Actors Studio Curriculum
There are three levels of participation at the Hollywood Actors Studio. All aimed at empowering individuals to master self-expression & actualize their talent potential.
LEVEL 1: Students spend most of the time in stage 1 & 2 assimilating the fundamentals of relaxation and acquiring the basic language and distinctions of their craft. This level can serve as a refresher course in real basic fundamentals for more experienced actors as well. Please see full detailed program for specific content covered. Represents 2 to 5 years of acting training and experience.
LEVEL 2: Student has acquired the fundamentals of relaxation and is able to access some real feelings on his or her own. At this level the student has assimilated most of the terminology and language of the craft and understands the importance of truthful behavior in his or her work. The student also possesses some clear knowledge of how to break a script down and has good rehearsing habits. Stage 3 becomes the main focus of the work: how to access real feelings while remaining true to the dramatic structure. Character work is encouraged and the actor starts taking real chances and make bolder choices and his/her work becomes more personal. Please see full detailed program below for specific content covered. Represents 3 to 7 years of training and experience.
LEVEL 3: Student has made relaxation the most important aspect of his/her technique and is having fun with it. Actor is no longer afraid or unfamiliar with real feelings and experiences in his/her work. The fundamentals are fully integrated. The work is seamless and interesting. The actor has full confidence in his or her ability to act. He or she is now ready and primed to be delivered the tools and techniques to develop solid performing skills. The actor is encouraged to take on the path of the actor as artist on a full-time basis and to make the work personal, bold and unique. Represents 7 to 15 years of training and professional experience combined depending on the individual.
THE TECHNIQUE: AIM AND APPROACH
"ACTING GIVES MEANING TO OUR LIVES. IT DEALS directly WITH THE REVEALING OF MAN TO HIMSELF."" George Bernard Shaw.
The very root of acting is celebration. hollywood actors studio bases its strength and power in that tradition and delivers tools and techniques which aim at generating authentic and fresh behavior beyond stereotypes and cliches.
CURRICULUM
I-RELAXATION
Twenty various techniques relaxation as major key to organic acting, we cannot act if we're tense, tension as worst obstacle, the benefits of working in a relaxed way, learning & practicing the twenty relaxation techniques, getting in touch with one's true feelings, freedom through relaxation, augmenting one's emotional range through relaxation, relaxation as key to taking chances, deepening one's awareness, the gateway to having fun, emotional freedom as by-product of relaxation, relaxation controls tension and self-consciousness, relaxation opens the door to creativity and inspiration, relaxation is not meditation.
II-TUNING THE INSTRUMENT
