I was coaching a group of 401ers the other day and we were doing The Pattern Game Opening. It was not great. I was trying to figure out why it was rocky and it was because no one was saying yes to each other’s ideas.

Advice I’ve given and heard on Pattern Game:

Look At Each Other

Nod at Each Other’s Ideas

Match Each Other’s Energy

Don’t Look at Your Feet.

Go Off The Last Thing Said

Will Hines’ “Stations” Pattern Game. (I frequently use a modified version of this.)

A lot of advice around the pattern game is great, and should be listened to and incorporated into your pattern games. But, I think a lot of exercises revolve around just trying to get people to say yes to ideas that come up.

The least effective pattern games are a random collection of words that have been A to C’d with no “ideas” in them. This is very uncommon, as almost every improviser has some fun or funny things they tend to inject into pattern games.

But, the second least effective, and far more common pattern game is when one person proposes an idea, and the next person either, ignores it by A to C ing away from the idea, or tries to beat it, by pitching an alternate idea. This is not going to help you achieve a good pattern game. Very few ideas are so bad that they should be ignored entirely.

So, what’s the fix? Simply, I think two things need to happen.

Recognize when people are pitching ideas for games

Say Yes to THAT idea.



Recognize People Are Pitching Ideas for Games

Most of the time, if you’re listening, it’s not too hard to see that someone is pitching a funny idea. A few ways to recognize an idea is it may have more specificity than the previous things in the pattern game, an idea may be two or more things from earlier in the pattern game put together, an idea may be a personal story. There are other ways an idea may be presented but those are a common few I see. If you don’t recognize anyone pitching ideas you need to slow way down, and stop trying to think of what to add and listen harder.

Also recognize when you throw out an idea for a game. How do you feel when people riff on it? You’re probably happy it works. How do you feel when people dismiss it? You’re probably slightly annoyed. Consider that you’d want people to run with your ideas when you have them. So do your teammates. Do your best to make your teammates happy, run with their ideas.

Say Yes to The Idea for a Game

The thing that people tend to find hard is saying Yes to the ideas that are presented. Common missteps include:

Improviser 1 telling an anecdote with a funny idea, Improviser 2 telling an anecdote tangentially related.



telling an anecdote with a funny idea, telling an anecdote tangentially related. E.g. Improviser 1: Story with an idea like “Proudest Failures” and also happened to involved alcohol. Improviser 2: Tells a story where they were drunk.

Story with an idea like “Proudest Failures” and also happened to involved alcohol. Tells a story where they were drunk. Improviser 1 pitching an idea, Improviser 2 trying to “beat” that idea

pitching an idea, trying to “beat” that idea E.g. Improviser 1: Zombie Grandpa. Improviser 2: Oh, Vampire Grandpa and Werewolf Grandpa in Love with Human Grandma, Twilight with Old People

There are more, I’m sure, but I think these two happen very frequently.

Why Is Not Saying Yes to The Idea of a Game Less Effective?

First, you’re presenting two ideas when one is sufficient. One game is typically fine for one scene in a Harold. You don’t need two games in one scene. You don’t need two ideas in one “riff” of the pattern game.

Second, when it comes time to initiate an idea, will your scene partner be sure what your idea is if there are two or more ideas that are extremely close to one another.

Third. it’s bad juju. It’s “Yes, and.” We all know this.

TLDR;

When someone pitches an idea, treat it like a writers room and try to pitch on that idea, and that idea only. So if someone says Zombie Grandpa we could follow with:



Good : “Grandpa, did you bring me back anything from the grave!?”



: “Grandpa, did you bring me back anything from the grave!?” Good: Grandpa with mothballs in his clothes and maggots in his flesh.

Grandpa with mothballs in his clothes and maggots in his flesh. Good : “Oh, sweetie, don’t worry, Grandpa’s not going to die. Unless you destroy his brain.”

: “Oh, sweetie, don’t worry, Grandpa’s not going to die. Unless you destroy his brain.” Bad: French Toast Grandpa! Grandpas that aren’t normal Grandpas! Unusual Grandpas!

There are always exceptions to rules, and I welcome debate and dissent.