Normally, at the OoB Offices, we get our fair share of all kinds of mails: Snail, fan and e-. So it turned our heads when we were corresponded with through the direct marketing approach. Apparently improvisers are in someone's demographic! So, what do we do as improvisers? We match energy and heighten the game. Meet Word Twiddle, a suggestion generator application for your iPhone. While it's not specifically designed with improvisers in mind, Terry Millard, of Double Dog productions, has designed, developed and sold software, websites and Internet applications for more than 13 years with his brother.

According to their website, Word Twiddle is an iPhone/iTouch app that creates random word stimulus, encouraging you to view a problem from a new direction, fueling the creation of quality ideas. Each new set of words broadens your creativity. Word Twiddle includes over 53,000 words categorized into lists created to compliment each other and stimulate different types of ideas. To use Word Twiddle, select 1 to 3 inspiring word lists and start Twiddling. With the ability to choose up to three word lists, you receive optimum word stimulus. More relevant stimulus means you create more quality ideas.

As improvisers, we never want to run a rehearsal scene again stuck in the same old same old "grandma's kitchen", "office break room" or "backstage at the circus".


OoB: Maybe you can explain a little bit about to in Layman's terms.

Terry Millard: My brother and I have started various internet businesses for the last twenty years. It seems like we were always trying to brainstorm new products, new product names, marketing ideas. And we've done some improv, so we understand how hard it is to just brainstorm off the top of your head. In the past we have used these kinds of websites with random word generators, but they are usually always the same words or you can only-pick-one-category-at-a-time kinds of things. And we were thinking of some ideas for the iPhone. And we said, "Wouldn't it be interesting to have several databases of words, and you can pick the type of word you want?" And you can put them on there and mix them around any way you want. And do more what I call "Targeted Brainstorming" or "Targeted Creative Thinking". So we sat down and created a list of 53,000 words. That you can basically put on these three wheels and choose the order. You can save them. You can email them. But the main goal is to jump-start your brain and jump-start that creative process that will put some words together that you may not have thought up in the past.

OoB: I coach a lot of improv and I can't tell you how often I have to come up with a new suggestions for rehearsals. I am looking through my old notes just looking for interesting words... I ended up using the same ones over and over again.

TM: You get in that rut sometimes and it gets harder and harder to get out of that rut. This helps.

OoB: Do you have a favorite one?

TM: I think my favorite list is odd jobs. Like "Ice Clerk". I gravitate towards the silly ones. And just thinking that that is a real job makes it even funnier.

OoB: How did you and your brother get so interested in words.

TM: I think they convey so much, I mean, the right words in the right fitting can mean so much, and I think we've always been interested in that. And while struggling to create marketing ideas and product names that stand out or are unique or memorable... that process gets you in tune with words and putting words together.

OoB: How does one get the Twiddle on their iPhone.

TM: You can get in one of two different ways. If you have an iPhone or an iTouch, you can go to the internet and download the full version for $1.99 and the light version is free. You can go on the internet to the iTunes Apps store and purchase it and download it directly to you iPhone. The other way is you can go through your computer and into iTunes and into the App Store. The browser looks just like iTunes or Amazon or anything else that you can buy stuff on, and you can download it right to your mac or PC.

OoB: Any new functionality on the boards for Twiddle 2.0?

TM: We want to create an application that will make it so you can enter your own words to our categories. Also we want to allow folks to add words in their own categories that are maybe industry specific or, for you guys, comedy-specific. On the drawing board is something called "Shared Lists" where you can invite people into your group to share words and categories on their iPhones.

OoB: Can we try a quick trial run?

TM: Sure.

OoB: I need a very interesting animal you don't see everyday and throw in an emotional state or feeling with that.

TM: Uhhhh. let's see. Okay. I have a "Tingling Asian Elephant"

OoB: Great!

TM: And I have a "Titillated Aardvark" or an "Easy Vulture", "Disapproving Raccoon"

OoB: How about a profession and a country where they're from?

TM: Let's see...a "Serbian Ruler." A "Cameroon Taster". I guess that would be a "Taster from Cameroon".

OoB: Uh, huh.

TM: A "Pigeon Fancier from Honduras".

OoB: (laughs)

TM: A "Pig's Feet Finisher from Hong Kong". A "Religious Healer from Belize". A "Reptile Farmer from Hungary"

OoB: I think my great grandfather was one of those.

TM: I find myself just doing random ones all the time. Tell me, for improv. Are you dealing most with emotions and occupations. What's typical?

OoB: I think the most typical ones are relationships and locations... and objects. But very often people just come to the audience with "Give me a word." and I try to tell my students to ask the audience for what you want specifically, so that the audience knows what you want. The more specific you can be the better. If you leave it too open you get words like "proctologist". "Vibrator" seems to come up a lot for some reason. I think people just want to to yell the dirtiest word they can summon up the nerve to yell in the dark.

TM: Yeah, I can understand that.

OoB: Like when you were in 3rd grade and you found a new word that you couldn't believe someone had made a word for.

TM: Right . I have two sons that are 25 and 23 and it seems like if you can put "Fart" in a sentence, you can still make them laugh, no matter what the sentence is about...or anything close to that 12-year old humor.


As an added bonus we are giving away 3 free access codes to lucky blog readers. Simply write in to buckprov@yahoo.com with the best improv suggestion you've ever gotten or thought of. Use TWIDDLE CONTEST in the subject line. It's got to be original, unique, and completely helpful to the improvisers. The best three entries to be submitted before July 4th will win a free access code to download Word Twiddle for free on your computer or iPhone.

Labels: improv, iPhone, Suggestions, Twiddle