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Acting for the Camera
The Professional Program in Acting for the Camera is the only non-degree acting program that has oversight by the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television.
Learn from renowned UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television Acting Program faculty and receive:
- A world-class acting education in three quarters
- An intimate learning environment with a maximum of 16 students per workshop
- Access to special guests from the industry
Previous guests have included: Emily Hampshire (Schitt's Creek), Jason Alexander (Seinfeld), Patrick Fabian (Better Call Saul), Jennifer Aniston (Friends, The Morning Show), Jason Bateman (Ozark, Arrested Development), Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Jack Ryan, Chicago P.D.), Amy Ryan (Only Murders in the Building, The Office, Bridge of Spies), Christine Lakin (Step By Step, The Goldbergs, Family Guy, Schooled), Amanda Lund (Fresh Off the Boat, Another Period, Drunk History), Keesha Sharp (Empire, Lethal Weapon, The Last OG, Black Lightning), Chuck McCollum (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Agents of SHIELD, Castle, Lethal Weapon), Kimberly Foster-McCollum (Casting Rebel, A Christmas For the Books, Stitchers), Jill Anthony Thomas (Casting director Santa Clarita Diet, AP Bio), James Ponsoldt (Director of Daisy Jones & The Six, Shrinking, The Spectacular Now), Marco Fargnoli (Director The Mindy Project), Sacha Gervasi (Director of My Dinner with Herve, Hitchcock, Anvil: The Story of Anvil), Chelsea Handler (Hello Privilege. It’s me, Chelsea, Are you There, Chelsea?), April Webster (Casting Director of Star Wars), Grace Wu (EVP Casting at NBC), Kate Adler (EVP Comedy at CBS), Tony Sepulveda (Senior VP Casting at WB), Anya Colloff (Casting Director of Fresh Off the Boat, New Girl), Jeffrey Reiner (Director of The Affair), Adam Chase (TV EP of Mom), Alfred Molina (Angie Tribeca, Raiders of the Lost Ark), Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple, Reno 911!), Bonnie Zane (Casting Director), Aaron Lipstadt (Director of Elementary, Grimm), Ryan Stiles (The Drew Carey Show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Craig Van Sickle (Writer/EP Tin Man, The Pretender, 24, NCIS), Nat Bernstein (Writer/Showrunner/EP Ally McBeal, Doogie Howser, M.D., See Dad Run, Center of the Universe) Randy Goodwin (Actor/Creator Dynasty, Girlfriends, The Vampire Diaries), Susan Esrock (Casting On My Block, Just Roll With It, Walk the Prank), Steven Tylor O' Connor (Casting The OA, Liv and Maddie, The Healing Powers of Dude) Kurt Patino (Manager), Jason Ensler (Director/EP Love Victor, The Passage, The Exorcist, Franklin & Bash), Kevin Weisman (Scorpion, Goliath, Marvel’s Runaways, Alias), Anna Silk (Lost Girl, Blood & Treasure), Zora DeHorter (Casting director She Spies, Ali G), Scott Winant (Director/Producer (True Blood, Breaking Bad, Fargo, Thirty Something, My So Called Life), Ashley Williams (Actor/Producer/Director How I Met Your Mother, Jim Gaffigan Show, Something Borrowed), Michael Kostroff (The Wire, Billions, The Wizard of Lies, The Plot Against America), Emily Swallow (The Mandalorian, Supernatural, SEAL Team), Amanda Shull (Center Stage, 12 Monkeys, Suits, Pretty Little Liars), Lili Simmons (Banshee, True Detective, Ray Donovan), Rachel Rothman (Manager at Rothman Andres Entertainment), Tim Grant (Writer/Producer (Bait Night, Buzz Kill), Charlotte Chatton (California Typewriter, Woman of the White Buffalo, Titanic, Dr. Quinn), Richard Schiff (The Good Doctor, Ballers, The Affair, House of Lies), Michael Hitchcock (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Barb and Star Go to Visit Del Mar, Glee, MADtv), Robin Weigert (American Horror Story, Bombshell, Big Little Lies, Jessica Jones, Sons of Anarchy, Deadwood), Marla Sokoloff (Fuller House, The Fosters, The Practice, Dude, Where's My Car?), Carlos Bernard (24, The Lincoln Lawyer, Dallas, Scoundrels), Wendy O’Brien (Casting Director You’re the Worst, Mayans MC, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Jack Coleman (Heroes, Castle, Scandal, Burn Notice, The Office), Mindy Sterling (Austin Powers), Andrea Berloff (Screenwriter Straight Outta Compton), Mark Tinkler (Director/Producer Chicago P.D., Private Practice, Deadwood, Scandal), Mariana Palka (Glow), Elliott Knight (Sinbad), Alyshia Ochse (Days of Our Lives, The Purge, General Hospital), Mike Medavoy (Producer Black Swan, Miss Potter, Zodiac, Shutter Island, All the King’s Men, Holes), and more.
