If metaphors and similes help you get in the right kind of state of mind before stepping on stage then try this: Taylor Swift’s new video ‘Blank Space’ is the perfect way you should play an improvised longform. Here’s seven reasons why.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ORhEE9VVg]
“This is not short form,” someone may say, “it’s where I explore serious conflicts and play seriously, and take the story seriously and be serious and please stop smiling, I’m trying to be serious.” Very often I hear this word – serious – associated with longform. While I agree with the idea that things should be taken seriously so our audience takes us seriously, I often notice that that very word confuses players and gets them playing a form where, with all of its seriousness, they forget the fun.
Let’s imagine that Blank Space is a longform. Here’s why it executes it perfectly.
- The Story Doesn’t Matter: well, it does matter but stories are often very predictable and it’s actually the relationships that make them great. In Blank Space: Taylor falls in love and out of love in the span of a video. We’ve seen it before and we’ll see it many more times.
- The God is in the Details: The location is great and is constantly endowed by crazy rich things like fancy cars, pure bred cats, chandeliers and indoor horses.
- Breaking the Forth Wall with Energy and Charm: Taylor breaks the forth wall multiple times with loads of charm every time she looks at the camera. Yes, do that. Play with your audience, connect. And when you’re done close that wall.
- Commitment: despite the exuberance of the environment, both players fully commit to it and each other. They don’t make fun of the wealth. They embrace it: riding bikes indoors, painting, they become intimate and they are not afraid to fully commit to the fight and even the sadness.
- Heighten the truth: “Boys only want love if it’s torture.” And she finds better and better ways to torture him cutting his shirt in creative ways.
- Find games within. Taylor dubs him (2:02). Awesome! Look for ways to finish your partner’s sentences or say a word at the same time. You’ll have more fun!
- Make Mistakes. Or in Taylor’s words: “you look like my next mistake. Love’s a game, wanna play.”
Let’s play.
