Interested in becoming a screen actor?
You’ve come to the right place! Here you can find out everything you need to know on your way to becoming a professional film actor - always up to date and from first-hand experts. We connect you with professionals, teachers, and students. Join in, ask questions, and take part in the discussion.
Webinar: Acting Methods for Film with Anne Weinknecht and Patrice Goodman; hosted by Kai Ivo Baulitz
Meisner, Chubbuck, Chekhov – which is the best acting method for film? Anne Weinknecht, Patrice Goodman and Kai Ivo Baulit discuss whether this question can be answered conclusively.
Anne Weinknecht is an actress and a certified teacher of the Chubbuck Technique in Germany. She studied acting at the Otto Falckenberg School in Munich and has performed in various theater productions at Stadttheater Lübeck, Konzert Theater Bern, Theater Basel, Theater Essen, and the open-air theater in Schwäbisch Hall, among others. She regularly appears on screen in film and television, most recently in the feature film Niemand ist bei den Kälbern and in the TV series Freunde sind mehr and Praxis mit Meerblick. Weinknecht has also worked behind the camera as a script supervisor and dialect coach. Since 2015, she has been deeply involved with the Chubbuck Technique, attending Ivana Chubbuck's annual masterclasses in Germany, as well as her online masterclasses. Weinknecht completed her teacher training with Ivana Chubbuck in May 2022. She currently lives in Berlin.
Patrice Goodman is a Canadian film actress and a Meisner technique instructor. Goodman was one of the lead actors in the series Overlord and The Underwoods, and won a Canadian Screen Award for her work in the sketch comedy Sunnyside. She has also appeared in The Umbrella Academy, Platinum, Ghostwriter, and The Spine. Goodman has taught acting or Meisner technique at institutions such as Armstrong Acting Studios, Toronto Film School, Mallorca Film School in Spain, and Munich Film Academy in Germany. She has coached actors for auditions that led into prestigious acting programs, as well as to lead roles in films and television series.
Kai Ivo Baulitz is a film actor, acting coach, and author. As a guest lecturer, he teaches (film) acting and directing at institutions such as the Folkwang University of the Arts, the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, and the Bern Academy of the Arts. As a playwright, he has been awarded multiple times for his works and has been invited to various festivals.
The webinar takes place on Wednesday, 2 October 2024, from 7pm to 8pm.
Webinar: Digital Theatre with Tina Lorenz
Tina Lorenz is the head of Artistic Research & Development at Hertzlab at the Zentrum für Kunst und Medien (ZKM) in Karlsruhe. In this webinar, she presents practical examples to provide an overview of the digital theatre scene in the German-speaking area. She thereby also addresses the role of actors in the work with digital formats.
Tina Lorenz grew up in the Chaos Computer Club and then studied theatre studies and American literature in Vienna and Munich. From 2020 to 2023, she founded and led the Digital Theater department at Staatstheater Augsburg. She is a founding member of the hackspaces Metalab Vienna and Binary Kitchen Regensburg. Since January 2024, she has been leading the ZKM Hertz-Lab, the department for artistic research & development at ZKM | Karlsruhe.
The webinar takes place on Wednesday, 9 October 2024, from 7pm to 8pm.
Webinar: Motion Capture with Corinne Soland
Corinne Soland specialises in interactive media formats such as games, virtual reality films, and real-time performances using digital technologies. In this webinar, Corinne provides insights into the motion capture production pipeline, basic movement vocabulary for games, and essential techniques for performing as digital 3D characters. Additionally, Corinne can answer questions about career opportunities, necessary skills and training, and how to break into the world of 3D animation as a performer.
Corinne Soland is an actress and has been working in the fields of theatre, film, TV, and interactive media since 2014. She specializes in voice-over and motion capture for animations (film, games, VR films).
This webinar has already taken place. If you're interested in a future session, you can register here, and we'll notify you in time!
Webinar: Diversity in Film with Casting Director Raquel Kishori Dukpa
In Film, marginalised people are often portrayed in stereotypical ways, both historically and in the contemporary film landscape. Among other things, attributing racist, queerphobic, and sexist imagery to characters from marginalised positions has become the norm. This results in queer and non-white roles often being cast and narrated stereotypically. How discrimination is dealt with in productions can have an impact on viewers' experiences; but the viewing experiences of marginalised people are often not taken into account. Moreover, the interplay of cast and script, which tells us something about what is portrayed as the social norm, is often not being considered.
In this webinar, participants explore the influence of internalised discriminatory assumptions on production processes and discuss critical approaches to discrimination.
Raquel Kishori Dukpa is a screenwriter, film producer, and casting director. She studied at the University of Hildesheim, focusing on film, queer-feminist theory, and popular culture. Since 2016, she has been part of the collective JÜNGLINGE. In 2021, she was awarded the German Actors Award for her work as a casting director.
