California Destination Imagination Improv Challenge CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Team

California Destination Imagination Improv Challenge: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Team Manager Training November 21, 2015 Lisa Phillips & Marshall Rainey Affiliate Challenge Masters

APPROACHING THIS CHALLENGE Read and understand the Challenge Be aware of the Special Rules Know the Reward Points Be familiar with what happens at Tournament Understand the Rules of the Road Published Clarification Team Clarification Remember if it doesn’t say you can’t than you CAN Have Fun!

Published Clarifications

Clarifications

The Skit Team will create and present an Improvisational Skit that takes place in a Confined Space 3 -minute Preparation Time followed by a 4 -minute Presentation time 4 Improv Elements: Confined Space Mysterious Stranger Miscellaneous Prop News Flash

The Skit The intent of this Challenge is for the team to be creative within a limited space All scored action must occur within a 6 ft x 8 ft (1. 83 x 2. 44 m) space. Anything that occurs outside the taped space will not be scored It is the intent that the entire Skit be presented in the setting of the selected Confined Space as designated by the taped space

Improv Element 1: Confined Space Before the Tournament, Teams will research the Confined Spaces in Table 1 Number of Confined Spaces depends on level Elementary will select 6 and must have at least 1 Confined Space from each section (A-E) Middle Level teams will select 8 Confined Spaces at least 1 Confined Space from Each Section (AE)

Improv Element 1: Confined Space Secondary/Univ Level total of 12 at least 2 Confined Spaces from each Section Teams will list their selected Confined Spaces on their 5 Tournament Data Forms they bring to the Tournament

Confined Spaces

Confined Spaces

Improv Element 2: Mysterious Stranger Real or imaginary Character Not revealed to the team and audience until after the Presentation Time begins Team must designate one Team Member to be the Mysterious Stranger The Team Member portraying the Mysterious Stranger must stay with the team during the Preparation Time

Improv Element 2: Mysterious Stranger Immediately before the 4 -minute Preparation Time, the Time Keeper/Announcer will place the slip of paper that the team selected in the Prep Area that lists the selected Mysterious Stranger in a designated place outside of the 6 ft x 8 ft taped space Any time after the 4 -minute Presentation time begins, the team member portraying the Mysterious Stanger may pick up the piece of paper and enter into the Confined Space.

Improv Element 2: Mysterious Stranger It is up to the team member that is designated as the Mysterious Stranger to reveal who or what he or she is to the team member in the Confined Space and the audience through acting skills, actions and/or words

Improv Element 3: Miscellaneous Prop Must be created entirely out of 1 or more pieces of newspaper/newsprint Team brings unaltered commercially made newspaper or newsprint to the tournament All newspaper/newsprint must fit in a commercially made plastic bag no larger than 13 gallons (49 liters) Plastic bag may not be used in the Skit All Newspaper must be removed from the tournament and disposed of properly

Improv Element 3: Miscellaneous Prop Newspaper/newsprint with commercially printed words and pictures are acceptable to use as a material, but the preprinted words and pictures must not be incorporated in any manner into the skit Miscellaneous Prop must not be attached to or combine with clothing or accessories in any way Teams may not use sample products or other items commonly included with newspapers No other materials, such as a tape or scissors may be used to create the Miscellaneous Prop

Improv Element 3: Miscellaneous Prop Teams will create their Miscellaneous Prop during the 3 -minute Preparation time and may continue to create and/or modify the Miscellaneous Prop during the Presentation time Teams may create additional props but only one prop will earn points for this element The Timekeeper/Announcer will ask the team to identify the Miscellaneous Prop to the audience and Appraisers before the 4 -minute Preparation time begins

Improv Element 4: Newsflash A Newsflash is a word or phrase that could be used as a caption, headline, status update, hash tag or label Newsflash is selected in the Prep Area Timekeeper/Announcer will reveal the Newsflash to the team audience and Appraiser immediately before the 3 minute Preparation time The team does not need to say the Newsflash word for word during the Skit but the Newsflash must be presented during the Skit in a way that is obvious to the Appraisers

