2.0 On-Camera
Screen Acting Training
This course has been designed for actors who have already trained with us and want to continue developing their craft in a focused, practical way. It offers a natural next step: continuing to work in English while deepening scene work, character preparation, audition technique and the realities of working on set through Hal Masonberg’s classes. From there, the programme expands into other essential areas of an actor’s professional development: strengthening performance through voice and body work with voice coach Lena Sakalla, developing stronger and more professional self-tape skills with casting associate Mike Cater, and gaining a clearer understanding of today’s audiovisual industry with casting director Luci Lenox, who will guide actors through the current landscape and how to better prepare for it. Together, these classes are designed to help actors grow not only in their craft, but also in how they meet the real demands of the industry today.
CLASS 1 – BACKSTORY AND MOTIVATION with Hal Masonberg
Film and TV scripts. 2 or 3 actors per scene. You will be paired and given a script and roles. You must come up with both backstory and motivation for your character and the arc of the scene. THEN, you will be given a new and different set of backstories and motivations to apply to change the dynamic and interaction and, in some ways, even the story itself. This will help you to understand how to prepare a character both for an audition as well as on-set in addition to opening up the myriad possibilities for interpreting a character. It will also help you learn how to take detailed direction from a director or casting director and quickly turn it into something memorable.
CLASS 2 – THE DEEPER DIVE with Hal Masonberg
Here, you will take the previous week’s script, role and scene partner and more deeply explore this material and your relationship to it. We will more deeply connect your character and storyline with your personal understanding and exploration of what is taking place, what is at stake in the scene and how it is resolved or not resolved. We will transform your “performance” into a personal “experience” with greater depth and nuance. This will help teach you how to deeply explore the material you are given and take it beyond your first initial instinct or interpretation and turn it into something both you and your audience will remember.
CLASS 3 – THE AUDITION with Hal Masonberg
On this day, we will do a mock-audition. Everything will be set up as if it were a real audition, from being given the script, to waiting in the lobby for your turn, to being called in, meeting the casting people, slating, asking any questions you might have and, then, giving your actual audition. We will then watch everyone’s auditions together.
CLASS 4 & 5 – ON SET with Hal Masonberg
Once you get the job, what happens on set? How does it function, and what should you expect? What is your role? We will talk about wardrobe and choose clothing and styles for your character. Then we will enact a single-camera set up in which we shoot your scene in long shots, medium shots and close-ups.
CLASS 6 – VOCALLY CHARGED STORYTELLING with Lena Sakalla
(There will be no recording on that day)
In this class, Lena Sakalla, Actress/Voice Coach, will help actors connect voice and body to create more grounded, truthful, and powerful performances. In this class, Lena applies voice technique (Arthur Lessac and Patsy Rodenburg) and text exploration exercises (Laban and Meisner) to scene work, focusing on clarity, connection and presence. Students must come to class with a scene memorized by rote, without any emotion or movement attached to the lines, and clothing that doesn’t restrict movement. Designed to help actors use their entire instrument when telling a story, this class is about integrating vocal power, intention, and emotional connection to every performance.
CLASS 7 – SELF-TAPE CLASS with Mike Cater
This class, led by Mike Cater, Casting Associate, will focus on how to create a strong and effective self-tape. Students will be assigned a scene or monologue to record and submit before the session. During the class, Mike will review the submitted self-tapes, offering professional feedback, practical advice, and clear guidance on how to improve performance and presentation on camera. Students will then have the opportunity to re-record their scenes during the session, applying the notes and adjustments in real time. This practical class is designed to help actors better understand what casting professionals look for in a self-tape and how to deliver their best work on screen.
CLASS 8 – WHERE YOU ARE & HOW CASTING WORKS NOW with Luci Lenox
(There will be no recording on that day)
In this class, Luci Lenox, Casting Director, will guide actors through the current casting landscape and help them better understand where they stand within the industry today. The session will explore how casting decisions are made, the realities of the European market, and why preparation matters more than speed. The goal of this class is for actors to gain clarity on their current career position, identify their unique goals, and move forward with greater confidence and direction.
Please note:
- The course is conducted entirely in English.
- Limited places are available.
