Acting on Camera

Catalog description

This course is for actors who want to explore and cultivate their filmic talents, and directors and writers who want to create performances that exploit the potential of the camera. Students will explore this intimate relationship between actor and camera which is unique to film performance. Experienced actors and those new to acting begin working before the camera in the first class. By breaking down and filming scenes from television and film scripts, and through improvisation and in-class exercises, actors learn to make nuanced, authentic choices based on commitment to action, responsibility to text, investing in subtext and understanding what their physicality and behavior reveal. Being directed and watching others directed will give clarity to the role the actor plays in this visual storytelling process. Casting and auditioning will be demystified through improvisation and practice of rehearsed and cold audition material. We will also explore the business aspects of professional acting, including casting and actor representation. The goal is to become a better screen actor, trust yourself, feel confident and comfortable auditioning and working on professional sets in the future. Footage and scenes are available to each student. Prior acting experience and training is not required.