benzado:
nicolemarietherese:
But something about the instinct to formalize this crazy, organic process makes me really sad. And some of my favorite people (well, Miles) are people I never would have met if it wasn’t for being randomly invited to groups without previous knowledge. I discovered Kat T. because somebody from my 201 told me I would love the girl who looked a little like Helena Bonham Carter and organized everything. I miss thirteen person practice groups with Hiller because no one knew how to say no. The heartbreaking decisions come later. This is the easiest time. I hate to hear that people are so overcomplicating it.
My point was that some people aren’t as lucky as you were. Rather than being swept up into a wonderful hurricane of activity, some people are standing outside with a closed umbrella and a hand out waiting for it to rain. You’re telling them they should run around without an umbrella and just enjoy the excitement of getting wet. But for them, it’s not even raining, and they don’t know how to make it rain.
They aren’t overcomplicating it. They are looking for water.
I…don’t follow what you’re saying at all. But maybe I am bad at metaphors.
So…because people are having trouble finding…rain…they should create a system whereby they … INTERVIEW other people to see if they want to let … those people …into their rain with them?
I wasn’t lucky. Ben. I organized 80% of the practice sessions I went to. And I kept them open sessions because I understood that my desire to find a place and to find opportunities within the community was probably shared by others.
Yeah. I’m saying it. When I was in 201 - I MADE IT RAIN.
I have no idea why I’m still talking about this. I DON’T EVEN LIKE TWITTER.
I have lost my mind.
stephaniestreisand:
halphillips:
[edit]
I suspect lots of new students simply don’t know the norms. I think interviewing people is silly, but I’m sure it’s not silly to someone who knows literally nothing about how practice groups are formed.
[edit]
I think you are all like, “Interviews?! What the fuck?” so quickly. But I agree with Hal. I probably would have gone to an interview in 2006. I probably would have thought you had to audition to be in a practice group that performs. If I was starting a practice group that performs back then, I wouldn’t have known anyone and done auditions. Sure, I met people from my classes but after the classes were over those practice sessions were over. And I was basically a ghost anyway so it’s not like a person could talk to me to ask me or I could go up to a person and ask them, or they would even remember me.
I think it’s completely understandable how that situation happened.
I wasn’t going to post again but it’s Friday and slow at work and something about this gets me.
I totally hear what you guys are saying. In those early days, you’re really out there without a handbook. (True confessions: I think I paid our first coaches with a check because it seemed more professional.) And I personally agonized over every small decision.
I have a lot of affection for those early days in improv because I’m a real awkward kid who’d been in New York for a year without forming a social life and suddenly every interaction was an opportunity to make a new best friend. Because - it felt at least - like every person you met was carrying over that non-judgment stuff from class and wanted to like each other. And I think unless we were projecting our own self-loathing onto other people, that was the case.
But something about the instinct to formalize this crazy, organic process makes me really sad. And some of my favorite people (well, Miles) are people I never would have met if it wasn’t for being randomly invited to groups without previous knowledge. I discovered Kat T. because somebody from my 201 told me I would love the girl who looked a little like Helena Bonham Carter and organized everything. I miss thirteen person practice groups with Hiller because no one knew how to say no. The heartbreaking decisions come later. This is the easiest time. I hate to hear that people are so overcomplicating it.
benzado:
So, this happened on Twitter yesterday:
I think those of us who are already “plugged in” take for granted how hard it is for someone new to the scene to get a group together. If I want to, I’m spoiled for choice, but it took some time to get here. Most of the people I started practicing with were not classmates. You would likely never have heard of me if I hadn’t been a regular at Improdome. I never would have been a regular if I didn’t used to live so close to the PIT; I had a day job.
If “interviewing” isn’t acceptable, what’s the right way to do it? Sitting in for a practice is great, if you can afford to spend the time and money. What’s wrong with wanting to talk to the person first, to get an idea if you get along or not?
I know it’s just Twitter, where the goal is to fit as much snark as you can in 140 characters or fewer. But it’s unfair pass judgment on interviewing, or any idea, if you don’t have a better idea to offer.
Because an interview - by its nature - involves judgment. Not the “comfort-level” judgment involved with seeing how you feel playing with someone but a cold, calculated, impersonal judgment born from a created situation that bears almost NO resemblance to what the improv experience is like.
I miss the sloppy, inclusive, coming-of-age, coming-into-our-own that should automatically come with PRACTICE groups. You’re not forming a team. You’re leaning together. Not cool.
leilacohan:
Ani DiFranco, “Both Hands”
Your final dose of GET EXCITED for This Is About Smith, which, may I remind you is happening at UCB at 6pm TONIGHT!!!
There will be real tears. I guarantee.
If I start walking now, when will I be in Long Beach?
I just googled it.
37 days, 23 hours.
brb.
Oh, I hate the world today with residual cranky from earlier in the week.
So to make everything better I just did a quick google search for “fancy otter.” You know, because of how sometimes a regular otter won’t do but maybe a picture of an otter in, like, a hat will hit the spot?
The first thing that came up was a coat made out of an otter. People are awful.
I have never read a Twilight.
I have never seen a Twilight movie.
I don’t know who these people are.
But I just read this article.
And I love them.
jillmorris:
I don’t normally put my Onion contributions online, because contributors only write headlines, and I don’t want to seem like I’m taking credit for someone else’s funny words. Anyway, here’s a headline I wrote. I didn’t write the editorial, just to be clear. Enjoy!
I love Jill. I love Jill so much.
