MFA Acting for Digital Media - Acting for Digital Media Degree

Program Overview

Through intensive training in movement, voice, and acting techniques tailored for digital media, students develop the expertise to navigate the technological advancements shaping the performance industry. The program emphasizes industry preparation, providing training in accountancy, invoicing, and marketing to support graduates' transition into independent artistry.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

East 15 Acting School's MA/MFA Acting for Digital Media is a full-time, professional and intensive training program designed specifically for performers who wish to expand their skill base to be able to seek and thrive in the technological advances in the performance industry. With the advancement of digital technology, new pathways are opening up in performing arts and the course emphasises three keys areas of training: performance capture, voice skills for digital recordings and acting for camera. The use of Motion / Performance capture in the industry is on the rise and there is a demand for performers with specific skill sets and experience in order to excel in the area. This degree recognises that a performer has multiple pathways for employability and professional development, particularly looking at the role of the performer in the gaming industry.

• Year 1 (MA & MFA Students):
• Movement:
This module draws on East 15's strong tradition in training actors through various styles of movement training. Training takes place in our studios and helps to develop the actor's craft in ensuring a full-body embodiment of character that is applicable to all forms of performance. Subjects that may fall within this training include: improvisation, animal work, puppetry, and some specific movement training around military and weapons work.
• Movement in the Volume: This module looks at the fundamentals and specific techniques for working in a virtual environment and knowledge of the technology that captures your performance and eventually transforms your work in the volume into a digital character.
You will begin by learning the basics involved in a motion capture shoot, including process, vocabulary and rules for the space. As your training progressed will explore how to prepare for a role, approach repetition in a natural and truthful way, character creation, working with objects, collaborating with a performance director, working from a script. Teaching will happen both in a general studio setting as well as in our on-site, professional standard voice booth. You will learn about basic and advanced microphone technique and focus on specific performance outputs which are the mainstays for voice over artists. Tailored instruction throughout the year will focus on narration, character voices for animation and games, auditions/castings and radio plays and will require you to apply a range of accents in your work. You will also be introduced to basic recording software and audio editing. Alongside the skills covered in this unit, your technical skills in this area will be developed in the industry preparation sessions.
• Acting for Screen: Exploring techniques and knowledge of working on film across the wide spectre of performance captured by a camera – such as feature films, television (drama, comedy, soap operas), commercial adverts and corporate videos to name a few.
• Industry Preparation: Students will receive tuition that will aid them make the transition from training into working for themselves as an independent artist.
This will entail, technical training in sound recording as well as video and sound editing. They will be guided in how to use footage captured during the course to create a showreel and a voice reel, strategies in marketing and presentation (both in person and in writing), audition technique for film, motion capture and voiceover work. As part of the programme they will also have master classes and information sessions with working artists who will be able to supplement their core learning with additional skills as well as shedding a light on industry practices and the realities of working in related fields.
• Portfolio (Reflection & Presentation): Chance to reflect on your training, both as individual subjects but also to think about how the learning from your various subjects inform each other.
Using skills from your industry preparation module, you portfolio will be a digital record of your learning that can be used after graduation to showcase your skills, assisting with employability.
• Accountancy / Invoices / taxes
• Year 2 (MFA Students only):
• Performance Capture Project:
Building on the skill base that was developed in Year One, in the second year you will draw on your learning as you work through projects, from concept to research to rehearsal to the final data capture. This module gives you the opportunity to experience a consolidated your own process where you will be working to a brief, as you would in a professional environment to bring to life a character or a series of characters.
• Screen Project: Similar to the above, the screen project will involve the development, the rehearsal and the shooting a film-based project.
You will be guided in developing a script in a small group, through both research and practical exploration; a director will come aboard in the final stages to shoot.
• Recorded VOICE II: Further workshops in a range of skills that will support your growth and employability across a range of subjects.
These workshop sessions will be led by both the faculty team and by visiting professional in areas related to the core modules of training.
• Industry Preparation II: Further In-game techniques for Film and Videogames / military styles / setting up a home studio Sessions in Intimacy and Consent for screen

Teaching:

• Faculty: Teaching is carried out by experienced faculty as well as visiting artists and industry professionals.
Our international, outstanding teaching faculty is made up of professionals from all areas of live and recorded performance. The in-house faculty is supported by industry professionals with specific expertise in the areas being taught, ensuring the best teaching possible that is up to date with current developments in the field. A vibrant and modern British seaside town with excellent transport links. There are also over 650 acres of parks and gardens, a fun park, leisure centres, pubs, clubs, cafés and restaurants. Southend Airport, with flights to many European and UK destinations is just three miles away. We are also just one hour away from London's Stansted Airport. A magnificent Victorian former church in the heart of Southend's conservation area was converted into East 15's Clifftown Theatre. It also houses a variety of unique spaces for rehearsals, technical and practical work and performances. The church nave, with its original organ and stained glass windows now provides an inspirational and atmospheric environment, re-designed to accommodate the needs of a twenty-first century performance space. In ‘The Forum' building, students have round the clock, secure access to the Learning Hub, which provides innovative IT and study spaces. The Forum also houses an integrated public and academic library, carrying books and other support materials.

• Home/ UK Fee: £18,400 per annum
• International Fee: £21,700per annum
Fees will increase for each academic year of study.