Discover Acting

Instructor: James Palm

18,783 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

218 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

218 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

2 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 4 modules in this course

Are you curious about the world of acting? On our ‘Discover Acting’ course, you will be guided through some of the basics of actor training and explore how these could unlock the talent and potential within you.

If you want to learn about how actors work through getting up and giving it a go then this course is for you. This course places you at the centre of the learning experience through engagement with a range of practical exercises, workbook activities and video content. Discover Acting is perfect for anyone wanting to take that first step in acting.  This is an introductory course. You don’t need any previous experience or prior knowledge. You should have curiosity and enthusiasm, an interest in acting and a desire to gain a deeper understanding of the acting process. As the course is practical in nature, the deepest learning will occur in those that physically engage with the exercises introduced in the videos. This course has been developed and is led by practitioners from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

In week one we’ll focus on the key concepts of the course: What is an actor? What is acting? What do you offer that’s unique as an actor? We will also explore the notion of subjectivity and what makes certain acting choices effective. We'll look at the relationship between body, voice and imagination. In these early stages of the course you'll be invited to watch, listen and read about acting; before we act, we need to think about acting. As the course progresses you'll develop a technique that enables you to experiment with these ideas in practice.

What's included

7 videos16 readings1 assignment

7 videosTotal 22 minutes

Course Introduction4 minutes
Week 1 Introduction1 minute
Acting; it's all about you.2 minutes
Free Writing Exercise; What make you unique?2 minutes
Mindful bodyscan 9 minutes
Demonstrating3 minutes
Week 1 Conclusion1 minute

16 readingsTotal 256 minutes

Exercises at own risk10 minutes
Viola Davis - The Actors Academy10 minutes
Tips on creating a study journal10 minutes
What is actor training?30 minutes
13 Acting Techniques Every Actor Should Know10 minutes
Journal Exercise10 minutes
In The Envelope : Daniel Kuluuya60 minutes
What Makes a Good Actor?20 minutes
Good Acting vs Bad Acting30 minutes
What is your example of great acting?10 minutes
Acting; it's all about you1 minute
Preparing the Body for Work: Working for Coherence10 minutes
Disclaimer: Finding Your Professional Voice content10 minutes
Mindful Body Scan Reflective Exercise10 minutes
'The reality of doing'15 minutes
'Acting is doing things truthfully with a purpose'10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Quiz Review - Week 130 minutes

Key concepts: The interconnected role of the actor’s instrument: body, voice and mind. Building awareness of your own body, physical & vocal habits, and how this is affected by internal and external factors. Start to develop an awareness of the relationship between physical release, alignment, breath and why that is important for the actor. Questions to ask in order to establish the given circumstance and how changing the answer changes the playing.

What's included

7 videos10 readings2 plugins

7 videosTotal 29 minutes

Week 2 Introduction1 minute
Being at ease7 minutes
How the voice is made6 minutes
Releasing tension7 minutes
Engage with your imagination3 minutes
How to choose a monologue4 minutes
Week 2 Conclusion1 minute

10 readingsTotal 100 minutes

Exercises at own risk10 minutes
Repeat BodyScan10 minutes
Our Vocal Heritage10 minutes
Disclaimer - Finding Your Professional Voice content10 minutes
Develop your own warm up10 minutes
Reflective Exercise10 minutes
Imagination, storytelling and the importance of wonder10 minutes
Reflective exercise on imagination and story telling10 minutes
Now you have a monologue....10 minutes
Tips on learning lines10 minutes

2 pluginsTotal 30 minutes

Vocal Warm up - Developing a Natural Voice15 minutes
Breathing Basics: Vocal warm up15 minutes

Key concepts: Text analysis/diagnostic, given circumstances, objectives, caps, tactics, physical externals.

What's included

8 videos7 readings1 assignment

8 videosTotal 28 minutes

Week 3 Introduction1 minute
How to analyse a text8 minutes
How to run lines: Watch the video and then practice the lines from your monologue.2 minutes
Given circumstances; objective, cap and tactics: Watch the video and then apply what you've seen to your monologue. 5 minutes
Changing Tactics - Pause: Watch the video and then apply what you've seen to your monologue.4 minutes
Changing Tactics - Articulation & Emphasis: Watch the video then apply what you've seen to your monologue.3 minutes
Raising the stakes 5 minutes
Week 3 Conclusion1 minute

7 readingsTotal 70 minutes

Exercises at own risk10 minutes
Facts & Questions10 minutes
Reflective Exercise10 minutes
What just happened?10 minutes
Voice and Body10 minutes
The Character's Physical Externals10 minutes
Here's what we've done so far...10 minutes

1 assignment

Week Summary0 minutes

Key concepts: Practical preparation for a performance. Performing and reflecting effectively on your performance. Reflect on the learning so far and next steps.

What's included

6 videos11 readings

6 videosTotal 15 minutes

Week 4 Introduction1 minute
Try Out: Watch the video then apply what you've seen to your monologue.5 minutes
Final Performance3 minutes
Review of first and final performance3 minutes
Final Take1 minute
Well Done!2 minutes

11 readingsTotal 170 minutes

Exercises at own risk10 minutes
Final Performance10 minutes
Monologue Rehearsal10 minutes
Guidance on Recording a self-tape10 minutes
Now it's your turn - recording the monologue10 minutes
Reviewing your work10 minutes
Re-record the monologue.10 minutes
No one-size fits all10 minutes
Journal Entry40 minutes
Practitioners40 minutes
Final Word10 minutes

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(59 ratings)

James Palm

University of London

1 Course18,783 learners

Offered by

University of London

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

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Reviewed on Dec 21, 2023

I learned a lot about acting and thank you very much but I expected you watch my record and say something about my efforts.

Reviewed on Nov 17, 2025

Very informative and great review for all levels of actors.

Reviewed on Oct 24, 2024

It's a crash course about acting, and the reading and video reference are really help to understand acting.

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