John Cosper

Is this the end of Human Videos???

Captivating headline, isn't it?

I've gone back and forth on this for the last few years, but I've decided once again to put the Human Videos website (www.humanvideo.info) up "for sale."

Human Video is a very popular form of drama used in many churches and youth groups across the country. I've written a few myself ("Criminal," "DC-10," and "Iron Man" are all on the website), and yes, I've directed a few. But HV is not exactly a passion for me. I'm a script guy. I like dialogue and word play, and I've never been big on pantomime.

As a result, the site is rarely (if ever) updated. There are new HV's showing up on youtube and tangle and other video sites daily, with more being created in churches across the country. HumanVideo.info averages about 100 hits a day itself, but as I said, it's just not a passion. Plus I have too many websites to keep updated as it is.

My hope is that somewhere out there is a web-saavy HV enthusiast who has been looking for an opportunity to share what they do best with others on the web. I'll transfer the domain ownership to them, and provide them with all of the content currently on the site so they can set it up with their own hosting service. From there... well, it's all up to you. Re-vamp it, re-design it, whatever. It's your site, your ministry, your passion.

I'm not asking any price for the rights to the domain; I'll let you have it. You just need to take over paying the domain fees and pay any transfer fees to establish your own site. You're not going to get this good a deal from a domain squatter, I assure you.

The domain name is paid up through August of 2010, which means there's about ten months left until doomsday. Unless I can find someone to take it off my hands, I will simply let it lapse and go away.

So there you go, HV fans. Spread the word, and if you decide this might be a project for you, email me at john@righteousinsanity.com to discuss how we can make it happen.

Improv workshop

A friend of mine asked me to write out instructions for a few improv games I used to teach in the old RI workshops. The series of games work as a nice progression to bring your actors from simple game playing to performing full on scenes.

Workshops always started with the two rules of improvisation:

1. Never say "No." The idea in improvisation is to tell a story, just like any other form of drama. To do this, actors must accept what their partners say, and add on to it. If they agree to cooperate like this, the scene moves forward. If they contradict each other, the scene stalls. They did a fantastic bit on 30 Rock last year that plays against this rule when two actors are told to act out a skit with Oprah Winfrey and Sling Blade.

ACTOR 1: (in a Sling Blade voice) Mmm, I just love these mashed potaters.

ACTOR 2: No you don't, Oprah.

This rule of agreement (as it is sometimes called) not only keeps the scene going, but builds trust among actors. When you have someone who violates that trust, other actors won't want to work with them. (See Michael Scott when he goes to improv class on "The Office.")

2. If the other actor says "No," do it anyway. This gets you over the hump, and keeps the scene moving forward. "No" creates conflict, which drama needs, and when an audience sees a character told "No," they want to see that character disobey. Why? Because it will probably be funny!

The example I always used was from Ren and Stimpy, when Stimpy was told to guard a big, red button. "A jolly, candy-like button" that he was not allowed to press. The audience wants nothing more than to see Stimpy push the button - which he does, blowing up the universe.

Once the rules are explained, we go on to:

Yes, And...

In Yes, And... two actors are chosen to play a simple game. The moderator will give them an opening line, such as "I think we should start a circus." From there, every line in the scene must begin with, "Yes, And..." The principle behind this game is accepting the other actor's idea (Yes) and building on it (And). Actors are encouraged not merely to add, but to be detailed when they add. Don't just add monkeys. Add monkeys in tutus who do long division with chalk on an elephant's back. Once you've practiced that, you can move on to...

The Storyteller

Choose four actors and line them up on stage. The moderator gives them an opening sentence to a story. Then the four actors take turns going left to right (or right to left) adding on to the story. Actors must practice listening skills so they know what has come before, and they MUST stay consistent while adding on new information and ideas. Go down the row two times (at least) so everyone has a chance to react off someone else's ideas. Again, you're practicing the rule of agreement, and you're practicing specific details in your storytelling.

You can make the leap from storytelling to acting out stories using another game called...

The Principal's Office

This game is an extension of the activity in The Storyteller. Choose three actors. Sit two of them down in a chair. These two are students; the third actor is the principal. The students are accused of doing something wrong, such as dumping Alka Seltzer in the school swimming pool. The principal's job is to trap the students in a lie and get them to confess. The students (who ARE guilty) must collaborate on a story that they make up to put the blame on someone (or something) else. Unlike The Storyteller, the actors will be in character. Students must play students. (You choose the age.) The principal plays the principal. Students don't go back and forth like in The Storyteller, but still collaborate in a more natural way. Again, it's important to listen and add on, not contradict your acting partners, while being as specific and detailed as possible.

