ACTORS ACADEMY
ADVANCED TRAINING
HELSINKI
October 2022 - March 2023
This Training is Full. Please let us know your interest on the next Advanced Training by clicking here.
Acting is a mind, body and soul craft, culminating in a deeper understanding of ourselves and the characters we play.
- Ashlie Walker
Actors Academy Finland proudly presents Finland's first Meisner Technique based Advanced international actor training, starting in October 2022. This top of the field in-depth, intensive training gives you the opportunity to cultivate your full potential as an actor.
You will be challenged to find truthful and authentic routes to the full spectrum of your craft as an actor. Building upon your existing professionalism, we will work with performative skills and stagecraft including: Character work, Impediments, Ensemble, and Text analysis. Most of the work will be strongly rooted in the Meisner Technique and will be focused on empowering your individuality and self-initiative within the craft.
Throughout the Training, you will be actively applying these skills first hand within rehearsal, and the production process as a part of a live ensemble work led by a director. This enables you to progress and bring the character work into life in context of a performance and to experience the journey of creating a full arch of the character.
The Training will culminate with a Showcase Performance in front of an invited audience of casting agents, directors, producers and other professionals in the field after which you will have a five-show run open to the public.
Upon completion, you will have the advanced tools needed to meet the high demands of an evolving industry, as well as a developed personal edge; enabling you to not only thrive, but flourish as a professional actor with confidence, authenticity, and discipline.
Students who have completed our One Year Training as well as professional, trained or working actors, or those actors experienced with Meisner Technique training are eligible to apply for the Advanced Training.
To qualify for the Advanced Training, you will have to be comfortable and well-versed in Repetition, Independent Activity, Emotional Preparation and Relationships. However, in case you are a professional actor but not familiar with the Meisner Technique - we will be offering a deepdive into Meisner technique through a combination of four workshops that will aid you in your preparation for the Advanced Training.
If you are interested in the Advanced Training, but don’t yet have experience in the Meisner Technique in particular, you are invited to still apply. We will ask you take part in our Meisner Technique Intensive Course, which will prepare you with all the core exercises you will need to be familiar with during the Advanced Training.
We are now taking in applications. Nine intensive modules, over 160 class hours, tutoring and guidance from acting coach Ashlie Walker, Barbara Houseman and Ben Joiner for 12 students.
ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?
CURRICULUM
THE TRAINING IN A NUTSHELL
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Runs from October 2022 to March 2023
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The training is part-time. Classes will be held during weekends and evenings so you can work or study full time on the side.
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Over 160 hours of contact time
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9 x Intensive Coaching Modules 18h: 6 Modules with Ashlie Walker & 2 Modules with Voice & Movement Coach Ben Joiner & 1 Module with Barbara Houseman.
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Character work, external and internal Impediments, Text Analysis, Spoon River Monologues, Rehearsal Process, ensemble work, voice & performance and character arc drawing on the core essentials of Meisner Technique: Repetition, Independent Activity, Emotional Preparation
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A mixed media Performance Showcase of a live theatre production with invited guests: Professional Casting Directors, Agents, Producers, Cinematographers, Directors, as well as other industry professionals
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A five-show-run of the Performance Showcase in a central Helsinki theatre venue, open for the public and industry professionals
WHAT DO YOU GET?
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An advanced and broadened understanding of your craft, cultivating an edge upon your skills as an individual performer.