This webinar has already taken place. If you're interested in a future session, you can register here, and we'll notify you in time!
Webinar: A Conversation with Film Actress Ella Rumpf
Ella Rumpf provides a detailed insight into her work as a film actress and her experiences within the film industry in a conversation moderated by Kai Ivo Baulitz. Afterwards, participants have the opportunity to ask questions.
Ella Rumpf was born in 1995 in Paris and grew up in Zurich. She made her acting debut in 2012 in the feature film Draussen ist Sommer directed by Friederike Jehn. At the age of 19, she gained attention for her role in Simon Jaquemet's debut feature film Chrieg, earning a nomination for the Swiss Film Award in the category of ‘Best Supporting Actress’. Rumpf made her international debut in 2017 at the Cannes Film Festival in the horror thriller Grave(Raw) directed by Julia Ducournau. For this role, she was included in the 'Révélations' selection for the French César Film Awards. In 2020, European Film Promotion presented Ella Rumpf as one of the ten European Shooting Stars at the Berlinale.
The multilingual actress has appeared in numerous German-language and international film productions, such as Tiger Girl by Jakob Lass (2017), Petra Volpe's The Divine Order (2017), Detlev Buck's Asphaltgorillas (2018), the French-Canadian-Belgian co-production Sympathy for the Devil by Guillaume de Fontenay (2019), the Swiss feature film Soul of a Beast by Lorenz Merz (2021), and the quirky comedy Northern Comfort by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson (2023).
Ella Rumpf has also starred in several international series, including Succession, Tokyo Vice, and the Netflix series Freud.
In 2024, Ella Rumpf was awarded the César for her work in the feature film Le théorème de Marguerite.
This webinar has already taken place. If you're interested in a future session, you can register here, and we'll notify you in time!
Paths to Becoming a Film Actor — Explore Your Options!
Where can I study film acting?
In the German-speaking area, there are few training programmes focused on film, such as those offered by the Academy of Performing Arts Baden-Württemberg and the Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf. The situation is different in English-speaking countries, which feature comprehensive training programmes in film like those at the GFCA - Giles Foreman Centre for Acting, as well as a wide range of film workshops in the framework of further education courses by private providers. While these international offers may provide insights into the craft of acting in front of the camera, they cannot substitute for a thorough academic education. Furthermore, the fees for such training are usually very high.
What is taught at a film acting school?
- Camera Acting
- Acting Techniques (e.g., Method Acting, Meisner Technique, Chubbuck Technique, Malmgren Method)
- Body and Voice Training
- Microphone Speaking
- Motion Capture, Green Screen
- Casting, E-Casting, Showreels
- Film and Screenplay Analysis
What requirements have to be met?
Important qualities certainly include acting potential, both on stage and on camera. Other personal attributes required are strong motivation, spontaneity, discipline, resilience, imagination, a solid general education, the ability to concentrate, the capacity for dialogue, the skill of giving and receiving criticism, joy in trying new things, observational skills, empathy, potential for physical, linguistic, and artistic expression, and the ability to reflect on a text.
Generally, a highschool diploma or equivalent, with specific prerequisites completed depending on the programme (in Switzerland, Matur or equivalent secondary education diploma) is required for a BA programme. If a special talent is recognized, some state schools may also admit students without a university entrance qualification. For a MA program, a BA degree or equivalent is generally necessary.
What does a film actor do?
Professional film actors work in film, television, radio, theater, or in the production of gaming and animation film. The field for actors has grown and diversified in recent years, especially with the increased production of film and series by streaming providers and the growing gaming industry.
What does an audition process look like?
Each film acting school has a different admissions procedure. Generally, a motivation letter and a video application are required, which may be supplemented by an aptitude test on-site or online. Often, an individual interview is also conducted. Learn more about the audition process for the HKB's Master in Acting for Screen and Digital Media here.
When can I start?
Courses and workshops are offered throughout the year. For higher education programmes, the academic year usually starts in either spring or autumn. The starting date for the HKB Master's programme in Acting for Screen and Digital Media is in February; you'll find the examination dates here.
Which film acting school suits me best?
It is worth thoroughly researching the institution or university you want to study at. Each acting school has its own profile and focuses on different aspects. In the Master in Acting for Screen & Digital Media at HKB, you learn what it takes to act professionally in various settings related to film and digital media. Moreover, the training at HKB is internationally oriented and the teaching language is English.
Can I discuss my options and prospects with someone?
You have the opportunity to participate in one of our webinars to answer specific questions related to a training in film acting and to ask your own questions. If you are interested in the Master's program Acting for Screen and Digital Media, we invite you to get in contact with us directly: theater@hkb.bfh.ch.
