curriculum

UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
Acting and Performance Institute

June 23 - August 1, 2008

Acting and Performance Curriculum

Curriculum

Students are automatically enrolled in both the morning and afternoon sections of the program. They earn 8 units of credit.

Classes are held Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Each morning begins promptly with t' ai chi exercises, followed by performance classes: fundamentals of acting, movement and improvisation, scene study, and acting for film. In the afternoon, the performance workshop provides the student with the practical experience of the rehearsal and performance process. Students are expected to be involved in all aspects of the creative process-- conceptualizing, writing and transforming ideas into dramatic action--while guided by an instructor/director. The performance project fosters a mature approach to theatrical responsibility, commitment and issues of collaboration resulting in a final showcase by the students for invited guests. In addition to performance workshops, an afternoon film workshop takes students through the writing, pre-production, production, and editing of a short digital film. Enrollment in the afternoon film workshop will be limited to 16 students.

Performance training classes Monday through Friday include:

Morning Schedule	Afternoon Schedule
T' ai chi Warm-up	Field Trips
Acting Technique	Workshops
Scene Study	Performance Project Rehearsal
Improvisation
Movement for Stage
Mask Work

Excursions/Workshops

In addition to attending regularly scheduled classes, students have an opportunity to participate in scheduled workshops and field trips that allow behind-the-scenes understanding of live theater and the Hollywood entertainment industry. Past workshops have included Commedia dell'Arte mask work, acting for the camera, stage combat, filming with Muppet-style puppets, as well as practical workshops on such topics as securing an agent, head shots, etc. Field trips have provided unique opportunities to see professional performances of premiere plays, observe final dress rehearsals, participate in the filming of movies, and participate in live TV studio tapings. The workshops and field trips expose students to the wide range of opportunities in theater, film and television and help students make more informed decisions about potential college programs.

Syllabus

The course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of the program.

Clothing

To ensure that you are dressed appropriately for classroom work, please wear comfortable clothing that will allow for maximum movement in all classes. Please observe the following:

Wear: sweat pants, sweatshirts, loose T-shirts, stretch pants, etc.
Do not wear: tight jeans, short skirts, low-cut pants, midriff tops, platform shoes, heels, skimpy sandals, flip flops, or jewelry (watches are okay).
Also bring: one pair of black pants, one black top (long sleeve knit pullover), one pair of black shoes (jazz, taiji, dance sneakers, etc.)

Grades

Program participants will earn eight units of UCLA academic course credit. Please note that your official transcript is not automatically sent to you. Click here to view more information about UCLA grading policies and how to acquire grade transcripts.