First, I'm not paid by Masterclass… why would I be. Every one says it, so that's why I am too.
The Steve Martin Class was Awesome! I loved all of it and learned a lot from it. Here is the takeaways from the guru himself with the notes I created during.
- Here is the word vomit that I have written down. I would recommend just taking the course, but here is this as well.
ENJOY :)
Getting Started in your career he mentions you don't need talent, you just need to do it. Don't trust anyone over 30… Using the punchlines that you are given and using them at the end of your routine. Start with nothing and work around it will create originality when getting started.
What qualifies you to know you want to be and inspire to be someone else: When you watch them and think to yourself you can do it better than that person knowing that introverts can actually shine on stage.
Go where the Action is (This one makes the most sense to me). When it's time to be picked, put yourself in situations to be picked.
Be so good they can't ignore you. Talk and talk about things you want to get better at. Material (Stand up material) is everywhere and you need to prepare and listen for it. Watch drama unravel and understand arguments. See how things play out and observe your thoughts a little, so that when you are in these situations you can imagine what you want it to look like.
A quote that stuck out to Steve referring to material is everywhere was "STEVE, this is the side of the oil business people hardly see" while his oil rich friend was cleaning a glass or while observing a sign saying "YOU ARE HERE" and his friend saying "how did they know?".
What does society need right now? Be that. With politics and negativity lingering around everyone, try to avoid that unless it is your character which he talks about later.
The best material to be used is just using the blunt truth. Saying what people are thinking in the situation you are talking will create relevancy. Creating your voice is your idea clashing with your mind. Your mind restricts your ideas to surface them out, but remember that fighting against this will make you unique. Your character is what you want to characterize your image as and be consistent to it. For example: are you angry, exciting, funny, goofy, etc.
The Manifesto was huge for Steve (I love talking like he's my friend). He said, "I'm going to try to be funny without doing jokes" Which means what are you going to talk about and how are you going to dress to set the tone. What is your costume, speed you talk, etc.
Creating a taste with your image. Become and stay the authority of the room will make you a better image to people paying to see you on stage. Be yourself always, but if you don't know what that even means for you, than create it. Think "What is the image of me at my BEST?"
Developing your worst quality can become your best quality. This can be how you dress and do you try to look better than "they do" or are you more casual?
Talking about yourself and not others can be better for your image as the audience doesn't have to perceive the credibility of its source, as it is yourself and always twist the expectations of jokes if you can. This will turn into some of the best jokes.
A typical joke states with building tension and relieving the tension as the joke. Steve would building the tension, but never relieve it to be consistent to his goofy character. It worked really well for him.
Exploiting everything you got the entire time you are on stage. What is the best verbal | Visual | Dress look you want and have. What are you about? People want to know who you are, so create it for them to share. Don't overdue it though, just say your "niche" or expertise statement just once or twice so that people are aware of it, but not annoyed by it.
BE CLEAR and CONFIDENT. Staying organizes and cleaning out useless material is the best way to approach cleaning up everything in your act. It's all about your opening and the closing puts meaning into the entire act. Figuring out your morality tone can help with the overall performance and who you are performing to. Younger can be more vulgar while your older crowd needs to have more empathy. Don't shut down your mistakes, but almost make them part of your act.
Knowing that you will be nervous to do things will help you be confident on stage. Looking over the audiences heads can help calm your nerves, deliver when you need to deliver as in wait when people are distracted so that they can engage in your performance. Don't have participation and don't rely on your material, RELY ON YOUR PERSONALITY.
To sum everything up, be clear even when obscure and give clues with what you meant. He says to Adapt you need: Fidelity 1st, Transgression 2nd, and Diverge 3rd. Fancy words will make things messy, have clarity with a twist, know how you sound and your speed, insert character to give the story a better meaning, and most importantly (to me at least through all this is) its about the moment you have with someone not the line that you give that will wow them.
Of course this is the word vomit version of Steve Martin's Masterclass and I found it very helpful. I would be lying if I didn't mention that I wrote this blog just for myself to read later to remind myself of what went on as a refresher.
These traits can be helpful for business, telling a story to friends or family, or presenting something to a boss or someone of importance. The best leaders today are those who can relate to their audience.
CHEERS, P&A