ACTING FUNDAMENTALS - 2023/4

Module Overview

Students will be expected to arrive on time and appropriately prepared for physical and vocal work. Research and preparation will be necessary in pursuit of some of the modules aims. Students are required to warm up and dress appropriately for classes.

This Module begins a process of questioning about the actor/individual in relation to the world around them whilst introducing the core acting fundamentals that underpin the programme. Following two interdependent strands: Acting Technique and Text Analysis the student will experience a range of psycho-physical processes designed to develop the experiential, expressive and analytical skills of the actor/individual.

In the delivery of this module, GSA is guided by the UN's 17 Sustainable Development goals. We aim to promote good health and well-being by keeping to appropriate working hours and maintaining Equity-standard safe spaces. We encourage positive working ethics: collaboration, kindness, support, understanding, listening and integrity. We aim to recycle and repurpose sets, props and other production resources where possible, promoting a circular economy.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

ROUSE Dominic (GSA)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

 

• An introduction to the embodiment of Stanislavski’s system and the key practitioners who have re-interpreted his work: Uta Hagen, Micheal Chekhov, Mike Alfreds.


• Elementary exercises developing imagination, sensation and a quality of immersion in the world of the play.


• Practical exploration of the fundamental techniques required in research and analysis of text from an actor’s point of view:

• Plains of the text.


• Back history lists.


• Facts and Questions.


• Event and Trigger Event.


• Time line.


• Units of action.

• Use of Improvisation to enable the student to explore analytical fact in relation to play.


• Understanding the principles of Time and Space through Observation and Translation.


• Encourage students to create a vibrant and truthful relationship with their imagination.


• Practical exercises exploring action, objective, units of action and super-objective.


• An introduction to languages of mime, including mime of action, figurative mime and cartoon mime.


• An introduction to eight of Lecoq's twenty movements.


• An introduction to Neutral Mask and subsequent investigation of 'identifications', starting with elements and materials.


• An introduction to character mask work.


• Use of the working journal to reflect upon and document personal learning.


• Work on contemporary scenes. (1950s to the present)

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate a growing understanding of embodied actor process.

The module is continually assessed through the three teaching blocks

 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consist of a portfolio of workshop activities

Formative assessment and feedback will be given through a session at the end of teaching block 1 and teaching block 2. In Teaching block 1 the tutor and student will agree SMART targets, which will be reviewed at the end of teaching block 2 and new targets set. Summative feedback will be in response to the previous targets and how they have been met.

Module aims

• Introduce the key principles of: Imagination and Play, Observation, Awareness and Attention, Ensemble, Breath and Impulses, Space, Time, Action (Inner /Outer), Units of Action, Objective and Super-Objective. (Acting as Doing), through a range of experiential approaches.
  
• Introduce the key principles and to provide students with key vocabulary and terminology of Stanislavski's system and the work of Jacques Leqoc.
• Inspire an open, generous and playful approach to the practical and analytical tools of the actor.
• Introduce research and text analysis skills through the exploration of a range of acting methodologies. With an emphasis on the actors¿ journey towards embodiment and the living expression of knowledge.
• Explore the nature of the relationship between the actor/individual and character.
• Begin to reflect upon and document personal learning using the actors journal.
• Engender an appreciation of the uncertainty of knowledge.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

 

Give an inclusive practical and theoretical understanding of the key concepts that underpin the acting training across the programme.


Place an emphasis on the practical development of embodied skills that are required for extended and best practice in the profession.
 

Enable students to acquire an open, generous, versatile actor process and integrate their knowledge across acting disciplines all of which lead on to a firm foundation moving toward the study at Level 5.

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

Practical, skills based and tutor led group sessions.
Visual, Audio and Kinesthetic methods of learning – including use of VLE.

Teaching block One (80hrs)

Teaching block Two (80hrs)

Teaching block Three (42hrs)

98 hours for personal enquiry throughout the yr.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ACT1029

Other information

GSA delivers its provision across three teaching blocks, within the University of Surrey’s existing semester structure.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.