Scene Breakdown Workshop (AFTRA)

Actors will learn how to prepare scenes for film and television auditions, using sides from actual television shows and feature films. Beginning with cold reading, then prepared scenes, then finishing with how to submit an audition on tape.

The Viola Spolin Technique taught by Robin Brown uses the exercises in her book entitled Improvisation for the Theater. Comedy sketch improvisers have borrowed Spolin’s games for years. Leaving her more advanced exercises, What’s Beyond and Changing Emotions, lost to serious actors.

Robin studied and later taught at The Stella Adler Conservatory and has been through most of Strasburg and Meisner’s advanced exercises as well. None teach the actor how to play what is beyond the scene. Thanks in part to the teachings of Stanislavski way too much time is spent on back-story, and that is not playable.

Robin is one of the few teachers in Hollywood that uses Viola’s exercises for their intended purpose, to teach actors what is playable. He work-shopped with Viola in the late eighties and taught these same principles at the Stella Adler Conservatory.

Actors who go through this type of training are much less likely to fall into playing the words. They take direction well. They are more able to deal with the constantly changing demands of the real work place, are more comfortable with their creative instruments, and as result, have discoveries in performance that help them book jobs. They are having fun and that is always contagious.