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Week-long acting performance courses for adults and secondary school students during the July school holidays. The program offers the general public the chance to experience industry based professional training in purpose-built studios.

There is a range of general acting courses, Film & TV or VCE Drama specific ones to choose from. Courses are suitable for people interested in acting, as well as those considering a professional career. Tutors are practicing industry professionals with strong links to the School of Performing Arts program, as either graduates and/or sessional staff from the VCA.

Each day starts with specialist voice and movement classes in the morning, as these are the foundation skills of all our training. In the afternoon you participate in your chosen specialist course (ie. you select only one for the week).

Objectives & Structure

SECONDARY STUDENT COURSES - (up to and including 18 ys)

The Actor's Craft

• A comprehensive introduction to the fundamental skills of the actor, explored in a supportive and challenging environment. Discover the expressive qualities of the body and voice through a combination of improvisation, characterisation and text. The tutor for this course is Paula van Beek.

Creating Character

• A step-by-step approach to creating expressive, truthful characters. Learn through rehearsing a contemporary scene using improvisation, physical and imaginative exercises. This fun series of explorations and practical exercises will enable you to integrate the body and imagination when approaching character and text. The Actor’s Craft or similar experience is recommended.

Improv Intensive

• Keep your acting spontaneous, creative and alive. Impro is a vital technique for all actors. Live in the moment and develop skills in yielding, making and accepting offers, status, character and scene work. Integrate the body and imagination to discover the world of the character or any scene you may be playing.

Soap up – TV Acting

• A week of acting in the world of TV soap. Learn how to act on camera, create characters and how to cope with the fast pace of TV production. Have fun with scripts from some of our best-loved Aussie dramas. Tutors for this course include: Danielle Carter, Stephanie Millar.

VCE Drama: Unit 4 – Solo Performance (Winter only)

• This course will help you to get the best out of your solo performance. Learn how to generate ideas and develop them into a compelling piece of theatre. Explore character, performance style, theatrical conventions and dramatic elements. The tutor for this course is Jenny Lovell.

ADULT COURSES (18 yrs +)

BEGINNER:
The Actor's Process

• Through impulse, improvisation and ensemble practice you will experience the actor’s process from rehearsal to performance. You will explore different approaches to embodying and delivering text that will enhance your vocal range and lead to clear and confident communication, along with developing the power of your own individual presence and creative expression. In doing so, you will build a tool kit that helps you to approach any role with confidence. The tutor for this course is Suzie Hardgrave.

The Actor: Character and Text

• Participants will build a tool kit that helps them to approach any role with confidence. Break the boundaries of expressing character and interpreting text. Develop methods of creating the physical and psychological worlds of characters and scenes through the exploration of a range of imaginative and sensory provocations. Work on scenes and learn how the structure, language and subtext can serve to tell the story and develop character.

INTERMEDIATE
Acting to Camera - On Screen

• Using a wide range of scripts from past and present TV shows and films you will look at the subtle differences between performing for commercials, TV shows and films. In doing so, you will develop your natural screen presence by working directly to camera. Learn about screen tests, audition techniques and industry expectations. You will look at the technical demands placed on the actor when working in front of the camera; such as finding marks and key lights, acting for different shot sizes, continuity, and developing an ease in front of the camera and a comfort that translates into compelling screen performances. Tutors for this course include: Louise Siversen, Danielle Carter, Karen Davitt, Stephanie Millar. Some previous training or experience is recommended for this course.

The Actor's Lab and Director at Work

• Investigate the collaborative processes and relationships between the actor and director that lead to a successful production. Develop the tools and processes for text analysis; including the interpretive act and the structuring of a journey for actors and audiences. In this dynamic and popular course, actors will learn to develop performance through active analysis leading to an organic, believable, human presence for theatre, whilst directors will develop an understanding of the artistic and managerial skills needed to achieve your directorial vision. A selection of influential directors will be referenced throughout. Matt Scholten is the tutor for this course. Previous training or experience required for this course. Minimum age: 20

Dates

8 – 12 July, 2013
Monday – Friday, 10:00am - 4:00pm 

Enrolments & Prerequisites

All students must read the terms and conditions before enrolling

Terms & Conditions of Enrolment (pdf file, 124kb)

Download Enrolment Form (pdf file, 717kb)
*Enrolments for Secondary Student and Adult courses close Friday 28 June (unless sold out prior)

