Advanced Acting for the Camera Studio

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Begin thoughtfully bringing their authentic self to on-camera work

  • Identify and trust their unique artistic energy, personal charisma, and individual contribution to a role.

  • Apply self-awareness to shape truthful, grounded performances without “acting” over the lens.

• Demonstrate spontaneity, bravery, and play

  • Respond truthfully in the moment to scene partners, circumstances, and unexpected discoveries.

• Adapt performance for the camera’s demands

  • Adjust behavior, stillness, and energy for different shot sizes and framing.

  • Navigate eyelines, marks, and continuity requirements while maintaining authenticity.

• Engage in advanced scene work

  • Break down scenes for beats, subtext, and playable actions.

  • Demonstrate an awareness of specific scene challenges

• Thoughtfully approach emotionally challenging work safely and effectively

  • Engage with emotional truth through multiple acting techniques (e.g., substitution, inner imagery, thought-sourcing).

  • Employ preparation and recovery strategies for intense material.

• Function professionally in simulated set conditions

  • Interpret and use call sheets, production documents, and on-set terminology.

  • Arrive camera-ready, prepared to adapt to out-of-order shooting and limited rehearsal.

• Deliver high-quality self-tape auditions

  • Apply best practices for framing, lighting, sound, and reader selection.

  • Adjust performance for the self-tape medium while retaining connection and presence.

• Critically analyze on-camera performances

  • Identify specific choices and elements that influence audience engagement

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Lose Yourself / Find Yourself	5%
Two Scene Response	5%
Self Tape #1 (Guest Star)	10%
Self Tape #1 Resubmit	5%
Call Sheet Quiz	2%
Scene 1	15%
Terms and Department Quiz	2%
Golden Box Worksheet	2%
Emotional Content Piece	10%
Schedule Quiz	2%
Selt Tape 2 (Series Regular)	10%
Final Scene	25%
Final Reflection	5%

Grading Scale

Percentage	Letter Grade
93-100%	A
90-92%	A-
87-89%	B+
83-86%	B
80-82%	B-
77-79%	C+
73-76%	C
70-72%	C-
67-69%	D+
63-66%	D
60-62%	D-
0-59%	F

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance: There are only 14 classes in total, so all students are allowed 1 absence to use at your discretion. SAVE YOUR ABSENCE FOR WHEN YOU REALLY NEED IT. After one absence, your overall grade will drop by 8 percentage points. Students who miss 6 classes will fail the course. (So if you end with 100% + 2 absences = 92%, + 3 absences = 84%, etc. until 6 absences = F)

Be on time . . . and stay for the entire class. You are required to stay for the whole class, including after our break. Content may and will change throughout the class and you are expected to stay for it’s entirety. Leaving without permission will result in an absence for that day.

If you are not feeling well please stay home. If you are experiencing symptoms of illness and cannot stay home, please wear a mask to class. All reasonable accommodations will be made to accommodate student hardships, however, students must ultimately be able to achieve the learning objectives of this course to pass the course. If you find yourself in extreme extenuating circumstances that you expect will cause you to miss more than 3 classes, please contact me as soon as possible so that we can make a plan of action to determine whether this course is the right fit for you at this time. Your presence in class is crucial to your success. Please make your attendance a top priority whenever possible. This means taking good care of yourself. Sleep. Eat. Drink Water. Moderation in all things is a means to a healthy life. I understand that taking care of yourself is not easy, and it is a learned skill.

Participation: Full participation is expected in class exercises, games, discussions, and in-class rehearsals both when working and observing classmates work. Curiosity is the cornerstone of learning. Often, more can be learned and absorbed while watching a classmate work than while you are up working yourself. It is very likely that everything your classmates are working on in class would be helpful for you to also bring to into your work. If a student is distracted they miss this opportunity. For example, if a student is using their phone or doing other work on their computer, their grade will be calculated accordingly.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

No course materials are required.