VOICE, BODY, IMAGINATION, EMOTION, PSYCHOLOGY, SELF-AWARENESS, VULNERABILITY, ANIMATION/MOVEMENT, CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, SENSITIVITY, LISTENING SKILLS, SPEECH, RECEPTIVITY, POSTURE, WILL POWER, ENERGY, VITALITY, FOCUS, SPECIAL SKILLS & TALENTS, DIALECTS, INTELLIGENCE, THINKING, PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW(POV), CULTURAL ROOTS, EDUCATION, MANNERISM, PRESENCE, BEHAVIOR, TALENT, PERSONALITY, IMAGERY, UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES, INDIVIDUALITY, SELF-RELIANCE, GROUNDEDNESS TO SPACE, PHYSICAL FREEDOM
III-THE INSTRUMENT IN THE PUBLIC REALM
SELF-EXPRESSION, SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS, CONFIDENCE, STAGE PRESENCE, PRIVACY IN PUBLIC, ACTOR VERSUS CHARACTER, RELATIONSHIP: ACTOR TO ACTOR CONNECTION, STAGE VERSUS LIFE (CONSEQUENCES AND CHOICE OF ACTIONS), ACTOR AS ARTIST, AUDIENCE AWARENESS AND CONNECTION, CAMERA AWARENESS, CLAIMING TERRITORY (PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY & SPIRITUALLY), PHYSICAL FREEDOM IN PERFORMANCE, STAGE & FILM TERMINOLOGY, SENSE OF TRUTH, PHONE CALLING, PRIVATE MOMENT, PERSONAL MONOLOGUES
IV-RELATIONSHIP
RELATIONSHIP ORGANIZES BEHAVIOR, SUBSTITUTION, ENDOWMENT, THREE CATEGORIES OF RELATIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP ALLOWS FOR SELF-EXPRESSION, CREATING A RELATIONSHIP, TAKING CHANCES IN RELATIONSHIPS, QUALITIES OF RELATIONSHIP, CONDITIONING FORCES, EXPLORING UNIQUE RELATIONSHIPS
V-PLACE
WHERE THE CHARACTER IS PHYSICALLY, YOU CANNOT ACT IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, SPACE, ROOM, FURNITURE, OBJECTS, TOWN, COUNTRY, INSIDE-OUTSIDE, RELATIONSHIP TO PLACE, PLACE ORGANIZES BEHAVIOR, PHYSICAL LIFE IN A GIVEN PLACE, TRUSTING PLACE
VI-ATMOSPHERE
MOOD(S), ATTITUDE OF PLACE & SCENE, ATMOSPHERE EXPLORATION, INFLUENCE OF ATMOSPHERE ON INSTRUMENT, ATMOSPHERE AS TOOL, QUALITIES OF ATMOSPHERE, HOW TO CREATE AND USE ATMOSPHERE INCLUDING SIGHTS, SOUNDS, SMELLS...
VII-THE LANGUAGE OF ACTING
THE VOCABULARY AND DISTINCTIONS OF ACTING, ACTING IS DOING, THE ACTION AS BUILDING BLOCK, ACTION IS TO ACTING WHAT THE NOTE IS TO MUSIC AND THE STEP TO DANCE, SENDING AND RECEIVING OF ACTIONS, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ACTIONS, FOLLOW THROUGH, EXECUTION OF ACTION, ACTION AS MESSENGER OF OUR WISHES, INTENTION, OBJECTIVE, OBSTACLE TO ACTION, CHOOSING ACTIONS AND INTENTIONS, PITFALLS OF ACTIONS AND INTENTIONS VIII-DRAMA IS CONFLICT DRAMA IS CLASH OF WILLS, FURTHER STUDY OF ACTIONS, INTENTIONS AND OBSTACLES, WANTS, DESIRES, NATURE OF INTENTIONS, INTENTION VERSUS NEED, TYPES OF CONFLICT, NATURE OF THE TRUE CONFLICT, PRACTICING CONFLICT IN ACTION
VIII-CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE DRAMATIC SITUATION
CIRCUMSTANCE AS KEY TO DRAMATIC STRUCTURE, CIRCUMSTANCE AS CONTEXT AND BACKDROP OF STORY, PLOT AND SITUATION, EVENTS, TIME, ACTIVITIES, WHAT HAPPENS, WHAT HAPPENED & TO WHOM, ACTING A CIRCUMSTANCE, HOW TO CREATE A CIRCUMSTANCE, HOW TO LIVE ON STAGE, CIRCUMSTANCE AS CATALYST FOR EMOTIONAL LIFE, HOW TO DIG OUT CIRCUMSTANCE, HOW CIRCUMSTANCE INFLUENCES ALL DRAMATIC ELEMENTS AND SPECIFICALLY THE CHARACTER
IX-CHARACTER
CHARACTER ACTING-CHARACTER BUILDING ELEMENTS FOR BUILDING AND SUSTAINING CHARACTER, TRUTH IN CHARACTER, CHARACTER ACTION, CHARACTER IN RELATIONSHIP, CHARACTER IN CIRCUMSTANCE, CHARACTER VERSUS PERSONALITY ACTING, THE TWENTY-FOUR ELEMENTS TO BUILDING A CHARACTER, CHARACTER REVEALED THROUGH ACTIONS, THE PRINCIPLES OF CHARACTER ACTING, FUN IN CREATING CHARACTER
