Acting in Soap Opera & Sitcom – Adapting to Multicam

Location: Pinewood Studios 10am – 5pm  |  Tutor: Richard Lynn or Jane Ashmore

Take your screen acting technique to a television standard with an experienced Director on this fast-paced three day workshop. Discover the new ways UK broadcasters are filming socially distanced scenes in a multi-cam environment as you learn the differences in blocking through the eyes of a film and television director. Held at Pinewood Studios, you will bring scripts to life with the guidance of highly experienced Director Richard Lynn or Jane Ashmore, covering the technical aspects of working on a set and how to maintain a good relationship interacting with co-performers.

COURSE DIARY
DAY 1 
Intensive practical training for single camera with the director and camera team covering shot sizes, eye lines, and personal continuity. On this first day students will be introduced to a range of immersive acting techniques and the process of blocking and shooting a scene for cinema. In addition to discovering the technical elements of performance, the director will bring their wealth of experience in working with actors to make both experienced and training actors comfortable in-front of a crew. Students will finish their first day having filmed a scene in single-camera format.

DAY 2 
Contrasting day 1 students will work in a television format, exposing the differences in shooting multi-cam to single. Using the same script, the director will re-block scenes from day 1 and demonstrate to actors the process of filming on UK television shows such as EastEnders, Coronation Street where time is critical. With multiple viewpoints, students will learn the importance of hitting marks and finding the right lens in the journey of their performance and tips used by regular working professional actors.

DAY 3 
Day three arms students with a good understanding of the potential workload a soap actor might experience. Using scripts that are issued the night before, students will be expected to have learned dialogue and built a sense of story/character to be ready for filming. As with television, students will learn to understand character continuity and journey as the Director demonstrates a fast-paced day of filming out of sequence, true to the process of television. 

Please note: This course requires good written and spoken English due to its fast pace and students will be required to learn dialogue quickly using techniques provided by the director.