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Film & TV · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Acting for the Camera

The camera lens acts as a microscope for human behavior. This practical course helps actors transition from the projection required for stage to the intimacy required for screen. Students will master the technical demands of film acting, including hitting marks, understanding frame sizes, maintaining continuity between takes, and delivering nuanced performances that convey subtext through the eyes.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Adjust performance scale from "Stage Projection" to "Cinematic Minimalism"
  2. Master technical skills: Hitting marks, cheating looks, and matching continuity
  3. Understand the "Size of Frame" (Long Shot vs. Extreme Close Up) and how it dictates acting
  4. Execute professional "Self-Tapes" for remote auditions
  5. Perform effectively out of chronological order (non-linear shooting)
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Stage vs. Screen: The adjustment of energy
  2. 02The Camera as Partner: Intimacy & Truth
  3. 03The Close-Up: Micro-expressions & Eye Lines
  4. 04Technical Acting: Hitting Marks & Lighting
  5. 05The Master Shot vs. Coverage
  6. 06Cold Reading for Camera
  7. 07Improvisation on Camera
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Reaction Shots: The Art of Listening
  10. 10Shooting Out of Order: Emotional Continuity
  11. 11Physical Continuity: Matching Action
  12. 12Green Screen Acting: Imagining the World
  13. 13The Self-Tape: Lighting, Sound, & Framing
  14. 14On-Set Etiquette & Vocabulary
  15. 15Demo Reel Preparation
  16. 16Final Project: The Filmed Two-Person Scene

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Filmed Two-Person Scene

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Acting for the Camera by Tony Barr
  2. Secrets of Screen Acting by Patrick Tucker
  3. How to Stop Acting by Harold Guskin
  4. The Science of On-Camera Acting by Andréa Morris
  5. Audition by Michael Shurtleff
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