It is essential for performers entering the industry to have a wide set of skills due to growing demands. The Musical Theatre (and Theatre in general) industry is, arguably, a tougher place to work than ever before due to “mounting and unsustainable pressures” (Walker, Essex, 2025) caused by “growing cost of delivering high-quality work” and a declining amount of “renewed support from local and national government, Arts Councils and private funders” (Walker, Essex, 2025). This module is important as it broadens the horizons of both our skills and contextual knowledge as performers, ultimately, making us more employable. The Specialist Skills module has given me skills that I can utilise as we progress into third-year show rehearsals, industry showcase and future employment. Going into the Specialist Skills module, I was apprehensive, as the Advanced Acting pathway was not my first choice. Despite this, the module has given me valuable, transferable skills that will benefit me as a Musical Theatre performer, as well as raising important questions to myself about engagement, priorities and discipline. In this portfolio I will reflect on what I have learned, what I struggled with, and how I will use what I have learned going into the industry as a professional performer.
Screen Acting has been a significant component in my training thus far this year, as it has been a completely new perspective on all pre-conceptions about acting. These classes allowed me to apply skills from both the Specialist Skills module and previous modules, but modify them to fit the task at hand, encouraging me to become a more versatile performer. This is essential, as being able to adapt choices to fit the needs of a piece is a vital skill.
Going into the Screen Acting module, I expected it to be vastly different than the style of acting required for Musical Theatre. In some ways, this was true, as some common notes that were given in class were to speak quieter, or move less or even remain completely still due to the position of the camera. This is “due to camera work, score, lighting, and other effects, it’s sometimes even better to do less than you would in real life, because so many things are augmenting your performance” (Green, 2025). This is vastly different to stage acting, including acting through song, as even naturalistic performances must be heightened to some degree due to the nature of performing in a theatre. I noticed this in my own performance as, when I was watching back the scene that I had filmed in class, despite my efforts to be as minimal as possible, I still thought my performance read as slightly too ‘large’ for screen. In future screen projects, I will now be aware of this and not underestimate the level of intensity that the camera, and how it is utilised regarding positioning and framing, can add to a performance. Another difference that I had not anticipated, yet in hindsight seems obvious, was that the specificities of each take had to be identical. For example, if you place your hand in a specific position, you must replicate it exactly in future takes for continuity purposes. I encountered this issue when filming a scene as, on the first run of the scene, I instinctively lent forward slightly as the tension in the scene grew. We then ran the scene again, and I did not have the impulse to repeat it the second time, which proceeded to pose an issue due to the placement of the camera. We also discussed continuity issues in film regarding food and drink on screen, and how it is extremely difficult to keep track of how much has been eaten/drank in previous takes, which is something I had never considered. Another discovery I found through screen acting was how easily things can change on set, such as blocking and even script. It is not uncommon if “lines are being changed right up until shoot times… some actors even go off script due to the safety net of multiple takes” meaning that “an actor can make mistakes or small changes with no consequence” (Green, 2025). This is contrasting to theatre, as a large quantity of productions that are currently on the West End have been previously performed and are well-known by audiences, meaning the text must be honoured exactly how it is written. This meant that for the preparation process for screen acting, my analysis of the text was more character and relationship focused than analysing the specific words used in the script. Particularly in comparison to Shakespeare work, this was a vast contrast which provided great insight into how both methods of preparation can be useful in different contexts.
Some similarities that I discovered between acting for screen and acting for stage was the premise of “living truthfully under imaginary circumstances” (Meisner, 1987), and the act of doing rather than performing, which we also discussed in depth in our Uta Hagen classes. In both mediums, the foundation of the work lies in genuine behaviour rather than showing an emotion or trying to “act” for an audience. Due to how exposing the camera can be, it is very difficult to pretend to do things; you must truly do them, as the camera captures every minute detail of a performance, including small reactions that might otherwise go unnoticed. Any sense of falseness or forced emotion is immediately visible on screen. Thanks to our Meisner and Uta Hagen training, I found I was successful in approaching screen work with honesty and commitment, focusing on listening, responding, and fully engaging with the given circumstances rather than trying to control how I appeared.
This approach is also true for stage acting, despite the difference in scale and physicality. Even though stage performances are often larger, an audience will immediately disengage if they sense dishonesty or a lack of belief in the moment. This is something we discussed frequently in our Uta Hagen classes, particularly the idea that truthful action is more important than theatrical presentation. We learned that if the performer fully believes in what they are doing and why they are doing it, the audience is far more likely to believe it as well. Ultimately, both screen and stage acting rely on the same core principle: truthful behaviour creates compelling performance.
