THE Film and Television Year CURRICULUM

Advancement into the second year is by invitation only and is based on teacher evaluations, academic standing and final performances reviewed by the Academic Committee.

The second year brings the young actor to the world of the camera. Learning to integrate technique with understanding and accommodating the requirements of the camera are the objectives of the second year. Year two is grounded in Scene Study for the Camera, and Acting Process for the Camera. Actors expand their on-camera craft with Auditioning for Film and Television, Commercials and Daytime Drama. Actor’s Comedy Workshop, Monologues and the Voice-over work-shop continue to support actors in their growth.

Actors in the final semester begin to be introduced to the industry. To prepare them, students take a Business of the Business workshop. They are invited to do monologues for a jury of professional casting directors and agents. A six-week workshop run by casting directors gives actors the opportunity to meet and work with these professionals. The second-year work culminates with a unit devoted to shooting a fully produced film scene.

In your final semester:

• You will perform before a professional jury selected by the Artistic Director. Each member prepares a detailed evaluation of your skills, casting type, strengths and areas for improvement.
• You will work with professional casting directors, agents and managers to help prepare you for the realities of auditioning.
• If eligible, you will audition for a role in the final film project. Casting is done by the Artistic Director, Executive Director and a panel of professional directors. Filming is done in studios and on location with a full film crew and can last as long as ten days.

THE241

PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP

Interact with industry leaders, enhance networking possibilities and garner reallife
experience as a complement to instudio training. Possible placements include working in the offices of casting directors, agents, producers and advertising agencies, or with theater
companies, production companies or event planners. Prepare reports reflecting on how the coursework relates to the internship experience.

THE245

ACTORS LAB III

Analyze screenplays from the actor’s point of view. Learn how to use analytical skills to build a character in an organic and truthful way. Move forward by putting all preceding Actors Lab work in front of the camera, adding the technical skills necessary for filmmaking.

THE253

ACTORS COMEDY WORKSHOP

Get a solid foundation in the various styles of comedy, from “Broad” to “Realistic.” Learn the practical application of the principles of character development, physical and verbal timing and point of view. Develop a comprehensive vocabulary for use in both situation comedy and sketch comedy. Apply basic acting skills to comic material. Learn key techniques for auditioning in the competitive comedy arena. Gain insight into the creation of comic material by executing a team exercise in creating an idea, pitch and script for an
original situation comedy.

THE255

PROCESS FOR THE CAMERA I

Function effectively and professionally in front of the camera by hitting marks; making entrances or exits; dealing with props; adjusting between master, mid-shot and close-up; and shooting out of sequence with both physical and emotional continuity. Practice on-set behavior; shooting sequence; master, midshot, close-up; working with the neutral mask; and character-specific behavior choices in mid-shot.

THE258

VOICE-OVER

Learn the tools to deal specifically with voice-over microphone work; prepare the moment before; apply subtext to meaning and inflection; identify key words; work with a partner; and explore animated voices. Do a weekly vocal warm-up and exercises in physical alignment. Master the elements of breaking down copy, slating, character, focus, breath awareness and broadcast jargon.

THE259

SCENE STUDY FOR FILM & TELEVISION I

Work on the acting craft, both artistically and technically, in front of the camera. Analyze assigned scenes from feature films and one-hour episodic television. Practice working with master shots, coverage and continuity. Learn how to deal with different on-set working situations and maintain the quality of the work. Deal with the necessity of coming to the set
fully prepared without any rehearsal. Full preparation for all class work without rehearsal is required.

THE263

AUDITION TECHNIQUE FOR FILM & TELEVISION

Explore the different types of audition situations and genres encountered in a professional acting career. Practice these forms, on and off camera, using scenes from plays, screenplays and television scripts. Prepare a monologue to use for professional presentation appropriate for auditioning both within the Conservatory and in the professional arena.

THE264

RESEARCH, REHEARSAL, PERFORMANCE

Achieve the opportunity to display technique, talent and professionalism on a working set in this honors course. As a final project, tape fully produced scenes with guest designers, directors and editors, and receive an edited copy of the work.

THE265

PROCESS FOR THE CAMERA II

Continue to consolidate technique and develop artistry. Learn to express an inner emotional live in mid-shots and close-ups in this two-camera class. Process teachers work in tandem with Scene Study facult to help students solve technical problems of acting on camera while maintaining truthful behavior.

