Home Courses Stage and Screen MA Screen Acting
Green screen room with cameras and lighting

Professional training in acting for a range of screen-based industries

12 months Full Time
Bognor Regis Campus

37th

UK University

Guardian University Guide 2023

7th

in the UK for teaching quality

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022

Top 10

for student satisfaction

Complete University Guide 2023

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Overview

Develop specialist screen acting performance skills and techniques

Our MA Screen Acting course provides you with the requisite specialist techniques and advanced performance skills to fully prepare you for a career in any of the major areas of the industry that focuses on moving image content production.

Develop advanced performance skills and techniques that could be used in:

  • Film
  • TV
  • Games
  • Adverts
  • Trailers

Gain vital contemporary performance skills in that extend beyond traditional training

Underpinned by traditional visceral and dynamic acting classes, you will receive additional training in Motion Capture Performance and Combat for the Screen and Voice, as you gain a deep applied knowledge of the opportunities for the contemporary screen actor.

Learn from industry practitioners within a professional environment

You will feel the support of our team of working industry professionals and great emphasis is placed upon working to ‘real-world’ briefs, to ‘real-world’ deadlines and in a professional environment within a state-of-the-art media technology facility.

Join our collaborative community and produce your own work

Collaborating with students studying Film Production, 3D Animation and Screenwriting, you will be encouraged and supported to devise and produce your own work as you prepare to enter this highly-competitive professional field.

Partnerships

As a part of the Department of Creative Industries you will benefit from our industry partnerships with companies including HyperX, DXRacer, Twitch, ARRI, and AVID, and be able to access to industry standard software such as Nuke, Maya and Houdini.

The Course

Expand your performance skills with advanced professional training

This programme recognises the significant place the performer has in MoCap for cinema and gaming, the demands for combat and armoury awareness and the opportunities offered for voicing animated characters, voice-overs for advertising and ADR.

Specialist skills workshops

You will be able to take part in a range of one-off introductory technical acting workshops. These workshops could include motion capture, combat for the screen, and audio work.

Introductory workshops are run by specialist guest lecturers, and you will be able to complete in-depth training in these areas to suit your needs throughout the course.

Motion Capture

You will explore the physical world of the actor, the technical studio environment, head-rigs and the understanding of how to work with a Motion Capture crews for virtual performance projects.

Combat Training

Highly-qualified, specialist armourers and combat coordinators with experience in film and television drama and re-enactments will introduce you to combat skills and training, as well as discussing risk assessments and health and safety.

You will cover:

  • Range firearms
  • Muskets and automatic rifles
  • Weapons such as swords and axes

Audio work

You will explore audio related to screen-based content. This can range from voice over for advertising, automated dialogue replacement and voicing characters for animation. You will study in a professional recording environment in these crafts and complete vocal lessons and dialect training with experienced tutors.

Indicative module

Each module is worth a number of credits and is delivered differently depending on its content and focus of study. This list is indicative and subject to future change.

Analysis, Practice and Technique

In this module, you will explore the key trends and critical concepts relating to the contemporary screen actor. You will examine the work of acting practitioners, influencers and content makers, and gain a firm foundation of the theory of practice from the actor’s perspective.

Dissertation Practical Project or Research Project

In this independent module, you have the opportunity to pursue your own enthusiasms and specialisms.  This will usually take the form of a significant piece of work that is either a critical reflective analysis piece, or a substantial written research project.

Research and the Industry

Taken by all MA students within the department, this module prepares you for the critical, self-reflective and analytical aspects of practice-based study at Master’s level, and lays the groundwork for further potential study at Doctoral level.

Screen Acting Performance Projects: Part 1

This module offers you ‘interior’ studio based performance practice. These sessions explore camera practice, performance analysis and text work. the aim is to prepare you for an immersive film shoot experiences and also their final independent dissertation projects later in the year. the range of work produced could enable you to create professional level content for your show reels later in the year enhancing your employability opportunities.

Screen Acting Performance Projects: Part 2

This module offers you the opportunity to develop further your screen acting and creative skills, alongside your reflective practitioner understanding.

Specialist Craft Skills Part 1: Audio Work & Motion Capture

This module develops a range of contemporary audio and film skills. Recognising an ever-changing landscape around emerging technologies and the new platforms actors are expected to engage with, this module is dynamic and physically demanding. You will work with leading experts across numerous fields of practice relating to motion capture , facial capture, and audio work. the training gained through this module will underpin and inform the range of skills needed for contemporary screen acting careers.

