Screen Acting MA

From the outset you will be encouraged to develop and celebrate all that is unique about you. Each student will develop an understanding of what they particularly can offer the industry of screen acting. The course will encourage you to consider yourself as an independently thinking artist with the flexibility to work across performance media specialising in screen acting.

The course will aim to help you understand the collaborative nature of screen production and you will learn how to problem solve and work autonomously as well as being a good ‘team player”. You will learn how to be a proactive and productive cast member. You will learn a rigour, a discipline and a resilience that will serve you well in a subjective and unpredictable field of work, in order to be able to sustain, develop and adapt to the needs of the profession. You will develop a curiosity and thirst for detailed research and knowledge and a proactive entrepreneurial approach to the job of acting.

The systematic analysis of acting methodology will give you a theoretical underpinning for understanding which methods or best practices can be applied in certain circumstances to result in a specific performance. An understanding of theory will be integrated into practice and this rigorous exploration, interrogation and mastery of technique will enable each student to create a personalised toolkit.

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School – Teaching will take place at both the School’s main site, Downside Road, and the School’s centre for recorded media, Christchurch Studios, in nearby Clifton. Christchurch Studios is equipped with a large live recording area, a dead room (which contains a foley pit), a large control room and various narration rooms and post-production suites, all equipped to industry standard. There will be additional teaching on location in and around Bristol.

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is an associate school of the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), a Higher Education Provider registered with the Office for Students. On successful completion of this course, you will receive an award from UWE Bristol. Because of their vocational nature, BOVTS does not award degree classifications – all assessment is completed on a pass or fail basis.

We operate a multiple round audition process. The first stage is a preliminary audition which is normally held over Zoom. Applicants will be auditioned by two practitioners from the School’s auditioning team. If you are successful at the first stage, you will be asked to submit a self-tape (second round). If successful, you may then be required to attend a final round recall audition.

Preliminary auditions are normally held between October and March. Recalls are normally held between January and June.

In addition auditions will be video recorded for final selection by senior members of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Acting staff. At audition, applicants will need to demonstrate a good standard of acting, including in terms of preparation and ability to take direction.

Applicants will be given an opportunity to ask questions about the program as part of the audition session, as well as via internet or phone contact.

Each preliminary audition lasts for roughly fifteen minutes. You need to perform two contrasting monologues. Each piece should last no longer than two minutes; if you exceed this time limit you will be stopped. We aim to make these auditions as informal and friendly as possible.

Your monologues should be from a screenplay, television series or a modern play. They should not be extracts from poems, novels. Contrast is important for us to assess your acting potential and you should choose your pieces carefully.

To complete your preliminary audition, you will need a free Zoom account and access to a PC, laptop or tablet computer with a webcam and stable internet connection. You will also require a quiet space to perform freely without disruption or distraction. We aim to provide a choice of days and times to help ensure this is possible for you. Please note that we are unable to offer feedback on your audition.

All applicants will be kept informed of any necessary changes to the audition process.

There is a £25 audition fee for this course

The course is practical and career focused.

You will learn in a structured class environment with other Screen Acting MA students supported by a specialist screen acting tutor and visiting industry professionals.

The course gives you room to explore and develop your artistry in performance as well as providing you with the technical and industry knowledge needed to navigate the challenges of a screen acting career. You will learn through structured classes, workshops, masterclasses and through observing and analysing your own and your class-mates performance. Classes are safe spaces where the ethos of trial and error are supported and you will be encouraged to challenge yourself and develop the required disciplines needed to become independent and highly motivated artists.

The course features a high level of one-to-one teaching by specialist professionals and work is realised for industry standard performances.

The learning is immersive and singular in its focus, with high level specialist professional employability as a main learning outcome.

Students are taught supervised by teaching staff at least 16.5 hours per week across the 38 weeks of the programme.

Students will normally spend on average 10 hours per week in independent study.

There are up to fourteen students accepted to this course per academic year.

Applicants would normally be expected to have an honours degree in a related subject area such as Drama, Acting, Theatre Studies or Performance Studies. However applicants with extensive relevant professional experience will also be considered.

If English is not your first language, you will need to demonstrate English language proficiency through a relevant qualification, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), which can also be used to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements. For MA Screen Acting, an overall score of 7.0 is normally required, with a minimum of 7.0 in reading, 7.0 in writing, 7.0 in listening and 7.0 in speaking.

