Held online via Zoom: Do you want to feel confident on set and deliver self-tapes that stand out? This class is an opportunity for actors to create great self-tapes and be prepared to work on a professional film set. A priority of the class is self-taping and self-filming, helping you develop a clear, repeatable process for auditions and professional work, and to be present on film. Having the class on Zoom allows us to focus on your close-ups. Ongoing students will write and create their own short films. Many of these films have gone on to win awards at film festivals. Let’s find freedom, joy, and presence in the technical world of film. I look forward to working with you. Expected rehearsal time outside of class: 3+ hours/week.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• New Students must: schedule a Zoom meeting with Lisa Pelikan prior to your first day of class. Email her at lpelikan@hbstudio.org.
• Prerequisite: Open to Acting Level 2 and up. New to HB? Submit online for level placement. 

The essential forces and circumstances that underlie human behavior – and character behavior – are the same, but the way this behavior manifests itself can differ widely form medium to medium, or from one kind of material to the other. How is television and film writing different from theater writing? How are the storytelling mechanics different in live and camera performances? And how do these differences inform what we must do as actors to tell those stories? This class is dedicated to helping the working actor carry over their strengths and talents in theater into camera work. How do we maximize on our theater training when tackling television and film work? And how do we build new skills that the medium requires? And how can we help ourselves get rid of patterns that stand in the way of truthful acting in general? Taught in a hands-on environment, the class involves scene work, camera work, script analysis, and guided peer to peer discussions.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Registration Prerequisite: Open to all actors who have prior actor training or experience.

Jumping into the fray: A five-week immersion into the creative realities of on-screen acting. If you are new to on-camera work the process can be quite daunting; if you are a theater actor, what you’ve experienced in rehearsal rooms and on stage won’t prepare you for the unique challenges ahead. Even if you’ve worked in front of the camera before, there's the question of how to maximize your limited time with material. From your audition moment to the rehearsal process to the shoot itself, we’ll actually go through these experiences. We’ll explore crucial on-cam techniques and cover all the fundamentals that go into realizing a filmed scene. Geared toward actors with some prior experience, Being On Camera is designed to refine your on-screen skills in a supportive and exciting environment. Created and led by two acclaimed actors each with 30 plus years of work on stage and on both sides of the camera.

• Learn more about the instructors: Amelia Campbell & Anthony Arkin
• Prerequisite: Previous experience acting on-camera is required, such as prior enrollment in Being on Camera 1, Acting with the Camera 1, or equivalent.

This is a combined level class (beginning to advanced) geared to the particular circumstances of working with the camera on film or video and assumes you are already well grounded in acting technique, text analysis, and contemporary scene work. The class will address the adjustment you must make to the intimacy and immediacy of film, so you become accustomed to doing your best detailed, honest, layered work under the watchful eye of the lens. You learn to manage the tough realities of the film or television job, developing strategies for applying your own technique to the demands of the set. We consider angles, lenses, distances, continuity, and your relationship to the composition of the scene. You learn to work more quickly and more intimately, and to prepare effectively for a performance situation in which it is little or no rehearsal and scenes often occur out of sequence. You learn to respect and understand the financial, technical, and time considerations that govern film production, and cultivate the absolute discipline required to meet them. You will receive video files of your on-camera footage at no extra charge, included within the cost of the class.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Prerequisite: Open to All.

This Level 1 acting class provides an introduction to the technique of living truthfully in front of the camera. You explore the fundamental elements of a grounded acting technique as they relate to the level of intimacy the camera demands. As you practice in front of the camera, you learn to stay open and work freely without hiding or acting for the lens. You develop the ability to listen and connect truthfully with a partner, letting that interaction guide your impulses. You discover the relevance of Uta Hagen’s exercises for on camera work – building the 4th wall, creating place, connecting with sensory aspects of the environment – and begin to understand the level of preparation, specificity, and simplicity the camera demands. You will receive video files of your on-camera footage at no extra charge, included within the cost of the class.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Prerequisite: Open to All.

This class is designed for actors with prior training (Acting Level 2 and above) who are interested in deepening their on-camera work while creating strong, usable material for a professional reel. This class will guide you through the process of selecting, developing, rehearsing, and filming short scenes that highlight your unique strengths and casting potential. We will work with material from film or television—or develop original scenes—with an emphasis on making you the central focus. We will explore how to tailor material that showcases your range and versatility, whether in dramatic, comedic, or mixed tones. Special attention will be given to creating clips that are concise, compelling, and effective for submissions on platforms such as Actors Access, personal websites, and auditions. The goal is for you to complete the term with two to three polished, recorded scenes that reflect different facets of your work and can be used as high-quality clips for your reel. In collaboration with videographer Horacio Rojas, the class will emphasize strong visual storytelling, incorporating thoughtful camera work and lighting to ensure a professional and cinematic result.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Prerequisite: Open to Acting Level 2 and up. New to HB? Submit online for level placement. 

This Level 1 acting class provides an introduction to the technique of living truthfully in front of the camera. You explore the fundamental elements of a grounded acting technique as they relate to the level of intimacy the camera demands. As you practice in front of the camera, you learn to stay open and work freely without hiding or acting for the lens. You develop the ability to listen and connect truthfully with a partner, letting that interaction guide your impulses. You discover the relevance of Uta Hagen’s exercises for on camera work – building the 4th wall, creating place, connecting with sensory aspects of the environment – and begin to understand the level of preparation, specificity, and simplicity the camera demands. You will receive video files of your on-camera footage at no extra charge, included within the cost of the class.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Prerequisite: Open to All.

This Level 1 acting class provides an introduction to the technique of living truthfully in front of the camera. You explore the fundamental elements of a grounded acting technique as they relate to the level of intimacy the camera demands. As you practice in front of the camera, you learn to stay open and work freely without hiding or acting for the lens. You develop the ability to listen and connect truthfully with a partner, letting that interaction guide your impulses. You discover the relevance of Uta Hagen’s exercises for on camera work – building the 4th wall, creating place, connecting with sensory aspects of the environment – and begin to understand the level of preparation, specificity, and simplicity the camera demands. You will receive video files of your on-camera footage at no extra charge, included within the cost of the class.

• Learn more about the instructor.
• Prerequisite: Open to All.