Actor’s Notes

22 weeks of improv, and the biggest lesson was learning how to play again 🎭 my final week of improv for actors 2 at second city. i’m reflecting on the three things i’m taking with me: staying in touch with my inner child, being a better collaborator, and reacting truthfully instead of trying to be funny. plus, why this channel feels like my acting diary and what’s next: the raw footage from my ti...

you’re more than what fits inside a self-tape 🎭 week six of improv for actors 2 at second city. i’m talking about what self-tapes can’t capture, why being in a room with other actors matters, and how a simple conversation in class can open doors. plus a reminder to stop comparing your pace to everyone else’s and keep taking notes along the way. what has an acting class taught you that you couldn’...

feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’ve stopped growing 🎭 week five of improv for actors 2 at second city, this time outdoors. three reminders i needed: when you blank, go back to listening; progress comes from repetition, even when class doesn’t feel new; and you’re probably being harder on yourself than anyone watching. what helps you get out of your head when you feel stuck? all my links: https://be...

you can’t listen to your scene partner while planning your next line 🎭 week four of improv for actors 2 at second city. letting go of preconceived ideas, listening to body language, and committing with confidence—even when you don’t have the perfect answer. plus, why giving yourself something to do makes a scene feel more alive. do you catch yourself planning a response instead of listening? all...

turns out musical improv was really a lesson in listening 🎭 week three of improv for actors 2 at second city. surprise singing, getting out of my comfort zone, and the confidence that comes from a scene partner who supports you. plus, the moment i realized i was reacting before i’d even listened. what helps you feel supported when you’re trying something new? all my links: https://beacons.ai/giov...

you don’t need the perfect line to make a scene work 🎭 week two of improv for actors 2 at second city: trusting your instinct, focusing on your scene partner, and making today “the day.” plus, why one mistake shouldn’t stop you from taking another risk. what helps you get out of your head during a scene? all my links: https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal

honestly, there's always more to learn 🎭 my first week of improv for actors 2 at second city. new instructors, different personalities, and a reminder to keep a student mentality and work together. what helps you stay open to learning? all my links: https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal

ever catch yourself hunting for the joke instead of actually listening to your scene partner? yeah, me too 🎭 the last class of improv for actors 1 at second city. why being true beats being funny, what subtext really is (and how "i love you" can mean two totally different things), emotions vs feelings, sound effects in scenes, and why our final class was just pure play. plus a reminder to stay in...

ever blank out mid scene and feel like everyone noticed? honestly that might be the best part 🎭 week 6 of improv for actors 1 at second city. giving your scene partner a heightened name, what to do when your mind goes empty, why you're only one half of the scene, building the house brick by brick, and how you can say no but still say yes to the reality. plus why improv keeps you in touch with you...

ever feel like you're stuck and not learning anything new? honestly that might be the point 🎭 week 5 of improv for actors 1 at second city. the silent scene game, giving your scene partner a name, setting the environment before you say a single word, and why who, where and what do you want keeps coming back. relationship gives you specificity, and specificity makes everything more interesting. on...

ever start a scene and spend the whole time talking about someone who isn't even there? same 🎭 week 4 of improv for actors 1 at second city, officially halfway through. new choice, word association, giving each other names, and why the person right in front of you is always more interesting than whoever you're gossiping about. a suggestion is still just a suggestion. and when something in class s...

ever freeze in a scene because you missed what your partner just said? same 🎭 week 3 of improv for actors 1 at second city. three line scenes, coming home, bring a brick, and why an argument and a conflict are not the same thing. if you only caught the last word, use what's there. how you feel right now is enough to start. what's the one improv note you keep forgetting in the moment? all my links...

ever drop an accent halfway through because you feel ridiculous? same 🎭 week 2 of improv for actors 1 at second city pushed me into character work, animal physicality, and letting a character be someone i'm not. i'm still learning to commit, look at my scene partner, and trust what's happening instead of hunting for a joke. what kind of character takes you furthest out of your comfort zone? all m...

