8 week online acting course – an acting self tape challenge for actors who want to stay sharp and working on their craft every week.
All actors, no matter their level should always be working on their craft. If you’re on a TV show or play then great but if you’re not how do you stay sharp? While SAC offers amazing weekly classes some actors can’t make classes, travel is an issue or just don’t have the finances…
This is where the SAC Actors Challenge is perfect!
The SAC Actors Challenge is an 8 week, weekly online acting course, based on a self tape model, conducted by accomplished actor and founder of SAC Chum Ehelepola
Chum Ehelepola has been acting for over 20 years and is only going from strength to strength. Having appeared in hit Australian TV shows such as No Activity, Dr Dr, The Straits and many more, Chum now resides in Los Angeles where is making waves. He is a regular on Paul Giamatti’s Lodge 49 for AMC, he is also about to star in Disney’s mega budget studio film MULAN. Chum is represented by super agency APA and has also worked with Netflix, Sony, Fox, ABC and other US networks and studios.
Chum has personally created this online course to replicate experiences he has had in his own career. Each week he will be challenging actors with a specific style or aspect of acting. The course is a self tape model so each week actors will have to tape their audition and send it in. All footage will be uploaded to a private Facebook group ONLY for participants to view. Each week Chum will upload a Video blog, exclusively for participants of this course with his ideas and thoughts on the exercise at hand.
Course Structure
Week 1 – High Stakes
Cop shows, procedurals, and more ask actors to play tense moments that require great focus and performance tension. More often than not actors find themselves not able to bring to life the realistic stakes of the situation.
This week actors will be asked to capture the intensity of a scene. To keep the intensity alive, riddled with tension and high stakes. Get ready to sweat!
Week 2 – TVC
EVERY working actor in Australia needs to nail TVC’s. Not only are they bread and butter, very high paying but also offer a great way of exposing your work to creatives who are working on TV shows and films.
This week actors will be asked to nail the world of imagination while selling a product. Your imagination and realistic performance skills will be put to the test.
Week 3 – Character
Acting is more than saying words, it is about physically embodying the character you are playing. Nuances, voice, physical behavior and more. The body is an actor’s vessel and the more free and loose it is, the more it can become the character.
This week actors will be asked to play a CG, non human character that require great physical and verbal dexterity.
Week 4 – Comedy
Time to make us laugh. Comedy is one of the hardest styles to play as it requires not only truth, but timing and comedic license. Comedy is an essential style of acting as everyone loves to laugh, but can you make them laugh?
This week actors will be asked to play a challenging comedic scene where they are the lead character.
Week 5 – Emotions
Acting is emoting while telling a story. An actor needs to be fluid with their ability to encompass emotions. The world of film and TV is fake in that it asks actors and the audience to believe a story in 1 hour or 30 minutes, which in real life could take days. Therefore actors need to “hyper” traverse emotions is a scene as they visit a range of emotions which maybe in a real life situation, may not actually happen. But hey, this is show biz!
Actors will be given a scenario that will put their emotional range to the test.
Week 6 – Physical realism.
Pain, fatigue, extreme cold, thirsty quenching heat, these are some physical situations an actor will be asked to portray. In real life this is easy but in a controlled environment can you bring to life a character who is enduring or suffering some form of physical obstacle.
This week actors will be asked to perform a scene that has the character in an intense form of physical discomfort.
Week 7 – Improv
A great actor is free to own the moment and improvise. SO many projects are now asking actors to improvise, and find more organic, richer, non constructed moments. The Australian hit show NO ACTIVITY is such a show. Improv is scary as actors do not have a script to hide behind and can blank at any moment. But if you can nail improv, you will be an asset to any production as you can inject little moments of improv gold. Are you up for the challenge?
This week actors will be given a scenario and asked to improvise a scene that lasts 2 minutes. But there is a cheeky condition attached to make sure the scene is not pre-prepared!!
Week 8 – Non verbal
Most actors rely on the words and script to be their gold. But the silent behavior of a character is what captivates the viewer. Sometimes words and behavior juxtapose each other bringing a delicious contrast to the performance.
This week actors will be given a complex scene, that traverses a detailed human journey, but no words are involved. The whole scene is non verbal.
There are two options to participate.
Option 1 – You can sign up to receive personal notes from Chum each week on your auditions. These notes will address aspects that are working and then notes on improvements, ideas, aspects that aren’t working plus more. Notes will last about 5 minutes and all notes will be delivered as an audio MP3. You will have your work uploaded to the Facebook group so you can benefit from seeing everyone else’s interpretation of the scene. THERE ARE ONLY 10 SPOTS AVAILABLE for this option.
Option 2 – If you are cash poor or just want to be active and be doing scenes each week for your own growth this option is for you. You won’t receive any notes on your work but you will be issued a scene each week and expected to submit by the deadline. You will have your work uploaded to the Facebook group so you can benefit from seeing everyone else’s interpretation of the scene. This is a great learning experience and many times you don’t get to see other performances of your scene. This is a great way to be practicing your craft each week!
Details
Date: The SAC online acting course will begin on Thursday August 15th
Cost: Option 1 – NOTES FROM CHUM – $295 for 8 week course
Option 2 – NO NOTES FROM CHUM – $95 for 8 week course
Venue – This is an online course so there is no venue.
Time – You will receive scenes on Thursday and will need to be submitted by the following Wednesday.
Each actor will need the ability to record self tapes and submit them. Actors can record via their smart phone as long as they are clearly visible and can be heard properly. There is no need to hire any self tape facilities.
For a fraction of the cost of acting classes, you can join a community of actors who are looking for weekly acting challenges and exercises. This online acting course is based on auditions that Chum himself has had to do and as such based around real acting experiences. If you want to keep growing as an actor and are up for keeping your acting muscles flexed then email marti@sydneyactorscollective.com to enroll.
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