The CAD Method

~ PART 8 of the Series: ReV up Your Improv Scenes ~

Now let's open the spigot even more. Let's talk about the kinds or types of ideas or choices at your disposal. The CAD method is an acronym for Confession, Accusation, Discovery. When unsure of what to offer the scene at the point where you organically feel that "something" needs to happen to further the story or the scene, you can inspire yourself with this tool. It's time to reveal something to the scene - among the many choices you can add or declare - something about yourself (Confession), something about your scene partner (Accusation), or something about the environment or your immediate vicinity (Discovery).

Confession

You admit something about yourself - can be positive or negative. Don't be afraid of revealing something about yourself that is less than complimentary. It's okay and can be very fun to play with through the course of the scene.

Accusation
You declare something about your scene partner - can be positive or negative. Don't be afraid of revealing some about your partner that is complimentary. An accusation doesn't have to be something nasty, dirty or smelly. It could just as easily be something admirable as something unflattering. Of course the unflattering accusations and endowments are the most fun to deliver and the audience really loves someone having to deal with such things thrust upon them, but it doesn't have to be that every time - mix it up.

Incidentally, when a scene partner endows you with something unflattering or embarrassing it can be fun to take that on and play it out with full commitment. And if a scene partner accuses you of something less than noble or virtuous, consider taking it on rather than denying it. That doesn't mean you can't say "no I didn't," if your denial is shown to be a lie or cover up. When a scene partner accuses you of drinking too much, why not say "no I don't" as you're pouring yourself a shot at ten in the morning?

Discovery

Thirdly, you can offer something about the environment, or the area around you. I call this discover, but it can also be something simply declared that would exist in the reality of the environment that has previously been undeclared or undescribed. Making real by verbally describing or physically using or touching or manipulating something in the environment, thereby realizing or revealing an attribute about the area around the improvisers. This can also be something connected to (attached to) one of the improvisers, although not a body part. A note in one's pocket, for example, or a gun concealed by one or the other.

It can also be something just arriving on (or in) the scene. A dog arrives, a meteor falls, a sound of something that wasn't there a moment ago is heard. Perhaps (if the scene warrants it) it is the revelation of an additional character or actor in the scene. "Here comes John," or "Here comes mom," or "May I present the President of the United States." You are well advised to be conservative with the addition of characters or actors in the scene. The more characters in the scene the more challenging it is to keep a cohesive story and that means there is now potential for 3 sources of additional information being revealed or introduced into the scene which can be overwhelming to the scene and make it difficult to process it all.