Diploma in Screen Acting

How do we differ?

We were the 1st Drama School to offer a full time Screen Acting School. Now in its 8th year the course continues to offer an entirely practical and realistic training package which culminates in two broadcast quality shooting-to-schedule production experiences and Agency Representation. We believe that we give our actors an unmatched chance to break into the business. No essays - no textbooks - an entirely practical course where all workshops, masterclasses and production exercises are run by highly experienced industry Directors, Actors and technical support. On our 2 main productions. We employ experienced cameramen and sound engineers on our crews ensuring the highest standards are achieved. You will graduate with copies of the final showcase.

Why?

With most potential employment for graduate actors being in television, film and commercials, and the average student actor spending just 3 weeks in 3 years dedicated to screen. Our aim in brief - to teach you what you need to know to get work. We offer a tightly structured 17 week course entirely taught by working professional Directors , Actors and Technicians culminating in the 2 professionally shot production experiences . Our Agency Representation completes the package.

Who should apply?

We expect our class to consist of hard working , talented and committed students looking to train as Actors in a close and demanding environment with no frills .
We invite applications from experienced actors looking to develop their television skills and post-graduate level students looking for a short intensive and realistic way into the business . We also welcome applications from mature students looking to retrain as actors.
Auditions take place from October each year and once all places are full we close our applications.
This 17 week course is full time and intensive.

We may too include Work to blue-screen, audio workshop with a radio producer, and a highly challenging presenting module.

Course Outline

Stage Versus Screen - In this workshop the two diverse platforms are examined and explored through practical exercises

Exercises In Television Drama - from the start of the course we are shooting and reviewing your scenes; building an appreciation of the technical difficulties caused by the medium and an awareness of what the director needs from the actor. You will learn a level of self-reliance when surrounded by technically demanding situations, how to retain focus when under extreme pressures caused by locations, script changes, intense emotions, challenging or sometimes bad writing, hitting marks, understanding eye lines and crossing lines, your effect on the lens, delivery, adapting a performance, reaction, interpretation, walking and talking, character building blocks, text, subtext and more. Each director brings something new, challenging and often very exciting, together with their many years of very specialised experience in how to extract what they want to see in you and get it onto the screen.

Green-Screen Workshop - acting with miniatures, jumping off buildings and invisible co-stars, producing short humorous memorable sketches.

Two Contrasting Productions shot to high technical standards. One of these may be an exercise in fast turnaround TV shooting to a schedule of up to 8 scenes a day. The director treats his/her students as working professionals, giving them as much help as is reasonable and appropriate but expecting a level of self-reliance by this point. With shooting scripts distributed to schedule, an intense period of pre¬production and minimal rehearsal (as is industry reality), roles are cast, wardrobe, hairstyles and props are researched and we go into production. Our second piece may be drama, sitcom, or new writing . Students are not involved in the selection of these pieces but we aim wherever possible to provide each course member with appropriate opportunities and a challenge wherever possible. Time is also allocated in the second term for the shooting of shorter pieces as additional material for personal show-reels. The final productions are screened at our Graduation Screening which for several years has been the superb venue of Twentieth Century Fox in Soho Square. Each graduating student receives a video/DVD copy of the final screening. Personalised show-reels can be cut at an additional charge by arrangement with our editors.

Advanced Script Workshops - working with shooting scripts; current trends; from fast turnaround TV to high-end period television drama; working in singles to complex choreographed sequences.