Discovery and invention - what's the difference?
Obviously one is organic and the other is mechanical but it's a little more nuanced than that
At some point in your improv career, you will have heard about the importance of discovering things in the scene rather than inventing. Or you were told in a class or session that you know what’s happening in the scene.
This advice used to confuse me when I started, as the issue was I *didn’t* know what was going on or where to go. All I was thinking of doing was trying to grasp onto something, usually a funny premise or idea that would get a laugh.
What’s usually been referred to is the delivery of the line. We sound very different when we say something we believe instead of something forced.
Think about how you sound in everyday conversation and then what you sound like when reading a script for the first time.
One is free-flowing, as you’re just responding and reacting to the person you’re talking to, and the other is stilted, as you’re thinking about what you’re seeing on the paper as you read it.
It’s perhaps an extreme example, but it’s a good visualisation of discovery (free-flowing) and invention (stilted).
In short:
Discovery is saying/doing what you truly believe is happening.
Inventing is saying/doing something you think is the best answer.
Set up the scene, then discover
I would argue that the beginning - usually the first 30 to 60 seconds - is not the part where discovery happens, as there is no solid information to work with.
At the start of a scene, you have to do *something* to get things going, and it’s okay to have an idea to get things started.
This period establishes a context in which you and your scene partner can work with. Whether your idea is organic, an idea for a setting/relationship, or a formed premise, you’re putting it out there and agreeing with whoever else is on stage.
These are the opening lines, the starting actions and positions, and setting details like the location, relationship, and situation.
Discovery requires you to settle into the established details of the scene and explore them further. If you tease them out, pick up on small details, and expand them, the discovery will emerge.
It’s all about noticing things and expanding on them.
A comment about how great it is to see a friend up top might lead to discovering why it’s been so long since you saw each other. Making someone’s favourite sandwich could lead to the reveal that you have bad news and have to come clean about something.
There are many possibilities, but they only arise if you establish those details in the first place.
Invention is the process of generating ideas that don’t really connect or build on what’s already happening. It tends to be the worry that whatever is happening now isn’t interesting enough and needs something big to keep the audience interested.
If you’re in this position, it’s usually because you’re trying to think ahead of the scene and not concentrating on what’s in front of you.
If that’s the case, listen and react accordingly. Check and see if the core details of the scene are established; if they’re not, add them in. Say where you believe the location is or what your relationship is, and go from there.
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Great explanation!