Upon successful completion of the program, students receive a certificate from the UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television.
Apply today for this life-changing program.
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Deadline Dates
International student deadline: May 12, 2025
US student deadline: May 19, 2025
Tuition: $6750
Apply early. This program will likely be filled before the application deadlines.
Applicants must be at least 21 years old by the start of the program.
Classes
The Professional Program in Acting for the Camera takes place over three academic quarters at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.
In our Acting for the Camera workshops, students learn the camera techniques, set etiquette, quick scene analysis, and personal strategies necessary to secure work and perform in feature films and television shows. Focus includes quarters devoted specifically to comedy, drama, and genre work like sci-fi and fantasy.
In our Acting Techniques workshop, students deepen their ability to consistently deliver honest, fully present performances through a series of improvisational exercises, trust exercises, sensory work, coached acting etudes and scenes developed from scripted film and television material.
In our Audition Techniques workshop, students learn the technical skills necessary to craft effective self-tapes to book film and television roles, as well as the psychological techniques to defeat audition anxiety and be more prepared, focused, calm, confident, and comfortable with the in-person audition process.
In our Career Development workshop, students are tasked to understand how the class sees them, how the industry sees them, and how they want to be seen. Students take that knowledge and develop personal projects to pitch to a panel of special industry guests on the last day of class. Over the course of this workshop, students also meet industry professionals to discuss topics like agents and managers, casting, branding, business plans, networking, and SAG AFTRA—depending on what topics the instructor thinks the cohort needs most.
In our Showcase Preparation workshop, students work on scenes in preparation for their yearend showcase. For the first nine weeks, students take turns working their scenes with different special guests. In week ten, students participate in a final live industry showcase of their selected scene.
2025-2026 Schedule
Fall Quarter
Focus is on film and one-hour television DRAMA.
Students attend classes three times per week for 10 weeks.
(Career Development takes place online. All other classes take place in person on the UCLA campus.)
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Mondays from 7pm to 10pm.
ACTING TECHNIQUES
Tuesdays from 7pm to 10pm.
ACTING FOR THE CAMERA
Thursdays from 7pm to 10pm
Winter Quarter
Focus is on film and single and multi-camera television COMEDY.
Students attend classes two times per week for ten weeks.
ACTING FOR THE CAMERA
Tuesdays from 7pm to 10pm
AUDITION TECHNIQUES
Thursdays from 7pm to 10pm
Spring Quarter
Focus is on film and television genres like fantasy and sci-fi.
Students attend classes two nights per week for 10 weeks.
ACTING FOR THE CAMERA
Tuesdays from 7pm to 10pm
SHOWCASE PREPARATION
Thursdays from 7pm to 10pm
special guests
Throughout the year, we bring special guests into our classes. Special guests may include directors, casting directors, actors or producers from the film and television industry. Typically, special guests participate in Q&As about their experience in the industry, and watch and give feedback on student scenes.
You can see a list of past special guests at the top of this page.
Apply Online
Applications are now available for the 2025-2026 program.
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Contact
102 E. Melnitz Hall, Box 951622
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1622
310.825.6124
professionalprograms@tft.ucla.edu
Copyright © 2025 UCLA School of Theater, Film & Television.