Acting

The acting industry is constantly looking for multi skilled performers. Acting at The Mill School of Performance sits within our University Centre Leeds (UCLeeds). At The Mill, we offer a wide range of acting skills and opportunities on our degree to reflect the full spectrum of acting jobs within the industry. A 'Generalist Actor' allows a wider scope for employment. Theatre, TV and Film Production companies and Games and Animation creators are in need of actors who can sing, dance, perform stage combat, operate puppets, and have circus aerial skills. We will provide you with the opportunities to learn these essential skills as well as acting techniques, to help you carve a sustainable career in the industry.

This course is specifically designed for people who want to become professional actors. The course is intensive, practical and exciting, reflecting exactly what the industry requires from professional actors. Students enjoy 24 hours per week of studio tuition spread over 5 days. The course has lots of opportunities for public performances in professional theatres, TV and Film acting as well as our new module in Acting for Games and Animation. If you want a career as a professional Actor then this is the course for you.

Modules may include:
Year 1 (Level 4)

Actor Toolbox 1 - 20 Credits
In this module you will develop the essential skills of dance, singing, voice production, improvisation, and actor musicianship to compliment your acting skills at an introductory level.

Actor Toolbox 2 - 20 Credits
This module allows you to further develop the skills of dance, singing, voice production, improvisation and actor musicianship towards a professional industry standard.

Celebration and Confrontation - 20 Credits
The Celebration and Confrontation module will enable you to develop an awareness of the methods and principles behind creating performance material.

Identity - 20 Credits
Through studying this module you can develop the awareness of what makes you a unique performer and what is useful and safe for you to use from your personal life and personality when creating performance work. This is an essential quality to have for any professional Actor.

Actor development - 20 Credits
In this module you will develop your personal skill development plan and design in detail your career trajectory.

History of Theatre (A Practical Exploration) - 20 Credits
Throughout the module you will develop the techniques and skills associated with the most common genres of theatre performed in Theatres today. These genres include: Ritual/Greek, Elizabethan, Victorian, Naturalism, Contemporary Theatre’ Contemporary Physical Theatre

Year 2 (Level 5)

Performance for Theatre, TV and Film - 40 Credits
Develop the techniques and skills associated with live and recorded performance. This module allows you to rehearse and perform 4 different projects to a public audience during the year.

Acting for Games and Animation - 20 Credits
Through studying this module you can develop the techniques and skills associated with acting for the games and animation industry. You will be given the opportunity to apply the additional skills learnt in the Actor Toolbox modules to a digital environment focussing on motion capture and voice over.

Professional Engagement - 20 Credits
Within this module you can develop the skills you will need to be ready to find work in the industry. This module focuses on creating your Spotlight page, Tax, National Insurance, creating a website, networking opportunities, headshots, self tapes and showreels.

Theatre for Contemporary Audiences - 20 Credits
Through studying this module you can develop the techniques and skills associated with visualising and creating a new interpretation of already existing material.

Actor Toolbox 3 - 20 Credits
Through studying this module you can develop the techniques and skills of Dance, Voice Production, Circus Aerial, Puppetry and Script Writing at a professional level.

Additional Qualification

Stage Combat
All students study the skills of stage combat throughout the 2 years resulting in an additional qualification and certificate from the British Academy of Dramatic Combat. There is no additional cost for this qualification.

This is a highly practical course. The majority of the assessments are practical performances.

The academic assessments focus on and reflect your practical work. All academic assessment methods reflect real life tasks done by Actors in the real world. Some examples of these tasks are, logbooks, presentations, research reports and skills audits.