Talking Improv

The Sweet Sound Of Nothing

Not too long ago, I took a workshop from RCC’s Zach Arnold, which focused on using silence in scenes to enhance moments.

It was a fantastic experience. I had never really given much thought to using silence as a way to communicate. However, folks…it really works…if you let it.

At one point in the workshop, we were forced to have at least five seconds of silence before we said our lines. The exercise taught me that if we give pause and listen to what our scene partner said (and how they said it) and how that makes us feel, the scene can drastically change.

Funny enough, each scene in the workshop I saw was compelling, warm, and full of emotion. It often ended with a happy ending and those pauses really gave depth to the scene.

So as a note to all of you, try this. Pepper in some quiet moments in your scenes. At the very least, it will reset your brain to stay in the moment and not think of the next hilarious thing to say. It can help you play more real, which more often than not leads to quality communication and scenework.

Happy improving!

—Chuck