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An Opportunity to level-upl your craft
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You will develop advanced understanding of the Meisner technique and how to draw upon the skills of repetition practice, independent activity, emotional preparation, relationship and imaginary circumstances for scenes
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A security within your deeper emotional expression, and with an understanding of, and a readiness to follow your truthful impulses through character work and impediments
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An understanding on how your mind, beliefs and patterns play a huge role in your enjoyment, freedom and success in your craft and career - and support on making the needed changes to break through
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The skills of text analysis, building a character, creating a character arc within the context of a play, ensemble raport
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Strengthened capacity to fully listen to and connect with your acting partner, and ensemble
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Reinforced acting instincts and the confidence to take risks, trust in spontaneity, improvisation, and moment-to-moment reactions
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An enhanced capacity to utilize your imagination in different scenes and roles or requests from directors
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Ability to create clear objectives or wants that help guide you organically and instinctively through scenes
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Scene working tools that are free from the constraints of 'ideas' or rigid concerns about 'text’
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The opportunity to actively apply and test your learned skills in the rehearsal process, and performance of a professional ensemble production
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The experience of being in an ensemble and going-through the rehearsal process for a play with a director in an outside venue
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Open Performance Showcase experience with industry professionals in the audience and a five-show-run of the performance
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Receive raw video footage of your live performance, as well as professionally shot and edited scenes to be used as part of your actors showreel
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An opportunity to invite industry professionals and friends and family to watch your performance
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One Year Training Alumni Graduating from Advanced Training are eligble to join Spotlight as Performers
WHO IS IT FOR?
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Actors Academy Finland's One Year Training Alumni and professional actors looking for a top of the field international training
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Actors keen to deepen their artistry and craft through Meisner technique
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Actors wanting to feel more relaxed and connected in their acting
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Actors in need for updated training and a committed group to train with
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Actors wanting to invest in their craft, growth and up-leveling
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Actors aiming to start an international career
COACHES
ASHLIE WALKER
The AAF Advanced Training lead coach is Acting Coach Ashlie Walker. Ashlie is a sough-after teacher based in London fully committed to your growth and development as an actor.
A wealth of experience as a professional actress for 20 years and extensive training in Meisner Technique, Ashlie is a highly respected international teacher, tutor and personal coach. As a tutor, she especially focuses on unlocking the actors' instinct for truth, elevated by dramatic choices in performance. She guides actors to deepen their understanding of the craft, experience emotional freedom, build their actors' faith and, perhaps most importantly, to take risks. Alongside teaching, Ashlie has numerous directing credits and holds a Bsc (Hons) in Psychology and Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy, both of which expand her capacity to work with and empower her actors on and off stage. As a personal transformation coach, Ashlie guides those living in fear, anxiety and stress to discover a life of freedom, purpose and joy. Ashlie's soul calling is to guide others back to love and into their light. She has been the Lead Coach of One Year Trainings VOL 1 & VOL 2 and will lead the new Training, VOL 7, starting in March.
BEN JOINER
Ben Joiner is passionate and well-respected Voice & Movement Coach who approaches his work in a holistic manner and encourages the self-autonomy of the individual actor. He trained as a dancer in the early nineties, touring internationally with various ballet and modern dance companies before retraining as an actor in 2000. Since then he has worked extensively in theatre, film and television. He coaches on the MA in Voice Studies at The Royal Central School of Speech of Drama and is one of approximately 200 vocal coaches worldwide trained by Kristin Linklater to teach her method Freeing the Natural Voice. Since 2010 he has been coaching at The Oxford School of Drama, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance, Arts Educational Schools, The Giles Foreman Centre for Acting, The Actor’s Temple, plus numerous theatre companies, independent groups and individual clients.
BARBARA HOUSEMAN
Barbara Houseman has worked in theatre for forty years. After dividing her time between Directing and Voice Work, she spent six years in the world renowned Voice Department at the Royal Shakespeare Company then became Associate Director at the Young Vic. For the last 22 years she has worked freelance as a Voice, Text and Acting coach and Associate Director and Director. Among other private clients she coaches Daniel Radcliffe, Jude Law, Clive Owen and Jessie Buckley on various projects. In 2009 she joined Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre as Voice and Text Coach and in 2014 became Season Associate Director. She has worked on numerous shows in the West End including End Game, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Duchess of Malfi, Design for Living & Playboy of the Western World at the Old Vic; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time and The Ferryman at the Gielgud; Macbeth, Richard iii and Dr Faustus for the Jamie Lloyd company; the All Female Shakespeare Trilogy, St Joan, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Coriolanus, Trelawny of the Wells at the Donmar. She is the author of Finding Your Voice and Tackling Text [and Subtext] both published by Nick Hern Books and of two digital Masterclasses Developing Your Voice and Bringing the Text to Life. Barbara has also trained as a Healing Shiatsu Practitioner, Master NLP Practitioner, Clean Language & Symbolic Modelling Coach, Calling in the One Coach. These have all influenced her work as has her 33 years practising Mindfulness. She now teaches Mindfulness and Self Compassion alongside her voice, acting and directing work.
