SCREEN ACTING - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module is designed to inculcate in the student advanced knowledge and skills in acting techniques for the screen. Through class exercises, students engage with techniques of screen acting in the creation and performance of a dramatic character. A range of scripts offer the students an opportunity to explore screen genres and approaches. Students will develop a coherent personal approach to acting for the screen out of the practical classroom exercises. Students will also learn technical fundamentals of scripting, shooting and editing a film, and these skills will be deployed in the final part of the module on self-generated projects for either professional showreel (MA Acting) or a short fiction film showcasing students¿ technical understanding of film-making as well as acting skills.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

TUNSTALL Darren (GSA)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

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

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative module content may include:

• Introduction to the technical business of screen performance including induction into cameras, lights and sound equipment and basic editing.


• Script work in a range of genres such as one-off drama; soap opera; sitcom and sketch comedy; crime/medical drama series; period drama; movie scripts; corporate scripts; television commercials.


• Classes in screen acting technique


• Group/individual tutorials in film-making


• Journaling


• Rehearsals


• Shooting and editing

In the final stage of the module, students will work in groups as film crews to create short films together.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

In the event of a student being unable to submit a presentation of showreel material (assessment two), an alternative assessment is offered as follows: The student will present two self-tapes, each lasting approximately 90 seconds, featuring one classical monologue and one contemporary monologue.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• An advanced, embodied understanding of acting for the camera;


• A sophisticated and coherent personal approach to screen acting technique;


• An advanced knowledge of screen genres and styles;


• Creative and technical skills in digital recorded format

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Continuous assessment of practical classroom exercises, addressing learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5


• Presentation of showreel material, addressing learning outcomes 1, 4 and 5

Formative assessment

A formative assessment of students' progress in classwork is given at the end of Teaching Block 1 and half way through Teaching Block 2.

Feedback

Written or audio feedback for formative assessments is given at the end of Teaching Block 1 and halfway through Teaching Block 2.

Summative assessment feedback in written or audio form for both assessments is given at the end of the module. In addition, students are provided with verbal feedback in class from the tutor as appropriate.

Module aims

• Enable students to develop an advanced knowledge of genre and technique in acting for the screen
• To inspire students to produce original creative work as actors to an advanced level
• To challenge students to build a coherent personal approach to acting for the screen
• To afford students the opportunity to engage with digital technologies to enhance their skills and knowledge

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Instill professional discipline within the context of acting for the screen;


• Give students the opportunity to explore genre and style in relation to acting for the screen;


• Challenge the student to develop a coherent approach to acting for the screen; Foster creative collaboration among students.

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: ACTM052

Other information

Digital Capabilities

Students engage with the technologies of digital film-making in this module. Induction into the use of camera equipment, lights and sound equipment allows students to take control over the recording of their work in class under the guidance of the tutor and GSA technical staff. This knowledge builds during the module so that in the final stage of Teaching Block 2 students will take control of the film-making process entirely to complete their own showreels. Thus, students learn digital competency. In addition, students are encouraged to use other media such as communications software and media platforms for planning, administering promoting their creative work.

Employability

This module is designed to speak to the current explosion of digital media outlets. Students learn confidence with digital technologies that will enable them to promote themselves to the industry and create their own screen-based work. Visiting tutors with extensive professional experience are invited to teach on the module to bring authentic knowledge of what is a rapidly changing environment into the classroom. Industry stakeholders are invited to see the students¿ work on showreels.

Resourcefulness and Resilience

Screen acting is a challenging environment for the actor to work in. Students are expected to work intensively, often rapidly, and with little rehearsal, thus learning to manage uncertainty and risks while maintaining professionalism. In their own work on showreels, students are encouraged to develop planning and time management, collaborative team-playing and communication skills, so they may take control of their learning including strategies for managing barriers to that learning.

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 2025/6 academic year.