Characterization and Narrative Structure

 
Characterization... 

The process of creating a character, including:

• words- what does the character say to others in their dialogue
• actions- physical movement... jump, scream,
• thoughts- revealed through asides or interior monologues
• appearance- phyical wardrobe and body language
• other peoples’ thoughts and perceptions about the character.

Characterization is most important. Always remember that motivation is the key to bring your character alive. Your character must have a strong want or need that will enable you to take risks to get what you desire. You must not interfere with your characters' pursuit of his/her goals. In order to develop a character with a mind and a distinctive sense of self, you must know all there is to know about her/him. You must know:
• Where the character lives and why.
• What does he or she do for a living?
• Is the character educated? Age, religious beliefs, political leanings, and social behavior are all parts of a person.

These items may not be revealed in the final work, but a strong character study enables you to create a round and dimensional character. Think of all the influences and experiences in your own life that brought you to where you are today. Every one affected you, and affects you still.  While I believe that a piece of us resides in every character we develop, we are not effective if we play ourselves. Don't be afraid of giving your character a flaw, or even two. After all, nobody is perfect. A good play says something to us about humanity. Family, love, death: these are things we all deal with and with which we identify. Like I always say; "If you don't belive, neither will your audience."

Other terms to use in analysis:

Main Character The character that is represented in the story the most. The plot usually
revolves around this character.

Minor Character One of the characters represented in the story, but not the main
character.

Static Character A character that changes very little from the beginning to the end.

Dynamic Character A character that goes through a significant amount of changes from the beginning to the end.

Conflict A struggle between opposing forces: usually internal or external conflict.

Internal Conflict A struggle within the character

External Conflict A struggle against another character, idea, organization, etc.

Complications Things that the character must consider before solving or dealing with a conflict.

Climax A high point of the story, such as where a character must make a big decision.

Motivation Why do characters behave the way they do?

Strengths The positive qualities and characteristics in a character.

Weaknesses The negative qualities and characteristics in a character.

C. R. O. W. (Character, Relationship, Objective, Where/When) These are the essential components of any scene. When we Improvise we work to develop as much as possible each of these points.

Setting up an improv scene is not unlike writing a news article. There are some basic questions you're trying to answer to provide a well-rounded picture of what's going on. You could sum up CROW with the questions Who, What, and Where, but I think CROW is a better acronym.

Character--

You want to develop a specific character, and help develop your scene partners' characters as well. In order to do this you will need to make some initial choices about how you physically present yourself--what do you look like when you stand, move, speak, etc. And, as a character--the first few sentences instantly define something about who you are. Character is the flesh of the scene--the thing that makes it unique and specific.

Relationship--

If scenes don't establish relationships, they don't touch any sort of human core--and, therefore don't do much of anything. I personally think establishing relationships is what makes things interesting, but it's really just one piece of the puzzle. Establishing relationships requires physical gestures--do you give the person personal space, are you showing open postures or closed postures, are your facial expressions friendly, do you make eye contact? Establish relationships also needs words, and your first few sentences can not only define the relationship, but show what your objective might be in the relationship. Relationship is the central nervous system of the scene--it makes connections and provides meaning, otherwise actors are just robots doing saying things to each other in particular places.

Objective--

We are not Buddhist monks. Improvisers are not trying to eliminate all desires and act from a blank slate of enlightenment--because that's not interesting to watch. Every character needs some motivation for a given scene. It can be specific like trying to get a good deal on his car insurance, or more subtle like trying to finally feel secure by bragging about all her accomplishments. You decide, but you need some objective--and, the clash or synergy of different characters' motives is the blood of the scene.

Where--

Everything happens somewhere. Sometimes it doesn't matter exactly where, but sometimes place is the very thing that causes tension with characters, and provides objective. Ex. You can have a group of gangsters arguing over directions. But, if these gangsters are camping in upstate New York as part of a forced rehabilitation program--hijinks ensue.

Those are the basics. A great exercise would be to set up mini scenes--15-20 seconds, to see if you can incorporate all 4 aspects quickly. Also, be sure to attempt to convey some of these elements through physical actions, rather than being a talking head/narrator (ex. "I am now in the woods, and am an angry man").

