KSB103 Voice and Movement for the Actor
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: | KSB103 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,118 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $957 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 | $4,104 |
| International unit fee | $4,320 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | KSB103 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Coordinator: | Elizabeth Gibbs | elizabeth.old@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This introductory unit addresses the fundamentals of dynamic movement and voice production for actors, focusing on foundational skills and ensemble development. Highly developed technical proficiency in vocal and physical expressiveness is a fundamental requirement for professional actors. This unit introduces core techniques and concepts associated with movement and voice production for actors working in screen and stage contexts. The continuing development of these skills will underlie every acting exercise or project undertaken through the three years of your course and beyond.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Demonstrate introductory skills and understanding relating to the actor's management of physical presence and expression.
- Demonstrate introductory understanding and skills relating to voice production.
- Apply core professional skills, attitudes and reflection to learning and practice.
Content
In this unit you will be introduced to the fundamental skills and knowledge relating to the development of your vocal and physical practice. These skills are designed to be applied to your parallel training in acting.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will engage, both individually and in groups, in regular, mandatory workshops. You will focus on exploring and learning vocal and physical techniques and on understanding their purpose and inter-connections. The expectation is that you will learn by systematically and autonomously mastering all skills introduced to you, and by testing their application in all practical exercises. The learning is reinforced by regular reflection.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Throughout the progress of workshops and rehearsals, teaching staff will provide feedback to you which will inform your preparation for all assessments items. Mid-semester, you will complete formative assessment which will assist you in understanding your developing practice. You are required to keep a journal or workbook as a record of your discoveries and feedback through the course of your study and as a resource for the development of your practice.
Feedback in this unit is also provided to you in the following ways:
- comments on formative and summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets, both for group work and individual endeavour
- generic comments back to the cohort via QUT Canvas.
Assessment
Overview
You will prepare and perform 2 short performance demonstrations (assessment 1 and 2). Throughout the semester, you will keep a written self-assessment record of the development of your physical and vocal practice in the form of a journal, relating your personal experience to the learning content of the unit.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Vocal Demonstration
Drawing on your training and on your personal practice, you will demonstrate your developing skills in movement-based expression.
Assessment: Physical Demonstration
Drawing on your training and on your personal practice, you will demonstrate your developing skills in movement-based expression.
Assessment: Reflective Analysis
Drawing upon introductory readings and your actor's journal, you will write a reflective analysis that includes a self-assessment based on formative feedback on your vocal and physical assets and opportunities for growth, and an introductory plan to address these issues in your independent practice.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
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.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Required texts and equipment and other recommended references are listed in the Resource materials section.
Additional Required Readings will be available online. Other unit readings and reference material will be available online.
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Bain, K. (2013) The principles of movement, Currency House, Strawberry Hills, NSW.
Barton, R., & Sellers-Young, B. (2017). Movement: onstage and off, Routledge, London.
Berry, C. (1991) Voice and the Actor, John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Linklater, K. (2006) Freeing the Natural Voice: imagery and art in the practice of voice and language, Nick Hern, London. (revised edition)
Recommended text(s)
Barlow, W. (2001) The Alexander Principle, Orion, London.
Bogart, A. and Landau, T. (2005) The Viewpoints Book: a practical guide to viewpoints and composition Theatre Communications Group, New York.
Feldenkrais, M. (1990) Awareness through Movement, Arkana, London.
Houseman, B. (2002) Finding Your Voice: a complete voice training manual for actors, Nick Hern, London, Routledge.
Karpf, A. (2006) The Human Voice, Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
Marshall, L. (2008) The Body Speaks Methuen Drama, London, Revised Edition.
Melton, J. and Tom, K. (2003), One Voice, Heinemann, Portsmouth.
Rodenburg, P. (2000) The Right to Speak, Methuen, London.
Rubin, L. (1980) Movement for the Actor, Drama Book Specialists, New York.
Yakim, M. (1993) Creating a Character: a physical approach to acting, Applause, New York.
Safety and protective equipment
Proper clothing appropriate for active studio work is required, including closed-in shoes.
Risk Assessment Statement
All students and staff are required to complete the Tier 1 CIF General Health and Safety Induction for access to campus buildings and facilities. This must be completed online. This unit also requires a Tier 2 CIF Health and Safety Induction which is provided by the technician on site in the theatre, workshop or studio.
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 warm ups 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 in to 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.KK34 Bachelor of Fine 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: ULO2 - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1 - Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
Relates to: ULO3 - Demonstrate technical proficiency in at least one area of your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO2 - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through reflection and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO3