Welcome to today's improv newsletter! Lots of online stuff happening to dive into, so let's do that. There are more podcast episodes since the last newsletter. That's right I'm still talking into a microphone and stuff.

Then continue scrolling for improv class updates, jams, and livestreams!

And remember if you want to submit any content for this newsletter (as long as it can be seen or done online) is VERY WELCOME!

And make sure you stick around to the end for this newsletter's HoobaFact.

There are two more podcast eps up on my very new Substack. Which is also a newsletter, I guess. But mostly a podcast, maybe?

Ep 4: Top Down Thinking for Bottom Up Thinkers 

If you are a bottom-up thinker, there are certain techniques in long-form improv that might work better if you try to do top-down thinking instead. Why would you do such a thing? And When?

Game and second beats might be challenging to a bottom-up thinker. You need to get used to wrapping up a bunch of details into a single idea, gist, or synopsis regardless of what direction you think in. The synopsis is where top-down thinkers start! Maybe it’s faster doing top down for this?

This episode includes a couple different examples of when I think I probably take more of a top-down approach as a life-long bottom-up thinker.

I also detail a pretty quick way to do a second beat using a form of visual thinking (hyperphantasia), since we were talking about it. Selfish tangent, that, maybe. But it’s in there too.

Ep 5: On Misophonia & Improv with Sabrina Banes

In this episode we discuss what misophonia is like to experience, how it affects scene work and classes, and how to find your voice when you need to seek access needs and accommodate yourself. Sabrina has great advice to offer in this episode.

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I'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to reply to this message. If you think you'd like to submit something for me to read or play on the pod, or come guest on it yourself, let me know using this page.

• Improv Shortcuts: Initiations That Always Work. Read this article from Will Hines (improviser) for initiations that don't fail. I'm not sure if a guarantee is included with this, maybe that's mentioned somewhere, but I can say that at the last Weegis Online Jam I tested this rather warm take (some might say bold or hot, even). The initiation I selected for every warm up scene ("Hey, let's buy this") passed scene muster with flying colors. Then I tested "Band Meeting" for a long form establishing scene AND IT WORKED TOO. Those band members were eventually in hospitals and doing all sorts of things that weren't playing music. At all. Were you there? Some of you who were there get this email. Are you reading this? DO YOU AGREE ALL THESE SCENES WORKED OUT? Let me know. But, of course they did.
• This is Hard and I Don't Like It. This great article from Stephen Davidson is from back in October, but in improv years it's brand new. Stephen describes improv exercises he disliked or found hard in the past, and details how he made his way through them over the years. From a neurodivergent standpoint. And... for real about those gibberish scenes. 100%

Next class! NEXT WEEK!

Get Setup: Elf on a Shelf Scenes (only one spot left!)

You get the setup in this class, which means you can just GO at the top of the scene and don't have to worry about the base reality or game. You can get creative, and get out of your head. 

Characters and big choices will be ENCOURAGED. The challenge? Every scene will have an elf that is placed on a shelf in it... somewhere.

Don't know that story? Don't like holidays? THAT'S OKAY! "Whatever that means to you" is key here. It's just improv, and we got your back.

WHEN: Monday Dec 18 11am-1pm PT

Sign up: http://weeg.is/862

New class!

Characters Only: Point of View Drills 

A solid POV will help you play your character’s game. Learn who your character really is and what they really think, quickly, near the top of the scene.

In this class you will do drills that help you practice establishing and communicating your character POV in different ways. Then get reps doing this in scenes.

You will learn to get into your character’s head quickly so you can get out of yours.

WHEN: Sunday Feb 11, 10am-12pm PT

Sign up: weeg.is/903

If you like fun, and you like improv, these classes are for you. Help? Questions? More info? What would you like to learn in some other class, maybe? Reply to this email with a message! I'm all elf ears or whatever right now. Whatever that means to me.

Welcome to this section of the newsletter.

Hi.

There are new classes at World's Greatest Improv School (WGIS) (Weegis) that were just released. Here are December classes with available spaces at the time this newsletter goes out. There are also new online classes up for Jan and Feb.

December

• Friday Dec 15, 9am PT: Mall Santas, Mrs Clauses, Elves and the Children That Love Them (Billy Merritt). Sign Up. 
• Sunday Dec 17, 10am PT: Go Ahead - Shit Your Stocking  (Shannon O'Neill). Sign Up.
• Monday Dec 18, 11am PT: Get Setup: Only Elf on a Shelf Scenes (Jen deHaan). Sign Up. 
• Tuesday Dec 19, 10am PT: Calculated Conflict: Only Group Scenes: Holiday Edition (Shannon O'Neill). Sign Up.

