Actor’s Notes

ever hold back on a choice because you're worried it'll come out wrong? same 🎭

finishing improv 1 at second city and reflecting on the thing i kept coming back to: trusting myself enough to commit. accents, awkward moments, going blank, and bringing that same confidence onto my first feature film set.

i'm still in the messy middle with you. next time you catch yourself second guessing, take a breath, listen, and give your choice a chance.

what's one choice you've been holding back on?

all my links: https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal

listen on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3yyPg5IjdoTePqoq9vZlb6

week 6 at second city and the reminder is simple: you don't have to force the funny 🎭

ever get so focused on saying something clever that you stop listening to the person in front of you? this week i'm talking about being truthful, giving your scene partner something to work with, and trusting that a specific choice is enough.

questions, relationships, object work, and what to do when your mind goes blank. all part of learning to stay present instead of trying to carry the whole scene yourself.

what helps you stop overthinking and actually listen? let me know in the comments 👇

catch up on week 5: https://youtu.be/xH8UAn_VrqM

find me everywhere 👉 https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal

starting improv 1B at second city and apparently i brought a whole checklist into my head 🎭

ever know exactly what you're supposed to do in a scene and still get stuck thinking about all of it? same. this week i'm talking about giving your scene partner a name, building a relationship in three lines, and remembering to actually look at the person in front of you.

plus the advice i needed from tall tom: have fun. and a little question i'm taking outside the classroom too: if this is true, then what else?

new episodes every week as i go through all 22 weeks of improv at second city chicago. let me know in the comments what helps you get out of your head 👇

0:00 Welcome back to Actors Notes
1:29 Starting Improv 1B
2:24 Networking just means talk to people
4:13 Coming back to the foundations
5:09 Showing up takes courage
7:03 The three line scene
8:25 Give your scene partner a name
11:34 Trust what you say is enough
12:31 Remember to have fun
14:27 Get out of your head
15:25 Look at your scene partner
17:12 Why questions take instead of give
18:22 When your partner keeps asking questions
19:37 Choosing Improv for Actors
22:00 What I still need to work on
23:39 If this is true, then what else?
25:49 I'll see you in the next one

find me everywhere 👉 https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal

last day of improv 1A at second city and i was running on 3 hours of sleep after a 5 hour drive 🎭

ever hold back in a scene because you're waiting for someone to save you? same. in this one i get into freeze tag (not the one from recess), why you should tag your scene partner out early instead of letting them blank, the pillars game, and the three questions i ask in every improv scene AND every script: who are you, where are you, what do you want.

plus a little homework at the end: practice active listening today. with your friends, your family, the cashier, even the guy at the gym you're trying to avoid.

new episodes every week as i go through all 22 weeks of improv at second city chicago. let me know in the comments which lesson you're taking with you 👇

0:00 Welcome back to Actors Notes
1:06 Networking just means talk to people
1:34 How Second City's improv levels work
3:00 Improv 1A vs 1B
3:28 Why I barely took notes this week
4:29 Driving 5 hours for a 3 hour class
5:57 Community and belly laughs
7:21 Freeze tag (not the one from recess)
8:49 Why you should tag early
10:08 The pillars game
13:32 Who, where, and what do you want
14:29 Miming and specificity
14:58 Relationship, relationship, relationship
15:28 Goals vs preconceived ideas
16:54 Something I haven't said before

find me everywhere 👉 https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal

week 3 at the second city and we upgraded "yes, and" to "hell yes, and" 🎭

ever catch yourself firing questions at your scene partner? or blank so hard you forget your own name? same. in this one i get into why asking questions is basically stealing from your partner, the coming home game that taught me specificity without saying a single word, why every scene should start in the middle, and the move i use when my mind goes completely blank.

plus a little homework at the end: stay self aware today. we're all living truthfully under our own imaginary circumstances.

new episodes every week as i go through all 22 weeks of improv at second city chicago. let me know in the comments which lesson you're taking with you 👇

