KSB115 Acting Realism, Theories and Practices
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | KSB115 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $1,164 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $996 The pre-2021 commonwealth supported place (CSP) contribution amount only applies to students enrolled in a course prior to 2021. To learn more, visit our Understanding your fees page. |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,356 |
| International unit fee | $4,668 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | KSB115 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Coordinator: | Andrea Moor | al.moor@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This foundational unit introduces you to the core theories of acting in the genre of realism and explores how they can be applied to the development of professional acting methods and practice, and to an understanding of the actor’s creative role in traditional and contemporary theatre-making, and to the collaborative protocols that underpin it.
It also introduces you to contemporary approaches to dramaturgical and textual analysis, that enable you to identify and apply the elements of a dramatic text that stimulate the imaginative procedures specific to the art form of acting.
The aim of this unit is to help you build a foundation of cognitive, imaginative, and embodied learning skills centring on acting practice, to enable you to continue developing your craft autonomously and in a systematic, informed way.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Identify and distinguish historical and theoretical perspectives relating to acting and realism.
- Evaluate methods and techniques for applying theoretical perspectives to acting practice.
- Experimentally synthesise reflective, analytical and imaginative techniques, and theoretical perspectives into procedures for creating acting performances.
- Explore and apply a range of group-based practices and perspectives, including Indigenous perspectives, that foster collaborative skills respectful of social, cultural and other difference, and conducive to the formation of high functioning creative partnerships.
Content
This foundational unit introduces you to the theories and practice of acting in realism, based in the Stanislavski tradition of acting teaching, interpreted, reinterpreted and critiqued by contemporary and near contemporary teachers and practitioners around the globe, but particularly in America and Europe. Central to this tradition is the notion that the actor's craft can be investigated in studio-based workshops, by isolating particular aspects of it, devising analytical, imaginative and embodied exercises for exploring each aspect, and then testing how the separated elements can then be recombined. Because acting is a deeply collaborative art form, you will be introduced to a range of practices, procedures and perspectives, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, that inform the development of high functioning creative partnerships. These are based on respect for social and cultural difference, and on an integration of consent-based procedures into all aspects of acting practice.
Learning Approaches
In this unit, you will learn by engaging in the following:
Lectures, tutorials and readings will introduce you to a range of acting theory. These will then be explored and tested in practical workshops, to enable you to take your understanding of dramaturgical and text analysis and your findings from experiments in the methods and techniques of realism, and apply them to the preparation and performance of specific texts.
Workshops will employ a range of approaches focused on learning by engaging with practical problems explored thorough play-based improvisation and through experiential learning. You will also be introduced to protocols and methods of rehearsal that will be applied in class and in autonomous work with scene partners.
To consolidate your understandings and discoveries, you will be introduced to methods of reflective documentation and analysis referenced to the theoretical perspectives you have been exploring.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Throughout the progress of workshops and rehearsals, teaching staff will provide feedback to you which will inform all assessments items.
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets, both for group work and individual endeavour
- criteria sheet grading
Assessment
Overview
There are three summative assessment items for this unit: an oral presentation, a performative demonstration, and a written workbook. The first and third items require you to engage with the historical and scholarly discourse of your practice, in order to establish the theoretical context for your practical work, and to develop the ability to distinguish between unreliable popular opinion communicated in secondary sources, and more reliable primary and academically grounded sources. The second item, demonstration, allows you to explore and demonstrate your application of theoretical perspectives and methodical procedures to performing in contemporary scenes within the genre of realism. Formative assessment involves regular feedback on in-class exercises, from both staff and peers.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Presentation
You will research and present on a specified method and its associated theoretical perspective related to the practice of acting.
Assessment: Demonstration
You will research, prepare, and present a short performative demonstration in the style of realism.
Assessment: Workbook
Over the course of this unit, you will be required to keep a record of observations, learnings, key tasks completed and personal goals achieved as part of the unit. You will use these records to complete the workbook, which should be an objective account of key observations about these completed tasks and goals, including methods you explored for problem-solving.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Requirements to Study
Requirements
All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages (CIESJ Tier 1 HSE requirement)
This unit also requires a Tier 2 CIESJ Health and Safety Induction which is provided by the technician on site in the theatre, workshop or studio.
Resources
Texts, references, and technical and digital resources are available through the Canvas site for this unit.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Other unit readings and reference material will be available online.
Risk Assessment Statement
For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information. For CIESJ Tiers 2 and 3 Health and Safety requirements, you will be instructed on safe procedures and the required safety gear for all studio and workshop processes that are demonstrated.
As all performance-makers understand, creating a performance potentially carries with it certain physical and/or emotional risks, both in the rehearsal room and in the theatre. Indeed, taking risks is an integral component of the art form’s processes. Some rehearsal warmups and exercises, and some performance events may include physically or emotionally strenuous activities. Managing this risk to ensure working conditions are safe, is always a high priority in the production process. It is therefore extremely important that if you are aware of personal physical or emotional vulnerabilities that make you feel unsafe or at risk in any way, you should immediately inform teaching staff or other supervisors, so that your situation can be evaluated, and appropriate rectifying action can be taken.
Theatres and other performance spaces are also potentially dangerous places, particularly backstage during performances when low light conditions prevail. You will be warned by the stage manager, the production manager or the director of any specific risks that you will need to be aware of, when your project team first moves into the theatre. Whenever moving into a new performance space, you should always conduct your own risk assessment, and notify your team or director of any hazards you have personally identified.
Every effort is made by QUT staff to ensure that you work in a safe environment. Conversely you are absolutely expected to follow all safety rules, procedures and directions, and to ensure that you do not put at risk the safety of others, or yourself, or of the highest artistic fulfilment of the project in any way.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.CA01 Bachelor of Creative Arts
- Cite and discuss a broad and coherent knowledge of historical and contemporary cultural contexts for creative practice, including the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
Relates to: ULO1 - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4 - Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
Relates to: ULO3 - Communicate, represent, and promote your work in ways relevant to your creative field.
Relates to: ULO4 - Discern, critically analyse, and synthesise knowledge in complex creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2 - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through contextual research, reflection, and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3 - Demonstrate respect for cultural and social differences, sustainability, and work with integrity across all practice and professional settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4 - Operate with initiative, ethical judgement and professionalism, both alone and in groups.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4
CA02 Bachelor of Creative Arts (Acting)
- Cite and discuss a broad and coherent knowledge of historical and contemporary cultural contexts for creative practice, including the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
Relates to: ULO1, Presentation, Workbook - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, Presentation, Demonstration, Workbook - Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
Relates to: ULO3, Demonstration - Communicate, represent, and promote your work in ways relevant to your creative field.
Relates to: ULO4, Demonstration, Workbook - Discern, critically analyse, and synthesise knowledge in complex creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Presentation, Demonstration, Workbook - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through contextual research, reflection, and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Presentation, Demonstration, Workbook - Demonstrate respect for cultural and social differences, sustainability, and work with integrity across all practice and professional settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, Presentation, Demonstration, Workbook - Operate with initiative, ethical judgement and professionalism, both alone and in groups.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Demonstration, Workbook