ON-CAMERA ACTING

Acting in film and TV - a craft of its own

Stage acting often requires grand gestures, acting in front of the camera requires conscious reduction. Christoph Dostal teaches a special Camera Acting Technique which he has developed over the many years he has been living and working in Los Angeles as an actor and by studying with Hollywood’s best teachers. On-Camera-Acting courses are often offered without even using a camera in class. In Christoph’s courses, all exercises and all scene work take place in front of the camera, otherwise it would actually be acting for the stage and not the camera…

Framing: Close-up, medium-shot, two-shot and multi-camera recording

This of course teaches the distinctions between all the different camera frames and set-ups and how to adjust your performance to each one accordingly.

Developing a sensibility for the camera

By working intensively in front of the camera under professional guidance, you will quickly develop a feel for the camera and thus train your own fine motor skills, which are of essential importance in film acting.

Working on scenes from current, international films and TV shows

Since this is not a theater class, we won’t do any scenes from Shakespeare or the like but actual audition scenes from current, international films and TV shows as well as Hollywood productions in the English language.

Script analysis for the actor

What should you look out for when reading a script? How do you break down a script? How can you carve out the ‘back story’ of a character, their goals and obstacles, their stakes as well as the ‘moment before the scene’, even if you only get your scene instead of the entire script for the audition?

Analysis of filmed scene work and on-camera exercises

The recorded scenes - like all other exercises in front of the camera - are viewed on a large monitor and analyzed within the group. Viewing and analyzing one's own work under professional guidance is an important part of the learning process.

Self-tapes: Directing your own performance

Due to Covid self-taping is the new normal, especially within the international film and TV market. The big advantage: You don't necessarily have to live in Los Angeles, New York or London to be in the running for international auditions. However, it is crucial to be able to direct your own performance in a self-tape and do so within 24 hours. This tight “turn-around” time frame from the audition invite to the delivery of the self-tape tends to be expected.

Blocking your scene for the camera

By studying a wide variety of audition scenes within the group, you will learn with each case example how to make them work for the camera or in other words how to “block” the scenes for the camera. Key points are: Entrance and Exit, the so-called “Critical Moment” of a scene and the technique to make that moment read well on camera.

‘The First Orientation’ : Your anchor in every scene

When being a news anchor or hosting a show it is easy to answer the question ‘Where do I look?’ - of course, into the camera. In ​​film acting, with just a few exceptions, we never look into the lens. So where else do we look? All over the place? There is a focal point in camera acting which you can always come back to and which serves you as an anchor during the entire performance: the so-called “First Orientation”!

Techniques to bring the ‘environment’ of the scene to life

In the finished film, your acting is supported by factors such as editing, music, sound, lighting, etc. and of course also by the talent of the other cast members. When self-taping, whether or not you can hold the attention of casting directors and decision-makers depends entirely on the quality of your uncut and unsupported solo performance. However, there are techniques you can use to bring the setting and other characters of the scene to life without the need for other aids.

Techniques called ‘False Exit’ and ‘Rule of Numbers’

How can you improve your performance through techniques like the “False Exit” or the “Rule of Numbers”. These techniques will help to make your audition scenes even more interesting to watch, which will make you shine.

Marks & Matching: Practicing physical precision

Techniques of physical and emotional continuity (matching) are explained and trained. Specific exercises also teach you to hit the marks precisely and effortlessly with every take, which is essential for the camera focus.

‘Less is more’: Emotional credibility 

The stage asks for grand gestures, film demands conscious reduction. But are your emotions also clearly and credibly visible on the monitor or the big screen? Through individual assistance, you gain confidence in this balancing act of too much versus too little. 

Techniques to consciously increase the dramatic tension

Spectacular tracking shots, rapid editing and dramatic music are often responsible for the nail-biting tension in the finished movie. However, there are simple acting tools that enable you to  increase the dramatic tension on self-tapes with just your own expression.

Making a small role more substantial with the ‘reaction shot’

The ‘reaction shot’ is an art in itself. You don’t need a lot of text to express much. Non-verbal expression - usually called the ‘reaction shot’ - is a crucial element in camera acting. Many acting careers have been made largely through the skillful use of the "reaction shot". So what technique can you use to make a ‘reaction shot’ more believable and more interesting to watch and thus make a perhaps small part more substantial?

Rhythm and pacing in your line delivery 

Where do you put a so-called ‘beat’ and how do you determine your “pacing”? Especially when  you are not entirely fluent in the English language but you still want to succeed in international productions, it is essential to train the rhythm of your speech. In doing so you can even consciously increase the dramatic tension of your performance.

Rehearsed but still ‘in the moment’

After learning the above on-camera-acting techniques, every student has the basic skill set to prepare for auditions and shoots independently because there often is not enough time to rehearse for a film shoot and especially not for a TV-shoot. Which practical relaxation and concentration exercises can you use to overcome nervousness and sharpen your focus? These will enable you to access rehearsed material at any time while still being in the moment to quickly and flexibly respond to your scene partners, the casting director or director.

Cold reading techniques

At auditions and even on set you will often be given a brand-new text with the note ‘take all the time you need to familiarize yourself with it’, yet you will be called to give a breathtaking performance of it after only a couple of minutes of prep time. That’s why it is all the more important to master cold reading techniques.

Different TV formats - different acting styles

Thanks to big streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, we have finally arrived in the golden age of television. However, not all TV is made in the same way. There are major and minor differences in terms of acting styles between the various formats and shows. We highlight some of these different styles through examples and in our scene work.

Confidently ‘Making Strong Choices in your performance’

US casting directors in particular keep stressing how important it is ‘to make strong choices in your performance’ for an audition or self-tape. What that means exactly is explained and trained throughout the scene work.

‘Slating’ : The short presentation in front of the camera

You often need to do a so-called ‘slate’ at an audition or for a self-tape, in the US and internationally. This short presentation is not to be confused with the answer to the question: ‘Tell us a little about yourself!’.

Your response to - ‘Tell us a little about yourself!’

The first challenge you are usually met with at an audition once you step in front of the camera is the line: ‘Tell us a little about yourself!’ Why is this requested at all when the resume was already sent beforehand? Could this be about your personality rather than your credits? So what should you say and what not? And how long should your “Tell me a little about yourself-monologue” be?

Practicing the standard American and British Accent

Upon request, when working on English scenes, we will also work on the differences between  the standard American and the standard British accent.