Improv Training Center
Level 1 Intensive
A two-week intensive option encompassing all of the material covered in Level 1.
Class meets seven times for 3.5 hours per class.
Cost: $350
Level 1: Introduction to Improv
In this class you are introduced to all the fundamental skills of improvising, while improving your ability to listen and explore the power of building off of other people’s ideas. Level 1 is a survey of the entire program, exposing you to the elements of scene work and the various skills involved in creating well-acted, comedic improvisation.
Passing Criteria: Students must demonstrate that their listening has improved over the course of the term and that they are willing to build off of their partners’ ideas, in addition to having gained some proficiency with the technical aspects of actually doing so on stage. Attendance at 5 of 7 of your scheduled classes, regardless of make-ups.
Cost: $350
Level 2: Character & Game
With the basics of listening and building off of other people’s ideas under your belt, you will now go far deeper into all aspects of creating and playing characters founded in strong points of view. You will learn how to identify, create and play comedic games in your scenes, as we break down the elements of a comedic improv scene, demystifying what goes into making a scene funny and its comedic characters believable. Passing this level qualifies you to move on to Level 3 of our Improv Training program, as well as take any classes in our Industry Improv program.
Passing Criteria: Students must be able to consistently create believable characters with clear points of view, consistently identify the game of the scene and have gained proficiency in creating and playing games over the course of the scene. Attendance at 5 of 7 classes on your day, regardless of make-ups.
Cost: $350
Level 3: You
Building off of and advancing all of the skills from Levels 1 and 2, this class will help you figure out what your own comedic point of view is, what your instincts are as a performer, and how you can continue to stretch yourself and increase your versatility. We will do this while forwarding all of your skills as an actor/improviser: listening, building ideas, creating and playing characters, creating and playing comedic games, etc.
Passing Criteria: Students must demonstrate that they have improved in their ability to listen and build on others’ ideas, create and play believable characters, and identify and play games in scenes. Students must also be able to articulate aspects of their own point of view and translate it into their work on stage. Attendance at 5 of 7 of your scheduled classes, regardless of make-ups.
Cost: $350
Level 4: Advanced Scene Work
Based on solid acting, character work and scenic game play, this level aims to vault you forward to high degrees of proficiency and consistency in all aspects of your scene work, building up the necessary skills to not just create rich comedic scenes that stand alone, but that can also serve as the main substance of a long form piece.
Passing Criteria: Demonstrate proficiency with advanced techniques for creating and playing characters and identifying and playing games in scenes. Students must be able to consistently perform scenes with believable characters, execute comedic games and focus on what is going on between the characters on stage in the moment that we are watching them. Attendance at 5 of 7 of your scheduled classes, regardless of make-ups.
Cost: $350
Level 5: Harold
You will learn all of the elements of the long form piece iO was founded on, The Harold, including openings, beat structure, non-scenic group games, organic group work, advanced support moves, and how to use variety and texture to create a show that explores an idea that the group creates together. This level includes four performances on one of the iO stages.
Passing Criteria: Students must demonstrate an ability to create and execute all of the elements of a Harold: openings, beat structure, non-scenic elements, editing/pacing, and variety and texture. Attendance at 5 of 7 of your scheduled classes, regardless of make-ups, and attendance at 3 of the 4 shows.
Cost: $350
Level 6: Advanced Harold
Armed with the ability to execute all of the elements of a Harold, you will now learn how to improvise the structure of your shows, leading to wildly inventive pieces that challenge you to express yourself to the fullest extent of your creativity, and help that creativity evolve. This level includes four performances on one of the iO stages.
Passing Criteria: Students must demonstrate an ability to navigate all of the elements of a Harold when those elements are not in a training wheels structure. Students must have demonstrated an ability to make choices within a show to drive it structurally using the various elements at their disposal from Level 5. Attendance at 5 of 7 of your scheduled classes and attendance at 3 of the 4 shows.
Cost: $350
Level 7: Graduate Level - Creating Your Own Show
In this final level, the teacher takes on the role of director, working with you and your classmates to help you create a show based on your very own improv form. This level includes four performances on one of the iO stages and all shows will be considered for longer runs upon their completion.
Passing Criteria: Attendance at 5 of 7 your scheduled classes and attendance at 3 of the 4 shows.
