Improv: Difference between revisions

 

Compare [[Harpo Does Something Funny]] where the script has a gap left with only the instruction "[actor] does something funny here."

 

 

* ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' is famous for blurring the line between ad libs and scripted dialogue, with nearly half the dialogue cited as ad libs by the cast. Examples include the famous "Twinkie" scene, Peter's response of "so do I" when Egon says he blames himself for not testing their proton packs, and Egon's response of "that would have worked if you hadn't stopped me" when Peter refers to a [[Noodle Incident]] involving Egon trying to drill a hole in his head. Sigourney Weaver's ad libs include comparing Peter to "a game show host" (the original line was a used-car salesmen, but she observed that he actually bounces around like a game show host), and much of Rick Moranis's dialogue as Louis welcomes people to his party is improvised.

* According to the commentary track on ''[[Spaceballs (Film)|Spaceballs]]'', Rick Moranis ad-libbed the entire "Dark Helmet playing with his action figures" scene.

{{quote| '''Garth:''' Did... Did you ever find it attractive when [[Bugs Bunny/Characters|Bugs Bunny]] dressed up like a girl bunny?<br />

'''Wayne:''' No.<br />

* In the film of ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Film)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' (as opposed to the TV series) this also comes up in what is probably the film's single genuinely funny scene. Buffy, played by Kristy Swanson, stakes the [[Big Bad]]'s (Rutger Hauer's) second in command, who is being played by Paul Reubens. The scene as written simply required Reuben to say "You're gonna wish you died" and then slide out of shot. Which he did. And then, two seconds later, stood up again with stake still in his chest, putting on a bunch of fake but hilarious "ah, ooh, eee, ah, ooh!" noises and even looking directly at Swanson for one second before going off at it again. The fact the shot was ad-libbed is clearly visible in Swanson and Hauer's faces: Swanson ''turns'' to someone offscreen as if querying what's going on -- and the shot ''cuts'' to Hauer, on whom another camera was already rolling, and who has a vaguely amused look on his face and who ''shrugs'' as if to say "Just roll with it." Which they did, and the shot stayed in. A part of the performance even got into a postcredits sequence.

* In ''[[Gremlins]]'' the script had very little written for the Gremlins, so the voice actors made up a bunch of stuff they thought was funny for them to say; Frank Welker (voice of Stripe and others) said that he just made a bunch of random noises into the microphone. The recording staff thought it was so good they [[Throw It In|decided to leave it in]] and had the others follow on his example.

* In ''[[Saving Private Ryan]]'', the whole anecdote about the girl and the barn was ad libbed by Matt Damon.

* In ''[[Romy and Micheles High School Reunion]]'', Lisa Kudrow made up the entire glue formula on the spot.

* In the US version of ''[[The Office]]'', all the actors are given complete scripts, but are allowed to improvise as they go along. The absolute [[Crowning Moment of Funny|greatest adlib in the series]] is the kiss between Michael and Oscar, in Michael's failed attempt to show how tolerant he is of Oscar's [[Straight Gay|homosexuality]].

{{quote| '''Jenna Fischer''': "Those looks of shock/giddiness/confusion on our faces are real. We were all on the edge of our seats wondering what would happen next. I can't believe we held it together for as long as we did. I'm not sure we've ever laughed so hard on set."}}

* Finishing recording the first ever episode of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore's [[Not Only but Also]], the producer decided that since Dud was a pianist, they should record a play-out to go over the end credits. He had the credit roller set up, a grand piano placed in the middle of the set, and instructed Pete and Dud to say goodbye to the audience and then play until the credits ran out. Dud sat at the piano, Pete stood behind him, Dud struck a chord, sang a demi-falsetto "Now is the time to say goodbye..." and proceeded to compose their hit signature tune ''Goodbyeeee!'' on the spot.

* The Janitor on ''[[Scrubs]]'' was not originally supposed to be a recurring character, so many of his scenes were improvised by Neil Flynn, which added to the [[Cloudcuckoolander]] behavior of the character. In many other instances the other actors would also improvise reaction lines and other moments.

** The Groundlings - Los Angeles

** UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade) Theatre - New York and LA, with roots in Chicago

** Bad Dog Theatre Company - Toronto

** Improv Asylum - Boston

* Paul Rugg's audition to provide the voice of [[Freakazoid]] went way, ''way'' off-script. Nearly all of it was then animated as part of the first episode, "Dance of Doom."

** Some episodes were written with a Paul Harvey-type narrator. Paul Rugg, warming up his Paul Harvey impression, would say things like "smack me with a handle" or "I think there's a thuuuuuuumbtack under my fanny!" and, as before, was surprised to see it had been animated as part of the episode.