Overview

Build confidence, enhance communication, and develop both critical and creative thinking skills. In engaging and dynamic classrooms, we will explore a variety of performance techniques that are exciting, fun, and foster personal growth and self-expression

Learning framework

Each term we focus on a specific area of performance practice to ensure students have a varied experience and learn a range of essential creative skills. Students can join us at the start of any term during the year. NIDA Open Acting on Screen courses are designed across a four-term structure within the following learning framework: 

Term 1 Improvisation and Performance Craft 
Term 2 Voice and Movement 
Term 3 Devising and Contemporary Performance 
Term 4 Script Work and Staging 

Term 1: Keep Rolling

When the cameras keep rolling, an actor’s intuition can lead to classic movie moments filled with laughter, tears, and unexpected surprises. Using improvisation and character development exercises, take charge of the scene and create your own iconic on-screen moments. Explore innovative approaches to acting technique and harness your creative energy to craft an authentic screen performance. Put your best foot forward in a term full of improvised madness in our supportive and inclusive classrooms.

Components

• Performance Craft: Participate in improvised scene work to develop basic acting and improvisation technique.
• Spontaneity: Utilise improvisation skills to build a screen performance.
• Characters: Experiment with vocal and physical expression to create an original character.

Term 2: American Marvels: Behind the Mask

Activate the power within as you get ready for action in this blockbuster course! Stretch your vocal and physical skills and explore acting on screen technique to successfully embody your favourite superhero. Work with our experienced teaching artists to develop a fully realised character and convincingly transform from everyday civilian to your favorite caped crusader (without revealing your secret identity). Collaborate with your NIDA Open classmates, and invite family and friends to join your supersized adventures at the end of the term.

Components

• Voice – Introduction to how the voice works, exploration of fundamental vocal performance techniques.
• Physical awareness: exploring skills to embody character development
• Creative Expression: Participate in fun and engaging acting and technical screen exercises to develop new creative ideas with others.

Term 3: Kidz Rule

What happens when the students accidently cast a spell that makes all the teachers disappear? Explore devising and story telling technique to find out. Collaborate with an ensemble of peers to create and shoot original scenes about the trials, tribulations, and hilarious situations of a school run completely by students and bring your brand-new story to life. Share your work with friends and family at the end of the course.

Components

• Character Development: Develop a unique character for on screen performance.
• Collaboration: Work in a group, incorporate shared ideas into a new, recorded performance work.
• Screen Writing: Devise and script original scenes for screen.

Term 4: Same, Same But Different

Work with contemporary movie scenes and see what happens when you reimagine the context. Study scenes and explore given circumstances and text analysis technique to breath new life and character perspective into a fully realised screen performance. Taught by NIDA Open teaching artists who bring their industry experience into our lively and inclusive classrooms, share your unique stories with friends and family in an exciting end of term presentation.

Components

• Acting Technique: Learn and practice acting to camera techniques.
• Text Analysis: Apply screen acting skills to analyse and interpret the events of a scene.
• Screen Performance Craft: Consider the elements that contribute to the physical realization of a performance.

For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.