What Happens in a Beginners Acting Class

Who Is in the Room

A beginners class is, by definition, full of people who have not done this before. One student who joined the studio as a newcomer wrote that the students ranged from all backgrounds and experience levels, and that the classes were very approachable and comprehensive at the same time. The studio's classes are open to actors, writers and directors, so you may find yourself working beside someone who wants a screen career and someone who wants to understand actors better for their own writing.

What students say most often about the atmosphere is that it is safe. One describes the studio as an emotional and artistic safe haven. Another says the class always feels inclusive, encouraging and challenging. That matters, because acting asks you to try things in front of other people, and you can only do that where nobody is judged for trying.

What You Learn

The beginners course at this studio introduces the fundamental elements of the Michael Chekhov technique and the character creation process. In plain terms, you meet four tools.

• Atmosphere: the mood of a place or a scene, and how to work with it.
• Psychological gesture: a physical movement that captures what a character wants, practised with the whole body and then held inside.
• Qualities of movement: ways of moving, such as moulding, floating, flying and radiating, that change how a character feels from the inside.
• Body centres: where a character leads from.

The Michael Chekhov Association sums up the approach as a psycho-physical technique that uses movement and imagination to foster transformation. For a beginner the practical meaning is reassuring: the work starts with your body and your imagination, which you already have. There is a fuller explanation on our page about how the Michael Chekhov technique works.

How the Term Is Built

The class meets once a week, on Monday evenings from 6.30pm to 9.30pm, for seven weeks. The course is intensive and practical, and it has four stated aims: to deepen your understanding of the script and the casting brief, to give you confidence in your own choices as you prepare, to expand your tool box and your rehearsal methods, and to re-ignite your creative mind through the character creation process.

The term then ends with something most beginners do not expect: a recording session with a casting director. Each actor receives a copy of their scene afterwards.

What You Take Away

Three things, in rising order of importance.

First, the footage. Seeing yourself on screen after seven weeks is a more honest measure of progress than any feeling you have in the room.

Second, a set of tools you can use alone. An acting class should leave you able to pick up a script at home and know where to begin, and the tools above are designed for exactly that.

Third, and this is the one students write about, something that goes beyond acting. One actor says the lessons are tangible and give a strong foundation on which to build believable, complex characters. Another says the classes led her to a more authentic version of herself.

Common Worries, Answered

I have no experience at all. That is who the class is for.

I am not sure I want to be a professional actor. You do not have to decide. The technique is worth learning for its own sake.

What if I am not ready to move on after one term? You take one class a week according to your level, so you move on when you are ready.

How to Begin

The details, the fee and the next start date are on the page for the beginners acting class. If you would like to see the whole programme first, read about the acting classes in Auckland.