School of Acting

Our acting academy training programs prepare you to become a professional in the film & television industry. When you join our acting school’s programs, you will train on our professional soundstages, working with professional crews, directed throughout the program by professional directors. At the end of your acting education, you’ll have built a reel that looks like you’ve been working in the film industry for years, which many other acting schools can’t offer to their alumni.

Join our acting programs and acquire the skills that all great actors share: mastery of voice and movement, free access to your imagination, and the ability to act from impulse and intuition. Bring characters and conflict to life and connect with your audiences’ emotions and experiences all while getting the best education film acting schools can offer.

Our program is run by a multiple Academy Award-winning producer

We believe actors should develop the skills to take control of their own destiny. And acting colleges are the perfect teaching environment to hone the craft beyond acting skills. We provide you with the knowledge that you can apply to real productions. We will teach you to write, produce and direct your own work so you don’t have to wait for permission to star in commercial ventures. As an added benefit, you will work in a collaborative environment with our directing, writing and producing students, creating networking opportunities with other talented artists that will last a lifetime.

Schedule your tour today!
On campus or virtual.




Please enter numbers only





By submitting this form, I am giving express written consent to receive emails, text messages, OTT app messages (e.g., WhatsApp messages), and/or telephone calls including mobile from or on behalf of Academy of Art University at the phone number(s) I provided using automated technology. I understand that standard text and/or usage rates may apply and that I am not required to provide consent as a condition of any sale of a good or service.




Into the Industry

We help you prepare to enter the film and television industry with the creation of a professional reel, on-going practice of contemporary audition methods, and networking skills. We facilitate your commitment to starting your professional career with the formulation of a personalized plan for the first 90 days after you graduate.

What We Teach

  • Acting for Film & TV
  • Character Development
  • Movement for Camera
  • Character Voices for Game, Animation & Cartoons
  • Script Analysis
  • Stunts and Fights
  • Meisner Technique
  • Voice & Speech
  • Dialects
  • Comedy for Social Media
  • Film and TV Directing
  • Filmmaking
  • Screenwriting


Reel Development

In this 3-year course sequence, you work on honing your presence on camera and your ability to make dynamic character choices. Move from classrooms to sound stages and star in scenes that showcase your talents.

Alexander Technique for Camera

Practice creating characters physically, mentally and energetically. Become aware of your own physical and vocal habits and free yourself to transform into a range of characters. As a result, students will be able to tackle any performance.

Meisner

Grow your talent as an actor from a place of authenticity. Get outside yourself and respond organically to cues from the environment. This is one of the biggest skills you can learn from getting and education in schools for acting like ours, and it’s something that you’ll benefit from for the duration of your career.

Comedy and Sketch

Using Improv and sketch writing techniques you will create short pieces for social media to drive your brand and draw an audience.

Star in Festival-Bound Films, Web Series and PSAs

ACT 2022 Reel

  • Blake and Cascius on Karma set
  • Director on the Thesis set
  • Actors on set "The Gifted Ones"
  • Actors on the set of Fish Out of Water
  • Actor on camera monitor on the thesis set "Kings"
  • Zine on Thesis set "Confessions"
  • Michael Houson gon "Abandoned" set

Start Your Career Now

Your dream is within reach. Follow your heart and get started on the career of your dreams.

Facilities & Technology

Act in projects filmed with industry-standard technology on professional soundstages and on practical locations throughout the Bay Area and around the world.

Faculty

Our program is run by an Oscar-winning producer and 11-time Academy Award nominee and is taught by a combination of professional actors and award-winning directors who focus on developing the strengths of each actor.

Student Work

Malcom & Marie / Cristiana Alvarez, Kevin Johnson
Short Clips
URTA Reel 2
Company logo of JE Talent
Company logo of San Francisco Playhouse
Company logo of Stars The Agency
Company logo of Look Talent

COMPANIES THAT HAVE HIRED OUR GRADUATES

NxtUp Film Festival

Our annual NxtUp Film Festival is judged by professional casting directors, working producers, writers, and directors. The festival allows your work to be seen by influential industry professionals prior to graduation. As a result of NxtUp, recent graduates have been invited to audition for roles in pilots and films at ABC/Disney, Netflix, HBO, and Fox.

NXTUP 2021
NXTUP 2022

Why Enroll at Academy of Art University?

It’s our belief that the majority of working actors earn their living from on-camera work. To ensure our graduates have the best shot at getting this work, our acting university training revolves around preparing you for the professional film & television environment. Study with working actors and directors, voiceover artists, producers and screenwriters. Acting institutes like ours offer unique opportunities for students who want to prepare for the big stage by learning from some of the most creative and accomplished people in the industry.

Contemporary Film Actor Training

Our actors experience the strengths of traditional conservatory training in an environment dedicated to working with the latest scripts, storytelling approaches, and technology. You will originate roles in new films as well as explore characters from existing films and tv series with a new lens as you develop and polish your acting skills. Good colleges for acting bridge the gap between the academic world and the experience you’ll need to succeed as a professional.

Focus on Acting

Our actors act: with no filler or theoretical classes, it is all acting, all the time. In class, on our soundstages, on location: experience what it means to be in production and bond with your fellow creatives as you create story worlds to reach today’s audiences.

Personalized Acting Techniques

Every actor is different, with unique strengths and potential, and the need to develop specific areas of their imagination, physical expressiveness and style of play. Our flexible, team-based approach to developing actors recognizes that your journey is your own. Get the individualized acting tips and in-depth acting training that you need to succeed.

Entrepreneurial Approach

In our acting school’s program, you will acquire the power and knowledge to create your own work, and the skills to bring your stories to life and sell them. Learn to harness the power of social media and brand yourself in a fashion that draws audiences to your work.


If you wish to follow the social media accounts of any Academy of Art University department or program but are having difficulty with accessibility, please contact Accessibility Resources at Accessibility@academyart.edu to discuss accommodations that meet your needs.

Academy of Art University Search Search Search Previous Next Previous Next Next Next Chat Quote Facebook Google Plus Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube LinkedIn TikTok WeHeartIt Download App Close