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Teaching Philosophy

Beck
Academy
of
Dramatic
Art.

The training has made me into the artist I am today.

- Jennifer Lee Kaas, 2022 Graduate

Beck
Academy
of
Dramatic
Art.

The training has made me into the artist I am today.

- Jennifer Lee Kaas, 2022 Graduate

Our Philosophy

Since 2015, we have been training actors to become method style character performers based on the fundamentals developed by our founder, Fay Beck. Her teaching philosophy was formed during her time studying the Meisner Technique at the Actor’s Pulse in Sydney with Billy Milionis, a former student of Sanford Meisner.

Combined with her academic background in philosophy and psychology, Fay used what she had learnt during her training to develop a more nuanced, more integrated and thus truly unique approach to character acting. While holding the techniques of Meisner in high regard, she felt there was room to further expand the boundaries of characterisation she felt were implicit in her own training as an actress.

From her unique perspective, Fay was able to craft a teaching philosophy rooted in helping actors access their emotions directly. This mode of access enables actors to form an in-depth understanding of their own personality, which can be drawn upon when crafting complexly composed portrayals of fictional characters. Central to Fay Beck’s philosophy is the idea that character is defined by multiple layers of complex and interactive emotions, formed as a response, and in relation to the external world, to events, people and objects within it.

After years of laboratory work, Fay Beck developed a method of teaching actors named Beck Emotional Access Technique or BEATTM for short.

I don’t believe in talent. I believe in the actor’s curiosity and in their constant application of effort to satisfy it.

- Fay Beck

Teaching
Methodology.

As instructors of a system and technique, we see our work as equipping actors with a set of technical tools and know-how that they can apply in their work. We aim to foster initiative in our actors and encourage them to discover their own process using tools and methods.

As an institution seeking to develop ground-breaking talent, we invite actors to discover their own boundaries and limitations without imposing ours on them. We see our function with regards to limitation, as a site offering alternative perspectives. We think is how best we can enable the actor as artist, who is always seeking greater mastery, understanding, love and respect for this wonderful art-form called acting. It can be inferred from that, that we hold the view that acting is a constant journey of self-discovery which is done through taking risks. Our courses can be though therefore, as providing the platform for students to explore their range in safety, with respect and with confidence.

Dedicated Practice
Over Talent

We believe an actor’s curiosity to develop their craft comes from a desire to continually improve through dedicated application. For us: innate talent or an instinctive ability to act makes little difference in the end. We hold that excellence in the craft of acting can only be honed through practice and commitment to better oneself in the craft. In many cases describing accomplished skill as mere talent can be used as an excuse to be lazy, or to detract from the dedication required to be the best actor you can possibly be.

As a result, in training actors we value dedication and commitment over success in performance. Consequently, our criteria for selection and advancement reflect the priority we place on those qualities above others. Our absentee policy and our guidelines around lateness and student commitment ensure our actors in training remain focused on their acting training throughout their tuition.

Bespoke Training in a
Small Group Environment

Our approach to training actors is based on working in small groups which allows us to focus on the strengths and weaknesses of each student. We then put together a bespoke plan of action for each actor that will evolve over the duration of the 2Yr program. We understand that not everyone starts our courses at the same stage of development and each actor responds to methods in their own unique way. This means students do not all grow at the same rate, which is why our ‘bespoke training in small group’ approach is able to produce such effective and long-lasting results.

Cutting Edge
Laboratory Work

Our work as practitioners and instructor has not ended. BEATTM is in a constant state of flux. Fay Beck’s ongoing project is to continuously strive to find better ways to refine her methodology with the aim of making it simpler, more direct and more effective. Using performance and the feedback of our actors as barometers, the 2Yr BEATTM Acting Course has been designed to include lab and experimental components testing various tools and methods.

Fay’s work currently involves discovering the neuroscientific and psychological bases of her work. Her supposition is that from there she would be able to deliver a safer and yet more effective program to her students. The other assumption guiding her laboratory work is that it will open up more possibilities to interpret works that originate in different theatrical and screen acting styles.

Actors invited to the 2YR BEATTM Acting Course will be purposely selected on the basis of their intrigue and curiosity in this kind of artistic experimentation.

Courses

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long courses.

Students listening - Actors Door Studio

2 Year
Drama Course

Intensive conservatory style actor training.
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Students during Class - Actors Door Studio

Flexible
Acting Training

Flexible Acting Training that allows you to attend 1, 2, 3 or 4 classes per week.

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E  courses@beckdrama.com

LDN Unit 5, 88 Mile End Road
Cooks Yard
LONDON, E1 4UN

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Under 18s
Applicants

To be completed by a parent or guardian.

The Actors Door Studio operates as an adult teaching environment. You understand that in joining our courses, your child may be exposed to adult language, adult concepts, swearing, sexual references and nudity.