One night in Northern Indiana, I had given a group of actors the Alka Seltzer scenario. One of the students "found" Alka Seltzer tablets in her pockets, which she put in her mouth. As her partner continued to try to lie about the incident, the girl proceeded to foam at the mouth, bawling her eyes out. It was one of the funniest bits we ever saw in a workshop.

Finally, we come to...

Boris

Boris is a much more challenging interrogation game that goes beyond The Principal's Office to a physical level. In Boris, you have two actors. One is an interrogator, the other an interrogatee. (The interrogator can be a cop, a thug, whatever you choose.) The interrogator is, once again, trying to get the other actor to confess to something he/she may or may not have done. This time, they have the assistance of Boris - and invisible, seven foot tall, four hundred pound enforcer. Boris is extremely slow, so Boris requires the interrogator to give him explicit instructions on what to do to the victim. Instructions may be something like, "Boris stick your fingers up his nose and pick him up." Or "Boris, grab him by the collar."

The interrogatee's job is to bring Boris to life by acting as if an invisible, seven foot tall, four hundred pound gorilla is actually doing these things to him or her. Thus, this is a great chance to practice not only verbal skills, but pantomime and physical comedy. I once had to give myself the Stone Cold Stunner, courtesy of Boris. Not an easy task, but the audience loved it.

New Vision, Renewed Mission

I don't know when it became "not enough" to have a mission statement. Somewhere in the past few years, Mission Statements have become second banana to the Vision Statement. Despite the change in the culture, I was not in any rush to acquire a Vision Statement to supercede my mission statement at Righteous Insanity. (I was raised Southern Baptist; insert your own joke about "change.") But after finishing a project this week that had a very clear cut goal in mind, a vision statement came to me:

 

"Righteous Insanity exists to lead people into a deeper, more authentic walk with Christ."

 

Over the years, I've felt more called to minister and speak to Christians vs. non-Christians, but I resisted making that my singular purpose. For one thing, there's too much Christian-on-Christian ministry going on, and the church, by an large, has lost touch with the Great Commission. It didn't seem right not to be at least partially evangelism oriented, and to be fair, I've written a good amount of material that can be used as evangelism.

 

That said, two factors convinced me this sharper focus was justified. First of all, the Christian drama world seems to be, by and large, Christian-oriented, with the primary usage being on Sunday morning before a largely Christian audience. And secondly, the vast majority of material I've written has been focused on urging Christians to live a more authentic Christian life. I want to see Christians not just being Christians in church, but in school, at work, on dates, out at restaurants, at political rallies, and everywhere else they go. No, we will not win everyone; the Bible says the world has seen the light and not understood it. But if we can repent of the hypocrisy and luke-warm faith that has become our stereotype, we will have removed the biggest obstacle that keeps non-believers from seeing Christ for who he is - ourselves.

 

With that new vision, the mission statement of RI has changed once again:

 

Righteous Insanity is committed to:

1. Creating drama, film, and fiction that will glorify God and lead people to a closer walk with Him.

2. Inspiring theatre and film artists to use their God-given talents for His glory.

 

RI has always been about providing original, memorable, and inspirational drama that connects with people. I will continue to pursue that goal through the drama catalog, script writing, and also the film and fiction projects that come along. As far as the second part of the mission... I'm a teacher. I've come to embrace that label more than ever. I want to encourage young believers to develop and use their gifts for the Lord by whatever means I can - curriculum, workshops, and hands-on experience, especially with film projects.

 

I don't expect this is the last time I'll re-visit the vision and mission of the ministry that is still going after fifteen years. I expect it to change and grow as I change and grow in my walk with God. For now, I am grateful for a renewed focus on what I do, and why I do it.

 

Let me know if I can help you with your ministry; that's why I am here.

What Christian writers can learn from Rod Serling

Rod Serling was not a Christian, though he shared many values in common with the Christian faith. After witnessing a great number of atrocities as a veteran in World War II, Serling had a great many things to say about the world in which we live - and what he saw wrong with it. He began expressing his thoughts writing for television dramas, but grew weary of seeing his scripts censored, especially those that touched on controversial topics. But Serling would not be denied. He created his own TV show where he was free to express everything he wanted to say - veiled by the genre known as science fiction.

 

Christian writers, be they novelists, dramatists, or screenwriters, would do well to invest some time in front of the television with Serling's masterwork, The Twilight Zone. Serling boldly taught lessons on equality, racism, and other highly controversial topics to a television audience without ever writing one "sermonette" into the script. Serling wrote parables, and like the parables of Jesus, they taught memorable lessons in ways that surprised the listener - then stuck with them for a long time.

