University degrees: Courses
Course length: 1 year full-time
Course city: Prague
September 4, 2020 – May 22, 2021
The majority of students enroll in the acting for film program to launch their career in film acting. Indeed the faculty at Prague Film School provide invaluable expertise and access to the Industry Daniel Brown, with both academic degrees and teaching experience at Cambridge University, has performed alongside such major stars as Johnny Depp, Bruce Willis, Peter O’Toole and Ben Kingsley. Amy Huck, Acting for Film Chief Coordinator and instructor, is a prolific presence in national and international big-budget productions. Film Acting teacher Tristan Aronovich’s work can be seen in major features released by Sony Entertainment, Warner Bros., Paramount Channel and Fox Channel, to name a few. His work in the dramatic feature film “Alguém Qualquer/Anyone Out There” (in which Aronovich not only played the main character, but also directed, wrote, edited and composed the music for), received numerous international awards (including a finalist position at the OSCAR® 2016)
The founder of the acting for film program, Nancy Bishop, is an Emmy nominated casting director and has cast for some of Hollywood’s most well-known films. Nancy Bishop Casting continues to offer Prague Film School students rare access to castings for Hollywood productions coming through Prague – and several students every year have landed their first speaking roles in major international productions.
SAMPLE TESTIMONIALS
Brian Colin Foley: while studying at PFS in 2012, Brian landed a role in Snowpiercer (shot in Prague), directed by legendary Korean director Bong Joon-ho, starring talents such as Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton and Ed Harris, among others. He has earned his SAG/AFTRA card for roles in the HBO mini series Show Me a Hero, directed by Paul Haggis, NBC’s The Mysteries of Laura, and most recently Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, in which he worked with Emmy Award Winning Actress, Uzo Aduba.
Anssi Lindstrom was cast directly out of school in Child 44 (shot in Prague), starring Tom Hardy & Gary Oldman. After his work on the film he was signed with his first agent and soon after appeared in NBC’s Crossing Lines, various short films, and even got selected to Cannes “Talent Corner” in 2016 which celebrates and promotes young actors who have had a promising starts to their careers.
Sarah Brown Carter moved to Los Angeles after graduation from PFS where she quickly acquired her SAG card from working on numerous commercials (including two national campaigns) and a recent series regular role in a soap opera.
Peter Hallin got his his first feature film role in Snowpiercer while studying at PFS in 2012. There he can be seen sharing scenes with the likes of Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt and Jamie Bell. Peter, now based in his native Sweden, went on to land a feature role in the series Crossing Lines and made an appearance in the Swedish crime drama The Bridge. He has also taken to the stage a couple of times in recent years. Peter will be seen in the upcoming independent movie Evil Rising and has been writing, producing and acting in his own web series.
Martina Hemmingsson was accepted to the Bachelor’s Program at the Malmö Theatre Academy in Sweden following her studies at Prague Film School. This prestigious academy accepts 12 acting students out of 800 applicants and resulted largely from her intensive training at Prague Film School.
Screen Acting Craft
Acting is both an art and a craft. This course will focus on craft, emphasizing the technical demands of screen acting. Students will learn to calibrate their performances specifically for the camera frame, adjusting for close ups and a wide shots. Since the camera photographs thought, students will develop an active and varying inner monologue and understand the nuances of acting, thinking and listening with the eyes. A scene study unit will underscore how to break down a scene and play it effectively for camera.
Acting Technique
This practical course explores acting techniques applicable to both ensemble work and film. Students will start with basic acting exercises and projects, progressively integrating more complex principles. Students will practice approaches to developing a character and analyzing text. Because film is primarily a naturalistic medium, the main emphasis will be grounded in the teachings of Konstantin Stanislavksi and his disciples. Actors will train in the basics of naturalist acting technique such as pursuing an objective, breaking scenes into beats, playing actions, and overcoming obstacles. The course will include a substantial unit on Meisner Technique, which builds the foundation for listening and responding truthfully in character.
Audition Technique
Acting skills are of very little use if they can’t be put to practice on a professional set. This course will teach actors how to market and promote themselves in a competitive industry. Actors will learn strategies to tackle cold reading and on-screen castings. Each student will partake in a series of mock castings with a professional casting director who will critique their work. Study also includes self-taping, which is widely used in professional casting.
The Business of Acting
Students will learn specific marketing strategies, and confer about how to navigate their career and attract professional representation. Specifically actors will learn how to organize a professional CV, choose a winning headshot, organize a successful website, and best take advantage of the Internet for actor marketing. They will also continue to practice and improve audition techniques learned in the first semester.
Film Production
It is an imperative part of the training process for actors to work on an actual film set. Therefore each student will be expected to participate in a number of short films produced by Prague Film School directors. Other legitimate film work that an actor may obtain while in Prague might also be included towards course credit. Students will be encouraged to combine this material with scene work to produce a marketable show reel. This class will also instruct students to use basic editing programs and provide an introduction to screenwriting.
Voice
The vocal chords are a muscle and must be exercised and strengthened. Students will work with a voice coach to expand vocal range, develop vocal control and work with developing select accents. Second semester includes singing classes and performances.
Movement for Stage and Screen
The actor must be physically fit and flexible. Each class day will begin with a strengthening warm-up regime, preparing students for the physical and vocal aspects of the craft. Units in this class will include yoga and dance.
Workshops
Throughout the year, students are involved in several workshops that provide further training in various disciplines. These have included such topics as combat (sword-fighting, shooting, and body-contact), visualizing and thinking like a director, acting for virtual reality, and makeup, to name a few.
Guest Lecturers
Every year we bring inspiring professionals from around the globe to offer students insider information about the film industry. Most notably is Nancy Bishop, the founder of PFS Acting for Film Program, and a CSA, Emmy-nominated casting director who has cast over a hundred international projects. She teaches film acting and auditioning techniques several times throughout the year.
We also offer a workshop with Francisco Medina, a life coach and acting coach, who teaches internationally and works alongside acting teacher Bernard Hiller from Los Angeles.
Other notable teachers have been Judy Levine, producer of several films including The Sessions and The Catcher was a Spy, film director Bruno Coppola, and Guy Roberts, the artistic director of Prague Shakespeare Company.
The faculty at Prague Film School all work in the film industry in Prague and are constantly in contact with professionals working on international projects. We try to create as many opportunities as possible for students to meet and learn from industry professionals as the possibilities arise.
Acting for film students will also be expected to enroll in one elective offered in the general Prague Film School program. These include: Directing Actors, Good Acting/Bad Acting, Comedy, Lighting for Film, Writing the Feature, Art Direction, Central and Eastern European Cinema,among others.