Another discovery I made when comparing acting for screen and stage is how costume is used to enhance a performance and create implications about a character or situation. The use of costume in both mediums do have differences, as “stage costumes are meant to be viewed from afar, while film costumes may have to stand up to a close-up view” (Baker, N/A). This means that costumes for film generally have both a higher level of subtlety and specificity as, in a theatre, no one can control “where the audience is looking. So the audience gets to look at the whole frame the whole time. The second thing is you’re looking at these actors, you’re looking at these characters, looking at those people, from the bottom of their feet to the top of their head–the entire scene. And in film and television, it’s the director who is choosing what’s important for you to see: what’s important for you to look at” (Landis, 2016). This means that the approach to the utilisation of costume in both mediums is different, but the intention remains the same. Costumes for theatre also must combat practical issues such as the fact that they have to be worn up to eight times a week, meaning that they must be extremely durable (especially for shows that have heavy physical demands such as dance or physical theatre) and it can be difficult to acquire last minute alterations and repairs. Costumes for theatre also need to be fit for each specific track, for example, if a characters’ track contains a quick-change, the costume must be able to be taken off and put back on with ease, whereas in film, this would not have to be taken into consideration. However, a challenge that costume designers for film may face is that “movies are shot out of sequence. When an actor is available to film, his costumes must be ready, regardless of whether his character appears in the first scene or the last. This makes it difficult to design between the words” (Weiss, 2014).
Before attending the Shakespeare classes of the Specialist Skills module, I had a fairly negative opinion of Shakespeare. Despite appreciating his work from both a literary and historical perspective, I found performing Shakespeare text to be extremely difficult, largely due to the specificity and inaccessibility of the language. Although I still don’t think I would ever be cast in a Shakespeare production, I have gained some valuable techniques on how to approach the text in a manner that makes the experience less daunting. In this segment of the module, we explored practical skills, such as how to break down the thoughts in the text, with exercises that put this into practice. Additionally, we also explored the sociological and historical context surrounding Shakespeare in a more seminar-based setting, which I found extremely interesting.
I have always found approaching classical text to be extremely overwhelming, as the techniques required are considerably different to the technique of approaching a more naturalistic piece. One of the techniques we approached in class was the focus of punctuation. Punctuation in Shakespeare is extremely specific and always indicates something about the intention of the text. The exercise consisted of us physicalizing each individual thought, with each thought being one full sentence. The aim of this was to practice thinking on the line, rather than before. This is because “the syntax of the sentence and the thought behind it demand a full stop, and that’s what the period delivers. The thought stops exactly where the line does” (Edelstein, 2018), meaning that the speech is the physicalisation of a thought, not a consequence, which adds to the heightened nature of the text. I found this exercise surprisingly difficult, as even the slightest hesitation meant that we weren’t truly thinking on the line. This approach to text contrasted significantly with what we were doing in screen acting, where the text was less specific, and liberties could be taken on impulse. A challenge that presented itself through performing this exercise was that it was difficult to think on the line if I was unsure of exactly what was being said. Even if I understood the majority of the text, if I did not understand the significance and meaning of each individual word, I was not living truthfully; I was simply reciting. To combat this, in class, we read through our texts and picked out every word we did not fully understand. The discovery that was made was that we actually understood the majority of the individual words, and the ‘language barrier’, so-to-speak, was more of our own self-doubt than a true lack of understanding. Another challenge that arose in these classes was the difficulty of learning classical text. When approaching modern text, it is easier to become off-book by fluently understanding the thought behind each line and letting the lines come afterwards. When learning Shakespeare, I found myself focusing on specific words rather than thoughts. When it was time to perform these monologue segments in class, I found that there was one specific line that I kept forgetting, and we realised that it was because I did not fully understand the meaning, even if I knew the ‘jist’. We then workshopped this section to find a way of expressing the meaning of the line that resonated with me. After discovering a tangible intention behind this line, I could suddenly remember it with ease.
I found Uta Hagen’s take on Stanislavsky’s method very helpful, specifically for character research and for adding detail to a character and/or scene. One of the most helpful things we discussed were Uta Hagen’s nine questions, which are “what we must ask ourselves, and explore and define in order to act” (Hagen, 1973). Answering these questions forced me to make choices about my character that I hadn’t previously considered. This technique will be extremely useful as it can be used for any performance in order to expand the character. We also explored “The Ten Object Exercises” (Hagen, 1973), some of which I found helpful, whereas I struggled to understand the purpose of others. One exercise I found particularly helpful was ‘The Fourth Side’ exercise, which is described as “the guarantee of privacy while using, not ignoring, the visual area of the audience” (Hagen, 1973).
Conclusion
Overall, I believe that the Specialist Skills module has provided me with valuable, transferable skills that will benefit me as I move on to being a professional performer. Throughout the module, I have developed greater self-discipline, adaptability, and reflective practice, all of which are essential within the performing arts industry. The focus on technique, professionalism, and personal development has helped prepare me for the expectations of professional training and employment. As a result, I feel more confident, focused, and equipped to progress in my future career.
Baker, F, W. Teacher Guide: Cut- Stage vs Screen, https://www.frankwbaker.com/mlc/teacher-guide-cut-stage-vs-screen/ (Accessed 01/01/2026).
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Edelstein, B. (2018) Thinking Shakespeare (Revised Edition): A Working for Actors, Directors, Students… and Anyone Else in the Bard. Theatre Communication Group.
Essex, H. Walker, C. (2025) The State Of British Theatre In 2025: Growth, Risk And The Urgent Need For Public Investment. Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre, https://uktheatre.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/SOLTUKT-State-Of-British-Theatre.pdf#:~:text=Meanwhile%2C%20many%20of%20the%20UK’s%20theatres%20%2D,nearly%2040%25%20could%20close%20or%20become%20unusable. (Accessed 02/01/2026).
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