0:00 Welcome back to Actors Notes
1:24 What we covered in week 3
2:48 Three line scenes and "hell yes, and"
5:30 Fully accepting the gift
6:27 Listen with your eyes, not just your ears
6:55 The Coming Home game
8:17 Why specificity makes a scene interesting
9:43 Why you never ask questions in improv
11:44 Start your scene in the middle
13:30 Tina Fey and the Chicago improv scene
14:19 What to do when you blank
15:46 Sometimes a little is enough
16:41 Improv is being truthful under imaginary circumstances
17:33 Justify it
19:25 Learn the rules so you can break them
19:54 Something I haven't said before

find me everywhere 👉 https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal

week 2 at the second city and honestly this one hit different 🎭

you ever freeze up in a scene and default to bossing your partner around? same. in this episode i get into why so many improvisers fall back on anger or teaching, why you should "kill your babies" (thanks Del Close), and why one simple, specific line is usually all your scene partner needs.

plus a little homework at the end: practice active listening today. with your friend, your mom, the cashier, anyone.

new episodes every week as i go through all 22 weeks of improv at second city chicago. let me know in the comments which lesson you're taking with you 👇

0:00 Welcome back to Actors Notes
1:27 Know who you're improvising with
3:18 Why improvisers default to anger or teaching
5:16 Mime in improv, never in self tapes
8:36 Accepting gifts and "yes and"
10:43 Baby steps and the redeemable quality
12:44 Creating an inside joke with the audience
14:40 Celebrate your mistakes
16:03 Always assume, never guess
17:59 Learn the rules so you can break them
19:18 Trust what you say is enough
22:11 Kill your babies
24:39 You're the expert in your scene
26:15 Be in the process, not correct
27:41 Your homework: practice active listening

find me everywhere 👉 https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal

The fastest way to become a better actor, improviser, and scene partner might be to stop trying to be perfect. Giovanni reflects on his first week at Second City Chicago and the improv lessons that changed how he thinks about confidence, specificity, and taking up space on stage.From the “yes, and” rule to the trap of “polite improviser syndrome,” this episode turns beginner-class insights into practical guidance for anyone who wants to perform, communicate, or create with more confidence. Giovanni also shares what it was like learning from instructor Tom Rhodes, working with classmates from different places, and discovering how the right room can shift your mindset.You’ll hear about:

• Why “no but,” “yes but,” and “yes and” are more than warm-up games
• How specificity makes a scene more interesting
• What it means to lead and follow in an improv scene
• Why your relationship to your scene partner and surroundings matters
• How “polite improviser syndrome” can hold performers back
• Why trusting your first idea can be better than overthinking it

Giovanni also reflects on the realities of acting life from rejection and unusual call times to the pressure to find the “right” path and offers a reminder that there often isn’t just one. For actors, improvisers, and other creatives, the takeaway is simple: treat yourself like a genius, and give other people the chance to do the same.

, where Giovanni turns the lens on his own life as a half-Russian, half-Filipino actor. He shares how growing up between two cultures taught him to read subtext, trust instinct, and make bolder creative choices in auditions. He also breaks down why your upbringing, cadence, humor, and even your “edges” can make a performance more memorable—if you stop trying to sand them down.You’ll discover:

• Why cultural differences can become an acting advantage instead of a limitation
• How Russians and Filipinos shape communication in very different, very useful ways
• The mindset shift that helps actors stop delivering “safe” performances
• Why making a bold choice matters more than guessing what casting wants
• How food, family, and identity all connect back to honest creative work

Giovanni also touches on the importance of real human creativity in an AI-heavy world, the value of community-driven art, and the inspiration he’s drawing from an indie animated Filipino project while waiting on his own audition results.Perfect for anyone who loves cultural commentary, actor insights, or the kind of episode that starts with street food and ends with a lesson on how to breathe, trust yourself, and stand out.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to cultural influence in acting

02:24 Humor and cultural expression in Filipino households

05:15 Focusing on emotion and subtext in performance

07:38 Risks and authenticity in character portrayal

08:31 Recap of key acting principles

09:10 The importance of real content over AI-generated work

11:30 Celebrating Filipino culture and community

13:22 Trust your intuition and embrace your upbringing

14:02 The significance of authenticity and boldness in acting

15:08 Understanding ginhawa as a metaphor for breathing and presence