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

3. 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!

4. Published Clarifications

5. Clarifications

6. 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

7. 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 6ft x 8ft (1.83 x 2.44m) 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

8. 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 (A-E)

9. 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

10. Confined Spaces

11. Confined Spaces

12. 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

13. 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 6ft x 8ft 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.

14. 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

15. 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

16. Improv Element 3: Miscellaneous Prop
Newspaper/newsprint with commercially printed words and pictures are acceptable to use as a material, but the pre-printed 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. Teamwork
Scored during Preparation time
Scored during Presentation

20. Team Provided Items Clean copy of the Challenge
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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

25. 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

26. Tournament Procedures At the Presentation Site
Presentation Site is a room where the team’s Presentation site takes place
Presentation Area will be at least 8ft deep x 10ft wide (2.44 x 3.05m)
Confined Space will be a marked area that is exactly 6ft deep x 8ft wide (1.83 x 2.44m)
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

27. 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

28. 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 6ft 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. Presentation Time
Timekeeper Announcer will ask the audience and Appraisers if they are ready and then ask the team if they are ready and then 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”

32. 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

33. Tournament Data Form

34. Tournament Data Form

35. Tournament Data Form

36. 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?