About This Course

Breaking down a script down from an actor’s perspective.

The script is to the actor what the score is to the musician. The script dictates the appropriate directions, intentions, and relationships for the actor. In this program, we look at how an actor’s interpretation of a script will enhance their performance, how to break down a layered script, and how to work with a weak script. Please note: there is no self-filming in this course.

Pricing options:

Both options include: Personal exercise feedback and final report card

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Intro

    • Welcome
  • 2

    Getting Started

    • Course Goals

    • Choosing your Play

    • Important Note

    • Feedback

    • Downloadable Exercise Checklist
  • 3

    Beginning the Play

    • Lesson 1: The Creative Reading

    • Exercise: The Creative Reading Explanation

    • Reflection: The Creative Reading
  • 4

    Mining the Script for the Story

    • Lesson 2: The External Plane

    • Naomi Harris on Reading the Script

    • Exercise: The External Plane Explanation

    • Reflection: The External Plane

    • How to Submit The External Plane Exercise

    • Lesson 3: The Plane of the Social Situation

    • Matthew McConaughey on Reading the Script

    • Exercise: The Plane of the Social Situation Explanation

    • Reflection: The Plane of the Social Situation

    • How to Submit The Plane of the Social Situation Exercise

    • Lesson 4: The Literary and the Aesthetic Planes

    • Anthony Hopkins on Reading the Script

    • Exercise: The Literary and the Aesthetic Planes Explanation

    • Reflection: The Literary and the Aesthetic Planes

    • How to Submit The Literary and the Aesthetic Planes Exercise
  • 5

    Mining the Script for the Character

    • Lesson 5: The Psychological Plane

    • Viola Davis on the Craft of Acting

    • Exercise: The Psychological Planes Explanation

    • Reflection: The Psychological Plane

    • How to Submit The Psychological Plane Exercise

    • Lesson 6: The Physical Plane

    • Stephen Adly Guirgis on Philip Seymour Hoffman

    • Exercise: The Physical Plane Explanation

    • Reflection: The Physical Plane

    • How to Submit The Physical Plane Exercise

    • Lesson 7: The Plane of Personal Creative Feelings

    • Chadwick Boseman On Filling in the Gaps of the Script

    • Exercise: The Plane of Personal Creative Feelings Explanation

    • Reflection: The Plane of Personal Creative Feelings

    • How to Submit The Plane of Personal Creative Feelings Exercise
  • 6

    Deconstructing the Scene

    • Lesson 8: Realizing the Narrative of a Scene

    • Practice Exercise: Finding the Events

    • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Scene

    • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Scene with Events

    • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Scene with Named Events

    • The Silence of the Lambs Scene

    • The Silence of the Lambs Scene with Events

    • The Silence of the Lambs with Named Events

    • Exercise: Realizing the Narrative of a Scene Explanation

    • How to Submit Realizing the Narrative of a Scene Exercise

    • Lesson 9: Bringing Life to a Scene

    • Practice Exercise: Finding the Bits

    • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Scene

    • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Scene with suggested Bits

    • The Silence of the Lambs Scene

    • The Silence of the Lambs Scene with suggested Bits

    • Exercise: Bringing Life to a Scene Explanation

    • How to Submit Bringing Life to a Scene Exercise
  • 7

    Deconstructing the Dialogue

    • Lesson 10: Momentary Motivations

    • Practice Exercise: Finding the Mini Objectives and Actions

    • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf Scene Portion

    • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Mini Objectives and Actions Example 1

    • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Mini Objectives and Actions Example 2

    • Notes on Mini Objectives and Actions Examples 1 and 2

    • Exercise: Momentary Motivations Explanation

    • How to Submit Momentary Motivations Exercise
  • 8

    Conclusion

    • Course Summary

    • All Planes