The Tyler Files

I'm Kate Hess!: Old Improv Notes

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:35:58 -0500

My husband found a handout from the improv class he took with Ian Roberts. I’m reposting it here!

Scene Work Basics
1. Start with agreement on one or more of the following elements:

“where” / environment

attitude

emotion

intensity/energy

activity

2. Establish who you are, where you…

"If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own..."

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:16:38 -0500

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”

- Marcus Aurelius

"Live life like a duck. Be calm and collected on the surface, but paddle like the Devil underneath."

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:43:50 -0500

“Live life like a duck. Be calm and collected on the surface, but paddle like the Devil underneath.”

The Crazy Garlic Woman

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:34:00 -0500

I am in the process of getting rid of some old blogs and making new ones. Here is one of my favorite posts from a blog in 2009:

It was like any other Saturday in New York. I made plans, took the R train from Astoria going downtown, and then decided I was too tired to do what I had planned.

This week I scheduled an improv practice session at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. I paid for it online and everything… but after sitting on the subway, and having a generally crappy week, I just wasn’t in the mood to pretend I was a robot or caveman or something ridiculous. And my friend Shaun Diston who suggested I sign up for it, dropped it as well. And in general, I was beat. So, instead of getting off at 34th Street as planned, I got off at Times Square to transfer and go back uptown.

Now near times square is W. 40th st… the most glorious place in all of New York. Just one glance leaving the subway and you can see Midtown Comics, The Drama Book Shop, AND the Midtown Buffet (Chinese)… Vices, vices, vices. All they need to put there is a shop specializing in cartoon ducks, and I would be in heaven. (Disclaimer: I am obsessed with cartoon ducks. Donald, Daffy, Scrooge, Baby Huey, you name it. Even Ducky from Land Before Time and Jar Jar Binks count… as they are funny and have bills. It’s an odd obsession).

4 hours later, after my impulsive detour, I got back on the subway to head back to Queens. I was pretty relaxed by this point… and very full. I had a copy of Y: The Last Man in one hand, and Truth in Comedy in the other. I also got the most peculiar fortune from my cookie… and it had me quite disturbed: “You enjoy races, but your horse will not win.” Looks like I won’t be betting on Old Bones this week…

I sat there for a few minutes, relieved that the car I was riding in was practically empty except for me and one woman that was an exact replica of Mokey Fraggle:

Well, naturally, the second the doors closed, this woman comes and sits directly next to me. There were empty seats everywhere, but she chose to grace me with her presence in extremely close proximity. She sat silently. I read my book. And then she pulled her “lunch” out. Now, it always disgusts me when people eat on the subway, because I just consider it the most dirty place on earth to put something in your mouth… snacks OR penises… mouths should remain closed on the subway. So there I am, trying to not look at this woman, dressed like a fucking druid, and she pulls out a container of GARLIC. Straight up, nasty ass garlic. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. Are you serious?

I gave her a horrified look. “That smells wretched,” I said. “Please don’t eat that in here, you’re stinking the whole car up.”

And the following dialogue ensued:

“People like me.”

Her breath wafted straight towards my face and into my mouth. I could taste what she was eating.

“Sick.”

“I write my own poetry”

Uh oh. Here it comes. And with a breathy voice, aimed in my direction, she proceeded:

“People like me. I am liked. I am loved. People like me. I am liked. I am loved.”

By this point, I was visibly gagging, so I got up to move to the other side of the car. And she followed me!

And then she spoke faster, “People like me. I am liked. I am loved. People like me. I am liked. I am loved.”

GARLIC GARLIC GARLIC

“People like me. I am liked. I am loved. People like me. I am liked. I am loved. People like me. I am liked. I am loved.”

“Leave me alone!” I yelled.

“The moon revolves around the sun. The sun revolves around the moon. Sun. Moon. Sun. Moon. Sunny Moon…”

It was on “Sunny Moon” that the train stopped briefly at 59th and Lexington and I ran out and switched cars.

I can still taste the garlic.

-Tyler J. Gilmore

And here is my claim to fame! The 2004 Wal Mart Seinfeld...

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 11:19:17 -0500

And here is my claim to fame! The 2004 Wal Mart Seinfeld Commerical!!! Man, this is sooo corny.

Here is another video I was in last year that I never got around...

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:20:09 -0500

Here is another video I was in last year that I never got around to posting. It is a Kansas City Chiefs sketch (GO KANSAS!!!) about Shaun Smith, the guy accused of grabbing other players balls during play. This was a super fun shoot!

