--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do long-form-style improv. Our focus…" description: "\"We do long-form-style improv. Our focus was characters and telling a long arc story over about an hour and a half. It was closer to a one-act play than..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/tatiana-maslany-4382_arcs_we-do-long-form-style-improv-our-focus-w_1336684.jpg" --- # We do long-form-style improv. Our focus was characters and… ![“We do long-form-style improv. Our focus was characters and telling a long arc story over about an hour and a half. It was closer to a one-act play than one-off sketches.” quote by Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/tatiana-maslany-4382_arcs_we-do-long-form-style-improv-our-focus-w_1336684.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/tatiana-maslany-4382_arcs_we-do-long-form-style-improv-our-focus-w_1336684.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/tatiana-maslany-4382_arcs_we-do-long-form-style-improv-our-focus-w_1336684.jpg) > “We do long-form-style improv. Our focus was characters and telling a long arc story over about an hour and a half. It was closer to a one-act play than one-off sketches.” [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Long‑form improv focuses on deep character arcs rather than quick jokes. **In simple terms:** Extended improv builds story depth. Key Takeaway Prioritize narrative continuity. Themes storytelling character development improv Mood creative enthusiastic Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - theatre workshops - online improv sessions - writing groups - team building activities Key Concepts Narrative structure collaborative creation Questions to Reflect On - How can you sustain character depth? - What techniques help keep a story cohesive? A Different Perspective Maintaining focus over long periods is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) ## Related quotes > [I'm so hard on myself. I play these sketches in my computer for friends and they say 'Gee whiz, the vocal's beautiful.' I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/i-m-so-hard-on-myself-i-play-these-sketches-in-my-computer-for/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [I think I was eight or nine when I had my first long-form tasting menu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-crenn/i-think-i-was-eight-or-nine-when-i-had-my-first-long-form-tasting-menu/) [Dominique Crenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-crenn/) > [“A strange One-Act play in the theater of dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kealan-patrick-burke/a-strange-one-act-play-in-the-theater-of-dreams/) [Kealan Patrick Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kealan-patrick-burke/) > [Something like the alleyway scene, where it's like a mini one-act play and you run the whole 18 pages of it, it's so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-o-brien/something-like-the-alleyway-scene-where-it-s-like-a-mini-one-act-play/) [Dylan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-o-brien/) > [I wrote a one-act play - I can't remember the name of it, but it was really about the way women are perceived as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-wrote-a-one-act-play-i-can-t-remember-the-name-of-it-but-it-was/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [It's like the old rule-if you introduce a gun into the first act of a play, it's going to be used in the third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/it-s-like-the-old-rule-if-you-introduce-a-gun-into-the-first-act-of-a/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I wanted to just do a one-act play for 26 minutes, with commercials at the beginning and end. For years, I couldn't get my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-lear/i-wanted-to-just-do-a-one-act-play-for-26-minutes-with-commercials-at/) [Norman Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-lear/) > [When your life has had few events to occupy it, it's amazing how a simple encounter can seem like an entire three-act play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/when-your-life-has-had-few-events-to-occupy-it-it-s-amazing-how-a/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [As an actor all we want to do is act and play people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-harmon/as-an-actor-all-we-want-to-do-is-act-and-play-people/) [Angie Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-harmon/) > [There is this aura that the three-act play is the important one: it's the one that you do to win the Pulitzer. Some part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/there-is-this-aura-that-the-three-act-play-is-the-important-one-it-s/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [This is my theater. This is where I can sing and act out a play and do sit-ups at the same time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/this-is-my-theater-this-is-where-i-can-sing-and-act-out-a-play-and-do/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [A form wherein we can enjoy simultaneously what is best in both the novel and the short story form. My plan was to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/a-form-wherein-we-can-enjoy-simultaneously-what-is-best-in-both-the/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Life is not a one act play”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-m-smith/life-is-not-a-one-act-play/) Alex M. Smith > [The IRS wants you to use this form because it gets to keep most of your money. So unless you have pond silt for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-irs-wants-you-to-use-this-form-because-it-gets-to-keep-most-of/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [I was raised in the theater and, as it turned out, a TV show was like performing a new one-act play. So, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-was-raised-in-the-theater-and-as-it-turned-out-a-tv-show-was-like/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) ## More by Tatiana Maslany > [Comedy scares me a lot. I feel like it's way harder than drama. I think my safety net is definitely drama, and I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/comedy-scares-me-a-lot-i-feel-like-it-s-way-harder-than-drama-i-think/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [I love nerdy work. I love writing notes. I try to go back, as much as I can, to feed what happens and why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-love-nerdy-work-i-love-writing-notes-i-try-to-go-back-as-much-as-i/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [For me, comedians are like the epitome for everything great, and they terrify me. I just want to be them. I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/for-me-comedians-are-like-the-epitome-for-everything-great-and-they/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [I'm an actor, and I like having attention, I guess. There's a reason I like being on stage. There's a reason I like being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-an-actor-and-i-like-having-attention-i-guess-there-s-a-reason-i/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [I'm running on adrenalin when we're shooting. It's non-stop. As soon as I have time to sit down, then I fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-running-on-adrenalin-when-we-re-shooting-it-s-non-stop-as-soon-as/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [I'm