Overview

NIDA’s Actor’s Lab for Stage and Screen offers hands-on training and mentorship with expert teaching artists working at the forefront of contemporary performance to develop your performance practice across stage and screen.  

Over three weeks of intensive training, you’ll develop the skills that distinguish compelling actors. From impulse-work to improvisation, from character creation to screen presence, this program will refine your craft, instill artistic discipline, and build the confidence to take on any role. 

Be ready for the demands of diverse performance environments. The Actor’s Lab for Stage and Screen equips you with practical approaches to adapt your technique for different performance environments, while developing a personal rehearsal process that builds creativity and confidence. 

Entry to the Lab programs are by application only. Click ‘Enrol now’ to begin your application. Applications must be submitted by Friday 12 June.

Please note that the course will only proceed if a minimum number of applicants is met. Applicants will be formally notified by Wednesday 17 June regarding the course confirmation.

If you are travelling from another state or country, please do not book flights or accommodation until you have received confirmation that the course will proceed.

Components

Week One: Find your voice, free your body 
Explore your vocal power and physical expression with fundamental voice and movement techniques. Work deeply within an ensemble setting where trust, spontaneity, and creative risk-taking fuel authentic connection and discovery. Through improvisation and practical impulse-work exercises, learn to cultivate the instinctual, authentic responses that bring performances alive. 
 

Week Two: Shape the character, tell their story 
Dive into a diverse range of contemporary texts guided by a NIDA director and a vocal coach. Learn how to make bold, precise choices that create dynamic characters grounded in truth. 
 

Week Three: Own the screen  
Step confidently into the world of screen performance. Navigate visual storytelling by exploring filming techniques and the actor’s relationship to camera. Develop the mindset to work with confidence in front of the lens. 

Outcomes

By the end of the course, you will have:  

1. Crafted an understanding of your personal performance practice. 

2. Expanded your vocal and physical toolkit. 

3. Realised a character arc through the application of contemporary acting techniques. 

Gained invaluable experience in visual performance techniques for storytelling on screen. 

This course is ideal for emerging and early-career actors who: 

Are passionate about refining their craft and eager to take their skills to the next level. 

• Want to develop a personal and versatile acting practice adaptable to stage or screen. 

• Thrive in collaborative environments and are open to creative experimentation. 

• Seek expert mentorship and industry insight from working professionals. 

Are ready to embrace intensive, focused training with a diverse, international cohort.