Teamwork Scored during Preparation time Scored during Presentation

Team Provided Items Forms: 5 copies of completed Tournament Data Form and 1 copy of the Declaration of Independence Form Team Identification Sign Research Notes Props and Materials – only Newspaper and or Newsprint Clean copy of the Challenge Team Clarifications, if any

Items teams may NOT bring No books, pre-written jokes, pre-cut templates or models, drawings, and team generated list of ideas for scenarios, characters, etc. No pencils or paper No scissors or tape No props No costumes

Special Rules for Improvisational Challenge Honoring the intent of the challenge Prior to Tournament, teams may prepare for the many possible combination of Improv Elements Teams may choose to use and include some ideas that come from its practice sessions but teams may not bring its ideas for scenarios, potential characters, etc. into the Presentation site in written form Should a team move on to another level of tournament and by chance select one or more of the same Improv Elements, the team is encouraged to create another original solution, but no deduction will be taken if it reuses parts of an earlier solution

Special Rules for Improvisational Challenge No Expense Report Items of clothing or accessories worn by the team may not be incorporated into the Skit Wristwatches are acceptable for time management but the wristwatch may not in incorporated into the Skit

Tournament Procedures Prep Area Teams arrive to Prep Area 20 minutes before scheduled Presentation Prep Area Appraisers verifies Paperwork and team provided items for Challenge compliance Prep Area Appraiser assists the team with selection of Improv Elements: Confined Space Mysterious Stranger Newsflash

Tournament Procedures At the Presentation Site is a room where the team’s Presentation site takes place Presentation Area will be at least 8 ft deep x 10 ft wide (2. 44 x 3. 05 m) Confined Space will be a marked area that is exactly 6 ft deep x 8 ft wide (1. 83 x 2. 44 m) Teams may not attach any items to any surface at the Presentation Site Teams may not solicit any response from the audience or involve the audience in the Presentation in any way

Tournament Procedures Presentation The Timekeeper/Announcer will introduce the team to the audience Timekeeper/Announcer will announce Improv Elements 1 and 4 (Confined Space and Newsflash) The team will receive a written copy of the Newsflash

Presentation Procedure Preparation Time Before the start of the team’s Preparation time, the Timekeeper/Announcer will place the paper listing Improv Element 2, the Mysterious Stranger, in the designated place outside the 6 ft x 8 ft space After Timekeeper/Announcer reveals the Improv Elements, the team will be told to ‘BEGIN” Teams will have 3 -minutes to prepare their Skit based on the announced Improv Elements and create their Miscellaneous Prop Team may consult their research notes and unmarked copy of the Challenge

Presentation Procedures Preparation Time At the end of the 3 -minutes, the Timekeeper/Announcer will say ‘STOP” and the team must immediately stop preparing for the Skit Timekeeper/Announcer will tell the team to return all research notes and their copy of Challenge to the designated area Timekeeper will ask the team to show audience and appraisers the ONE Miscellaneous Prop that is to be scored Timekeeper/Announcer will ask the team to identify the team member who will portray the Mysterious Stranger

Presentation Procedures Preparation Time The team may keep and refer to the written copy of the Newsflash during the skit The Mysterious Stranger may retrieve the Mysterious Stranger paper listing the Mysterious Strange at any time after the 4 -minute Presentation time begins

Presentation Timekeeper Announcer will ask the audience and Appraisers if they are ready and then ask the team if they are ready and then tell the team to “BEGIN” At the end of 4 -minutes, the Timekeeper/Announce will say “STOP”, ending the Presentation The skit ends even if the team has not finished Teams may end their Skit prior to the Timekeeper saying “STOP”

End of Presentation At the end of the Presentation, the team may bow and enjoyed its well-earned applause Team are asked to clean up and recycle any used or unused newspaper/newsprint. Teams should remain in the Presentation Area to talk to the Appraisers

Tournament Data Form

Tournament Data Form

Tournament Data Form

Questions? Questions regarding Tournament Procedures? General Questions? a. ) What kinds of things do TMs and adults typically do to get themselves into trouble re: interference with Improv? Because the team walks up to the stage with no paper, is it possible to interfere at all as a TM? b. ) Is there a recommended program/schedule of areas needed in coaching a team? What do team managers typically do in terms of coaching Improv teams? What topics specific to the challenge should they cover other than the obvious things like reading through the challenge?