You may perform up to TWO scenes for submission for evaluation. If you wish to participate in midseason evaluations you may submit a video that includes your team performing two scenes for an adjudication. If you are recording on a platform such as Zoom or Google Meets, simply record the meeting using the recording function on those platforms and submit the video in that way. If you are performing in person you may record using a phone, a camera, or any video taking device. The most important thing is that we can see and hear you. The format in which you submit your mid-season is NOT necessarily the same format in which you will perform your competitive submission. For example: if your school board currently mandates no in-person rehearsals your mid-season recording will likely be on an online platform. If you move to being in person by April you may compete in the hybrid competition. In sum: the format you choose to submit your mid-season evaluation video does not necessarily need to be the same format in which you submit your final competitive video.

Here are a few more rules about the midseason evals

1. Mid-season submissions do not need to be filmed in front of a live audience, rehearsal footage is acceptable.
2. Mid-season submissions do not need to be filmed back-to-back in a single video, they can be two separate videos.
3. You are not required to submit mid-season videos to participate in the competitive portion of the tournament.
4. You MUST submit your video link before March 31st, 2022 in order to receive feedback.
5. To submit your video. Simply upload it to Youtube (and list it as private if you don’t want others to be able to see it) and send it to spencer@improv.ca with a link to the video!

The hybrid and online tournaments are divided into four pools.

The four pools are as follows:

1. Senior Hybrid Tournament – Teams able to meet in person 
2. Junior Hybrid Tournament – Teams able to meet in person
3. Senior Online Tournament – Teams who have to meet over online platforms (Zoom/Teams/Meets/Etc)
4. Junior Online Tournament – Teams who have to meet over online platforms (Zoom/Teams/Meets/Etc)

The pools in which you are competing will depend entirely on how your team is rehearsing/performing. This may absolutely change up to the date on which you decide to record your official submission. We will stand by this flexibility in the face of the pandemic because we want everyone to be able to participate.

We WILL be asking everyone at the beginning of March how they plan to record/perform so that we have an idea of who is in each pool. Those numbers help us determine how each pool will be structured BUT again, this is flexible.

Every team will compete against the other teams in their pool. A team of judges will be assigned to each pool and judge accordingly. The TOP FIVE teams from each pool will advance to finals (round two of submissions) and will be expected to submit another video for judging. The judges will be swapped for finals and new suggestions will be given. Teams may substitute members between tapings. The winners of finals will be announced one week after submissions are due.

There will be a champion for each pool.

The first round of competitive submissions will be due on Friday April 22nd

1. Your submission must be filmed and recorded in front of a live audience (even if it is just a group of friends or classmates!) A good audience serves as a source of energy for your players.
2. Your Canadian Improv Games presentation needs a host (referee) and a timekeeper
3. Your host is responsible for collecting suggestions from the audience and ensuring that the show keeps moving in a timely manner.
4. The entire recording should take no more than 30 minutes.
5. Your time keeper is responsible for calling out time calls at 1 minute remaining and 30 seconds remaining as well as ensuring that the scene ends at the 4 minute mark (although, teams are not required to use all 4 minutes.
6. Your performance does not need to be in a big auditorium, a large classroom or gymnasium is great!
7. If you do decide to use an auditorium, you can charge admission for this show if you like – proceeds could go to the improv program at your school.
8. The entire video entry (which will include all 4 events) must be shot using one continuous camera angle, which includes event introductions, the gathering of suggestions, huddles and full scenes.  In other words, keep the camera in the same spot and position throughout the entire filming! This means that if you are filming two teams at the same event, each team must perform their events back to back before the other team performs – they can not alternate events.
9. If using in-camera sound, make sure the camera (or microphone, if using a separate microphone) is close enough to the performance that voices can be heard clearly.  So, if in a large auditorium, don’t have the camera way at the back and zoomed in, have the camera as close to the action as possible, but in a spot where you can see the whole stage, for the best sound possible.
10. We understand that improv on video can pale in comparison to seeing it live.  All we ask is that we can clearly see and hear the action.
11. Feel free to recruit others to help out with the video production!  Many schools have an A/V team capable of shooting and editing video.  Ask your students if they know anyone who can help out on the technical side of things.
12. When processing your video submission keep in mind that the finished product should be no longer than 30 minutes.  We recommend, when exporting your final video, to select a “medium” quality, giving you a file size of about 300MB.
13. The submitted video can begin at the introduction of the first event.
14. Upload your submission to YouTube (keep it unlisted if you don’t want it publicly viewable) and send us the link.