And here is Episode 4, Entourage.

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:01:09 -0500

And here is Episode 4, Entourage.

This is Episode 3 of Behind the Steve. It is called, Meet...

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:39:57 -0500

This is Episode 3 of Behind the Steve. It is called, Meet Karl.

I freaking loved filming this. Most fun I’ve had in New York.

You can check out the entire series at www.funnyordie.com. Just search for Beind the Steve.

"The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for."

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 08:29:19 -0500

“The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.”

- Bob Marley (via nevver)

TWO YEARS! Whoa.

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:00:26 -0400

So September 30th, 2010 marks my two year anniversary in New York City.

I am very proud of myself.

The past 4 weeks or so have been great too.

The film, Freakonomics, directed by Morgan Spurlock comes out in select theaters this Friday, Oct. 1. I’m in it. It was one of the first things I did in New York back in 2008.

I recently did a great role in Behind the Steve, a great web series which should go online in the next few months. Definitely check it out.

I also just shot an MTV Pilot called, Go Cause. I’m waiting to see if it gets picked up.

Improv is going well. I just finished a Will Hines 501 class (he is the best teacher of all time).We had a great class and class show. I will miss it. I learned a lot and got a lot better.

I’m in a Shannon O’Neill 501 on Wednesday nights. She is awesome. The class makes my brain explode with the exercises she has us do… but it can only help me.

I have a Delaney class on Saturdays. Scene work. This one is going to be hard. He works completely different muscles… and the people in the class are intimidating they are so freaking good. I’m just going to assume I won’t get laughs in this class and be there for the learning experience. He’s a great teacher and super nice. He’s direct, but nice. Its also nice to just work on being in the moment in a scene… like really focus on acting. I miss that.

I start a Drysdale class on Sunday. I’m super excited for that. Its a scene work class. Everyone always talks about how great she is, so I finally am taking the plunge.

I finally started Skyping with an acting coach, Bettina Devin. She is great. She has SD (my vocal disorder) and she goes untreated with Botox. She has quite a successful career as an actress. So that is cool.

I also am in The Strangers (my improv group) on Tuesdays which just added a new player, George Anasto (I’m not gonna try to spell his last name). I’m pumped about that. He’s great. He was in my Will Hines 501 class.

I’m also in another practice group with some great improvisers I love working with on Thursdays. Hopefully we end up performing at some point, but its too early to tell.

So yeah, I’m overwhelmed. I’m trying to start getting stuff together to start pursuing an agent… getting in front of casting directors, etc.

Now that I’m at the 2 year mark, I really need to focus on getting paying work.

Go ME!

- Tyler J. Gilmore

R.I.P. Kevin McCarthy

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 15:04:00 -0400

I grew up watching this guy in U.H.F., one of the best movies of all time.

“A U.H.F. STATION!!!”

Good night, Sweet Prince.

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/body-snatchers-actor-mccarthy-96-dies-mass-ap

YOU’RE NEXT!!!

Pictures I like:

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:26:00 -0400

nevver: To the Milky Way

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:10:42 -0400

nevver:

To the Milky Way

Man, I love cartoons...

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:27:59 -0400

http://best.complex.com/lists/the-50-greatest-saturday-morning-cartoons

I made a good decision...

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:21:33 -0400

http://ucbcomedy.blogspot.com/2010/08/interview-chris-gethard-of-big-lake.html

Above is a sweet link on UCB’s blog… an interview with Chris Gethard:

who is in the new sitcom, “Big Lake” (with Horatio Sanz and Chris Parnell)

airing on Comedy Central this Tuesday. Its produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay:

That’s pretty fucking sweet.

Also, my former teacher Zach Woods recently became a regular on The Office:

I want to take a moment to say that most of my life is riddled with mistakes and regret and things I wish I would not have eaten…

Like General Tso’s Chicken:

Or Sesame Chicken:

Or the two versus each other in a chicken death match:

But one decision I do NOT regret is moving out to New York on a whim to study improv comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre:

Real quality shit happens at the UCB… its the best school for up and coming comic talent there is. I may screw up a lot but I definitely invested in the right thing this time…

I’ve never felt like I belonged so much than with the people I have met there. I don’t drink the “Kool Aid” that can come in cliques that form there… sometimes the social scene in New York improv feels a bit like High School. Well, a LOT like high school. There are a lot of social climbers and “networking” people. Not that I dislike networking (it is, after all, about who you know), but I do disagree with it as a replacement for working solidly on the craft of comedy.