an actor and I like having attention. There's a reason I like being on stage and in front of the camera, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-an-actor-and-i-like-having-attention-there-s-a-reason-i-like/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [John Cassavetes' films have really altered the way I see film and acting and storytelling and emotion and love, so I see acting as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/john-cassavetes-films-have-really-altered-the-way-i-see-film-and/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [I went to a French immersion school, and French-Canadian improv is a big thing, and we had an improv team at school, and 12…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-went-to-a-french-immersion-school-and-french-canadian-improv-is-a/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [I transitioned into theater and acting when I was about 9, community theater and musicals, being, like, chorus-kid-number-78 or whatever. But I just loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-transitioned-into-theater-and-acting-when-i-was-about-9-community/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [Going back is a nice way to give definition to each of the characters because they are so vastly different. I would never want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/going-back-is-a-nice-way-to-give-definition-to-each-of-the-characters/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [My brothers are so much a part of who I am, and such a large part of my heart and my drive. I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/my-brothers-are-so-much-a-part-of-who-i-am-and-such-a-large-part-of/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [Hype is wonderful when it happens, and you should capitalize on it. But you shouldn't bank on it being the thing that will take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/hype-is-wonderful-when-it-happens-and-you-should-capitalize-on-it-but/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [I think that's why it's difficult for women when they watch TV and we see one version of a woman who is attached at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-think-that-s-why-it-s-difficult-for-women-when-they-watch-tv-and-we/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [Film has always been where my heart is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/film-has-always-been-where-my-heart-is/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [Sexuality is so much more complex than our boobs. My sexuality isn't me as an object to be looked at. It's the way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/sexuality-is-so-much-more-complex-than-our-boobs-my-sexuality-isn-t/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) [Explore all 112 Tatiana Maslany quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) ## More Arcs quotes > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [Through the music I hope to give it an arc that gives it a greater sense of a journey through the set rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotye/through-the-music-i-hope-to-give-it-an-arc-that-gives-it-a-greater/) [Gotye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotye/) > [Because we grew up surrounded by big dramatic story arcs in books and movies, we think our lives are supposed to be filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/because-we-grew-up-surrounded-by-big-dramatic-story-arcs-in-books-and/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Joan of Arc should be played as a "pain in the ass" and how do I know she was a "pain in the ass"?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-clurman/joan-of-arc-should-be-played-as-a-pain-in-the-ass-and-how-do-i-know/) [Harold Clurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-clurman/) > [When in doubt, the rule of threes is a rule that plays well with all of storytelling. When describing a thing? No more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/when-in-doubt-the-rule-of-threes-is-a-rule-that-plays-well-with-all/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [Sanchez looked at me and we locked eyes a second too long. There was nothing I could do about it. The signal went out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/sanchez-looked-at-me-and-we-locked-eyes-a-second-too-long-there-was/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [When we are young, we spend much time and pains in filling our note-books with all definitions of Religion, Love, Poetry, Politics, Art, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/when-we-are-young-we-spend-much-time-and-pains-in-filling-our-note/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I suppose that, for me at least, the biggest difference betweenThe Gunslinger Born and the next two story arcs (The Long Road Home and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-furth/i-suppose-that-for-me-at-least-the-biggest-difference-betweenthe/) [Robin Furth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-furth/) > [We've got this arc of instability from North Africa to South Asia, and we have to pay close attention to it. And we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-ve-got-this-arc-of-instability-from-north-africa-to-south-asia-and/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one. . . . But from what I see I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-parker/i-do-not-pretend-to-understand-the-moral-universe-the-arc-is-a-long/) [Theodore Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-parker/) > [I think every woman character, every female character, has her own arc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katheryn-winnick/i-think-every-woman-character-every-female-character-has-her-own-arc/) [Katheryn Winnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katheryn-winnick/) > [I am committed now to one thing: lyric sequences. I want the intensity of lyric, but the scope and arc of narrative. so, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-orr/i-am-committed-now-to-one-thing-lyric-sequences-i-want-the-intensity/) [Gregory Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-orr/) > [We must move forward in the days ahead with audacious faith. The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-move-forward-in-the-days-ahead-with-audacious-faith-the-moral/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Most games follow a real railroad plot, no matter what you want, you're following their storyline to its unavoidable conclusion. I'd like to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/most-games-follow-a-real-railroad-plot-no-matter-what-you-want-you-re/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Arc, amplitude, and curvature sustain a similar relation to each other as time, motion, and velocity, or as volume, mass, and density.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/arc-amplitude-and-curvature-sustain-a-similar-relation-to-each-other/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) Browse all 250 Arcs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We do long-form-style improv. Our focus was characters and telling a long arc story over about an hour and a half. 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