SCREEN / ACTING FUNDAMENTALS - 2025/6

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 suitably for classes.

This module builds on the work of Acting fundamentals 1. Following two interdependent strands: Acting for Camera and Film Making the student will develop and explore how to apply their skills to the medium of TV and Film whilst beginning to negotiate their responsibility to the professional self.

The theatrical application of Acting Fundamentals Level 4 is developed through weekly sessions in advanced acting methodologies using international texts: Which may include but are not limited to - Meisner, Donnellan, Comedy/Clown.

The module is designed to further 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

BURDESS Dominic (GSA)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

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

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Workshop classes on acting for camera.


• Workshop classes on the processes of filmmaking.


• The research, writing and creation of a self-generated film project.


• Theatrical scene study / masterclasses – using international texts and deepening the key principles and providing students with key vocabulary and terminology of Stanislavski's system and the key advanced practitioners who have re-interpreted his work. May include but not limited to Meisner, Donnellan, Demidov.


• Comedy / Clown.

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 beginning of an understanding of the processes involved in acting for camera.

The beginning of an understanding of the processes involved in Film Making.

A deepening and assimilating of acting fundamentals through exposure to advanced methodologies.

The module is continually assessed through two Teaching Blocks.

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

Acting for Camera 50%

Film Making 50%

Formative assessment and feedback will be given through a session at the end of teaching block 1. Formative feedback will also occur during practical sessions on a verbal basis. The feedback will usually be in a group context, but may sometimes happen one to one with the tutor.

Module aims

• Introduce and deepen understanding of the key principles:
  - Professional Self.
  - The Actor Creator.
  - Self-Generation.
  - Imagination and Play.
  - Observation, Awareness and Attention.
  - Ensemble.
  - Breath and Impulse.
  - Space.
  - Time.
  - Action (Inner /Outer), Units of Action, Objective and Super-Objective. (Acting as Doing)
  through a range of experiential approaches.
  
• Deepen the key principles and provide students with key vocabulary and terminology of Stanislavski's system and the key advanced practitioners who have re-interpreted his work.
• Introduce the basic concepts of screen acting.
• Introduce the technical processes of film making.
• Introduce ‘self-tape’ as a connection with industry.
• Inspire an open, generous and playful approach to the practical and analytical tools of the actor.
• Deepen understanding of text analysis skills (theatre and recorded media) through the exploration of a range of acting methodologies – With an emphasis on the actors’ journey towards embodiment and the living expression of knowledge.
• Deepen exploration of the nature of the relationship between the actor/individual and character.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Deepen a 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 and mediums all of which lead on to a firm foundation moving toward the study at Level 6.

Enable students to begin understanding the processes and demands of acting for camera.

Enable students to develop an insight into practical filmmaking.

The learning and teaching methods include:

Practical, skills based and tutor led group sessions following traditional formats.

Visual, Audio and Kinaesthetic methods of learning – including use of VLE.

Acting for Screen in Teaching Blocks 1 and 2 (64hrs)

Film School in Teaching Block 1 (36hrs)

Film Making in Teaching Block 2 (16hrs)

International / American Scene Study in Teaching Block 1 (Advanced Methodologies) (16hrs)

Comedy / Clown in Teaching Block 2 (Advanced Methodologies) (32hrs)

136 hours for self-reflection, research, documentation and class preparation time.

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: ACT2022

Other information

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

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 2025/6 academic year.