These are fun. Fun. Fun fun fun fun. Free stuff. It's time for HOLIDAY JAMS. It's a short form jam, followed by Jackbox games afterwards in a post-jam hangout. Details below.

Remember to support the schools/orgs who host any free jams (etc) you attend by going to the odd class at the school or with the host. Supporting their work keeps the jams running and/or free!

• Friday Dec 15, 11am PT: WGIS Long Form Jam (Will Hines is hosting). Zoom link. [with a post jam Jackbox Games hang]
• Friday Dec 15, 5pm PT: WGIS Long Form Jam (Will Hines is hosting). Zoom link. [with a post jam Jackbox Games hang]
• Friday Dec 22, 11am PT: WGIS Long Form Jam (someone is hosting). Zoom link. 
• Friday Dec 22, 5pm PT: WGIS Long Form Jam (someone is hosting). Zoom link. [with a post jam hang]

Got one to mention in the next newsletter? You can submit it now. Online. Using this form.

Check out these upcoming livestreams. You can purchase tickets using the links below.

• Tuesday Dec 12th, 10am PT: Weegis Online Team Show on Twitch.
• Wednesday Dec 13th, 10am PT: Weegis Level 2 Organic Core Class Show on Twitch.
• Wednesday Dec 13th, 7pm PT: Weegis Online Team Big Tall Energy Show on Twitch.
• Thursday Dec 14th, 4pm PT: Weegis Online Team Casino Boat Show on Twitch.
• Friday Dec 15th, 4pm PT: Weegis Online Team does an Improvised Podcast on Twitch.
• Friday Dec 15th, 8pm PT: WizWorld LIVE on Twitch.
• Tuesday Dec 19th, 10am PT: Weegis Online Team Show on Twitch.
• Wednesday Dec 20th, 7pm PT: Weegis Online Team Big Tall Energy Show on Twitch.
• Thursday Dec 21st, 5pm PT: Weegis Movie Form: Home for Holidays Class Show on Twitch.
• Thursday Dec 21st, 6:30pm PT: World's Nerdiest Improv Show (WNIS) (weenis) on Weegis Twitch.
• Friday Dec 22nd, 4pm PT: Weegis Online Team does an Improvised Podcast on Twitch.
• Friday Dec 22nd, 8pm PT: WizWorld LIVE on Twitch.

Got one to mention in the next newsletter? You can submit it now. Online. Using this form.

Check out these upcoming livestreams. You can purchase tickets using the links below.

• Saturday Dec 16th, 7:30pm PT: George Lucas Talk Show. Online. Buy Tickets.
• Saturday Dec 16th, 7:30pm PT: Before You Die with Gabrus and Pally. Online. Buy Tickets.
• Sunday December 17th, 4:30pm PT: Raaaatscraps. Buy Tickets.
• Sunday December 17th, 4:30pm PT: Fuck this Month & Holy Shit Improv. Buy Tickets.
• Monday December 18th, 7:30pm PT: Handsome Podcast. Buy Tickets.
• Thursday December 21st, 7:00pm PT: Holy Shit Improv (Twitch free, Patreon)

Got one to mention in the next newsletter? You can submit it now. Online. Using this form.

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Ghostbusters was written American musician Ray Parker Jr. for the soundtrack of the film of the same name, and debuted on Billboard charts in 1984. It eventually peaked in the number 1 position. A cover of Ghostbusters was made by the legendary band Hoobastank for Halloween, and Hoobastank released the music video on their YouTube channel on October 30th, 2009.

I guess that's it! Thanks for taking a walk with me. Thanks for reading. Thanks for BEING YOU! Because you are good. Congrats at making it all the way DOWN HERE to the BOTTOM OF THE EMAIL. I am changing it again, today, on Dec 11 2023 just to make this fresh content. For YOUR EYES! Content FTW!

Support this newsletter by sharing it, and/or by taking a class or something to keep online improv alive n kicking. Yay classes! Yay online improv! Online life is real life cause it's all some of us got.

Thanks for taking improv online! I hope to see you in a class or jam soon! But seriously. Reply if you have any questions or just want to chat improv nerd stuff.

xoxo,

Jen.

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