 

If you struggle with keeping the sermons out of your scripts, or if you're one of those who believes that we HAVE to spell things out for the audience no matter how disruptive it is to the story, take a journey to The Twilight Zone. If it doesn't change your mind about the way we as Christians write drama, it might just change your mind on something else. That's the way things go in The Twilight Zone. 

A reminder for directors

Positive reinforcement is not an option in the theatre.

I know it's a pain to have to say nice things to your actors sometimes, especially those rare few who act as if they have ego enough for ten men. But they still need to hear "good job," "way to go," or "I liked it when you did this."

Many directors get by with nothing but negative notes in rehearsal. It's a great director who will make the effort to look for, write down, and give POSITIVE notes. They motivate your cast. They actually do inspire them to work harder. Hearing positive notes gives them a sense of pride and ownership in your production. And they lead to even more positive notes - I promise you.

Righteous Insanity presents "Morbidman and Robin!"

He's back... and life is worse than ever. Morbidman returns for his fifth full-length stage adventure in the epic comedy, "Morbidman and Robin!"

"Morbidman and Robin" has been in the works ever since the third full-length adventure "Morbidman Forever" was released. The title came before anything else in an attempt to keep with the titles of the Tim Burton Batman movies. (If you didn't notice, after "Morbidman Meets His Maker" comes "Morbidman Returns" and "Morbidman Forever." A Very Morbid Christmas fits in between plays one and three, if you're a stickler for canon timelines.) Originally, the play was going to be all about love, with Robin Goodfellow/Puck from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" making an appearance. The storyline never worked, and I eventually dropped the idea and went with the prequel named for the first Christian Bale movie, "Morbidman Begins."

I continued to unsuccessfully try my hand with the "Robin" storyline for a few years, but nothing really clicked until earlier this year. I had a real desire to write something to confront the post-modern world and the philosophy of relativism. The idea that we can all make our own morality based on our own experiences and desires is so absurb, it was a natural fit within the Morbidman universe. It also hearkened back to the plot and theme of the original classic. Thus, a new idea for a play began to form.

In "Morbidman and Robin," Morbidman is drawn into an unlikely alliance with his sworn enemies, Dr. Insidious and Scorn. Having accepted the fact that they are fictional characters in a universe created by two playwrights (myself, and the fictional Susan Donen), they theorize that if they can take out the playwright, they can free themselves from the rules and laws that have held them back. Dr. Insidious will have a real shot at world domination. Scorn will have a real chance for revenge. And Morbidman might, just might, have a good day for once.

The evil kidnapping plot is carried out quickly, but the results don't go as expected. With everyone liberated from their Creator's grip, Dr. Insidious's loses his interns and his wife, who leaves him home to take care of their infant son. Morbidman ditches his partners Everyman and Master of the Obvious, choosing to make the Narrator his new sidekick. He also finds love with a young woman who invites him to prom. But just when he thinks things are going well, he discovers he's fallen in love with the Supreme Diva - a fellow hero with real super powers whom Morbidman hates more than life itself.

Things become so chaotic that even the technical crew walks off the job, on stage and off. The conspirators soon realize their need for a Creator, but when they go to restore things to the way they were, the playwright has disappeared on them. Will order and sanity ever return to Terminus City, or will the chaos of relativism destroy them all?

"Morbidman and Robin" has everything people loved about the original: humor, audience interaction, and a visual representation of a relevant and powerful message about relativism and our need for our Creator. It's an ideal piece for youth groups, adults, dinner theaters, school groups, and more.

And yes, there is a reason in the story why it's called "Morbidman and Robin," but I'm not going to give that away here.

The script is only $10, as are the other Morbidman plays, with a royalty due if you perform the play. For more information email john@righteousinsanity.com or go to www.righteousinsanity.com/morbidman

Writing for Kids... and "Big" Kids

A good children's ministry writer never forgets that there are adults as well as kids watching and listening. This is a chance to minister to adults, but also a chance to entertain and delight them. There's no better, easier way to do this than to throw in a name, a line, or some other reference that the kids will miss and the adults will get. Some examples from my own writing:

 

- Name a character after an old TV or movie character: Kelly Kapowski, Alex P. Keaton, Richie Cunningham, or the unforgettable STEVE HOLT!

- Use a quote from a movie. I'll never forget seeing my friend Scott double over with laughter during a children's service when he heard an actor yell, "What in the wide, wide world of sports is-a goin' on here?" I also tossed a Nurse Diesel line (from the movie "High Anxiety") into a Father's Day skit as a treat for my own father: "Those who are tardy do not get fruit cup."

