Overview
Learn the fundamentals of performing for camera and bring characters to life on set, through camera exercises, script breakdown, movement, voice, scene work and acting techniques. This high-energy short course is tailored for beginners and budding actors eager to play, discover and develop their acting skills – as well as for those with prior experience, looking to apply their skills to the camera.
You'll hone your acting skills through practical, confidence-boosting learning workshops in our riverside spaces, facilitated by expert and industry-experienced tutors. Embody your practice immediately, learn by doing, and collaborate with your peers on set throughout Berlin, leaving your history books and written essays behind.
Learn how to analyse, break down and work with a script using a variety of camera acting techniques. Delve into different techniques for portraying a character, present and film dialogue scenes, and initial steps taken into the casting process.
By the end of the course, you’ll have the basic skills, knowledge and confidence that you need to audition, develop a character and play a role on camera. In just four weeks, you’ll feature in short films, gain both a monologue and dialogue, and the momentum to propel your creative journey.
Course structure
Topics covered
The course content will focus on the following subject areas:
- Scene study.
- Acting for camera.
- Working with various acting techniques.
- Script analysis.
- Character development.
- Blocking for camera.
- Contrast between acting for camera and live performance.
- Improvisation.
- Movement.
- Voice work.
Weekly breakdown
Week 1 – Acting 101: understanding the basics
- Induction.
- Movement, improv and camera acting.
- Acting for film.
- Screen acting basics.
- Acting technique.
- Voice.
Week 2 – Acting Technique: actions, beats, characters
- Acting for film.
- Acting technique.
- Casting technique.
- Voice.
- Movement, improv and camera acting.
Week 3 – Scene Work: from exercises to rehearsals
- Acting for film.
- Audition technique.
- Voice.
- Movement, scene work, and camera acting.
Week 4 – The Audition: monologue and dialogue
- Audition technique.
- Acting technique and scene work.
- Voice.
- Acting for film.
- Acting technique and scene work.
- Screen test with panel.
- End of summer school celebration.
Skills gained
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Utilise a variety of foundational acting for camera techniques.
- Use the tools of actions, obstacles, beats, objectives and tactics to portray a character.
- Present and film a monologue in the context of a mock audition.
- Understand the basics of how to analyse and break down a script.
- Understand the casting process from both an actors and casting agents perspective.
- Develop a clear understanding of auditioning techniques.
- Understand how body consciousness contributes to greater freedom of an actor.
- Recognise the fundamentals required to play a two person scene.
- Select appropriate text memorising techniques.
- Present and film a dialogue scene.
Progression
Whether you want to spend four weeks learning to bring characters to life on screen while connecting with like-minded individuals, or you’re preparing to advance to one of our longer HE Certificate, BA or MA programmes and need practical experience, this short course will ignite your passion for acting and take your skills and confidence to the next level.
You will develop and receive feedback on projects that will help you take initial steps as an actor on both stage and screen. The course will also provide you with valuable audition skills that will help to prepare you for the film and acting industry.
"I've enjoyed every single second... The passion of my teachers was incredible. I didn't know it was possible but my love for acting doubled here."
"Because we did a lot of acting exercises, we bonded on a deeper level... we got to see each other in vulnerable states and actually get to know each other."
"I love this school. Working with the filmmakers, the music students, it's almost like a model version of the industry."
Screen Acting – Short Course alumni
Tutors
Our tutors are industry-acclaimed experts in their field, with a passion for passing on their knowledge to others. Here are some of the tutors that will be supporting you throughout your learning process.
Essential information
Tuition fees
Enrolment fee*: €495
Course fee: €1,755
Total: €2,250
Early Bird Discount: Enrol in a Summer Short Course before the end of February 2025 and receive a discount of €150 off the tuition fee.
Multi Course Discount: Enrol in both a Summer Short Course and a degree course with us in the same year, and receive a discount of €500 off the total tuition fee.
*Enrolment fee is non-refundable.
Timetable and class size
We can’t provide an exact timetable until we know how many students will attend the course. However, you will have an average of 16 hours per week of workshops. Alongside this, you will have some technical inductions and the course structure accounts for collaboration with students from other programmes.
Our campus facilities are open for the students to use beyond the timetabled workshop hours. Co-labs, the theatre and the acting studio are bookable from 10:00 until 19:45 during the Short Course term. Students are encouraged to make use of the beautiful Berlin summer as a backdrop for their projects on location, too.
You can expect to be in a class of 10 to 12 students.
Entry requirements
The most important prerequisite for attending this course is that you must be passionate about building and developing your skills as an actor.
Our Short Courses are designed to be accessible to anyone, so we do not require any level of academic certification to apply. Generally, applicants must be 18 or over when the course begins, although exceptions can occasionally be made by the Admissions Team where parental consent is obtained. If you're coming from outside the EU, a holiday/travel visa will usually suffice.
For more information, please contact a member of the Admissions team. We love to chat! Please reach out to us at admissions@catalyst-berlin.com or call us at +49 30 2900 9052.
Application deadlines
Once a course is full, we will no longer accept more applications, so applying as soon as possible increases your chances of getting a place. The official deadline for applying to a Short Course is Friday 23 May 2025.
Open days, Q&As & taster workshops
Get a feel for Catalyst and our courses at a range of both online and in-person events. Join us at a Virtual Open Day or an Open Day at our campus in Berlin, check out our facilities with a campus tour, join an Admissions Q&A, or try a taster workshop.
Primer Workshop – Access to Higher Education
Designed for those wishing to join our main programmes, but lacking the formal education requirements to apply through standard entry.
These free workshops run at the same time as your short course programme and cover writing skills, reading, structuring arguments, debate and understanding context.
They utilise task and project-based learning methodology to ensure that you’re prepared and ready for our longer HE Certificate or BA programmes.
Student work
Here’s a glimpse of just some of the short films created by our previous students during this course.