The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company
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 Welcome to our training zone! 

  OUR OTHER LEARNING SECTIONS: 

Training Zone Facebook Group (join to discuss, share learning, and more)

Acting & tech resources, software & production documents 

Links to free production software library
Picture
 MAJOR UK INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS

Equity - actors trade union

BECTU - technicians trade union

ITC - Independent Theatre Council

UKTheatre 

International Federation of Actors
This section is intended to support our actors and crew - as well as anyone else of course - in finding free, high-quality resources for training and developing skills in theatre. 
Where we are based (one of the top ten most deprived areas in England), there are no local training resources for those adults who are, or wish to become, professional theatre-makers. To date, we have not been able to secure funding to open training sessions with hired trainers, and we are too short-handed in crew to be able to run workshops ourselves, so, this is the next best option. 
This promotes self-directed learning and is a growing collection of free resources for developing skills. 

The professional actor needs a range of performance skills, as well as IT skills. We also strongly reccomend that actors learn about the basics of theatre tech and production - it is far easier to work with technical effects or production regulations if you have a basic grounding in what they are. 
Conversely we also feel that the modern technician or production crewperson, must understand the basics of the actors craft and how actors work. 
Only with a holistic approach can you develop a team where people communicate, support one another, and work to their very best. It does not matter if you have worked in theatre for ten days or ten years - we are all still always learning. 

Are you looking for a resource on something not listed here? Please do contact us and ask, we will try to find one. 

As well as this "library" page, we also have a facebook training zone group where anyone interested in creating theatre can join, discuss and learn. 
Additional online training courses
Please note that these are externally run (they are not conected with our company), and may charge for access. 

Bloom (online theatre classes, based from USA


We stringently follow Equity's policies, which is important for eveyone to read: 
​Manifesto for Casting (best practice in casting) | Safe Places Policy (against bullying & abuse) 
Cast It Here (Casting regional actors) | Inclusive Casting Policy | Performance for All (against discrimination in casting)

​FOR ACTORS
General
Things I wish I knew about acting when I started (blog article - so true!!) 

Auditioning 
How to use Zoom for selftaping (video)
​Zoom for actors (Article) 

What things are called in a theatre
A searchable theatre glossary (website)

Characterisation
Questions to analyse your character (PDF) 
Characterisation - an intrinsic aspect of dramatic text​ (PDF)
How to create a convincing character (website)

Voice
National Theatre: Voice Work with Jeannette Nelson  (Video series) 

Physical warmups
National Theatre, how to warm up (video series)

Body Language
The Seven Levels of Tension (website)
The importance of body language in acting (website)
8 Forms of nonverbal communications actors must master (blog)
7 ways your face expresses emotion (blog)
​Acting with your eyes (blog)
Body language for actors (blog) 
Physical Acting A-Z

Intimacy on set
How to prepare for intimate scenes (blog)
Intimacy scene guidelines (website)
Intimacy scene guidelines (website)

Stanislavski acting techniques
The seven pillars of Stanislavski (website)
Stanislavski techniques (Video series)

Meisner acting techniques
Meisner (video series)
Meisner techniques (video series) 
​Meisner excersises (blog)
Three lessons that great actors learned from Meisner (blog)

Improvisation
Improvisation (video playlist)
Improvisation techniques (video playlist)
5 Improvisational techniques (blog) 

Working with Shakespeare
Royal Shakespeare Company: Playing Shakespeare (video series)

( if you are a member of our theatre company you are likely to find yourself in a Shakespeare show, and we cannot reccomend this video series highly enough, it is as close as we get to "required viewing!) 

How to edit your own showreel video
How to create a showreel (website)
How to edit with videopad (website)
Download Video Pad for free (software)





​FOR CREW & PRODUCERS
About job roles in the theatre
Job roles in the theatre (video playlist)
​Harvard University techincal theatre handbook (website) 

Directing
A study of theatre director training and career development in the UK (PDF)
Directing in Theatre (website)
Directing Plays, Directing People (PDF)
Directions For Directing. Τheatre and Method(PDF)
Blocking Workbook for the Beginning Director (PDF) 

Producing 
What does a theatre producer do? (website)

Stage Managing
Stage Managing - the duties (website)
The Ten Commandments of Stage Managing (website) 
The Stage Manager's guide to pre-production (website) 

Lighting for the theatre
A guide to stage lighting (website)
​The basics of stage lighting (videos)
Tech Theatre (Lighting) (videos)
Stage lighting design (videos)

Sound for the theatre
National theatre: Sound design (video)
Theatre sound design (videos) 
Sound design in theatre (videos)

Projection for theatre
Projection design for theatre (videos)
​Theatre projection (videos)
Video-mapped 3d performance (video)
3d video mapping (how to) (video)

Working with props
Working with props - Props master (video)
Working with props - Speciality props (video)
Acting with props (website)

Costuming
A Youtube channel dedicated to theatre costumes - by Rachel Pollock (videos)
National Theatre How-to costuming (videos)

Designing 
Theatre design (videos)
Another theatre design playlist (videos)
​
Step by step guide to theatre design (website)
Basic guide to stage design (website)


​LEGAL & REGULATIONS
Avoiding scams
A guide to common showbiz scams (website)
12 tips for avoiding casting scams (website)
Safety advice for models (facebook)

Copyright
(Because of working internationally we strongly reccomend being aware of both UK and USA copyright law. In a nutshell, if in any doubt, do not use, share or reproduce anything that is created be someone else which you do not have written permission from the creator.) 
(US) Copyright Law for Theatre People (website)
(UK) Copyright law after Brexit (website)
(international) Creative Commons licencing (website)
​(international) The Copyright Hub (website)

Health & Safety
Health & Safety Executive: Working in a theatre or film set (website)
Covid safety on film sets (PDF)
Health & Safety in a drama setting (website) 

Non-disclosure agreements
(it is important to note that there are a number of types of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). In our company we use and reccomend ones which restrict unauthorised dissemination of intellectual property and production plans only (eg, photos, scripts, videos, designs, etc) or production details (for example if a celebrity is involved).  Some companies may use NDAs to try to restrict cast or crew from seeking union or law enforecement assistance if something has gone wrong. This second type of NDA is highly unethical!  Always read your NDAs carefully before signing) 
What a non-disclosure agreement is (website)
​

Child protection
CHILD PERFORMANCE LICENSING TORBAY  (website, with local regulations for our home region) 
 Child Performance Legislation Advice  (website)
Children & Young Persons Act 2014 (website) 
Chaperone Service professional practice (website)

Diversity for actors and crews
This covers gender, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation. 
Equity Inclusive Casting Policy (website)
BECTU theatre diversity action plan (PDF)
Protected characteristics in the workplace (website)

Data protection (GDPR) 
Seven steps to GDPR compliance (website)

Anti-racism guidance 
Momentum Stage (a US based collection of resources) about anti-racism in theatre (website)

Unesco
Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist:(website)

Letter regarding above reccomendation (website)

United Nations: The right to freedom of artistic expression and creation (2013) (website)

​World Congress on the Implementation of the Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist: final declaration
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