Peter Feeney
Visiting Artist / Teacher (2025 Term 5)
Peter Feeney has been a professional actor since 1994, working in UK, US, Australian and NZ Theatre, TV & Film. He runs his own Auckland Screen Acting school, the Actors Lab Studio, and is a guest teacher at Drama schools and for organisations such as MEAA, NZ Equity and SDGNZ. Peter is also a published author and has written numerous articles and several screenplays and books. His handbook on acting, ‘Acting and How to Survive it,’ was published in 2020 to great acclaim.
You can pick up a copy of Peters book at bol.com. A good bit of Peters methodology and technique work is right there in his book. “This is a fine act book, and even if you never got the chance to meet Peter, you’d walk away richer-in a practical, playable way- just for having read it.” Alex Murphy, Mulholland Program Dir.
Classes
SCREEN ACTING – with working AND Pro camera
Session 1: building ensemble via warmups and games; 1 x monologue (1-minute max), 2 runs only, no camera. Play, have fun, get to know each other. 1 minute monologue only.
Sessions 2 & 3: work on one short scene with working camera; film one week, TWO TAKES; give homework; teach homework tools in last 1-2 hours of each session, imparting the key tools of script analysis (precision of understanding), Keywording, reacting, game of arrows, GC’s and scene actions over these sessions. Film again the week after.
Session 4: Self taping. One short scene (supplied)
Sessions 5, 6 & 7: bring in Pro camera, rehearse in chairs, then film. Work on 1 x monologue, 1 x previous scene, 1 x own scene.
MONDAY
7 Weeks
Apr 28 – June 9, 2025
6pm – 10pm (4 hours)
€595
(all seats taken)
Thursday
7 Weeks
May 1 – June 12, 2025
6pm – 10pm (4 hours)
€595
Screen Acting, Advanced
Session 1: building ensemble; 1 x monologue (1-minute max), TWO RUNS ONLY, with working camera. Discussion and explanation (re-iteration) of screen techniques of script analysis: keywording, reacting, GC’s, game of arrows and scene actions – and fresh ideas of confidence (learnt from voice overs), slaughter (psychology) and Precision/ being a detective.
Sessions 2 & 3: self-tapes. Use the filming and viewing of self-tapes to build technique – test tools from last week, build in screen specific tools. 1 short scene supplied, 1 x own scene.
Sessions 4 – 7, SHOW-REEL, pro camera each session: working on 1 x own scene, 1 x monologue, 2 x supplied. Rehearse in chairs then film in mid shot (in room) – one set up for the night. To produce showreel material.
Tuesday
7 Weeks
Apr 29 – June 10, 2025
6pm – 10pm (4 hours)
€595
Technique and Scene study with Open Class
Work on one monologue and two scenes over seven sessions.
Session 1: building ensemble via games and warmups; 1 x monologue, physical and vocal exercises to free the actor and open up the work; 2 runs only, no camera.
Sessions 2 & 3: with our scenes, focus on text technique – first session with each scene layer in some basic tools – script analysis (precision of understanding), keywording, objectives/ opposites/ expectations, scene actions and given circumstances, and more. Prep at home, present in the second session.
Sessions 4-7: work on one long scene from the same contemporary play:
4 – Read, discuss, cover text tools and offer a range of prep techniques to do at home.
5 – Character and animal work.
6 – Physical and voice work, organically finding the blocking for a live audience.
7 – OPEN CLASS, run with basic costume and props (maybe with friends invited).
Wednesday
7 Weeks
May 7 – June 11, 2025
6pm – 10pm (4 hours)
and a morning sessions on Sat May 31
€550
PERFORMANCE
Sessions 1-3: grow a monologue into a one person show and then present to the public:
1 – Build ensemble and connection with warmups and games; then each actor presents a monologue chosen by them (actors can also request options from me). Set some monologue prep to do for next session.
2: work on monologues.
3: rehearse/ block monologues; then run in an OPEN CLASS.
Sessions 4-6: work on one long scene from the same contemporary play:
4 – Read, discuss, cover text tools and offer a range of prep techniques to do at home.
5 – Character and animal work.
6 – Physical and voice work, organically finding the blocking for a live audience.
7 – PUBLIC PERFORMANCE with costume and props.
FRIDAY
7 Weeks
May 2 – June 13, 2025
Performance on Friday June 13
6pm – 10pm (4 hours)
€550