This module map provides a list of the modules that make up your course.

Each module is worth a specified number of credits: All modules are compulsory, enabling you to cover key subject knowledge while developing your own interests.

UATB53-30-M You and the Camera (30 credits)

UATB54-45-M The Bigger Picture (45 credits)

UATB55-40-M Listen and React (40 credits)

UATB56-45-M The Shoot (45 credits)

UATB57-20-M The Business (20 credits)

Optional Modules: There are no optional modules.

Award: MA Screen Acting

Academic and Student Support

The School is committed to selecting, training and supporting students, regardless of ethnicity, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation or religion. Applicants are chosen solely on the basis of their talent and potential to develop the skills required for their chosen profession. The School does, however, judge applicants on their suitability for a course and their potential to successfully complete the training, as the work is rigorous and requires high levels of energy and commitment.

Student Support on the programmes at the School covers a variety of areas such as support for disabled students, academic support, student finance and health and welfare. Julia Heeley, Student Support Manager, is able to answer queries about support available for disabled applicants/students. Her email address is [email protected] and she can also be reached by telephone on 0117 980 9247.

Our Academic and Student Support services team provides help in the following areas:

Support for students with disabilities including specific learning difficulties

In our admissions process, we are committed to supporting students with disabilities. Disabled students are encouraged to disclose their support requirements so that we can endeavour to meet them during the audition or interview process and subsequent training. The School welcomes all students regardless of disability. It is our aim to provide appropriate support so that all students are able to achieve their full potential.

Students with a disability will be provided with advice and support from the Student Support Manager. If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty we recommend you contact her either prior to starting your course or during your first few weeks at the School to discuss any support requirements you may have. This may include support resulting from disabilities such as sensory impairment, learning difficulties such as dyslexia or dyspraxia or mental health difficulties.

We recognise that everyone is an individual and we will work with students to identify potential barriers to training and do what we can to remove those barriers. We will also make any necessary reasonable adjustments, to ensure that disabled students can train at the School.

Quickscan screening

We are aware that nationally there is a very high proportion of students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) e.g. dyslexia or dyspraxia, in institutions which specialise in art, design or the performing arts. During your first week, the School encourages all students to take a short questionnaire known as QuickScan. It takes the form of an on-line, easy to navigate, questionnaire which will help to identify your learning style and specific areas of learning strengths and weaknesses. It is used in conjunction with other indicators, including student disclosure (as part of the interview and registration process), tutor feedback on practical and written work, and students expressing their concerns and any support requirements which may become apparent during their studies.

Disabled Student Allowance (DSA)
UK students with disabilities (including Specific Learning Difficulties and long-term Mental Health conditions) can apply for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). DSA usually provides support for students with the specialist equipment and tools necessary to support you with your studies, including software, hardware and study skills support. Unlike a student loan, DSA does not have to be repaid. However, it is rarely awarded in the form of financial support.

Applications are made through Student Finance England (SFE), Student Finance Wales (SFW), or Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). In order to apply for DSA, Student Finance will require evidence of any impairment or disability. This may take the form of a doctor’s or specialist’s letter or, more often, a report from an Educational Psychologist (Diagnostic Assessment Report).

If you require a Diagnostic Assessment from an Educational Psychologist, the Student Support Manager can arrange this for you and can guide you through the process.

Personal Academic Support

Various staff members at the School can help in different ways if you need academic support. If you need help with the content of classes or assessment work, you can ask the relevant head of course, tutor or your pastoral care tutor for an appointment or you can ask the Student Support Manager to arrange a tutorial with the relevant member of staff on your behalf. If you make an appointment, you can prepare for the meeting and discuss your concerns away from class. Heads of courses, modules leaders and individual tutors can all help you with understanding aspects of your training and can offer overall guidance or advice about your programme of study.

Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills)

Study skills support is usually arranged for students who have been awarded support through Disabled Student Allowance (DSA). However, the Student Support Manager will be happy to arrange one to one study skills support for you if deemed appropriate and necessary.

Mental Health, wellbeing and counselling

BOVTS recognises the challenges faced by students entering higher education and that training in a conservatoire institution can place great demands on a student both physically and emotionally.

