The Films of Christopher Guest: How Improv Should Be Done

Improvisation is a wildly misunderstood art form. For most people it's about quickly coming up with something funny and going for the laugh. The thing is, most people aren't trained in improv and have little understanding of the subtleties of really good improvisational comedy. Going for the laugh is part of it, however... it's about building a character, creating a scene, and having a sense of trust and teamwork. Basically, it's not about YOU being funny, it's about EVERYONE being funny. Basically, someone who can come up with some funny lines but who doesn't have the sense of purpose and character in the scene ends up throwing out anything they can think of and steal focus, ruin the flow, and ultimately destroy the scene. Yeah, they got a laugh... but nobody else did and in the end... everybody suffered because of it. This is where Christopher Guest comes in. As one of the creators of the "mockumentary" genre, and unquestioned masters of improvisation guest has a long and unparallelled track record of creating some of the greatest comedy masterworks in film history. But more than that, he has gone back to the origins of theater and created a company of gifted improvisational performers who absolutely bring the house down. His ability to put together a group of people who understand timing, interpersonal dynamics, absolute dedication to character, and posses the unselfish ability to set up and pass the joke off to another performer is truly amazing. So, join Jim and Clarkson as they discuss the career of one of the most important figures in comedy today. Also, check this out. http://fantasymovieleague.com/ Looks like Summer Movie League has officially become Fantasy Movie League. It looks quite fun. Here's how it works. You have an 8 screen theater. Every week you pick movies and have a budget/salary cap you have to stay under. Then you compete against other theaters in your league. It's fantasy football for movie people. Our league is Film Thugs 2015 and the password is Porterhouse. And remember, you can be a part of the show any time you wild like. How's that? All you have to do is call or e-mail us. If you live in the US, or any place that makes calling the US easy, just dial 512-666-RANT and leave us a voicemail. We will read the Google Voice transcript and play your message. It's both funny AND informative. If you live outside the US you can call us on Skype at The_Film_Thugs. You can leave a message, or someone might actually answer. E-mail us at [email protected] and we will read/play whatever you send us, or you can e-mail [email protected] to be part of  an upcoming "Ask the Film Thugs" show, where we answer questions on any subject without having heard them first. Also, we are on twitter @thefilmthugs and on Facebook and Vine. You can also click on one of our sponsor links below and THEY will pay us. That's right. You won't have to pay a PENNY extra, and Amazon/Onnit/Teefury will give us a little taste. Also, be sure to check back often for our new endeavor The Life Masters, where we answer questions to other advice columnists. Thanks for listening, and until next week... Jim out