Improvisation can add spontaneity, humor, and realism to your film, but it can also be challenging to write a script that allows for it. How do you balance structure and freedom, dialogue and action, and plot and character? Here are some tips to help you write a script that incorporates improvisation.
Different genres have different expectations and conventions for improvisation. For example, comedy often relies on witty banter and unexpected twists, while drama may focus on emotional reactions and subtle cues. You need to know the tone, style, and purpose of your genre, and how improvisation can enhance or detract from it. Research examples of films that use improvisation effectively in your genre, and study how they blend scripted and unscripted elements.
I find as a scriptwriter, actor and director alike, that the scenes that lend themselves to improvisation have been laid upon strong foundations of character development. This can happen from the character description before the first line of a script is ever spoken, it can be found in vivid descriptions of action, interaction and internal dialogue of characters but know that it is pivotal for the actor and director to know the character deeply to feel capable of allowing more of him or her to leap off the page.
Writers working on improv projects must take their knowledge of genre to another degree. The terms comedy, drama, and horror are broad. Instead, think of how many subgenres of comedies, dramas, and horrors there are. Writing a horror improv script simply conveys this umbrella concept of survival against a greater evil, which is a great start, but you'll hit a wall once you get into Act II territory. A more specific approach would be choosing a subgenre of horror. For example, a cosmic horror. That in mind, directors and actors know that logic and sanity take a back seat for the story to "work." If you tell an actor they're acting in a cosmic horror, they'll act a very different way than if they were acting in a psychological horror film.
Even if you want to give your actors room to improvise, you still need to have a clear idea of what each scene is about, what the main conflict is, and how it advances the story. You can use a scene outline, a beat sheet, or a treatment to map out the essential points of your scenes, and then leave some gaps or options for improvisation. For example, you can write a general description of the action, the location, and the mood, and then let the actors fill in the details with their own words and gestures.
Dialogue is one of the most common areas for improvisation, as actors can add, change, or omit lines to suit their characters and the situation. However, you don't want to write vague or bland dialogue that gives no direction or personality to your characters. Instead, you want to write dialogue that sets the tone, reveals the character, and creates tension or humor, but also leaves some room for variation. You can do this by using keywords, phrases, or questions that indicate the main point or intention of the dialogue, and then let the actors improvise the rest. For example, instead of writing a full sentence, you can write something like: "She asks him why he lied to her."
Writing your script with improvisation already in mind will help set your actors up for success. If you write a joke where there are multiple ways the punchline could land, that’s a great opportunity to ask your talent to deliver the setup and then improvise on the punchline. For more dramatic scenes, have ambiguous endings or interactions and encouraging your talent to stay in character can help fuel unique moments that weren’t scripted but those are derived from the script setting up the situation with improvisation in mind.
So instead of mapping out a detailed scenes, provide prompts or objectives in the ACTION for scenes that guide the actors on what needs to be achieved without prescribing how to get there. You’ll definitely want to give them guidelines and goals to hit to make them say one or two specific things that move the plot forward. Also, you will want to set the expectation of improvisation beforehand. Practicing improvisation during rehearsal will be super helpful so the actors can run through plenty of choices. Last, hire a great editor. You’ll want an editor who is passionate about the project as well as the actors that will be improving. If the editor doesn’t LOVE those actors they will be miserable and it will show in the final cut.
Improvisation works best when the actors know their characters well, and can make choices that are consistent with their motivations, goals, and traits. You can help your actors develop their characters by providing them with a detailed backstory, a character profile, or a character arc. You can also encourage them to do some exercises or rehearsals to explore their relationships, emotions, and conflicts with other characters. The more familiar they are with their characters, the more confident and authentic they will be when improvising.
Improvisation can be fun and creative, but it can also go too far or off track. You need to set some boundaries and rules for your actors, so that they don't compromise the quality or coherence of your film. For example, you can limit the amount of time or space they have to improvise, specify the topics or themes they can or can't touch on, or require them to follow certain cues or signals from you or other actors. You can also give them feedback and guidance after each take, and let them know what worked and what didn't.
Depends on your talent. If they are known for improvisation and have made a career with it then they probably have a good amount of gold in their back pocket. Improve actors are skilled at knowing when to stop, so it most likely won’t get out of hand. Someone who is not a professional improve actor may not know when to stop and might get on a kick. Just make sure that you always keep your talent happy and feeling talented. If it gets out of hand say, “that’s the one!†And then start moving on. I would say shoot it as written the first time and then the talent can play with it.
Finally, you need to record and edit your improvised scenes, and decide which ones to keep, cut, or combine. You may have to shoot multiple takes or angles, and use different cameras or microphones, to capture the best moments and reactions. You may also have to adjust your editing style, pace, and transitions, to match the flow and rhythm of your improvised scenes. You can use software tools or apps to help you organize, review, and edit your footage, and create a final cut that showcases your improvisation skills.
Giving one actor a secret line of dialogue or a new note that their scene partner doesn’t know about can be a great way to generate authentic improvisation. Of course, be mindful of boundaries and the comfort level of everyone on set, you don’t want to break the scene or cause any harm, you’re trying to get your characters to dive into a situation authentically as they stay in character. It’s a great way to elicit genuine emotional responses when used correctly.