Calling Things Out: Best Practices
Give Yourself A Reason To Stay
“Calling things out” is when you directly address a weird thing - “That’s weird when you do that.” When you do it, you must do it from the place of someone who cares. Else you hurt the scene.
“Calling things out” is taught very aggressively in Los Angeles. You see people calling things out all the time in scenes. But they often do it badly, meaning in an uninvested way. They sound smug or, worse, completley uninterested.
Students often complain about being a voice of reason. “I couldn’t think of what to say as the voice of reason.”
It’s hard to communicate in just words on a screen, but something like this.
Scene: two people on a date in a restaurant
Person 1: “When the waiter comes back, I’m going to wrestle them.”
Person 2: (bored, uninterested) “That’s gonna be weird. Don’t do that.”
When you watch, you can feel that Person 2 has been coached to do it that way. They’re checking a box, not making a choice.
This isn’t a “voice of reason” problem. It’s an acting problem.
Before you call anyone out, you have to make a decision that you know this person and like them. You WANT this date to work.
And then, say what you would say.
…if you were really on the date, and this was someone you liked.
Refusing To Call Things Out
Let’s back up. How do we get to a place where folks are calling things out badly?
Becuase we are not socialized to be good at speaking honestly to “bad” beahvior.
At first, improvisers reject any idea that seems too weird.
Person 1: “When the waiter comes back, I’m going to wrestle them.”
Person 2: (basically talking out to the audience) “Um, okaaaayyy, I’m leaving!” (and then they half walk out of the scene and look to the coach wondering what to do.)
Or they do a sort of “yes, but I’m not involved” move.
Person 1: “When the waiter comes back, I’m going to wrestle them.”
Person 2: “Fine with me. I just want some pancakes.”
Or they do a big empty “yes” where they agree but don’t commit.
Person 1: “When the waiter comes back, I’m going to wrestle them.”
Person 2: “Sure let’s do it.”
Waiter comes back in the scene. No one moves because they are not actually committed and suddenly feel really weird. Everyone freezes in place for years.
Level 1 Solution: Ask Why
The simple mechanical advice I used to give to “voices of reason” was this: ask why. It’s okay advice. It kind of works. Trouble is, the “voice of reason” is still uninvested in the scene.
Person 1: “When the waiter comes back, I’m going to wrestle them.”
Person 2: (bored, uninterested) “Why do you think that would help?” (no emotion, no interest)
This can maybe work. But the problem is that person 2 feels uninvolved.
They say to their coach “I couldn’t think of what else to say.”
Sure, because you wrote yourself out of the scene.
Actual Solution: Give Yourself A Reason To Stay
The real answer is this: give yourself a reason to stay.
Decide that you know and care about this person. Heck, decide you also know and care about this restaurant. Decide you care about the waiter. Come up with a simple backstory and history of why you give a shit.
Then, say what you would say.
THEN the scene is not just about the weird person who wants to wrestle waiters. It’s about this dysfunctional couple who are stuck together.
If you decide to leave, it’s because you’re at the end of your rope, and it breaks your heart.
Person 1: “When the waiter comes back, I’m going to wrestle them.”
Person 2: (throws napkin down) “That’s it. I have to leave. No more! No more wrestling waiters!”
Or, if you’re oblivious, it’s because you love them so much you’re completely comfortable.
Person 1: “When the waiter comes back, I’m going to wrestle them.”
Person 2: “I love how michievious you are. You’re a gem. I’m going to have pancakes.”
Or if you join in, it’s with love and determination. You commit to his crazy idea.
Person 1: “When the waiter comes back, I’m going to wrestle them.”
Person 2: “You know what? You’re right. Let’s take over.”
Or if you call them out, it’s with the gravity and weight of someone who is begrudgingly saying the thing they know needs to be said:
Person 1: “When the waiter comes back, I’m going to wrestle them.”
Person 2: “Dear, I want you to play the tape forward here. What do you think that gets you, if you wrestle the waiter?”
In the end, it has nothing to do with whether or not you call them out. It’s whether or not you can INSTANTLY COMMIT TO THE VERSION OF THIS REALITY WHERE YOU CARE.
Plugs
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What if I do really just want some pancakes?
Even when writing a scene, just making a character care more can solve so much.