Cost 

Secondary Student program: $440 (inc GST)
Adult program: $525 (inc GST)

Venue

Victorian College of the Arts
234 St Kilda Road
Southbank VIC 3056

Enquiries

Danielle Boardman
Program Coordinator
E: VCA@commercial.unimelb.edu.au
T: + 61 3 9810 3237

An extensive range of introductory and specialist short courses in acting and performance making, dance and production. Courses run throughout the year, over 6-8 weeks or as weekend intensives. Courses include the always popular general acting workshops as well as specialist courses in Introduction to acting: Shakespeare Monologues and Devised Performance, Acting 1: The Actor's Instruments, Acting 2: The Actor and Text and The Actor's Voice.    

VCA's Performing Arts short courses allow you the chance to be exposed to the contemporary acting and performance practices taught at the School of Performing Arts at VCA.

Minimum age 17 years old

Term 3 Courses

• Introduction to Acting: Shakespeare Monologues
• Introduction to Acting: Devised Performance
• Acting 1: The Actor's Instruments
• Acting 2: The Actor and Text
• The Actor's Voice

Enquiries

Danielle Boardman
Program Coordinator
E: VCA@commercial.unimelb.edu.au
T: + 61 3 9035 9229

Part Time/Foundation Course

July 9 – November 7

Tuesday & Thursday, 6.30pm – 9.30pm

VCA's Acting Studio is a wonderful, rigourous and rewarding part-time evening course, which has developed such a strong reputation over the past few years that we’ve run two or three groups concurrently. In response to this, last year we introduced a semester length studio intensive, in part to meet this demand and in part to reflect the contemporary acting and performance creation training being pursued in VCA's undergraduate course. The Studio Intensive is ideal for those planning to audition at the end of the year and for those interested in both text based and self devised work, all founded in VCA's strong physical actor training methods.

This is an 18 week, two times per week semester length version of our successful year long program. The course introduces and develops the essential skills of theatre acting and performance generation that are extended through practice and showings. The curriculum has been designed to reflect the current training being pursued in VCA's undergraduate course.

Pleasingly in the past few years, a number of Acting Studio alumni have gained undergraduate places at VCA, NIDA and WAAPA. Equally pleasing is that several groups of alumni have gone on to form small independent theatre groups, such as GRIT Theatre, winners of the 2010 Fringe Festival Best Production (from AS 7/2008), Mutations Theatre (from AS 5 & 7) and Studio Eleven Theatre presenting two seasons of work in 2011.

There are no pre-requisites (ie an interview or audition) beyond a minimum age of 18, a passion for acting, and a commitment to the entire course. The course is non-award and whilst there is no formal assessment, as the course progresses, capacity for learning scripts and scene work increases and is recommended in order to attain maximum benefit from the course and your tutors. A Certificate of Completion is given at the end of the course, based on minimum attendance requirements and participation.

There is little time requirement outside of the course time, though occasionally in units 2 and 3, in order to optimise your skill development and understanding of the craft of acting, it is highly recommended to be able to dedicate time to the learning of lines/scenes/monologues that may be given out at the end of one class in preparation for the next.
 
There is always a huge range and diversity of participants in the course as it is open to the general public. The Studio is deemed by the University as a non-award course, meaning that it does not require an audition or visas (for international travellers or students). What you do need is to be committed, courageous and creative!

Tutors in Acting Studio are both skilled teachers and industry practitioners and regularly include: Sarah Cathcart, Danielle Carter, Karen Davitt, Nicky Fearn, Andrew Gray, Jenny Lovell, Matt Scholten and Paula Van Beek. Their connections with the VCA are various: as professional colleagues, as alumni, as previous and present sessional teaching staff. This ensures a strong synergy with the teaching processes and philosophy of the VCA Performing Arts full-time undergraduate program.

Course Outline, fees and payment options

Click here to enrol online
*Enrolments close Thursday 4 July (unless sold out prior)

Prompt enrolment is essential to secure a place in the course. Immediate payment is not required on enrolment. Once your enrolment is received, you will be sent a confirmation of your enrolment, and an invoice will be issued approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Full payment is then required prior to the first class. 

