Develop Your Acting Skills at NYFA
The 4-Week Acting for Film Workshop is an immersive, full-time workshop that takes students from the basic principles of the craft through a working understanding of the aesthetic and technical aspects of the medium. In this intensive course, aspiring performers develop the skills needed to compete in the business of professional acting, learning under the guidance of professional actors. Through hands-on projects and exercises, students build upon their natural talents and abilities on camera.
Program Description Program Name: 4-Week Online Acting Workshop
In the 4-Week Online Acting Workshop, the principal area of concentration is acting for film, which culminates in creating short, filmed scenes. Technique and Scene Study, Voice and Speech, and movement serve as support courses. Audition Technique exposes students to cold reading techniques, and students are also introduced to the business of acting and its essential tools. Film Craft introduces students to the roles of the director and the cinematographer, the language of film, how films are made, and the effects that these roles have on the choices an actor makes.
The objectives of this workshop are to:
- Modulate a performance to fit the framing of shots, from establishing to close-up; put to use dramatic action, observation, and characterization through scene work; apply text analysis to scripted material.
- Break a scene down into beats, create an emotional arc, establish an objective, and develop strategies toward overcoming obstacles to achieve that objective; define a playable action.
- Prepare one to two (contrasting) monologues; connect the body and voice to scripted material; increase flexibility through body awareness and physical exercises; recognize the essential choices needed for effective cold readings; and make effective use of physical and emotional life.
- Examine the roles of the director and cinematographer with an emphasis on how these roles affect the choices an actor makes in performance.
The program brings everyone to the same level very quickly, beginning with the fundamentals while also filling the inevitable gaps in the understanding of those with prior experience.
Prerequisites – This is an introductory workshop, no prerequisites are required, nor any prior experience expected.
To learn more, request more information.
Class Details
Text in Action
This course teaches core skills necessary for maintaining the integrity of a performance. Text in Action focuses on the analysis and mapping skills required while shooting out of sequence. Students examine contemporary playwrights and screenwriters, examining plot structure and extracting given circumstances, and learn to utilize these fundamental tools for rehearsal and performance.
Voice and Speech
In this course, students will begin to hone a vocal technique that is open, free, flexible, lively, and possessing an extensive and colorful range.
Monologue
In this 2-week intensive course, you will learn how to choose a monologue that showcases your individual type, playing to your unique strengths as an actor. You will learn how to shape and craft the monologue by choosing specific objectives, actions, and personalized points of view to ultimately create a monologue that can be used for auditions and showcases alike.
Audition Technique
This class focuses on the fundamentals of crafting material for on-camera TV and film auditions so that you can create unique, compelling auditions that showcase your strengths as an actor. You will also learn what to expect in a professional audition setting and how to master self-tape auditions successfully.
New Media
This course explores burgeoning new media forms, including web series, creating online media content, and sketch production. Students explore what it means to produce their own work with materials available to them at low or no cost. The class will culminate in a sharing of self-written and produced short videos.
Performance Analysis
Students will view and participate in discussions of pivotal film performances and develop an appreciation and technical understanding of the methods, choices, and effects of various acting styles.
Times and Breakdown by Week
These are intensive, full-time Monday through Friday programs that typically run in three x 3hr sessions from morning to evening. There are breaks in between sessions. Students will need to anticipate extra time outside of class to complete assignments, projects, and exercises. Daily class times may vary, and there may be occasional Saturday classes. Request information to learn more.
Total Course Hours = 80
Program and Software Requirements
This course requires the following software and equipment:
- Laptop or desktop computer
- Smartphone with a camera
Suggested Resources
- Blue or grey backdrop (optional)
- Lapel microphone (attaches to a smartphone, optional)
- Ring light (optional)
Students will join this class remotely. To get the best experience from our online workshops, we recommend that students have a reliable computer, external hard drive, strong internet connection, and a quiet place to work.
In the 4-Week Online Acting Workshop, students complete projects such as a filmed scene, a live scene performed online, several practice auditions and self-tapes, and an effective vocal and physical warm-up. Projects are subject to change.
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Content
Please note: Equipment, curriculum, and projects are subject to change and may vary depending on location. Students should consult the most recently published campus catalog for the most up-to-date curriculum.