CLASS TIME TABLE
The training consists of 9 intensive 18h training Modules finalising to a Showcase Performance at an outside theatre venue, a five-show-run of it and graduation in March 2023.
The teaching hours for the Modules are:
WEEKEND MODULES
WEEKNIGHT MODULES
Friday: 16:30 - 21:00
Saturday: 9:30 - 16:15
Sunday: 9:30 - 16:15
Monday: 15:00 - 21:00
Tuesday: 15:00 - 21:00
Wednesday: 15:00 - 21:00
*Please note that due to possible flight changes and restricted availability, some weekend Modules might run from Saturday to Sunday, ie. 9:00-18:00. Students will be informed about any changes in schedule as early as possible.
1/ MODULE
7 - 9 OCTOBER 2022
ASHLIE WALKER
Meisner Technique
2/ MODULE
21 - 23 OCTOBER 2022
ASHLIE WALKER
Meisner Technique, Scene Work
3/ MODULE
4 - 6 NOVEMBER 2022
BARBARA HOUSEMAN
4/ MODULE
18 - 20 NOVEMBER 2022
ASHLIE WALKER
Meisner Technique, Scene Work
5/ MODULE
2 - 4 DECEMBER 2022
BEN JOINER
Voice & Movement, Text Work
6/ MODULE
20 - 22 JANUARY 2023
ASHLIE WALKER
Meisner Technique, Scene work
7/ MODULE
6 - 8 FEBRUARY 2023
BEN JOINER
Voice & Movement, Text Work
8/ MODULE
24 - 26 FEBRUARY 2023
ASHLIE WALKER
Rehearsals, Filming scenes for Performance
FINAL MODULE & PERFORMANCE RUN
REHEARSALS: MARH 16
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Showcase Rehearsals
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On location: Tech Run on location, rehearsals and 1st Dress Run
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2nd Dress Run, Showcase Opening Night with casting directors & directors invited, open to family & friends
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Graduation: certificates & celebration
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Ensemble warm-up, Open Performance
TECH RUN & REHEARSALS: MARCH 17
OPEN PERFORMANCES:
MARCH 20 / 21 / 23 / 24
OPENING NIGHT: MARCH 18
*All rights to schedule changes reserved.
*In the case of a teacher being unavailable for health or other serious reasons, AAF will always substitute said teacher with one of equal professional credit.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications are now open.
This training will accept 12 students. You can apply by filling up the application form from the link below and emailing us a form of clear 'head shot' of yourself. If you are not our One Year Training Alumni we will contact you after receiving the application. This is to confirm that you have enough Meisner Technique experience to join and/or to offer a intensive workshop cpmbination to prepare you for the Meisner Technique based Training.You are expected to be seriously committed to the training as well as your growth as an actor.
After being accepted into the Training you will be requested to confirm your enrollment by paying the deposit and choosing your desired payment option for the final payment.
Please note:
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You must be minimum 18 years of age to apply
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You must understand and speak good English to partake in the training
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You must be either a professional, trained or working actor, or Actors Academy Finland's One Year Training Alumni
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Students who do not have a stable background of the Meisner Technique yet will be requested to commit to take on a set of AAF Workshops to create a sufficent base and understanding for the student to partake on the Advanced Training work.
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Students are expected to be committed to focused studying and showing up for the work throughout the whole program
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To graduate from the training and receive a certificate you must attend minimum of 80% of training and rehearsal classes
TUITION & PAYMENT OPTIONS
The tuition for the Advanced Training is 5.150 euros, incl. VAT 24%.
Payment:
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Pay a deposit of 1.500€ after you have been accepted into the training to confirm your place in the Training
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Pay training in full by September 1st 2022 or ask for part payment possibilities
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Payment options to choose from: credit card, direct bank transfer, mobile pay or part payments (Jousto - up to 3.000€) for ie. 200€ per month