Purpose

The exercise underscores the fact that plot in and of itself isn’t entertaining. Plot is simply the structure that allows a writer to deliver detail. A lot of screenwriters get so excited in the telling of the story that they forget to make that story entertaining to the audience. This improv exercise shows how judicious use of detail can spice up an otherwise dull recitation of incident.

The exercise

Two improvisers face each other. One is the storyteller, one is the listener. The listenergives a suggestion, anything at all. The story teller begins telling a story. The listener listens, but can give the storyteller two commands:

1) (more) COLOR

2) ADVANCE (the plot)

Exercise continues for three minutes. Then the improvisers switch roles.

Example:

LISTENER: Your suggestions is “shots”

STORYTELLER: So last Monday, I go to my local bar and I really want to–

LISTENER: More color on the bar.

STORYTELLER: The bar is called O’Hurley’s and it’s a real dive. It always smells like stale whiskey. It’s got a quarter jukebox, but that’s always broken. The owner’s name is Dave, and he’s really cheap–

LISTENER: More color on Dave.

STORYTELLER: Dave is a character, man. He fought in Gulf War one and he has a limp. I think he saw some serious stuff, but he never talks about the old days. He’s really buff, but he has a pot belly. He’s got a tattoo of a sailor–

LISTENER: Advance!

STORYTELLER: So I go into the bar, and Dave smiles at me, I’m the only customer. He asks me if I want to buy a rabbit. Turns out that he found some orphaned baby bunnies at his place.

LISTENER: Color!

STORYTELLER: Dave lives in an Airstream trailer in the Lancaster desert. He

wakes up one morning and sees a coyote run off, muzzle covered in blood. He goes to where it was, sees a dead mother rabbit, and one little baby, hiding by a scrub brush. Tiny thing.

LISTENER: Advance!

STORYTELLER: So he shows me the rabbit. He has it in a shoebox. I ask, “Why are you selling a rabbit? He says, someone’s gonna buy it.” Now, I’ve fostered animals before, so I know it’s a lot of work. I say, I’ll give you five bucks if you let me take it to the shelter in Encino. He says, sure–

LISTENER: Advance.

STORYTELLER: So I’m on the bus with the bunny in a shoebox. It’s got airholes poked in it, he’s poking his little bunny nose out of it. This amazingly hot woman sits down next to me, strikes up a conversation.

LISTENER: Color!

STORYTELLER: She’s real hot.

LISTENER: More color!

STORYTELLER: Like if Arianna Grande was 30 and a Suicide Girl.

LISTENER: Advance.

STORYTELLER: Long story short, we had sex.

VARIATIONS