1-YEAR PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA FOR STAGE AND SCREEN - Next course starting SEPT 2024
- Imagine waking up each morning and doing something you love all day.
- Imagine learning the craft of acting from professional actors, directors, producers, agents and casting directors.
- Imagine performing at the world's largest theatre festival for three weeks!
- Imagine learning acting for camera through more practical screen acting time than any other course in Scotland.
- Imagine finally following your dreams.
- Imagine preparing for a career on stage and screen with Acting Coach Scotland.
This 1-Year Professional Diploma is an accredited qualification, but let’s face it: only your family care about whether you get a bit of paper. If you can’t act - the industry won’t be interested in your certificate... and if you can act, they won't want to see your certificate either.
So...
We designed our own 1-year acting course which means we cut out all the crap you don't need to learn and focus on what's going to get you employed, because that's the real goal.
Our course is recognised by the industry; our students are members of Equity, the Actors' Union and Spotlight, which means when you graduate, you're ready to start auditioning for work. Our past students are working in the industry all over the world in television, film and theatre.
The next course begins September 2024.
"Nine months on from finishing the full time course at ACS and my life has never been better. ACS has provided me with the tools and mindset to achieve my goals out there in the big bad world. I came into this course green as the hills, and less than a year from finishing, I have an agent and get to do what I love. Thank you guys!" Alastair Duncan
THE 1-YEAR PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA
-
If you can commit one year of your life - you can begin your acting career right here.
We take people from all over the world, from all walks of life and train them together intensively for one year, and give them the tools they need to THRIVE.
We don’t want to change you. We don’t want to strip you down and rebuild you. We just want to help you get out of your own way, and let the ability you already have shine through.
Our mission is to train actors so that they can go to work. We do this by immersing you in a professional environment from Day 1. We give you the practical tools, skills, knowledge and experience to help you get the job. And once you have the job? To nail it, so you build a reputation that people trust.
Our students such as Sorcha Groundsell appear in major televisions series.
Our 1-Year Full Time Acting Course is split into TWO parts:
FIRST HALF: intensive training in acting, voice, improvisation, stage combat, and performance psychology. Practising and learning all day, every day. Building team work, individual skills, developing knowledge and gaining experience. Doing. Because that’s what matters: hands on practice in the craft of acting under expert tuition.
In the first half of the year, you'll perform in public in every term. The greatest (and hardest) lessons are learned through doing. You'll take part in a Festival of One Act Plays, the Spring Theatre Project, then perform a run at the Edinburgh Festival.
Then comes the SECOND HALF of the year focusing mainly on screen acting. Here, you'll learn about the Business of Acting and meet industry people such as agents, casting directors, theatre and film makers.
You'll receive screen acting training, you'll also get multiple opportunities to put that training into practise as we produce up to three scenes with you to showcase your skills.
You'll learn about self-taping and how to audition for theatre, film and television. You'll graduate with Graduate Spotlight Eligibility - which means you'll be able to start auditioning for work as soon as you graduate.
This half of the year also encourages the other skills you possess; the organiser, the creative, the teacher, the producer, the writer and the director. Because when you leave, we want you to be ready to work. And when you're not working, we want to give you the tools to create your own work, if you want to.
Here’s what we offer:
-
SMALL CLASSES/LONG HOURS: if you want to learn skills, you need a lot of hours of training. Training is scheduled between 10am-6pm, but you may be expected to complete assignments, preparation and rehearsal outside of these times. Classes run from Monday to Friday. During the Fringe, Saturdays are required.
-
UNRIVALLED FILM EXPERIENCE: there is no acting course that matches our level of acting for camera tuition and experience. After lots of intensive acting for camera training, it's time to make your scenes for Spotlight. (*In line with all drama schools, we do not produce your showreel, we help you create the material for it). You will leave with a range of clips that you can include in your Spotlight profile.
-
PHENOMENAL PERFORMANCES: you need the experience of performing to other people, it builds your confidence and performing experience. And so, it teaches some of the most important lessons. No one can compete with that kind of experience on a one year course. You'll have a run at EdFringe, and plenty of performances throughout the year for you to gain experience from.
-
PERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGY: there is no acting course in the UK that provides the kind of mental skills preparation that this course does. Just like athletes, a performer's mental preparation makes a significant impact on their performance on stage, screen and in auditions. We teach you to prepare yourself mentally for the challenges ahead of you.
- INDUSTRY SHOWCASE: show the industry what you can do - get connected to the people that matter in the entertainment industry by putting your work in front of them. We'll show clips of you acting on camera and you'll perform live for them.
FORTHCOMING AUDITION DAYS:
All our auditions are small and personal, and held at regular intervals throughout the year.
