Jason Chin Workshops

I would love to hear people's thoughts, notes, and other takeaways from the workshop if anyone is willing to share.

Here are the notes I took today. Without context, some of them may not make complete sense.

There are two thought processes for a scene you’re not in.
When do I edit the scene? (most frequent)
How do I enter the scene to heighten it?

Think people/relationships over plot.

Respond with an emotion to what your partner said. As a general rule in comedy, responding with the wrong or unexpected emotion is a good idea.

Be specific with names and labels. Name your partner or yourself. It’s an investment in the long run and makes calling them back later that much easier.

When you see how the other person feels about something, that should make you feel something too. Perhaps something different. You can both be excited, but it may be more interesting if each are playing different emotions. One strong emotional response begets another strong emotional response, etc.

Say how you feel about the other person, i.e. “You're the worst mother in the world”. You wouldn't do that in real life, but on stage it can be gold.

Arguing is good, debating is bad. Debate is trying to persuade someone with a set of facts. Arguing is two people emotionally responding to each other; a heated emotional exchange between two people who know each other.

The scene begins the moment you walk on stage. Talk and walk.

Ask yourself “how would I react to this in real life?”

Your goal is to help the scene with flavors and accents, try not to interrupt it. Consider it a walk-through over a walk on. The point it to heighten the scene rather than complicate it.

Think of second beats in terms of second chapters. Making bigger jumps.

The initial two-person scene is considered the primary scene.

It’s a lot like simple math. 1 + 2 = 3. The characters in the first scene should probably meet the people from the second scene in the third scene.

A tag-out has a point. Make it and get out.

When tagging out, you can either support or aggravate the person’s condition. It’s a good idea to make it some sort of personal relationship as opposed to being an official and showing your badge.

For those in the primary scene, don’t respond directly to the information that is given in a tag-out.

There generally two types of scenes. Slice of Life and This is the Day (something interrupts this relationship and things are about to change)

It’s a good idea to access emotions on stage that you don’t typically in your everyday life. It will change your improv and possibly your life.

The best part of work or school is when they’re over. Likewise, scenes at work or school are best when they begin after school’s out or the store closes.

People having to do something they hate is 90% of comedy. If someone offers you something you hate, consider doing it anyway.

Comic books over the last 20 years have been about deconstructing archetypes. Showing the normality of a superhero, their everyday life or how they got to be where they are.

Awesome stuff, thanks josh!

There's a lot of good quotes in there.