ever say yes to something in a scene just because you thought you had to? same 🎭 first week of improv for actors 1 at second city and i'm learning that saying yes to the reality doesn't mean your character has to agree with everything. back to the basics with tall tom, accepting the gift, building a relationship, and giving up the joke i had planned. where do you catch yourself saying yes when yo...

ever hold back on a choice because you're worried it'll come out wrong? same 🎭 finishing improv 1 at second city and reflecting on the thing i kept coming back to: trusting myself enough to commit. accents, awkward moments, going blank, and bringing that same confidence onto my first feature film set. i'm still in the messy middle with you. next time you catch yourself second guessing, take a bre...

week 6 at second city and the reminder is simple: you don't have to force the funny 🎭 ever get so focused on saying something clever that you stop listening to the person in front of you? this week i'm talking about being truthful, giving your scene partner something to work with, and trusting that a specific choice is enough. questions, relationships, object work, and what to do when your mind g...

starting improv 1B at second city and apparently i brought a whole checklist into my head 🎭 ever know exactly what you're supposed to do in a scene and still get stuck thinking about all of it? same. this week i'm talking about giving your scene partner a name, building a relationship in three lines, and remembering to actually look at the person in front of you. plus the advice i needed from tal...

last day of improv 1A at second city and i was running on 3 hours of sleep after a 5 hour drive 🎭 ever hold back in a scene because you're waiting for someone to save you? same. in this one i get into freeze tag (not the one from recess), why you should tag your scene partner out early instead of letting them blank, the pillars game, and the three questions i ask in every improv scene AND every s...

ever walk into a scene with a whole plan and it just falls flat? been there. why trying to be clever kills your scenes, what second city taught me about listening, what to do when you forget a line, and why improv keeps you close to your inner child. all my links: https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal 00:00 Most acting advice sets you up to fail 01:21 The trap of being interesting 06:49 Preconceived i...

week 3 at the second city and we upgraded "yes, and" to "hell yes, and" 🎭 ever catch yourself firing questions at your scene partner? or blank so hard you forget your own name? same. in this one i get into why asking questions is basically stealing from your partner, the coming home game that taught me specificity without saying a single word, why every scene should start in the middle, and the m...

week 2 at the second city and honestly this one hit different 🎭 you ever freeze up in a scene and default to bossing your partner around? same. in this episode i get into why so many improvisers fall back on anger or teaching, why you should "kill your babies" (thanks Del Close), and why one simple, specific line is usually all your scene partner needs. plus a little homework at the end: practice...

improv isn't just for sketch comedy. this one breaks down why every actor should train in it: really listening, handling a director's redirect without freezing, failing in class so set feels easier, and what i picked up watching alex wolff play on set. all my links: https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal 00:00 Why actors need improv 07:07 Being present and spontaneous 09:53 Filming out of order 12:14 Y...

The fastest way to become a better actor, improviser, and scene partner might be to stop trying to be perfect. Giovanni reflects on his first week at Second City Chicago and the improv lessons that changed how he thinks about confidence, specificity, and taking up space on stage. From the “yes, and” rule to the trap of “polite improviser syndrome,” this episode turns beginner-class insights into p...

ever feel like you're sending self tapes into the void? same. this one is about the messy middle, where you're not a beginner anymore but you're not booking everything either. treating auditions like a playground instead of an exam, why three takes is plenty, why you should stop guessing what casting wants, and what to do with the nerves. all my links: https://beacons.ai/giovanniaxibal 00:00 Stop...

Actors Notes , where Giovanni turns the lens on his own life as a half-Russian, half-Filipino actor. He shares how growing up between two cultures taught him to read subtext, trust instinct, and make bolder creative choices in auditions. He also breaks down why your upbringing, cadence, humor, and even your “edges” can make a performance more memorable—if you stop trying to sand them down. You ’ll...