Melbourne's Premier Acting Studio for Film and Television

THE PART TIME PROGRAM

The Part Time Program is one of the most comprehensive and intensive screen acting programs in Australia crafted for actors on a part-time basis under the tutelage of acclaimed actors, directors and master teachers.

APPLICATION OPEN: September 1, 2010
APPLICATIONS CLOSE: November 1, 2010
AUDITION DATES: Late November
PROGRAM DATES: February 2011 – December 2011 (36 weeks)
CLASS TIMES: Sunday (9am - 5.00pm) & Wednesday (6.30pm - 9.30pm) (10 hrs/week)
FEES: $5990 (+GST)

The program is rigorous and students must allow for time outside of class for study, rehearsals, readings, consultations, and to attend industry events.

Applicants must be over 18 years of age. Entry by audition and interview only.

APPLICATION FORM
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OVERVIEW

The Part Time Program is a rigorous training course in the craft of screen acting. The program provides actors with a solid understanding of their craft, built methodically over the course of a year.

The course draws upon the work of Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg and Yat Malmgren led exclusively by teachers who have studied under these masters. The actors then explore the work of Ivana Chubbuck whose cutting edge approach was developed upon the work of the aforementioned masters. In addition, the course incorporates voice (accent), Neutral Mask and the Alexander Technique.

Actors work scenes on a weekly basis often alongside some of Australia's finest film and television directors to ensure their craft is consistently applied within a professional working relationship with directors.

Also woven through the year is an emphasis on integrating performance with the technical demands of film acting.

Actors have the opportunity to work on film projects outside of class hours by arrangement of 16th Street and our industry associates.

This course provides the actor with extensive industry experience, relationships with existing industry professionals and career mentorship on the ‘business of acting’.

COURSE CONTENT
Overview of the core study areas

MOVEMENT
Actors on the program will:
- discover how uniquely they show up in the world through physical behaviour by developing greater awareness of themselves physically.
- gain the freedom to use their bodies and make physical adjustments when they explore ‘character’ by understanding what ‘neutrality’ means.
- learn how to receive emotional information so that physical responses become transparent by understanding the signals the body transmits.
- learn how to make precise choices required for screen performance by developing mastery over their physical bodies.

NEUTRAL MASK
As taught at the Ecole International de Theatre Jacques Lecoq, Paris.
"Wearing the neutral mask encourages students to find a pure economy of movement which is uncluttered by extraneous social patterns or habits" (Jacques LeCoq)
- Existing in the present with full awareness of your space.
- Developing a heightened sense of discovery.

- Developing a profound awareness of self and revealing it.

VOICE
Based on the work of Kristen Linklater, Cicely Berry,Patsy Rodenburg and David Carey.
- Realising vocal potential by integrating breath, thought, emotion and text.
- Discovering the voice of a character & adapting it for the demands of film and television.

ACCENT
- Studying and articulating a General American dialect accurately.
- Connecting accent and characterisation.

ACTING CRAFT
Students will study various acting methodologies and techniques.

The Method - Lee Strasberg
"Acting...is the ability to react to imaginary stimuli...it requires unusual sensitivity and extraordinary intelligence in the ability to comprehend the workings of the human soul. The real problem and mystery in acting is that the actor must be able 'but in a fiction, in a dream of passion, force his soul so to his own conceit'." (Lee Strasberg)

- Working from a state of relaxation, quelling the analytical mind.
- Exploring the physical senses and allowing the body and emotions to lead performance.
- Discovering emotional memory as the key to the actor's creative process.

Uta Hagen Technique
Students work on a series of exercises devised by Uta Hagen as taught at the HB Studio in New York. This work enables an actor to find a "true technique of acting and a way of making a character flow through you."

- Exploring the screenplay and the role (identifying and exploring circumstances, relationships, the objective, the obstacle and action).

Ivana Chubbuck Technique
As devised by Ivana, one of America's most respected and sought after acting teachers. "The 12-step acting technique that will take you from script to a living, breathing, dynamic character."

- Using emotions and pain to empower the character's goal and utilising obstacles to achieve it.
- Developing the will to 'win' what your character wants.
- Stimulating one's own interesting and dynamic behaviour.

CHARACTER CREATION
'Character Creation' is a remarkable approach to understanding and creating characters, developed and taught by Yat Malmgren for over 30 years at the Drama Centre in London. Students of this work include director Peter Brook, and actors Anthony Hopkins, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, Paul Bettany and Colin Firth.
- Gaining an understanding and experience of different character 'types'.
- Moving through personal resistance to access your vulnerability.
- Developing flexibility to inhabit a range of characters and transform into them.

SCREEN PERFORMANCE
Screen Performance will give students thorough and comprehensive film craft to ensure the technical demands of filmmaking enhances a performance.

Preparation for a Screen Role
- Understanding a screenplay (the super objective and elements inherent in the story).
- Understanding and revealing meaning in text, character arc and journey.
- Bringing oneself to every role.

Rehearsal
- How to rehearse for film and television and block scenes.
- The importance of bringing choices and ideas to the rehearsal room or set.
- Learning how to work up to a performance in rehearsal.

Performance
- What to do before "Action".
- Sustaining repetition of performance - keeping performance real.
- Being emotionally prepared when shooting out of order.

Screen Presence
- Developing a relaxed and creative relationship with the camera and understanding it as another character.
- Understanding what aspects of the actor's personality translates powerfully to screen.
- Having screen presence 'without words'.

Technical Craft
- The director's process - the impact upon performance and how to use direction.
- The relationship between the art of acting and technical expertise.

SCREENTESTING
- Preparing for a sceentest for film or television. 

- Preparing and testing for commercials.

- Preparing for a call back.

BUSINESS OF ACTING
- Gaining exposure, introductions, career guidance and industry advice as 16th Street nurtures its close ties with agents, casting consultants, producers and directors.
- Workshops with casting consultants (and detailed feedback).
- Guiding you in establishing and maintaining a self-directed career.
- Advice and information on working in the U.S.