Cost: $350
Writing Classes
Talk Show Portfolios
BEGINS 01/07/12
The GOAL of this class is a four-page, state-of-the-art talk show portfolio suitable for submission to both literary agents and TV producers alike--and to that end the student has complete access to all that The Comedy Lab and The iO West has to offer, including the performance of his or her material live on stage every Sunday night in what's called The Comedy Lab Live. Here's how it shakes out week-to-week: the student learns to write jokes based on the news (1st week); to expand those jokes into character and commentary monologues (2nd week); to pitch concepts for desk pieces (3rd week), remote ideas (5th week) and various segment ideas (6th week); to create two parody sketches (4th week); and to critique, assess and rewrite a rough version into a final draft (7th week) toward the goal of getting an agent, that starts with the opportunity for the student to see his or her material performed before a live audience in the DCT.
Cost: $350
Sketch Writing Level 1
Begins 01/02/12
This class teaches the basics of sketch writing. What makes the premise of your sketch funny? Learn heightening and writing efficiently in your scenes. Different types of sketches will be introduced as will rewriting sketches, and writing with others. There will be home-work assignments each week. No prerequisite to start this class (Level 1 Improv is recommended).
Cost: $350
SNL Sketch Packets
BEGINS 01/07/12
The GOAL of this class is an SNL sketch packet, comprised of at least eight separate sketches, suitable for submission to literary agents, TV producers as well as SNL itself--and to that end the student has complete access to all that The Comedy Lab and The iO West has to offer, including the performance of his or her material by The Comedy Lab Players (a rotating cast of 15 talented sketch actors), every Sunday night during 'The Comedy Lab Live.' Here's how it shakes out week-to-week: the students learns to write jokes based on the news, as well as a cold opening sketch (1st week); those jokes are then expanded into two separate host-type Monologues, as if the student were hosting and if a hero of the student were hosting (2nd week); to create a streamlined version of Weekend Update (3rd week); to create two Commercial Parody sketches and one Digital Short (4th week); to write for the live performance of a sketch that parodies an existing TV show, and a current film (5th week); to write a sketch that incorporates an existing character within the current ensemble (6th week); to write a cast scene comprised on six or more characters, to prepare for the student's live show and to develop a business plan (7th week), toward the goal of getting an agent, etc... that starts with the opportunity for the student to see his or her sketches performed before a live audience by The Comedy Lab Players.
Cost: $350
Sitcom Spec Scripts
BEGINS 01/08/12
The goal of this class is a sitcom spec script of a currently running show, whether single-camera, four-camera, single-camera (cable) or animated--suitable for submission to literary agents, network executives and/or TV executive producers; and to that end the student has complete access to all that The Comedy Lab and The iO West have to offer, including a live staged reading of the student's completed script during one of The Comedy Lab Live performances on any given Sunday evening. Here's how it shakes out week-to-week: the student choses a show and creates six pitches (1st week); a single pitch is chosen and then partially outlined (2nd week); a detailed, scene-by-scene outline is completed (3rd week); special focus on the cold opening, the act break and the tag (4th week); completion of first half (5th week); completion of second half (6th week); brutal rewrites, developing a business plan (7th week); all of which starts with the opportunity for the student to stage a reading of his or her spec and solicit audience reactions during the before mentioned Comedy Lab Live!
Cost: $350
TV Pilot Presentations
BEGINS 01/08/12
The goal of this class is a collection of deftly written documents: treatment(s), character descriptions, episode scenarios, promo script, pilot script--the overall goal being a thoroughly thought through concept from beginning-to-end that can be read and defended in a pitch meeting, and to that end the student has complete access to all that The Comedy Lab and The iO West has to offer, including a live staged reading of the student's completed script during one of The Comedy Lab Live performances on any given Sunday evening. Here's how it shakes out week-to-week: a concisely written treatment composed of three separate descriptions of the students concept in the form of a log line, a paragraph and a page (1st week); a studied list of the proposed series' characters (2nd week); an equally studied list of at least six episode scenarios (3rd week); a two-to-three minute script designed to promo the concept of the show, as well as the outline for the pilot script (4th week); first half of the pilot script (5th week); second half of the pilot script (6th week); brutal rewrites and, developing a business plan (7th week), all of which starts with the opportunity for the student to stage a reading of his or her pilot and solicit audience reactions during the before mentioned Comedy Lab Live on Sunday evenings from 8:30pm until 10pm in the DCT.
