10884NAT - ADVANCED DIPLOMA OF ACTING 2023
The Advanced Diploma of Acting (10884NAT) is a nationally accredited, full-time, professional training course that prepares students for careers as actors and performance makers in theatre, film, television and new media.
Students work closely with a range of Industry professionals undertaking a rigorous program of actor training. Over three years students develop practical techniques for resilience, physical and mental well-being, ethical practice, personal agency. Students are encouraged to work with passion and engagement, demonstrate a strong commitment to develop their own individual approach, and to continuously refine their professional goals.
First Year – Connecting
The first year is about learning to connect with and trust your own instincts, tune into your instrument and develop connections with your ensemble.
Movement and voice training will tune your awareness and facility for self expression. Movement techniques (including the Suzuki actor training method, Feldenkrais, and contact improvisation) will develop your physical sensitivity, presence, precision and power.
Linklater voice training will free your voice and extend your range and expression. You’ll explore realistic acting techniques through improvisation and scripted scenes.
Using techniques including Uta Hagen, find the character within yourself through improvisation and scene work. You’ll apply screen acting through self-taping techniques. You’ll engage with performance history through practical workshops. You’ll understand and articulate the historical and cultural context of texts you are engaging with.
The first year will culminate in two studio-based performances: a solo work and theatrical performance of a scripted text.
Second Year – Extending
Second year is focussed on extending into heightened performance forms, group devised work, screen acting technique and producing skills.
You’ll learn how to bring a sense of truth and authenticity to heightened forms. Movement will extend into heightened, stylised movement work, in voice classes you’ll learn how to master accents and go beyond your own speech patterns to extend your acting range. You’ll work with heightened poetic text from a range of historical and contemporary sources including Shakespeare and Ancient Greek theatre.
Through engaging with writing and performance making techniques, you’ll take your creativity to the next level. You’ll learn how to work with an ensemble to create a contemporary performance. You’ll work with industry experts in advanced screen acting technique in preparation for screen acting work in third year. You’ll develop practical skills to produce your own performance work including project management, budgeting and basic technical production.
Third Year – Honing
In your third year, you’ll prepare to embark on your professional career. Showreels and self-tapes, Mainstage performance with leading industry director. The year will culminate with a showcase performance, consisting of monologues and scenes designed to showcase your potential, that will be filmed and shared nationally with leading casting agents.
Throughout the year, you’ll be nurtured and mentored by performance making experts to develop a new work. This could be a new script, a cabaret, clowning or comic performance. You will share this work (or work in progress) in an in-house showing. Skills to apply for grants, festivals, venues, companies to take this work into the public.
You’ll graduate from the program with a series of professional headshots, showreels and self-tapes. Performance experience, and a new work.
2023 COURSE INFORMATION
Course 10884NAT ADVANCED DIPLOMA OF ACTING
Cricos Code 103336H
Duration 3 years (22 contact hrs per week on average) Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm.
Fees 2023 $33,900 (paid over 3 years) + $200 enrolment feeees are payable each term in advance. There is a ‘cooling-off’ period of 5 days once the term starts (if not paying via VET Student Loans) or on the ‘census date’ for students accessing VET Student Loans. You can also view our refund policy here.
Funding Support This course qualifies for VET Student Loans, Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABStudy for eligible candidates. Australian applicants wanting to access VET Student Loans will need to provide evidence of Year 12, Certificate IV or Diploma completion to meet eligibility requirements. Students enrolled in Years 2 and 3 are eligible to apply for scholarship funding to help with fees.
Entry Requirements Acceptance is by audition only. This course is open to Australian and international students. Students must meet all requirements and pass all units of competency in each subsequent year to obtain the qualification. Students must be 18 years or over by 1st January the year their studies commence. Students must have completed Year 12 of Secondary School or have literacy skills at ACSF level 4. International students must show evidence of English skills at level 5.5 IELTS or another recognised English proficiency test.
Auditions for 2023 Auditions will be conducted in the School’s studios in St Kilda for students living locally, and via video in the first instance for interstate and international students. View the full audition process here.
Term 1 begins on Monday 30 January 2023 with a compulsory full-day Orientation Day. Classes begin in the week of February 6, 2023.
Term 1 6 February to 31 March 2023
Term 2 24 April to 16 June 2023
Term 3 10 July to 1 September 2023
Term 4 2 October to 24 November 2023
Campus Location The National Theatre, St Kilda, Melbourne.
Uniform Requirements Individual teachers may have specific clothing and equipment requirements for their classes and students will be informed of these in the first class. Comfortable loose clothing should be worn (no jeans or jewellery). Towels, deodorant, and basic hygiene product use are essential.
Resources Set readings will be provided during course of study. The school has a library with secondary sources that are available to be loaned to students. Computer and internet facilities are provided in the library for students to use whilst in the building. A diary or notepad is required for the journaling of class activities. Students will require access to a laptop and the internet to submit assignments electronically as well as access online lessons if changes to the delivery mode are required. Students will be required to purchase key texts for study at a cost of approximately $100 per year. Texts have been chosen for their relevance to career development and will be the basis of students’ personal library.
2022 INFORMATION:
Duration: 3 years (22 contact hrs per week on average) between 9 am- 5 pm, Monday to Friday.
Fees 2022: $35,997.00 (paid over 3 years) + $200 enrolment fee
Funding Support: Scholarships may be available in certain circumstances after completing 12 months of study.
Entry Requirements: Entry requirements: Students must be 18 years or over by the 1st of January the year their studies commence. Students must have completed Year 12 High School or equivalent.
English Requirements
The National Theatre Melbourne courses are delivered in English.
Students must be able to demonstrate they have achieved an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) of level 5-5 or TOEFL score of 46 or above (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam in their home country to prove their English language proficiency.
Acceptance is by audition only.
Students must meet all requirements and pass all units of competency in each subsequent year to obtain the qualification.
Auditions for 2022: Auditions will be conducted in the School’s studios in St Kilda for students living locally, and via video in the first instance for interstate and international students.
Audition submissions can be sent at any time from June onwards. Studio auditions will take place on Tuesday, November 30, and Wednesday 1 December 2021.
All places will be finalised by mid-December 2021. On rare occasions, and if a place becomes available, we may accept applications after this date – contact office@nationaltheatre.org.au if you are interested after December. View the full audition process here.
Term 1 begins on Monday 31 January 2022 with a compulsory full-day Orientation Day. Actual classes begin in the week of February 7, 2022.
Campus Location: National Theatre, St Kilda, Melbourne.
Course Outline
Core Compulsory Units
| CUARES601 | Research and apply concepts of live performance practice |
| NAT10884001 | Demonstrate a range of body awareness techniques in performance related activities |
| NAT10884002 | Demonstrate techniques to physically release the voice in performance related activities |
| NAT10884003 | Explore techniques to enliven and embody text in performance related activities |
| NAT10884004 | Explore the key elements of the theatrical experience |
| NAT10884005 | Create performance pieces |
| NAT10884006 | Produce, promote and present an original public performance |
| NAT10884007 | Prepare, rehearse and perform stage plays for public performance |
| NAT10884008 | Rehearse and perform for the camera |
| CUAIND412 | Provide freelance services |
| CUAPRF314 | Develop audition techniques |
| CUAWHS312 | Apply work health and safety practices |
| HLTWHS006 | Manage personal stressors in the work environment |