X-SCRIPT AND PLAY ANALYSIS
STAGE VS. SCREEN FORMATS, ACTS, SEQUENCES, SCENES, SHOTS, PLOT, STORY, INCIDENT, COMPLICATIONS, SET-UP, CLIMAX, HOW TO BREAK A SCRIPT DOWN, BEATS, MOOD, SUBTEXT, RHYTHM, EVENTS, DIALOGUE, CONFLICT, TYPES OF DRAMA, DRAMATIC STRUCTURE, CHARACTER INTRODUCTION AND EVOLUTION, THEME, ANTAGONIST, PROTAGONIST, PLAYWRIGHT'S POINT OF VIEW AND IDEAS, SYNOPSIS
XI-SCENE STUDY
BREAKING THE SCRIPT DOWN, READINGS, IDENTIFYING CONFLICT, STORY AND CHARACTER, WORKING FROM GROUND ZERO, EXTRACTING CIRCUMSTANCES, RELATIONSHIP, SUBSTITUTION, BEATS, MAKING CHOICES, PLACE, INTENTIONS, OBJECTIVE, NEED, REHEARSAL TECHNIQUES, THE FIRST APPROACH, "OFF MY FEET" AND "ON MY FEET" TECHNIQUES, MOMENT BEFORE, ENTRANCES, PHYSICAL LIFE, DEVELOPING A SCORE OF ACTIONS, PERFORMING, EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTENT, PITFALLS, EFFECTIVE PREPARATION
XII-COLD READING TECHNIQUE
EFFECTIVE APPROACHES THE READING, WHAT TO TARGET FIRST, ENERGY, MAKING QUICK CHOICES, PROPS, WHAT TO EXPECT FROM CASTING DIRECTORS, CREATING PRIVACY, PREPARE-PREPARE-PREPARE, THE CHARACTER APPROACH, THE CIRCUMSTANCE APPROACH, THE CONNECTING APPROACH, THE INTENTION APPROACH, THE RELATIONSHIP APPROACH, THE HUMAN STRUGGLE APPROACH, ECONOMY OF ACTION, LETTING GO OF HOMEWORK, IDENTIFYING WITH MATERIAL, MAKING PERSONAL CHOICES, PLAYING CLOSE TO HOME, PITFALLS, DEALING WITH NERVES, STAYING SIMPLE AND CLEAR
XIII-THE MONOLOGUE
CHOOSING A MONOLOGUE, SUBTEXT, RELATIONSHIP, PLACE, CIRCUMSTANCE, OBJECTS, MOMENT BEFORE, TALKING TO SELF, CREATING RELATIONSHIP, TALKING TO SOMEONE ON STAGE VERSUS AN AUDIENCE, USING THE FOURTH WALL, SUSTAINING CHARACTER, ACTIVITY, SCORE OF ACTIONS, MAKING ACCURATE AND BOLD CHOICES, STAYING SIMPLE IN MONOLOGUE WORK, STYLES OF MONOLOGUES, PERFORMING STYLES, MONOLOGUE AS AUDITION PIECE, THE ONE PERSON SHOW, TALKING TO MYSELF
XIV-IMPROVISATION SKILLS
THE IMPROVISATION SETUP UNDERSTANDING THE RULES, CREATING A SIMPLE STRUCTURE, TYPES OF IMPROVS, STAYING RECEPTIVE, TAKING CHANCES WITHOUT UPSETTING THE ILLUSION, THE FIVE ELEMENTS OF IMPROVISATION SKILLS: PLACE, RELATIONSHIP, CIRCUMSTANCES/EVENTS, CONFLICT/ OBSTACLES, CHARACTER /WHO I AM, THE SETUP: UNDERSTANDING THE IMPROVISATIONAL SETUP, LETTING GO, BEING A YES, LETTING THE SETUP DO THE WORK, PITFALLS
XV-FILM ACTING
FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STAGE & FILM, TRANSLATING THE SCRIPT INTO DO-ABLE ACTIONS & INTENTIONS, CAMERA ANGLES AND POSITION, LIGHT POSITION, CAMERA MOVEMENT, LANGUAGE OF FILM, EXPRESSING EMOTION ON FILM, ECONOMY OF MOVEMENT, FLUIDITY, NATURALISTIC/CONVERSATIONAL APPROACH, FILM IS LIFE, PREPARING FOR MOMENTS VERSUS LONG UNINTERRUPTED SCENES, WHERE AM I COMING FROM, WHERE AM I GOING WHEN I LEAVE THE FRAME, WHAT AM I DOING/THE USE OF OBJECTS, GESTURES FOR FILM, CINEMATIC MOOD, SUBTLETY OF CHARACTER PORTRAYAL, IMPORTANCE OF EYE CONTACT, EFFECTIVE THOUGHT PROJECTION, CAMERA AWARENESS, PUTTING EMOTIONAL CONTENT, USING ONE'S PERSONALITY, BEING REAL AND PERSONAL, PUTTING SOMETHING AT STAKE
XVI-COMEDY ACTING TIMING
AUGMENTED LISTENING, AWARENESS IN COMEDY, PLAYING OPPOSITES, HOW TO NOT GO FOR LAUGHS, STAYING TRUE TO CHARACTER AND CONFLICT, REAL CHARACTERS IN UNREAL SITUATIONS, UNREAL CHARACTERS IN REAL SITUATIONS, COMEDY SETUP, COMEDY IS PLAYED FOR REAL, TYPES OF COMEDY, USING THE AUDIENCE, SENSE OF TRUTH IN COMEDY