The School has a student therapy and counselling service, which is organised and staffed by accredited, registered psychotherapists and counsellors and is there to help with any more deep-seated personal problems on which pastoral tutors are not qualified to advise. If students wish to have an initial assessment with a therapist or counsellor, they should contact the School’s Student Support Manager. A strict professional code of confidentiality is always maintained.

Student welfare and pastoral care

We actively encourage students to develop a pro-active and positive approach to their own ‘wellness’. We are preparing professionals to enter physically and mentally challenging professions and we work to enable students to sustain a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle.

Every student is assigned a pastoral tutor who monitors their progress throughout the year in addition to having access to the Student Support Manager. All students have tutorials with their head of course, head of year or allocated pastoral care tutor in which non-teaching issues can be discussed. A confidential tutorial can be requested of any member of the full-time teaching staff on your course.

In addition, BOVTS students have access to UWE’s Student Wellbeing Service, details of which can be found on UWE Bristol’s website.

For further information on support which the School offers, please see the Guide to Student Support.

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.

The team includes senior academics, Head of Acting Courses, Artistic Director, Head of Acting, Head of Voice, Head of Music and Singing, Head of Movement and other Acting Tutors and visiting specialist professionals.

You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles.

You will be assessed throughout the course on your ability to apply theoretical strategy and technical techniques to effectively enhance your performance in front of the camera. You will receive feedback from peers, tutors and visiting industry professionals on an ongoing basis.

Your progress and learning will be assessed by the course leader and visiting specialists on your completion of module assessments. Assessment is all by coursework meaning there are no timed written exams. Assessments take the form of a 2,000-word essay, storyboarding and acting in short films, annotating script, performing in scenes on screen, class presentations, application of Meisner-inspired tasks and exercises in class and on film, and collation of self-presentation materials.

You are assessed on your professional practice on a pass or fail basis with judgements about your performance made against the relevant industry standards. The UWE qualifications are awarded as non-classified/non-differentiated.

Due to a recent change in the Theatre School’s governance, our Higher Education provider UWE Bristol is unable to issue Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) documentation for BOVTS courses. Regrettably we are therefore unable to consider applications from students requiring a visa to study in the UK for 2024 entry.

The Theatre School is able to consider applications from international students who do not require a visa to study in the UK. If you are unsure of your tuition fee status, please consult the UK Council for International Student Affairs guidelines or contact our admissions office for further guidance. Prospective international students for entry in 2025 or beyond are encouraged to join our mailing list to learn more about training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

How to apply

All applications for degree courses at BOVTS are made directly to the School. Please note that the School no longer uses the UCAS system.

Application for 2024 entry will close on 29 February 2024 at 16:00 GMT.

Applying as an international student and Visa requirements

The application process for international students is the same as it is for everyone else.

As well as meeting our course entry requirements, you may have to provide proof of your level of English. This is because you need to meet the Home Office required standards to get a Student Route Visa to enter the country for study.

You can find out about Student Route Visa from the UK Government.

Applying after a break in studying

The application process is the same as it is for everyone else. You will have the option within your personal statement to explain why you have chosen to return to study now and how you feel you will benefit.

We accept a variety of qualifications, including the Access to HE Diploma and Open University credits. View our course pages to find out about entry requirements for each course. If you are a mature student and you have any questions about our entry requirements or your qualifications email [email protected]

Equal opportunities

The School is committed to the promotion of equal opportunities for all. We consider each application on the basis of the applicant’s suitability for the proposed programme of study, at the same time acknowledging the statutory and professional requirements of some programmes. We are keen to encourage applicants from a wide range of academic and social backgrounds to take up the opportunity of studying at the School. We aim to create an environment that respects the diversity of students and enables them to derive maximum benefit and enjoyment from their involvement in the life of the School. To do this we will be proactive about ensuring people are treated fairly regardless of age, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation.

Application enquiries

The Admissions Office deals with enquiries and applications for all degree courses.

Telephone: +44 (0)117 9733535

Email : [email protected]

Post: Admissions Office, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, 1-2 Downside Road, Bristol BS8 2XF, UK

Application regulations

We will only accept one application per applicant, per year. You cannot apply for more than one course. If you need further advice about choosing a course, please contact the Admissions Office.