Cost: $350
Comedy Writers Room
“Comedy Writers’ Room” is a seven-week class aimed at sharpening your spec-writing skills whether you’ve written many sitcom specs before or whether you’ve never written one at all. Students will get intensive training in story structure, pitching stories and jokes, economy in writing, writing to the tone and style of a particular show, and rewriting… all in a group atmosphere. This is accomplished by showing students what it’s really like to be in a writers’ room for a half-hour television series. After the last session, the class will have collectively written a polished script and will have the option of staging a live reading at iO West. In addition, students will be given the opportunity to attend a read-through of a comedy currently in production.
Recent students have gone on to win paid writing fellowships and have procured representation based on spec scripts written after taking this class, using the education this class provided them.
What past students have said about Comedy Writers' Room:
"It gave me a methodical, pragmatic, step-by-step structure and approach to writing a spec script."
"This class demystified writing a comedy."
"The collaborative process was invaluable; quite a learning experience!"
Cost: $350
Workshops
Musical Improv - Level 1
BEGINS 1/15/12
Basics of musical improv - song structure, rhyme scheme, theme and point
of view, intro to various styles and musical performance games. Neither
musical ability nor vocal performance experience are required, but
openness and a sense of play are critical.
Cost: $300
Physical Improv
BEGINS 1/15/12
Students will gain better control and awareness of their physical presence onstage and learn how to utilize movement and gesture to enhance improv acting. This class explores extremes in physicality such as mime, clowning, slapstick comedy, Commedia dell’Arte, and the work of everyone from Viola Spolin and Jacques Lecoq to Charlie Chaplin and Looney Tunes. Get pushed from your physical comfort zone in this fun and playful class, while working towards more vivid and creative improvisation.
WHAT FORMER STUDESNT SAY:
"Mike strips the pretension away from acting and allows you to focus on the craft of entertaining without fear."
"The most fun I've had in a long time."
"Mike’s classes tested my physical and mental capabilities, and inspired me to become a better, more well rounded performer and improviser!"
"In this class you to let go of your conscious control and really open yourself up to true improvisation."
Cost: $200
Taking Comedy To A Bigger Stage: The Internet
BEGINS 1/4/12
Have a comedy sketch video or just plain old content that you either put up on the net, and would like it if people actually WATCHED it? Or maybe you have these great ideas for an Internet video but you don't know how to go about putting it up? Wouldn't it be nice to actually make money off of your hard work? The Internet is like the Wild West. You need a horse, a saloon, and guns. Oh, and more guns. Jason Horton & Ethan Newberry will show you how to take what you have and develop it so it has the largest reach possible. We can even take your ideas and put the wheels in motion to get that video made. The class will cover everything from production, promotion, optimization, social media and more. There are no prerequisites for this class (it would help if you had a laptop to bring, and some ideas, sketches, or content you've already made). This is the ONLY class in Los Angeles that offers this guidance and information, especially coming from people in the comedy community.
Cost: $300
DIY No Budget Filmmaking Workshop
BEGINS 1/10/12
When asked for advice on how to get in to filmmaking James Cameron said "Pick up a camera. Shoot something."; that's exactly what you do in this workshop. Over the course of 8 weeks students will collaboratively write, produce, shoot and edit a short film while learning the tools to do it again on their own. Students will learn how to take their ideas and write a script that can be shot on limited time and money while producing a 5 - 10 minute short film in 1080p, full HD. This workshop is perfect for aspiring actors, writers, directors, make-up artists, directors of photography or anyone interested in adding to/improving upon their skills while creating something for their reel/resume.
Cost: $500
Intro to Getting into Characters
BEGINS 1/29/12
Do you wish your improv characters were more consistent and vivid? Do you feel like you just slip into the same stale types of characters in every scene? Or maybe you don't really play characters at all and you don't know where to start? Start here! Through this 3 week workshop, Dave Hill ("King Ten", "Hill Jones") will introduce the fundamentals of creating characters that are consistent, vivid and fun to play!
Open to all students that have completed Level 1 at the iO West (or equivalent training elsewhere. Talk to the iO West office to confirm).
This class will be required to take the new offering "Advanced Getting Into Characters" which will begin soon!
Cost: $200