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Acting for Visual Storytellers

Acting for Visual Storytellers

A 5 week course where students will learn simple acting techniques to better communicate character actions and emotions
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Get into character

Get into character
Acting for Visual Storytellers takes a detailed look at how every choice an artist makes is an opportunity to tell a story. Whether working in story, layout or animation, it’s helpful for every artist to understand the vocabulary and skills used by actors for preparation, script analysis, character development and more. Students will examine film and television clips and learn a variety of simple, effective and immediately usable acting tools and techniques. Taught in a fun and safe atmosphere, this class also gives students the chance to experiment with performing and shooting their own reference with feedback from the instructor. No acting experience is necessary, and scenes will be provided.
Registration Now Open
Only 4 seats left
Registration Period
Oct 09, 2024 - Jan 27, 2025
Course Start
Feb 01, 2025

Course Format

Live

Skills Level

All Levels

Duration

5 Weeks

Q&A

Once a week

Feedback

Live

Lecture Type

Live (recorded sessions)
Assignment
Deadlines each week
PREREQUISITES
An understanding of basic animation vocabulary. The ability to record and upload videos of themselves acting out short scenes with minimal dialogue.
MATERIALS
Handouts will be provided. Students should have the ability to record and upload videos of themselves acting out short scenes with minimal dialogue.

The more you know, the better.

MULTI-PART LECTURE W/ CLIPS: Intro to Acting • Basic acting theory & vocabulary, Uta Hagen basics (Including her Six Questions), Objectives & Actions IN-CLASS EXERCISE: Workshop a simple scene with a scene partner using objectives & actions
MULTI-PART LECTURE W/ CLIPS: How to improve movement choices • How to use Animals as Reference • Body Leads • Laban Movement Analysis IN-CLASS EXERCISE: Group and individual exercises focusing on Laban, Leads & Animals as reference
MULTI-PART LECTURE W/ CLIPS: Making Motivated Choices • Intro to Story Structure (The Story Circle, The Hero’s Journey) IN-CLASS EXERCISE: Analyze story structure of short two-minute film as a group ADDITIONAL LECTURE W/ CLIPS: Visual Storytelling
MULTI-PART LECTURE W/ CLIPS: Character Obstacles SEVERAL IN-CLASS EXERCISES: Perform scenario with obstacles (side-coached) • Perform scenes (side-coached) ADDITIONAL LECTURE W/ CLIPS: Character Obstacles, pt. 2
RESENT & REVIEW: Putting it all together • Go over assignments from Week #4

Unleashing your creative potential

Performance Analyst & Visual Consultant
LECTURES BY Allen Simpson
Course Start: Feb 01, 2025
Allen Simpson is an acting/visual consultant for animation. He is currently working on DreamWorks’ Trolls Band Together (2023) and Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) and was also the acting consultant for The Bad Guys (2021). Allen is also a composer/songwriter and has written songs and voice-directed for The Simpsons and voice-directed for Telltale Games’ Game of Thrones and more. Allen has worked with DreamWorks, Pixar, Blue Sky, Disney, The Third Floor, Cinesite, Telltale Games, CTN, LAAFA, Chapman University, The Animation Collaborative, California College of the Arts and more.

Instructor's Gallery

Game Art
Game Art
Game Art

PRICING SCHEDULE

Even though our courses are the most affordable for the quality of education, these finance options allow you to focus on your goals instead of the barriers that keep you from reaching them.

3x Payments

$133

2x Payments

$199.50

Full payment

$399

Winter TERM REGISTRATION Now Open
Oct 09, 2024 - Jan 27, 2025
COURSE BEGINS on Feb 01, 2025
Acting for Visual Storytellers

What makes this learning experience unique?

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK

Receive personalized feedback on all assignments from the industry’s top professionals.

LIFETIME ACCESS

Enjoy lifetime access to the spectrum of course content, including lectures, live Q&As, and feedback sessions.

CERTIFICATION

Show off your Certification of Completion when you turn in 80% of course assignments.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING

Learn anywhere, anytime, and at your own pace with flexible, online course scheduling.

Testimonials

I’d always felt that my animations lacked life or a certain realism; because of my lack of knowledge/experience. However, this class has helped me become completely aware of the ideas or ways I’m supposed to think when I’m animating a character ‘acting’.

Freddy

This was a great course! I started to see improvement in my animation choices, shooting references, coming up with great ideas for my animation. Really useful and practical.

Mohammed

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