All students must read the terms and conditions before enrolling

Acting Studio Terms & Conditions (pdf file, 1MB)

Enquiries

Danielle Boardman
Program Coordinator
E: VCA@commercial.unimelb.edu.au
T: + 61 3 9810 3237

Dates: October 5 & 6, 12 & 13, 19 & 20
Times: Sat & Sun 11am – 5pm
Cost: $242 (inc GST) (per weekend)

Learn how to best prepare for all your drama school auditions. These workshops will assist you with selecting and realising Shakespeare and Contemporary monologues, as well as the VCA specific area of Devised Performance.

NB: Each of the below courses are separate two-day courses. You are able to select one or all of them. To do all three, you need to enrol in all weekends. (10% discount applies on multiple courses)

Shakespeare Monologue: October 5 & 6 OR 19 & 20

• Use the actor’s approach! Discover how best to prepare a Shakespearean audition piece. This workshop will give you simple ways to unlock the meaning of the text whilst revealing some of the devices and clues Shakespeare uses to bring his characters to life.

Devised Performance: October 5 & 6 OR 12 & 13

• Combining the fundamentals of theatre and acting: body, voice, image and object; participants will be working on the skills of self devised work. Stimuli such as text, action, object, sound, fiction, senses and space will be utilised to assist participants to experiment, invent and create a dynamic solo performance.

Contemporary Monologue: October 12 & 13

• Learn how to trust your instincts! Explore the character’s journey and investigate the monologue through script analysis, impulse work and the use of space and rhythm. Discover your strengths and learn how to shape your work for audition and performance.

Each workshop has a maximum of 16 places.

All students must read the terms and conditions before enrolling

Terms Conditions of Enrolment (pdf file, 124kb)

Download Enrolment Form (pdf file, 40kb)

Prompt enrolment is essential to secure a place in the course. Immediate payment is not required on enrolment. Once your enrolment is received, you will be sent a confirmation of your enrolment, and an invoice will be issued approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Full payment is then required prior to the first class.  

Enquiries

Danielle Boardman
Program Coordinator
E: VCA@commercial.unimelb.edu.au
T: + 61 3 9810 3237

This 16-week course is a comprehensive and rigorous introduction to acting to camera, empowering those who participate to become more confident in the skills they bring to the course and develop further. The vocabulary of the medium and expectations of the industry will also be addressed. Participants receive a DVD compilation of the monologues and scenes filmed in the Studios of the School of Film & Television at the culmination of the course.  

Places strictly limited to 16 people

Objectives and Structure

The first eight weeks are spent at the School of Performing Arts on the fundamentals of acting to camera. Various methodologies are explored, including the terminology and technical aspects in covering a scene (marks, blocking, shot sizes, continuity etc). Commercial scripts, monologues and scenes are workshopped, developing individual style and performance within the supportive framework of the class.

The second eight weeks are spent at Film and Television, where actors work with experienced directors. Using the professional facilities and equipment at Film and Television, scenes and monologues will be shot and compiled as a showreel for participants. Industry expectations, agents and casting directors, and other key industry figures are also introduced and explored.

Highly respected professional actors and tutors such as Danielle Carter, Karen Davitt, Stephanie Millar and Louise Siversen guide students through the fundamental methodologies of acting for FTV, whilst filmmakers and a range of industry personnel such as Sian Davies, Jonathon Auf Der Heide, Alkinos Tsilimidos and Kim Farrant work with the students within a professional context using the wonderful facilities and resources of Film and Television.

Dates

Enrolments & Prerequisites

Whilst there is no audition requirement, potential applicants need to have previous actor training and/or practical experience in the theatre and/or film and television industry. 

Along with your enrolment form, please also submit a CV and 100 word personal statement outling your reasons for wishing to undertake this course.

Prompt enrolment is essential to secure a place in the course. Immediate payment is not required on enrolment. Once your enrolment is received, you will be sent a confirmation of your enrolment, and an invoice will be issued approximately two weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Full payment is then required prior to the first class. 

Minimum age 20

Download Enrolment Form (pdf file, 700kb)
*Enrolments close Friday 19 July (unless sold out prior)

Terms and Conditions of enrolment.

Cost

$3,200 (inc GST)
20% discount for University of Melbourne students & staff
10% discount for University of Melbourne alumni

Venue

Victorian College of the Arts
234 St Kilda Road
Southbank VIC 3056

Enquiries

Danielle Boardman
Program Coordinator
E: VCA@commercial.unimelb.edu.au
T: + 61 3 9810 3237