• IF your team is competing live (ie. able to perform in person and record all together) you MUST follow these rules- otherwise, your team may be disqualified.
• All the CIG rules apply: play four out of the five events (Theme and Life are mandatory), four minute time limit for all scenes, eight players maximum per team and no player substitutions between scenes, etc. For more information or clarification on the rules of the Canadian Improv Games, please consult the rulebook, read your Discovering the Moment Coaches Manual or email us at spencer@improv.ca 
• You do not have to have a live audience, though you may if you can do so safely. However, you MUST have one non-team member attend the recording. (This can be another student or a student teacher, but must be someone other than the coach) If having another person in the room goes against your community safety guidelines please let us know ASAP and we will arrange for a CIG representative to be videoed into your recording.
• You must let us know when you plan on recording your official submission video.
• You MUST submit your “ask-fors” a week before you record. A team of CIG judges will decide on your suggestions ahead of time and these suggestions will be given to you in a Google Document. 
• The Google Document will be sent to you at the time you indicated you were filming your submission and will expire EXACTLY 60 minutes after it’s been sent.
• There’s no high tech required. Film on a point-and-shoot, or even a phone! However, video has to be filmed in one continuous take, with all events back-to-back, and no editing. 
• We may also have a CIG adjudicator videoed into your performance space for accountability and to practice adjudicating- more details on this forthcoming.
• For the JUNIOR tournament- all of the same rules apply as usual  (3 minute scenes, etc) but they also follow the rules outlined above.
• As per usual, you may have alternates but they are not allowed to swap out between scenes.
• Because you have the ability to perform in person you MUST adhere to ALL public health guidelines as mandated by your school, your school board, and you given provincial guidelines. Safety is our absolute number one priority.

For teams in the hybrid pool(s) the scorecard remains the same.

• If your team is competing in an online format you must follow these rules or risk disqualification.
• This pool applies to teams meeting over platforms such as Zoom or Google Meets. You may perform on any platform that you find suitable. You MUST perform on a platform that allows for recording OR you must download a stream recording software to capture your performance. Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom all work adequately for recording. 
• All the CIG rules apply: play four out of the five events HOWEVER- NONE of the five events are mandatory. You will choose the four you feel work the best for your team and showcase THOSE four events. Four minute time limit for all scenes, eight players maximum per team and no player substitutions between scenes, etc. For more information or clarification on the rules of the Canadian Improv Games, please consult the rulebook, read your Discovering the Moment Coaches Manual or email us at spencer@improv.ca 
• If you are competing online there is an amended scorecard. The scorecard for the online pool(s) is below.
• For teams competing online you may ALSO have a ninth player. This player can act as a “Tech person”. This ninth player may manipulate the Zoom/Google Meets/Microsoft teams video as an administrator. They may turn mics and cameras on/off and move players in and out of scenes. They may NOT perform in any of the scenes and may not be seen or heard during the performance. Plays may mute their mics/cameras themselves. The ninth player is NOT required. The tech person may also call your times for the team but this is the only time they should be heard. A coach may also give time calls.
• You MAY use the features associated with your given platform (such as backgrounds or screen blurring) but you may not:
  • Use music unless performed by the players on the team
  • Edit special effects in after the performance
• Remember! The score card does not reward the most elaborate tech setup but rather the skills exhibited by the improvisers. We are looking for quality improv NOT high-tech performances.
• Junior rules follow the same structure as the rule book plus what has been outlined above. Scenes are three minutes, teams of 8, one extra player may be used as a tech person.
• You may absolutely have an audience watch your recording. There are plenty of resources online that highlight how to have an “audience” at your showcase. You can charge a fee by donation or simply give the video link to parents who want to watch. Please ensure that your video quality remains clear even if you have an audience. Please also ensure that your audiences cameras and microphones are muted so we can see and hear the improvisers!
• You must let us know when you plan on recording your official submission video.
• You MUST submit your “ask-fors” a week before you record. A team of CIG judges will decide on your suggestions ahead of time and these suggestions will be given to you in a Google Document. 
• The Google Document will be sent to you at the time you indicated you were filming your submission and will expire EXACTLY 45 minutes after it’s been sent.
• We may also have a CIG adjudicator videoed into your performance space for accountability and to practice adjudicating- more details on this forthcoming.
• For the JUNIOR tournament- all of the same rules apply as usual. 
• As per usual, you may have alternates but they are not allowed to swap out between scenes.

For teams competing in then ONLINE format you’ll notice the following changes in the scorecard:

• Staging has been removed from the scorecard to reflect the inability to act on a stage. 
• Interest has been changed to a 5-point category to reflect the lack of in person energy given at a live performance or life show.
• The total number of points achievable using this scorecard is 52 points
• This is NOT a reflection of the quality of improv being performed but simply a reflection of the limitations of online play. Teams that compete online will not be compared to teams competing “in-person” and thus scores cannot and should not be compared between pools.