Applicants outside Scotland may audition via Zoom, although we encourage everyone to visit.
WE ARE AUDITIONING FOR SEPTEMBER 2024.
HOW TO APPLY:
We accept applications throughout the year and hold auditions at regular intervals. The first stage is to contact us for an application form, submit it, and then we will contact you regarding a date for an audition.
Auditions are held in our Glasgow Acting Studio, but applicants may audition online via Zoom.
CLICK TO RECEIVE A COPY OF OUR FULL TIME ACTING COURSE BROCHURE
Auditions may consist of group workshop, interview and the applicant will be expected to perform two contrasting contemporary monologues, of roughly 2 minutes length each.
Unlike other full time acting courses, we don't charge a fee for you to audition!
To arrange your audition and interview, contact our Admissions Team at hello@actingcoachscotland.co.uk or call 0141 440 1272
CHECK OUT OUR GRADUATE SUCCESS PAGE
Our students such as Duncan Airlie James appear in major Hollywood films across the world.
ARE YOU WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR?
We’re looking for creative, motivated, committed individuals with original ideas and the determination to succeed in this most competitive industry.
PLEASE NOTE WE ARE NOT A TIER 4 VISA SPONSOR - as such, we are limited as to who can apply for our course.
Applicants between the ages of 18-30 from Canada, New Zealand and Australia can come to the UK under the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme Visa. Please check to see if this applies to you.
Please do not make an application until you've checked that you are eligible to train in the UK without a visa.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE YOU?
We Accept a Maximum of 24 Students in any year, but practical class size is restricted to 12, which means you’ll get plenty of attention from our coaching staff.
HOW MUCH WOULD YOU EXPECT TO PAY?
This is a private acting course. As such, students are responsible for providing their own funding.
As a Community Interest Company, all of our student fees go toward the actor training we provide, keeping it ethical in its delivery and delivering top quality training.
At ACS, you make a one-off deposit of £1500 on acceptance, then spread the rest of the costs through monthly payments.
That's a total of £9000, plus a £250 admin fee, and we assure you: you'll get the benefit of every penny.
Our course and its students receive NO SAAS/ government funding. Public colleges receive tuition fees AND government funding per student. Our OTHER Full time courses, the 2-Year HND in Acting & Performance and Foundation Acting Course, starting in September each year ARE publicly funded for students who are residents in Scotland.
FUNDING
The cost of running a course with so much practical experience and training is considerable. There is no funding for this course. However, we allow our students to pay per month, which many do.
OUR FULL TIME ACTING COURSE HAS A REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE DURING THE FRINGE
TESTIMONIALS
I’ve worked with other coaches and directors in the past and none have made such an impact or been as insightful as the wonderful industry professionals at ACS. Jessica Arbuckle
Whether you are new to acting, which I was, or a veteran, this technique allows you to develop your skills in a logical and fun way, in what always feels like a safe environment. All of the coaches at ACS are fully committed to making you the best you can be, which is why I signed up to the 1 year full time course! Carrie Dodds
I left ACS with solid and reliable technique that I can employ and adapt to whatever work I do and an amazing network of professionals and friends. G Harcus
The course is run by experienced coaches, award-winning producers and industry professionals. All of our staff are working actors, directors, writers and producers. They continue to work in film, theatre and television. Their film To The Sea won a Judges Prize at the Scottish Short Film Festival, and was nominated for Best Short Film at the prestigious Orlando Film Festival. Most recently, TRILEMMA, the film ACS made with our 1-Year Professional Diploma students was selected for a number of film festivals and won several prizes.
Full Time Students perform in I, Sniper, a Fringe project that played to sell out audiences and received a 5 star review from top Fringe review site Broadway Baby.
- We are an approved Centre with the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
- We are a registered UK Learning Provider - 10063204.
Industry visitors to the course have included: Olivia Brittain (Casting Director), Patrick Tucker (Director/Leading Screen Acting Coach), Morag Stark (Actor/Voice Coach), Graham McLaren (Artistic Director The Abbey - Ireland), John McPhail (Film Director - Anna and the Apocalypse) Pete Collins (Director), Laura Donnelly (Casting Director National Theatre of Scotland), R Paul Wilson (Film Director), Ruaraidh Urpeth (Film Director), Helen Raw (Producer/Equity Representative) Emma Dyson (Spotlight), Claire Murray (Agent), Peter Davis (Agent), Luke Kernaghan (Theatre Director) and Lisa Nichol (Writer/Producer).
RECENT GRADUATE ELLE WATSON WAS AWARDED BEST ACTRESS AT THE NORTH AMERICAN FILM AWARDS