I am interested in making people laugh and reaching my full potential as a comedian (whatever form that may take).

I am excited about the performer I am becoming… finally finding my own voice. A voice I’m not afraid to share.

I remember getting my theatre degree at Nebraska Wesleyan University… 5 long years of basically being told I sucked and was a “hack.” Ironically, I still always got big parts… but by the time I graduated, my confidence as a performer was totally shot. I gave up for two years, desperately wanting to believe in myself but too afraid to try again… but the UCB gave that all back to me. I feel like I do good work and I keep getting better.

The people you meet at the UCB are amazing. Like anywhere, there are people that you can’t stand… but regardless of how much someone may irk me, I respect ANYONE that pursues comedy. Should everyone be doing it? Probably not. But its not my job to ever judge… people just may not have found their voice yet.

I remember looking up to my director in college like he was some sort of God… but he usually ruined my self - esteem. He yelled, he talked about how I screwed up in front of other students when I wasn’t even there. And he was very manipulative.

When I look up to my teachers at UCB, I feel like they respect me. They are encouraging… and more importantly, in the end, they are comedians themselves. They are funny people.

I stopped doing comedy from last October to about March of this year. I got so frustrated with the improv “scene.” So frustrated I couldn’t be friends with all the “cool improv kids.” I am glad I took that time off. Because after my anger over not fitting into some imaginary group I had created in my head, I really just started craving solid work on my craft. In the end its the laughter that matters. Doing a good, funny show.

Who cares if someone snubs me at the Creek or I don’t get asked to “improv prom”? It doesn’t matter. What matters is getting good at what I love to do and to continually push myself.

I’ve been five different religions:

Christian,

Jewish,

Buddhist,

Hindu,

and the craziest one… Baha’i…

They all have backfired in my face… but every time I do comedy, and do good work, I definitely get that happiness I looked for in religion.

Doing good comedy, and being around supportive, funny people feels better than any “love” I’ve ever been in, and any religion I ever took part in.

I will never take a break from it again. That Gethard interview was very inspiring… and although I’m doing a lot more, I’m still not doing enough.

UCB is just great. From the three day long Del Close Marathon 12 that just happened where I partied my ass off with awesome people,

And from some of my fondest memories of watching the show on Comedy Central (one of the few things my big bro did with me as a kid that we both enjoyed together)

There is no thing I’d rather be a part of.

At risk of sounding incredibly cheezy, I just want to thank the UCB for fostering my creativity, introducing me to the best friends I could ever ask for, and giving me a place to belong… even if that place is under a grocery store and full of beer stained broken chairs…

Mustache Fuckin' with My Head

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:37:03 -0400

Do I keep it?

Does it make me more artistic?

Do I exploit it?

Do girls like it?

Will I ever have sex again?

Does it make me memorable in a comedic sense?

Do I look like a prestigious playa?

Distinguished?

Will I start a trend?

Do I seem more spiritual? Am I transcending space and time?

Do I look, um, gay?

Do I?

OR does it pigeonhole me as a semi-sleezy fat man like Roy Biggins from Wings?

These are the questions going through my head. Every guy comedian I know says “Keep it, its hilarious” or “You look like a Dad. Its funny” or “You are one of the few people that can pull it off.” Even some women CLAIM to like it (although I can’t help but feel like I’m the butt of some joke).

Some people say it is awful and to get rid of it immediately.

But one thing is for certain… no one says nothing. Its the only thing people discuss when talking to me anymore. “Great mustache. Keep it” or “What are you thinking? What is wrong with you?”

I have yet to meet one person who doesn’t have some comment or who is indifferent to it. I mean… ITS JUST A MUSTACHE!

But now when I look in the mirror, my mustache talks to me. It messes with my head. “I’m in charge now” it says. “No one cares about you anymore. You are NOTHING without me.” “People don’t even ask about you… they ask how I am doing.”

Oh man. Its like, if I keep him (the stache) he will call the shots from now until the end… but if I shave him off, its like I’m committing a murder.

He is watching me.

Brooklyn ain't so bad...

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:20:00 -0400

I’ve never really liked Brooklyn. Up until recently, I’ve only been to Williamsburg… which makes me feel like a really old man,even though I’m only 26. All the skinny assholes and their music beats. However, that was until this moment on the beach near the Brooklyn Bridge…

I love New York City… and Brooklyn ain’t so bad either.