with a few exceptions. Its focus is on younger students, grades 7–10, and was created to help build strong leadership skills within younger students. This format also focuses younger improvisers on the basic scene structure with the addition of the Open Event. This additional format also allows for more stage time for younger players to gain confidence and performance experience in front of an audience. The teams consist of no more than eight performing members. Teams are given the option of maintaining 2 alternate players; it is recommended that teams have no less than five players. There are 5 events in the Canadian Improv Games, including: Life, Character, Style, Story and Theme (and open as opposed to life in junior tournaments). Teams must perform 4 of these 5 events, including mandatory Theme and Life scenes. During a night of play, the players will provide the audience with an ask-for. An ask-for is used to specify the type of suggestion the team requires to fuel their scene. An ask-for can be a variety of things, ranging from, the title of a song, a non-geographical location, or simply an adjective. Scenes may last up to 4 minutes, and a whistle will be blown when the allotted time is up. The team is not penalized for the having the whistle blown, it simply means the end of the scene. However, they are not required to use the entire 4 minutes. Before performing a scene, the players may 'huddle' for up to 15 seconds to prepare and briefly discuss the upcoming scene. This also allows the opportunity for players to discuss the suggestion. Time calls from linespersons change and vary depending on location but one minute and thirty second time calls have been implemented in the 2008 season. Judges are Canadian Improv Games volunteers, often accredited with theatre and improv experience. They are responsible for watching and scoring each scene in a given round. Each judge has a maximum of fifty-nine points available to award to each scene. Although there is no question that improvisation is an artistic and creative endeavour, judges also take into consideration an array of specific technical skills. These skills are making and accepting offers, advancing, listening, commitment, stakes, and staging. Judges can also awards points for skill of the event, use of suggestion, interest, and risk. Most scenes incorporate the "five elements" which include, location, relationship and characters, conflict,