Specialist Craft Skills Part 2: Action Performance – Combat and Weaponry

This module develops a range of contemporary action performance skills, as you will work with leading experts across numerous fields of practice relating to ‘action performance. Recognising an ever-changing landscape around emerging technologies and the new platforms actors are expected to engage with, this module is very dynamic and physically demanding.

Teaching and Assessment

Feel the support of our expert and experienced staff

Teaching

You will learn through small classes and from working with industry professionals, including professional filmmakers and experienced practitioners, with extensive and successful careers in the industry.

You will build your subject knowledge and practical experience through lectures, research, analysis and skills development classes to enhance your specialist theoretical understanding and practical skills.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a range of creative and practical assignments, including:

  • Practical performances
  • Audio/video projects
  • Video essays
  • Presentations
  • Research papers

Facilities

Discover industry standard software and equipment

Discover our £35 million Tech Park

Our Bognor Regis Campus boasts the £35m Tech Park and brings together science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics courses on one state-of-the-art site.

  • 300sqm film studio
  • 80 square-metre green screen stage for motion capture and Chroma work
  • Motion capture equipment
  • Professional standard post-production facilities and recording studios
  • Idea Labs
  • Animation Labs

Careers

Where you could go after your studies

This MA Screen Acting course will prepare you for your acting and performance career in the creative industries.

Our previous graduates have gone on to have careers in the following areas:

You could work in fields including: 

  • Action Performance
  • Motion Capture Performance
  • Commercial and Independent Film Production
  • Television
  • Voice Over
  • Corporate Media
  • The Games Industry

Further Study

After you graduate you could continue your studies and enter academic research by completing a Professional Doctorate.

Course Costs

Course Fees 2024/25

UK fee
£9,828
International fee
£16,074

For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fee page.

For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.

University of Chichester alumni who have completed a full undergraduate degree at the University will receive a 15% discount on their postgraduate fees.

To find out about any additional costs on this course, please see our Additional Costs page.

Entry Requirements

Typical Offer (individual offers may vary):

  • A 2:1 in a related undergraduate programme
  • Professional experience with a 2:1/2:2 degree
  • Extensive professional career
  • 2:2 with portfolio of previous work for internal candidates

Auditions

All students will have to pass an audition process and have performance experience.

Interviews and Auditions

Booking Your Audition

If you are invited to audition you will receive an email asking you to book your audition date on ChiView. If you are unsuccessful we will email you to let you know.

You can usually choose between multiple days on ChiView at one time. If none of the current dates suit you please contact admissions@chi.ac.uk.

Once you have booked your audition, you will be able to access the audition guidance document on ChiView – just log into the ChiView portal, click on ‘Events schedule’ and then ‘View details’ to access the document, which will tell you how to prepare for your audition, what to expect on the day, etc.

If your situation changes and you can no longer attend your audition date, you should cancel your booking in ChiView by visiting your ‘Event Schedule’ and clicking ‘Cancel Attendance’. You also need to inform the admissions team by emailing admissions@chi.ac.uk, so we can send you a new audition invitation.

 

Your Audition Day

Once you have booked your audition, please log into the ChiView portal, click on ‘Events schedule’ and then ‘View details’ to access the audition guidance document, which will tell you (amongst other things) what will happen at the audition itself, a basic itinerary of the whole day, parking information, etc.

In brief, there should be an introductory talk by the department, the chance to meet lecturers and other applicants, as well as your opportunity to perform for the audition panel.

After Your Audition

After your audition, the panel will discuss your performance and pass our decision onto the admissions team, who will update UCAS and email you with the outcome, whatever it might be.

  • We make bespoke offers: Your offer is specifically for you. If we offer less than your predicted grades, this will reflect the potential and quality of your audition and we’d like to take a bit of pressure off of you heading into your exams.
  • We don’t do unconditional offers: Unless you already have your grades (you are a mature student), we will always insist on certain grade achievements because we want you to succeed in all aspects of your academic life including your A levels, BTEC, etc.
  • If you do not get the grades you wanted: Don’t panic. You received an offer because you were good enough for the department at audition. On Results Day, just ring us on the clearing hotline, so we can discuss things with you.
  • We may offer you a different course: We may offer you a place on an alternative, relevant course within the department, rather than offer you the course you applied for. If this is the case, we will state this in your offer letter/email and update your course on UCAS. We will explain our reasoning, which will revolve around placing you on the most appropriate course where we think you will thrive.

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