University of Essex

EA328-6-FY-LO:
Professional Preparation and Auditioning Technique

The details

Year: 2024/25

Department: East 15 Acting School

Campus: East15 (Loughton) Campus

Term: Full Year

Level: Undergraduate: Level 6

Status: Current

Start date: Thursday 03 October 2024

End date: Friday 27 June 2025

Credits: 15

Last updated: 22 March 2024

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

BA W441 Acting and Contemporary Theatre

Module description

In this module you will be presented with a programme of workshops and master classes led by directors, actors and casting professionals as well as the Head of Course. You will explore various process of setting-up theatre companies, fund raising and marketing. You will learn a variety of audition methods and styles such as screen test, reading to camera, workshops and ensemble selection processes.

You will develop the advanced performance skills necessary to engage with your audiences, towards the specific task of gaining employment. The topics of starting, funding and marketing a company will also be addressed. You will learn the principals of operating as an independent business as an individual and as a member of a collective.

Students will also work on a film project, which may produce material that students can use for self-promotion and showcase actor skills.

You will be given guidance and opportunities to develop your CV, presentation and writing skills for employment, and you will prepare and perform a showcase event for an audience of industry guests.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:

To consolidate learned performance vocabulary and put it into practice

To further develop students’ performing skills

To develop students’ understanding of their industry

To provide a professional preparation to meet real and current industry needs

To provide students with a platform to make professional contacts

To provide the tools to take command of your career.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to demonstrate:

Expansion of acting skill

Skills integration into the audition process and in seeking employment

Entrepreneurial skills as a performance industry practitioner

Creativity and confidence in the audition process and other performer selection processes

Flexibility & response to change

Understanding of industry possibilities and the obstacles

The ability to apply critical self-assessment to develop and improve career opportunities

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

Students work with tutors in group classes, workshops and master classes
Independent study and research
Learning also takes place in through verbal formative feedback and assessment in group and individual discussion on performances
Students receive a written summative assessment and tutor comments at the end of the module
A showcase performance is given to an invited audience of industry professionals, e.g. directors, casting directors, agents, normally in a professional London theatre venue. The showcase is intended to provide students with opportunities to make professional connections that will enhance their careers as artists and performers.

Bibliography

Berger, J. (2009) About looking. London: Bloomsbury. Available at: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=2673604.
Brook, P. (1996) The empty space. New York: Simon & Schuster. Available at: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=2254576.
Bettelheim, B. (1991) The uses of enchantment: the meaning and importance of fairy tales. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Lecoq, J. et al. (2002) The moving body: teaching creative theatre. London: Methuen. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781474244800?locatt=label:secondary_bloomsburyCollections.
Mamet, D. (1998) True and false: heresy and common sense for the actor. London: Faber & Faber.
McKee, R. (1997) Story: substance, structure, style and the principles of screenwriting. New York: ReganBooks.
MacDonald, I. (2008) Revolution in the head: the Beatles’ records and the sixties. 2nd rev. ed. London: Vintage. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=683850.
Pinker, S. (1995) The language instinct: the new science of language and mind. London: Penguin.
Fromm, E. (1951) The forgotten language: an introduction to the understanding of dreams, fairy tales, and myths. New York: Grove Press.
Harari, Y.N., Purcell, J. and Watzman, H. (2015) Sapiens: a brief history of mankind. London: Vintage Books.
Pullman, P. (2017) Dæmon voices: essays on storytelling. Edited by S. Mason. Oxford, UK: David Fickling Books. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5116586.
Furse, A. (2024) Performance Making. London: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
Wright, J. (2006) Why is that so funny?: a practical exploration of physical comedy. London: Nick Hern Books.
Chekhov, M. and Gordon, M. (1991) On the technique of acting. New York, NY: Harper Perennial.
Goleman, D. (1996) Emotional intelligence: why it can matter more than IQ. London: Bloomsbury. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5291911.
Cohen, B.B., Nelson, L. and Smith, N.S. (1993) Sensing, feeling, and action: the experiential anatomy of body-mind centering. Northampton, Ma: Contact Editions.
Calais-Germain, B. (1993) Anatomy of movement. Seattle: Eastland Press.
Hackney, P. (1999) Making connections: total body integration through Bartenieff fundamentals. New York: Routledge. Available at: https://www-taylorfrancis-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/books/9780203214299.
Newlove, J. (1993) Laban for actors and dancers: putting Laban’s movement theory into practice?: a step-by-step guide. New York: Routledge.
Newlove, J. and Dalby, J. (2004) Laban for all. London: Nick Hern.
Olsen, A. and McHose, C. (2004) Bodystories: a guide to experiential anatomy. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=6359575.
Clayman, C.B. (1995) The human body: an illustrated guide to its structure, function, and disorders. London: Dorling Kindersley Pub.
Richards, T. (1995) At work with Grotowski on physical actions. London: Routledge. Available at: http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780203360231.
Wolford, L. and Schechner, R. (2001) The Grotowski sourcebook. London: Routledge. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1539237.
Grotowski, J. and Barba, E. (1991) Towards a poor theatre. London: Methuen Drama. Available at: http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780203819814.
Gutekunst, C. and Gillet, J. (2014) Voice into acting: integrating voice and the Stanislavski approach. London: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama.
Crystal, D. (2004) The stories of English. London: Allen Lane.
Crystal, D. (2019) Pronouncing Shakespeare: the Globe experiment. 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at: https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.1017/9781108566759.
Dimon, T. (2018) Anatomy Of The Voice: An Illustrated Guide for Singers, Vocal Coaches, and Speech Therapists. North Atlantic Books, U.S. Available at: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=1571344.
Sharpe, E. and Haydn Rowles, J. (2009) How to do accents. 2nd ed. (rev.). London: Oberon Books. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/614737.
Sharpe, E. and Haydn Rowles, J. (2011) How to do standard English accents. London: Oberon.
Rodenburg, P. (2005) Speaking Shakespeare. London: Methuen.
Berry, C. (1992) The actor and the text. New and rev. [ed.]. New York: Applause Books. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/93084.
Carey, D., Carey, R.C., and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Great Britain) (2022) The vocal arts workbook: a practical course for developing the expressive actor’s voice. 2nd edition. London: Methuen Drama. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/1072581.
Houseman, B. (2002) Finding your voice: a step-by-step guide for actors. London: Nick Hern. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=4779727.
Linklater, K. (1976) Freeing the natural voice. New York: Drama Publishers.
Linklater, K. (2009) Freeing Shakespeare’s voice: the actor’s guide to talking the text. London: Nick Hern Books. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=896778.
Carey, D. and Carey, R.C. (2015) The Shakespeare workbook and video: a practical course for actors. London: Bloomsbury Methuen Drama. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/580357.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Deadline	Coursework weighting
Practical	Continuous Assessment

Additional coursework information

Continuous assessment through a combination of practical exercises, written assignments and holistic observation of class work and performances.
The assessment criteria for this module are the extent to which students can demonstrate advanced understanding of the module Learning Outcomes.

Exam format definitions

Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Mr Uri Roodner, email: uroodn@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: East 15 Teaching Staff

Contact details:

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: No

Available to Outside Option: No

Available to Audit: No

External examiner

Name: Ms Isobel Beatrice Pemberton

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: No lecture recording information available for this module.

Further information

Department website: East 15 Acting School

Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Module Directory

EA328-6-FY-LO:Professional Preparation and Auditioning Technique