyone while you figure it out.

I’ve been teaching this way for years — trusting object work, reacting honestly, discovering - not declaring.  But it wasn’t until last night that I realized: that instinct I kept preaching? It’s not just a technique.  It’s the reset button. And I finally found the reason why it works. The how? That’s coming soon in my book.

What’s your reset button on stage — the thing that saves your ass when your brain blanks? Drop it in the comments. I’m looking to shamelessly steal it.