Joyce Wagner
In Motion Staff Writer
Amber Boutot/In Motion
Catching raindrops, Sesame Street, Waldo. Three completely unrelated and disconnected phrases, right? Not if it’s improv.
Daytona State College offers a Radio and Television Broadcast Production certificate. The three semester program, held at WDSC-Channel 15 TV station, takes students through the training of studio camera operation, audio, and a full spectrum of roles performed to produce a live TV show. By the time the students enter the third semester, they are ready to create their own weekly show from start to finish. As the advanced class, they also work with the beginning students who are learning the basics of how things work in a television studio. It’s a challenging and rewarding process.
Fall 2013 brings an entirely different style show than previously produced by RTV students. By the end of their second semester, the students decide as a group the show they want to produce. Many expressed an interest in an improv-style program using DSC theatrical students. One of their goals is to broaden the viewership to include a younger demographic.
Hours of planning and work have gone into preparing for the first show of the season which aired Sept. 19. The set had to be built, a host lined up, and improv students were recruited to be players in the show. Graphics were created, audio issues addressed, lighting set, and numerous other obstacles overcome. This process required changes and compromises as the students had differing ideas as to how things should be set up. Student Christa Stephens said she “Hadn’t expected there to be so many details and technical aspects to plan for.”
Improvisational theater, or improv as it is better known, is a performance in which the dialog, action, story and characters are created at the time of the performance. It’s also a style where anything goes. In shortform, improv players are given the parameters for the game they are about to play. The players then act out the scene with input from the audience as to what and how they will act next.
One week before the first live show, they had a dress rehearsal complete with a studio audience. Students and staff worked tirelessly to set up the studio, audio, production control, and master control for the show.
As the rehearsal began, the host, Hillary Walker, aka Hillary J., enthusiastically opened the show with “Good evening and welcome to “Call It Improv,” 4D entertainment for your funny bone.” She then told the audience to call, Facebook or Tweet suggestions for emotions, moods, and funny accents for the players to use during the final game of the night.
Since the home and studio audiences help to “write” the scenes, the words and actions of the players are unpredictable. In the game ‘Mannequins’, studio volunteers became the movers for the players in a rowboat scene with details provided by viewers. The awkwardness of four people on set trying to act out the scene soon became humorous as the ‘mannequins’ moved in sometimes inappropriate ways. Added dialogue by the crew proved their skills in the art of improv.
Another game, ‘Home Late’, used all three panelists. After going off stage where he couldn’t hear the details, the player was brought back out to figure three key points: what he had been doing; where he had been; and who he’d been with. The dads in the scene were trying to find out why he had broken curfew and was ‘Home Late’. After giving hints and clues, he was able to decipher he had been catching raindrops on Sesame Street with Waldo.
‘Emotional Roller Coaster’, the final game, had the three players working in a crayon factory. As they tried to refill dye colors in the machines, Hillary J. called out various emotions, moods, and accents that had been submitted by viewers.
If the studio audience is any indication of how the home viewers will react each week, they have a hit on their hands. The players, games and suggestion are likely to differ wildly from week to week, but it is all designed to make the audience laugh.
Producer Tim Biggs said “It’s going to be a good show, busy and fast paced.”
Mike Rentinelli, the director agreed, adding “It’s the liveliest show so far.”
The crew leader for rehearsal, Cory Hoffman, stressed the importance of “Focusing on the job at hand and not getting caught up in watching the show.”
“Call It Improv” will air live Thursday night at 7p.m. through the beginning of Dec. Reruns can be seen at 9:30 a.m. Sundays.