Acting is Acting…in a performance in theatre, film, TV, or commercial work.

The best definition of acting I’ve encountered is Sandy Meisner’s:
“Living True-fully in Imaginary Circumstances”
Every word is important in this wise idea. The actor must LIVE, not show or indicate. This means the teacher needs to help actors discover how to create life in a moment-to-moment way. Then that “living” must be FULLY invested in TRUTH. This means that you must show them how to analyze a script in a deep way to mine the story for the values that the writer(s) has expressed. And all this must be done in situations that are IMAGINARY. This means that you must invent exercises to engage and strengthened their “muscles of imagination”. I think my favorite word in Sandy’s definition is that little one “in”. The actor must be IN the story to create believable character and relationship.

My approach to designing an undergraduate curriculum was heavily influenced by Stanislavski’s seminal work. Why not steal from the master!

He organized his course of study in a three-phase structure:
1. The Actor Prepares
2. Building a Character
3. Creating a Role

So…

First year of study: The Actor Prepares
1. Exercises to strengthen the voice.
2. Exercises to explore and expand movement skills.
3. Scenarios to develop confidence in the use of emotions.
4. Monologues to begin a personal methodology of character development.
5. Introduction to the technical aspects of film acting – Framing, POV, eye lines, etc.
6. Introduction to all the creative artists and their jobs – Producer, Director, AD, Cinematographer, Costumes, Props, 
7. A good time to explore Hagen’s Basic Object Exercises.

Second Year of Study: Building a Character
1. Lots of Sensory Exercises (use Strasberg’s Sensory work)
2. Script Analysis work – They need to know what Action is and use it!
3. Scene work with Film scripts. (Excellent time to introduce Meisner work)
4. Script writing exercises.
5. The daily life on set exercises – Help them to know how it all works from their first day on the set to the wrap.

Third Year of Study: Creating a Role
1. An Improv Class
2. A Genre Class – Comedy, Drama, Sit-Com, the differences in Network and Cable, etc.
3. A Commercial Class
4. A Voice Over Class
5. Practical class in self-taping auditions.
6. Take advantage of the working pros in your area. Bring them in as guest artists.

Fourth Year of Study – The Launch
1. A Production class – behind the camera stuff – learn how to write, produce, direct, edit
2. Senior Thesis
3. Advanced Audition Skills class
4. The Business of Acting – Agents, Managers, navigating the LA terrain, etc.
5. Show case prep

I believe that a curriculum with a structure and content like the one above can be the essential framework for a substantial film acting program. Students need to watch a lot of first-rate actors’ work. Show them examples of how crafted actors create character. Make them want to study film, how it’s made, who creates memorable stories. Give them a sense of how difficult it is to “make it” without squashing their dreams. The best advice I can offer any acting teacher is to make every day a collaborative effort. In the classroom your job is to really see what you are looking at, really hear what has been said and then report back to the actors what you saw and heard. That will take sharp focus and your ability to know where each actor “is” in their training at that moment. Bottom line – trust your instincts.