- Use a sound clip from a movie. I just wrote a skit about a radio call-in show where listeners call in with their confessions. The script calls for three sound bites from "The Goonies," where Chunk confesses the worst things he's ever done to the Fratellis as the DJ's, live actors on stage, react in horror.

- Use an old SNL character, or another classic character, in a sketch for the kids.As long as your script doesn't depend on the audience knowing the character, this works on any audience. You can recreate the Church Lady, Hans and Franz, Wayne's World, or the Knights who say "Ni" for kids. (Where do you think the French Peas in Veggie Tales came from? The French Taunter in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," of course.)

- Throw in a musical number, something REAL old school... how long has it been since you've done the Macarena?

- Do it with costumes. Don't draw attention to them, but dress your actors like characters from an old movie. If you go all out and hold nothing back, they WILL get it.

 

Seth MacFarlane is a master of this type of gag. So are the Veggie Tales writers. And it does make for a special treat for the kid in your adult sponsors.

The Sensitive Christian Man

I love to read. I love fiction, and I love non-fiction, and I've read dozens of books over the years about faith, God, and becoming a godly man. I read "If Only He Knew" by Gary Smalley at least three times before I met my wife (who will probably tell you I still don't "know"). Same goes for John Eldredge's "Wild At Heart." I read books by Colson, Stowell, Farrar, Swindoll, Dobson, and many others. Yes, I even read "Jabez."

I like to read, but the simple truth is most guys don't. And every guy could use a little spiritual help, right? So how do you reach those guys who aren't exactly readers?

Might I suggest "The Sensitive Christian Man."

The Sensitive Christian Man is Scott Hope, a self-righteous know-it-all who is pretty much the embodiment of how the world views Christians today. Scott has his own talk show in which he addresses issues like marriage, parenting, money, prayer, integrity, lust, evangelism, and singleness. Scott, of course, gets everything wrong, but thanks to intelligent guests like his best friend Don and his "own personal Timothy" Mike, the truth comes out every time.

Written originally as a series of video scripts, "The Sensitive Christian Man" is now available through Righteous Insanity's drama catalog. There are ten short dramas that can be performed as part of a series or individually. There's no over all story arc, so no need to schedule around the dramas. Use them where you need them.

For years, I've written dozens of scripts for women's ministries and women's retreats, but not so many for guys. My hope is that "The Sensitive Christian Man" will not only fill in the gap for men's ministries that could use a little drama, but that they will encourage and teach guys of all kinds. Our wives, our kids, our churches, and our communities need us to be the best models of Christ we can be. Let's not let them down!

"The Sensitive Christian Man" is available at shop.righteousinsanity.com

You can also see two of the skits performed by puppets on our youtube channel, www.youtube.com/johnritc  

"Educational" Theater

I'm directing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for the third time. This time's different than the previous two. We're using the un-cut script, and the cast voted to do it with a 1980's look for the Athenians. Needless to say, I am having a lot of fun incorporating the look and the music of the 80's into Shakespeare's greatest comedy.

 

The trouble with incorporating nostalgia into your theatrical work is that all too often it becomes a reminder of you own age. Two nights ago, one of the cast members was talking about another song from the show, Run DMC's "It's Tricky." The actor remarked that it's one of his favorite songs, I told him that it still takes me back to 1986 - sixth grade - and the junior high pep rallies when the cheerleaders would do a dance routine to the song. The actor's response? "Yeah... I wasn't born then."

 

Ouch.

 

Despite moments like this, it's worth it to bring back the classics now and then because you get to educate the younger generation about things long past. For example, we've decided to open the second half of the show (Act 4) with a re-creation of Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible" video. The fairy costumes lend themselves perfectly to the look of the classic video, and the actor playing Bottom (one of my students at Christian Academy) is a natural ham for this sort of thing. Of course, not a single one of them was born when "Simply Irresistible" was playing on MTV, so they've all had to do their research by looking it up on Youtube.

 

Even I've found educational value in this play. After months of listening to The Smiths on XM44 (a band that little John, who always liked the new wave groups like the Thompson Twins, missed out on the first time around), I finally had an excuse to download some of their music. Now if only I could find an excuse to download Echo and the Bunnymen...

Catalog update is finished!

Hey, folks. The RI drama catalog is now fully up to day, with over 980 skits and over 1000 resources total! Check out the new material, or get all of the new stuff (most originally featured here on this blog) at http://shop.righteousinsanity.com