Narrative Structure
While C.R.O.W. helps the player know what is missing, Narrative Structure reminds the player where to go. Any story has a structure, even impromptu stories. We, as readers or audiences, expect to see or hear an introduction, exposition, inciting incident, conflict, rising action, climax and falling action. That is basic Narrative Structure. (Not always in that order, and sometimes components blend together.) In Improv, a player needs to be aware of structure as if they were bases in a game. If a player knows what base they are on and what base they need to get to, then it is that area between bases where the creativity and spontaneity of Improv come into play. How will they get to the next base? That's what the audience wants to know, but they and the player are always more comfortable knowing that the player knows what bases to cover.

Other Terms Related to Improv- Helpful when considering scene development

The Given
The suggestion (s) that is (are) used to start the scene. The Given usually falls into one of the categories from C.R.O.W.

Blocking
The ultimate No-No in Improv. If you are offered an idea by another player that you reject, ignore, or condemn, you are Blocking. The scene dies at this point and all cooperation is lost.

Waffling
Unnecessary dialogue or action that is clearly a tactic for buying time while you think of something clever. It is also the act of talking about something rather than doing it.

Wimping
Example: Character A says, "Hey, look over there, what is that?" Character B says, "I don't know" Character B just Wimped. It is crucial in Improv to make an effort, give something. Chances are your partner(s) can use it and take the scene somewhere with it.

Offer
Any dialogue or action that one player presents to the other(s). The person receiving the offer must react in two ways, they can accept or deny with or without conditions.

Accepting
Basically saying yes to an offer. Specifically saying yes in a way that shows that your character will carry out the terms of the offer to-the-letter.

Denying
This is not blocking. It is a choice to work with the offer as the character in a way that creates dramatic conflict. Example: Character A offers, "That's one big elephant." Character B Blocks by saying, "That's not an elephant." An example of Denying the offer would be fore character B to say, "I've seen bigger." He accepts that it is an elephant, but denies the specific condition set up by character A. This leaves room for conflict.

Saying Yes
Above all, the most important thing to remember in Improv is to say yes. This means just the opposite of Blocking. You may have a great idea, but your partner gets to their idea first. The ideas may be completely different. You must go with your partner's idea.

Yes, And...
One way to enforce the concept of saying yes is to use the, "Yes, and…" structure. Basically you accept each offer with a "yes" followed by "and" The , "and" is a condition or qualifier. It moves the scene forward after accepting the offer.

Conditioned Accept
You accept the offer with specific conditions. In competitive performance games these conditions might be there to stump the other player (s) but for the most part they help to move the scene forward. You may accept an offer that requires that you drop you pants but you add the condition of, "Isn't it a good thing I'm wearing long underwear." Condition Denial You Deny the offer with conditions. In other words, when the player above said he or she had seen bigger elephants, they could add a condition, "On safari once at a Winn Dixie in the frozen foods section." That is a denial of Character A's perception of the size of the elephant, but it gives Character A a place to go in terms of his or her reaction to it. If B had merely said, "That's not an elephant." Character A would have had no place to go.

Tag Line
All scenes end, but when? Many players lose sight of the structure of a scene and get lost in a muddy conclusion, with the audience not really sure if it's over. The Tag-Line is an obvious line with a good punch that tells the audience that the scene is over. The best Tag-Lines are ones where the audience almost beats you to it.

Reincorporation
In comedy there is the rule of Threes: It's funny once, funnier twice, and even funnier if it is anticipated a third time, but switched or avoided at the last minute. In a sense this is similar to Reincorporation in Improv. If, during a scene, a character sets up the physical environment with doors, windows, etc., each player is obligated to keep that environment consistent. If the door opens in once, it should always open in. This alone will sometimes generate a response form the audience. If a player, after several times through the door, changes how it opens, other players must be aware and respond. "How did you do that?" "Do what?" "Switch the door around like that." The player might then realize that they made a mistake but the other players have used it, accepted it, and are making it part of the scene. This is based on the fact that they are using Reincorporation. This term also applies to building on ideas form previous scenes and even Reincorporating characters form other games into the present game. This is a performance condition of the term and should be separate form class room and workshop environments.

Gags
Gags can work in performance, but should be avoided. Even in performance, a gag should not interrupt the flow of the Narrative. A Gag is any Physical act or unique sound that is intended to get laughs. We also call this Schtick.
Endowment
Improv relies on the player and his/her imagination and that of the audience. There is rarely any furniture or props. With this in mind it is crucial that all players are able to endow the imaginary kitten in their hand with the qualities of a kitten: it's weight, it's feel, it's movement, etc… The strongest endowment choices are specific choices.

 

IMPROV TERMINOLOGY

Adapted from Carlos Laboy, Drama Director