XVII-SPECIAL SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES
WORKING WITH THE DIRECTOR, TYPES OF DIRECTORS, THE MUSICAL SONG, RAISING THE STAKES, PUBLIC SPEAKING, TALKING TO THE AUDIENCE, REHEARSAL TECHNIQUES, STAGED READINGS, ONE-MAN/WOMAN SHOWS
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT BENEFITS
YOU ARE GETTING OUT OF THIS TRAINING?
58% say...I am more confident and trusting in my ability to act. I am more natural and focused. I trust my instincts. I express myself more clearly and truthfully. I have a positive attitude towards my career. Studying with Eric is helping me accomplish what I want. I got more in touch with myself. I am opening up my creative instincts and learning how to channel my feelings. I am learning great techniques and skills to get in touch with my emotions. I now know what makes me special. I am able to relax and work in a relaxed way. I am acting from what my partner is giving me not from something I've planned.
42% say...I am learning tools to act and how to produce results. I am learning & understanding what acting really is. I am gaining a solid knowledge of cold reading technique. I approach acting with a tangible method. I possess a better awareness and appreciation of acting as a doable craft. I learned new and important techniques and skills. I have a better eye to observe people's feelings, behavior and why they react the way they do. I am experimenting and learning how to develop characters. I am having a good time learning the craft. I have a much clearer sense of how I'm seen by others. I am learning to be real. I am learning how to apply what I learn. I am learning what I need to work on the most. I have a deeper understanding of the various acting techniques. I now appreciate acting as a craft.
WHAT SPECIFIC RESULTS DID YOU ACCOMPLISH SINCE YOU STARTED TRAINING AT THE STUDIO?
67% say they get roles in film, television, commercials & other projects where they did not prior to studying here.
33% of the actors surveyed got an agent and/or a manager where they had none before. The same report having regular call-backs for roles where they did not before.
WHAT IN YOUR OPINION MAKES THIS COACHING UNIQUE?
64% say...personal input and individualized coaching, constructive criticism, patience, subtlety, the coach is real, no nonsense approach, from the heart, honesty and genuine care and diligence for students, positive attitude, working with great people and a great coach, teacher's dedication and encouragement, the teacher's love of acting, professional attitude, not being forced into a mold, tangible method, I feel like I am developing at my own pace and working on my own technique.
36% say...practical, eclectic, relaxed, fun and positive atmosphere to learn in, valuable insights, sensitivity to my needs, I am being trained by a professional, varied and interesting classes, time for a lot of important areas of an actor's technique such as improvisation, cold reading, relaxation, scene work and special individual presentations, experienced coach and grasp of key techniques and concepts by coach, coach real and clear, there's a real objective to each class, the coaching makes a lot of sense, the approach is clear, every class I take something tangible home with me.