| STONESTREET
INDEPENDENT STUDIO |
The
Stonestreet Screen Acting Workshop is conducted over two
semesters, consisting of Workshop I (SSAW I) and Workshop
II (SSAW II). A student may take either SSAW I or II in the
Fall, Spring or Summer Semesters. In addition to the foregoing,
Stonestreet offers Independent Studio for those students
who wish to work on independent film or television projects
or intensively in small groups or individually after completing
Workshop I and II.
This custom-tailored curriculum allows students to specialize beyond their first two semesters at Stonestreet. A collective decision is made between student and teachers to provide the training that suits the student’s needs. Independent is offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Stonestreet also offers specialized programs for directors, producers, writers, and designers – and acting students who wish to broaden their experience and job potential behind the scenes – with courses and production experience in addition to or instead of an acting focus. This curriculum is set up on an individual basis and requires an interview with the program director and/or managing director.
Directing and Acting Film Production
Instructors: Guest Directors and Other Professionals
This workshop is an intensive lab that takes both directors and actors from the audition to the callback to rehearsal and finally to full-blown production, including working on final film projects and Stonestreet’s Internet dramatic series, The 47th Floor. In the course of the semester, actors and directors will be working in and out of the classroom and on set with each other, in order to learn how to serve the script, director, and actor better by understanding each other’s processes.
For actors, the emphasis is on how to work with any director and try to serve their vision, while bringing lots of color, depth, and organic but interesting work to the table. For directors, the focus is on how to articulate their vision in ways that empower an actor to do great work, how to orchestrate a performance with an actor, and how to work with actors regardless of what they do or can bring to set. As the session progresses, projects evolve, and how to shoot the director-actor collaboration emerges and crystallizes in original festival level films and web series episodes.
Actors may register for this workshop after having taken Stonestreet I and II; Directors may register for this workshop as Juniors or Seniors with no Stonestreet pre-requisite.
Stage to Screen Program
Instructors: Guest Directors and Other Professionals
Students work in depth on mounting a theatrical production at Stonestreet, which culminates in a theater showcase for industry and the public. It is then developed into a film for students to further explore the material and differences in performance venues and acting styles. Students are included in the entire process, from stage to screen to editing. The course culminates in the screening of the film created.
Voiceovers, Voice, and Character on Film
Instructor: Kevin T. Collins and Guests
How does an actor sound “real?” using Alexander Technique as our ground, this class focuses on voice for commercials, television, and film. We explore vocal freedom, expressive bodies, and authentic sound. The class begins with a study of the voice in advertising, helping students to find the part in them that doesn’t just sound “real,” it is real. The semester ends with working on voice for television and film by using scenes from other classes. We also tackle the idea of a “character voice.” How much is too much? This class is about freedom and expressive presence, so dress to move.
Contemporary Film Genres and History
Instructor: Charles Bass
This class focuses on the study and appreciation of film acting styles from the 1960s through today. A wide range of actors and performances from across the globe are intensely examined through a variety of critical forms (genre, history, cultural influence, to name a few). In revealing the multifaceted nature of modern performance, the class hopes to give each student a more informed perspective on film acting, thus providing an invaluable skill for their own work as creative performers.
Shakespeare on Film
Instructor: Joe Siravo, Fay Simpson and Guests
This course differs from most film anthology or history classes, in that we not only view and discuss previously filmed Shakespearean productions, but also work in-depth on adapting Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays to film. The thrust of the class is not only analytical and historical but also directly experimental. The course targets the acting skills necessary to successfully make the transition from bolder Shakespearean stage acting to the more intimate demands of acting on screen. With the resurgence of Shakespearean film productions – both in traditional and experimental modes – and films about Shakespeare, this course hopes to prepare actors for the demands that this new and yet so old material places on the film actor.
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