Looking for another exercise to help players drill Organic Group Games?  Look no further. This exercise focuses on the 2nd move of an Organic Group Game. From the Offer (which is “anything,” but is best served by a Self Contained Emotional Statement), the 2nd move seeks to Set the progression by establishing a mechanic or dynamic the rest of the group can follow.  But, remember, these are Organic Group Games – what matters is that the 3rd move follows what the 3rd player sees, not what the 2nd player intended.  Running this drill should highlight for players A) that group games are served well by attempts to focus a direction up top and B) that any direction a group follows together is the “right” direction.  

ORGANIC MOVES FROM A BOWL – Player Two will choose a piece of paper from a bucket/bowl/etc. that will say either, “One Person Scene,” “To The Ether,” “Help Desk,” or “Hey Everybody.” The point being that, after Player One takes the stage and initiates with any Self Contained Emotional Statement, Player Two will make a move that will attempt to steer the scene toward a specific rubric game. (If “One Person,” agree with emotional perspective; If “TtE,” heighten an emotional perspective with a new context; If “Help Desk,” react emotionally to the initiating character; and, if “Hey Everybody,” engage an emotional perspective to the context/content of the initiation.) Player Three will join the scene looking to serve what’s already in play in whatever fashion to force the scene into a group game. If necessary Player Four, Five, Six, Etc. will add in.

Lessons:

• Focus don’t dictate – If Player Two attempts to focus a scene into a game with his/her contribution, great. But if Player Three sees a way to heighten the scene that does not fit into the “rubric” of the standard game, who cares? These are ultimately organic games.
• The rubrics help; don’t let them hinder – We can spin gold out of shit if we follow, repeat, clarify, etc. our initial chaos. But, if we start focused, we have a better chance of heightening collaboratively to an explosive end. Just because you now have the ability to play organically, don’t let that be an excuse to play sloppily.