Your Improv Brain

Top-down thinking in improv for bottom-up thinkers - Ep #4


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If you are a bottom-up thinker, there are certain techniques in long-form improv that might work better if you try to do top-down thinking instead. Why would you do such a thing? And When?

Game and second beats might be challenging to a bottom-up thinker. You need to get used to wrapping up a bunch of details into a single idea, gist, or synopsis regardless of what direction you think in. The synopsis is where top-down thinkers start! Maybe it’s faster doing top down for this?

This episode includes a couple different examples of when I think I probably take more of a top-down approach as a life-long bottom-up thinker.

I also detail a pretty quick way to do a second beat using a form of visual thinking (hyperphantasia), since we were talking about it. Selfish tangent, that, maybe. But it’s in there too.

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This podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. You can find her bio here.

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What does neuroinclusive mean? It means that you create a supportive environment inclusive and accommodating of all cognitive types and abilities to learn, write together, or perform. This, just like the word "neurodiversity", includes both neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals. Which is… you, since that covers everyone!

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This podcast has been renamed a couple times to best fit what it needed to become, and better reflect what it eventually became! It's not gone, I am figuring out what is sustainable and most needed by myself and the community.

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Your Improv BrainBy Jen deHaan