THE266

ACTING AS A PERSONAL BUSINESS

Learn how to pursue a professional acting career from a business perspective. Cover topics such as developing business tools, including pictures, résumés, cover letters, mailings, postcards and e-mail; dealing with agents and casting directors; and managing finances. Research work prospects, prepare picture and résumé, write a cover letter, utilize the Ross Reports, understand actors’ contracts, and learn the roles of industry professionals such as agents, managers and casting directors. Learn to market yourself as a business for employment in the film and TV industry.

THE267

COMMERCIALS

Apply basic acting skills to the needs and requirements of performing in commercials. Working in lecture/demonstration and labs, learn the MOS, slice-of-life and spokesperson formats in depth. Become familiar with types and styles of ads and develop audition security.

THE268

DAYTIME DRAMA

Work to master the specific technical and performance adjustments required by soap
operas. Identify the differences between plot-driven genres and character relationship-driven daytime drama. Learn to make the subtle but important changes required by the daytime drama script.

THE272

SCENE STUDY FOR FILM & TELEVISION II

Work with the specific artistic and on-set environments that actors deal with professionally. Begin the course with a fast-paced taping of scenes from episodic television, including hitting marks and doing coverage in one session. In the last eight weeks of the course, refine acting and technical skills through tandem teaching by the Process teacher and the Scene Study teacher. With the Process teacher acting as director, experience directorial demands for artistic and technical results. Work with the Scene Study teacher to maintain performance under professional pressure.

THE273

PHYSICAL AND VOCAL DYNAMICS

Review and strengthen the vocal techniques learned in Voice and Speech I and II, and continue with a deeper investigation of the vocal-physical connection. Improve control over vocal and physical technique through advanced warm-ups and exercises. Apply these skills to rehearsal and performance of text on camera.

THE400

SKETCH COMEDY FOR PERFORMANCE

Build on sketch-writing and performing skills introduced in Actors Comedy Workshop by creating and rehearsing sketch material and presenting a public performance at an outside cabaret. Elective.

THE401

PERFORMANCE IMPROV

Refresh and enhance the performance skills learned in Improvisation. Refine the skills of
staying in the moment, spontaneity and freedom in making choices. Course will culminate in a public performance. Elective.

THE402

STAND-UP COMEDY FOR ACTORS

Develop a five-minute stand-up comedy routine which will be performed in a live nightclub setting. Learn writing technique, joke structure, timing and rhythm, point of view, and character/persona development. Explore the differences between acting and stand-up performance. Learn through a combination of lecture, video examples and working on your feet. Elective.

THE403

MICHAEL CHEKHOV TECHNIQUE FOR ACTORS

Explore Michael Chekhov’s “psycho/physical” approach to acting through the basic principles and exercises outlined in Chekhov’s book, To the Actor, including psycho/physical exercises, character work and ensemble improvisations. Do a weekly warm-up specifically designed to develop the organic connection of the actor’s inner life, creative imagination and expressive body. Elective.

THE405

ADVANCED VOICE-OVER

Deliver copy with ease, believability, conviction, confidence and the required emotional and narrative qualities. Analyze scripts, take direction, record various types of voice-overs, acquire terminology and language, and learn to adjust voiceover work on demand. Elective.

THE406

THE PHYSICALLY EXPRESSIVE ACTOR

Work with movement and awareness to identify specific problems and habits that interfere with freedom of choice in monologue and scene work. Elective

THE408

COMBAT FOR THE CAMERA

Experience the basics of on-camera fighting, including hand to hand, firearms and found weapons, as well as the basic terminology and safety rules of the set. Become familiar with the specific demands on the actor in film and television as opposed to theater-based combat. Explore how to reveal character through combat that moves the story forward. Gain a better understanding of the nature of fighting on camera from audition to final edit. Elective

THE409

THE INTUITIVE ACTOR

Become a more independent and intuitive actor through focus on Viola Spolin’s theater games. Build the foundations of improvisation as they relate to acting and onstage performance. Explore and discuss sensory awareness, physical involvement, environment and what’s beyond to broaden relationship and experience on stage. Elective

THE411

DIALECTS

Learn the basics of the International Phonetic Alphabet and learn skills to eliminate accents and regionalisms while focusing on Standard American Speech. The instructor chooses additional accents to acquire based on the class population. Elective

THE412

WEB VIDEO FOR ACTORS

Actors create and distribute original Web video as a way to increase their visibility within the profession. Classes are a combination of practical and theoretical exercises, including the creation and posting of original video content online. Special guests from the world of Web video demonstrate how they have used the medium to accelerate their careers and
expand their creative reach. Elective