Ben Schwartz Quotes

There is no facet of my professional life that doesn't require or request improvisation.

I love improvisation. You can't blame it on the writers. You can't blame it on direction. You can't blame it on the camera guy... It's you. You're on. You've got to do it, and you either sink or swim with what you've got.

I'm not much of an improv guy. That's a talent I don't have.

I like to improvise.

I love improvisation. It's quite exciting.

I think not every improviser is a good stage actor. Certainly not every stage actor is a good improviser.

When I'm working with improv people, I give them the green light to just bring it and try things.

I love improvisation.

Live TV has an amazing pace to it. You've got to be able to think quick, make changes last minute, and be funny and fast.

I love improv. 'Crazy, Stupid, Love,' the script was really great, but the directors were open to letting you try different things. And that felt like a muscle I hadn't exercised in a really long time.

Because I started my career in improv, performing with Second City and the Ace Trucking Company, I always enjoy being in situations where - as an actor - you have to think fast & be light on your feet.

When I go in to 'Comedy Bang Bang,' I'll go in most of the time with some beats of where we're going with the idea. Everything else is improvised. Nothing is scripted. A lot of times I'll go in there with nothing and it's just conversation with the character.

Practice your improv more than learn your lines. 'Cause there's no way you'll be able to learn all those lines in a short time. You have to realize what you know and what you don't know - and what you don't know, just come up with three alternate lines or improv that you can put in that spot.

Life is improvisation. All of those [improv] classes were like church to me. The training had seeped into me and changed who I am.

I've worked with collage a lot. And there's this chance thing that happens - you don't always control things. Why did you find this today and not this? But you've got this thing, and you make it work. It's the way life is, I suppose. Whatever happens, you deal with it.

You don't have a lot of time to massage a scene into oblivion. It's like you do it, you get a couple of good takes, and then you move on, so you have to be very spontaneous as an actor and have done your homework, and I like that.

To succeed, planning alone is insufficient. One must improvise as well.

I come from the world of improv; I love any show or any vehicle that gives me an opportunity to be in the moment.

I don't plan. I don't think, 'I have to do this kind of part 'cause I've done that kind of part.' I'm not a very good planner.

Well, I love acting, and I love acting quick.

When I do a take, I very often try things that I haven't planned to try to see if I can pull it off.

The stage and the live crowd taught me to think on my feet, to improvise.

Theatre sports is the best improv training period.

I'm convinced to do improv. All you have to do is listen to what people are saying to you, and then just add more information to what they've just said. That's all there is to improv, but it's the hardest thing to do.

I don't like improv at all. It terrifies me. I like to know exactly what I'm going to say. Being surprised does make me a better actor. Anytime I'm afraid of something that makes me rise to the occasion, it scares me, but it's what makes great actors - being in the moment.