the improvised action movie!
YIPPEE KI YAY!!!!
If you are a fan of Die Hard, Predator, Total Recall (the 1st one obviously), Kill Bill, Commando, Hanna, The Matrix, The Dark Knight, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Rambo, Bourne, XXX and Robocop then THIS IS THE COURSE FOR YOU!
If you aren’t a fan of those movies, what have you been doing with your life? Sign up and learn about the only true art that matters; action movies!
We’ll be using all of those movies and more to explore action movie narrative structure, define gritty heroes and heroines, pursue story objectives that matter, create villainous bad guys and expendable henchman and put it all together into gripping 40 minute long improvised action movies!
Expect chase scenes, slow motion (and safe) fight scenes, stupid (and safe) stunts, appalling yet charmingly bad improvised CGI, kung fu, GUNS, car crashes, sound effects, inspiring music soundtracks, speaking in quotable catchphrases, love, death, action and adventure!
Plus there is a show at the end too. You’ll be working as a team creating costumes, props, posters and more to make a full theatrical experience. On the night we’ll take a title for a new action movie and blow the roof of the place!
dates, time, location
Dates: Every Tuesday for 8 weeks from Tuesday 11th February 2020, plus a show on Thursday 2nd April 2020.
Time: 7pm – 9:30pm.
Venue: Charles Dickens School, Toulmin Street, London, SE1 1AF.
Tube: London Bridge or Borough.
Price: £225. Either payable all at once or with an initial payment of £100 followed by the remaining £125 once the course starts.
Teacher: Steve Roe
Ages: 18+
This course will be challenging!
Only suitable for people with previous improv and long-form experience. If you haven’t got previous experience it’s best to start with our earlier level improv classes first.
teacher Steve Roe
Steve Roe is the Director and Co-founder of Hoopla and has been teaching improv for over 14 years.
Steve creates a friendly, fun & supportive atmosphere in workshops where people are free to play and be themselves.
Steve has experience of teaching beginners, experienced improvisers, stand ups, drama school students and professional actors.
He has also taught improv at East 15 Drama School, Imperial College London and Oxford University, and to various corporate clients including Comedy Central, Apple, BBC and ITV.
In 2010 Steve founded the UK’s first ever improvised comedy club at The Miller in London Bridge, helping to create a vibrant community of performers and audience.
Hoopla’s Improv Comedy Club was recently recommended by Time Out, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, The Evening Standard and The Londonist.
Steve has studied improv with Keith Johnstone, Charna Halpern from IO, Patti Styles from Improv Melbourne, Shawn Kinley from Loose Moose, The Annoyance, The Upright Citizens Brigade, Fooling with Jonathan Kay and Clown with Mick Barnfather.
Steve regularly hosts Hoopla’s nights at The Miller, as well as performing, producing and directing various groups across the London improv scene. Steve also directs Hoopla’s house team program.
He continues to support countless other shows that have popped up from Hoopla workshops and is influential in growing the UK’s improv scene.
course content
Each workshop consists of physical warm ups, then some awesome exercises on narrative, scene work and character skills, and then putting it together in a show of an improvised action movie.
We’ll be covering the following topics:
- Action Movie Story Structure.
- Creating a protagonist we care about.
- Save the cat story techniques.
- Creating a villain and their stooges.
- Applying The Hero’s Journey narrative structure to action movies.
- Chase Scenes!
- Slow motion safe fight scenes!
- Stupid stunts!
- Simple objectives.
- Good vs Evil.
- Playing the bad guy.
- The inciting incident.
- Classic Hollywood Three Act Structure.
- Love! Death! Rebirth! Revenge!
- Car chases!
- Huge inflatable guns!
- Sound effects!
- Inspiring emotional soundtracks!
- Speaking in quotable catchphrases every time you kill someone!
- Kung fu!
- CGI!
Most of all having great fun improvising exciting action movies!
faqs
What comes after this course?
We have a variety of other advanced improv courses that would be suitable.
Who is this suitable for?
People with previous long-form improv experience who want to learn and experiment with improvised narrative applied to action movies. You don't need previous narrative experience, we'll cover that in the course.
How much improv or acting should I have done before doing this course?
You should have done our Level 4: Long Form Improv Course or a similar amount somewhere else. This course is not suitable for people new to improv.
What if I can’t make every week?
As we’re forming a team over the course to do performances at the end it’s best not to miss more than one session over the course. If you think you’ll miss more than one sessions over the course please wait until another time to do the course. You won’t be able to do the show if you miss more than one session.
What if I’m running late?
We’ll be starting each session at 7pm, but if you’re held up at work or whatnot please come along anyway, we’d rather you turned up late than miss a session. You’ll get more out of the workshop if you’re there at 7pm though, as that’s when we discuss the theme for the evening and also do all of our warm ups.
What’s the class size?
The group size is going to be limited to 16 people - small enough that you get lots and lots of practice and stage time, but big enough that there’s still a lively atmosphere in the workshop. It’ll be fun as we get to know each other and build a team together.
Do I have to perform in the show at the end?
No. The show is optional, and you’ll still get loads out of the course without doing the show.
Can I pay by instalments?
Yes. You can book and pay the first half at time at booking and the rest when the course starts.