KSB110 The Actor's Instrument: Impact and Presence
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: | KSB110 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | KSB103 |
| 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: | KSB110 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | KSB103 |
| Coordinator: | Caroline Heim | caroline.heim@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This introductory unit addresses the fundamentals of dynamic movement and voice production for actors, exploring foundational skills that focus on embodied impact and presence. 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 safe movement and vocal production for actors working in screen and stage contexts, including foundational ensemble development for collaborative practice informed and strengthened by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices. These skills will inform every acting exercise or collaborative project undertaken through the three years of your course and beyond.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Use a range of theoretical perspectives to inform and communicate an understanding of the elements of instrumental acting practice.
- Demonstrate methods and techniques for developing presence and impact in embodied instrumentality.
- Apply techniques, theoretical knowledge and reflective skills to the systematic development of personal instrumental practice.
Content
In this unit you will be introduced to the fundamental skills and knowledge relating to the development of your vocal and physical acting practice. These skills, introduced in workshops, are designed to be autonomously applied to the ongoing development of your acting and collaborative practice throughout your degree and beyond. They are complemented by an introduction to theoretical perspectives that both articulate and challenge the conceptual foundations of your acting practice. Your ensemble development is grounded in consent-based physical practice, informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices associated with cultural acknowledgement and respect, and by embracing and learning from diversity and difference.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will engage, both individually and in groups, in regular, workshops. Taught through action-based and experiential learning techniques, you will focus on applying vocal and physical techniques and on understanding their purpose and inter-connections. The expectation is that you will learn by systematically and autonomously practising all skills introduced to you, and by testing their application in introductory practical exercises. The learning is reinforced by systematic reflection linked to theoretical perspectives and to the development of professional terminologies.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Throughout the progress of workshops, 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.
Feedback in this unit is also provided to you in comments on formative and summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets, both for group work and individual endeavour.
Assessment
Overview
There are three assessment items. The first two are practical, tracking your progress in assimilating skills and understanding as you develop your vocal and physical instrument. The third is a written task that challenges you to reflect on your changes in understanding, and on your developing instrumental capability, using selected theoretical scholarly sources to guide and structure your thinking and the terminologies you use to express it.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Examination (Practical)
A demonstration of the warmup processes of safe vocal production and physical alignment and dynamics.
Assessment: Demonstration
A practical demonstration of the understanding and embodiment of evolving skills in vocal production and aligned physical movement based in professional frameworks relating to safe practice, applied to text and narrative or situation.
Assessment: Reflection
A reflection on the semester’s theories and processes with reflection on the changes made to the actor's instrument linking theoretical perspectives to practical discovery.
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
Required reading will be available online through the unit's Canvas site.
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: ULO3 - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3 - Communicate independent learning clearly and coherently in diverse modes relevant to your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2 - Communicate, represent, and promote your work in ways relevant to your creative field.
Relates to: ULO1 - Discern, critically analyse, and synthesise knowledge in complex creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO3 - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through contextual research, reflection, and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3 - Demonstrate respect for cultural and social differences, sustainability, and work with integrity across all practice and professional settings.
Relates to: ULO3 - Operate with initiative, ethical judgement and professionalism, both alone and in groups.
Relates to: ULO2
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: ULO3, Examination (Practical), Demonstration, Reflection - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Examination (Practical), Demonstration, Reflection - Communicate independent learning clearly and coherently in diverse modes relevant to your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Examination (Practical), Demonstration, Reflection - Communicate, represent, and promote your work in ways relevant to your creative field.
Relates to: ULO1, Examination (Practical), Reflection - Discern, critically analyse, and synthesise knowledge in complex creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO3, Examination (Practical), Demonstration, Reflection - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through contextual research, reflection, and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, Examination (Practical), Demonstration, Reflection - Demonstrate respect for cultural and social differences, sustainability, and work with integrity across all practice and professional settings.
Relates to: ULO3, Examination (Practical), Demonstration, Reflection - Operate with initiative, ethical judgement and professionalism, both alone and in groups.
Relates to: ULO2, Examination (Practical), Demonstration