2019-2020 Academic Catalog

Apr 19, 2024

2019-2020 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

TA 220 - Film Study for Acting Training

This is an acting course that is not for actors. (Well, not just for actors.) Are you a Screen Studies major and writing about film performance? Would you like to understand the Acting process from an insider’s view? You will look at and understand film performance in a completely new way. Are you a liberal arts student that has taken Creative Actor? That’s great, but Improv is only half the story. You still have no knowledge or technique to approach a script. Are you a photography student that works with live models? How do you talk to them to get the look you are after? (Hint: just telling them what you are looking for will not do it.) Are you interested in Directing on stage or on any of the various screens? Good actors work from the inside out. You need to understand their process to work with them. Same is true if you are a writer and are thinking you might want to try your hand at a screenplay or a script for the theatre. In other words if you ever think you are going to get anywhere near actors or much less thinking about being one, you need this course. This is not a how to act on film course. This is a how to act period, course. It uses film to elucidate the acting process to achieve excellence in your performance and your understanding and ability to write and talk about it. You then can apply it to either stage, screen, image or article.

This is a performance class. You have to be there. Your attention and participation is mandatory. Getting the notes will never be sufficient. Besides approved religious observances, you will be allowed one absence. Missed classes after that will result in loss of a letter grade.

You will be asked to choose a role from a dramatic work to apply all in class acting exercises and out of class textual analysis. If you have not chosen a role by the second week, one will be assigned to you.

Grades will be determined by the student’s engagement with and discussion of the class material (lectures and exercises mostly based on material from the e-textbook FLIXACTING by Joe Olivieri and Catherine Telford and Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen) and the quality of their performance and supplemental written work. ‘A’ students will demonstrate excellence in all three areas. Excellence in two will result in a ‘B.’ Excellence in none will result in a ‘C’ or lower.

Students are also required to attend at least three cultural events on or off campus this semester. At the beginning of the semester, you will be given a list of possibilities highlighted from the Higgins School of Humanities Calendar of Events as well as other sources. You may be asked to write a paper or give a brief report/analysis on your experience.

Anticipated Terms Offered: annually