i teach actors and filmmakers

making your students

 
Acting for Film — Directing Film Actors — Developing Film Ideas

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Fedor Sendak (Amsterdam, 1975) is dedicated to teach film actors and filmmakers about film idea development and creative collaboration.

WORKSHOP PORTFOLIO:

1. "DEEP" FILM ACTING


This workshop teaches actors and directors to collaborate smoothly. The workshop is based on the idea that actors and directors both need a physical base. The exercises combine various (physical) acting and performing techniques.

32 to 40 hours - 6 to 12 participants

for more info: contact me

2. ACTING ON THE SET


This workshop is giving actors and directors the opportunity to experiment creatively with film set situations. Participant will learn to instruct actors clearly without losing creativity during a stressful shoot.

20 to 32 hours - max 24 participants

for more info: contact me

3. DIRECTING ACTORS


This workshop teaches directors to understand the acting profession through practice and role play. Exploring several perspectives will give new insights to collaborate with actors both on and off the film set.

20 to 32 hours - max 24 participants

for more info: contact me

4. IDEA DEVELOPMENT


This workshop structures the idea development process and helps presenting project proposals confidently. Participants learn to harvest wild artistic ideas to subsequently convert them into rounded dramatic stories.

32 to 60 hours - max 12 participants

for more info: contact me

Directing involves coming out of your individual loneliness and putting together a small world. 
— John Huston

PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS:

2013-2019

Body Before Emotion

Creative cooperation between actors and directors

This workshop prepares the actor and director to work together creatively during the realization of film projects. A physical approach is used as a fertile base for collaboration. Combining various techniques the participants’ emphasis is on thorough scene preparation and creating an environment that fosters spontaneity. The workshop provides an open environment where no mistake exists. Developed in cooperation with dancer/performer Sara Alba.

For more information and bookings please contact me.

BOOK THIS WORKSHOP

All Set, Let's Go!

Acting, directing and creativity on the film set

The main goal of the program is to demonstrate how directors and actors can stay connected and work together creatively during a shoot. Participant get time to experiment with film set situations without worrying about the result, trying out the tricks of the trade while practical camera (and sound) situations are proposed. Common issues concerning mis-en-scene (blocking/staging), frame limitations, sound and time restraints are thoroughly explored.

For more information and bookings please contact me.

BOOK THIS WORKSHOP

Beyond The Synopsis

Multi-sensory fIlm idea development explained

Filmmakers are regularly in need of fresh film ideas. How can they develop them efficiently? This workshop shows participants how to dream up their projects confidently. The program combines the creation of the story with sensory experiences. Topics include: inspiration, originality, creative collaboration, gathering  material. Although writing is indispensable, it is not a writing course, rather a step-by-step guide on how to harvest from one's inspiration.

For more information please contact me.

BOOK THIS WORKSHOP

PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTED LECTURES:

2016 - 2020

Shortcuts to Spontaneity

creative collaboration for the actor and the director

The use of spontaneity in film acting is often misunderstood. During this lecture the unique qualities of acting and directing are explored together as they are an inseparable pair. Actors deal with certain problems of creativity in unique ways, and the specific creative insights of acting professionals has significance even beyond acting. Taking a closer look at widely practiced techniques, we may understand why true emotions and creativity can not be planned.

45 to 60 minutes 

For more information and bookings, please contact us.

BOOK THIS LECTURE

The Sensory Approach

multi-sensory idea development and presentation

Presenting a film plan with a synopsis only is common in the film industry: a few lines of text to communicate what may become a fully fledged film. Yet it is possible and insightful to work with a format that appeals to all the senses, doing more justice to what a film really is: and experience, Filmmakers attending this lecture will learn about unconventional paths for film idea development and alternatives for presentation and pitching.

45 to 60 minutes.

For more information and bookings, please contact us.

BOOK THIS LECTURE

The Question as a Creative Tool

exploring a practice of creative questioning as a tool

What happens if we start our film idea development adventure with a mind wide open using a practice of deliberate doubt? Applying both practical and theoretical questioning can change your lines of thought. With a method of "uncurbed questioning" and familiarization with all the available creative thinking tools, we as makers benefit from a new stream of ideas and get to the next challenge: how to deal with the creative abundance.

45 to 60 minutes.

For more information and bookings, please contact us.

BOOK THIS LECTURE

About "Body Before Emotion"

a physical approach for filmmakers and actors -  in collaboration with dancer/performer Sara Alba

www.filmacting-workshop.com 

The Body Before Emotion workshop promotes a physical approach to both film acting and directing. The workshop uniquely brings filmmakers and actors together using the body as a universal starting point.

Why a physical approach?
Emotions can not be staged, while the body can be. Body Before Emotion uses a physical strategy using simple physical exercises accompanied by clear explanations, reflections. We play theatre games and work on thorough scene analysis and preparation. Our classes prepare both actor and director to stay cooperative and work together creatively at all time. Our classes build the students confidence, awaken their creativity in a fun and open environment where no mistake exists.

PROGRAMM:
Mornings: The first hours of each day the student will work towards solving simple and complex difficulties of movement. The exercises will enrich the students physical repertoire. The class awakens the creative skills of the students through improvisation and concepts such as ‘body awareness’, ‘trust’ and ‘alert state’. All students can come up with their own ideas of movement and are invited to experiment. Afternoons: During the second part of the day we work with spoken text while maintaining the physical routine that we established in the morning. We introduce several physical games that clarify essential elements of acting. Subsequently we work with dialogues in an intuitive way. Dialogue exercises will be repeated throughout the next days to internalize the lines. Concepts that are touched are: listening, outward focus, subtext and being ‘in the moment’. Finalizing the Workshop: During the last sessions we will work on mis-en-scene. We unfold strategies to add layers of meaning to a scene. All students will get a chance to experience the issues involved with both directing and acting in a film set situation.

Tutor morning program:        Sara Alba (dance and movement teacher, Colombia)
Tutor afternoon program:     Fedor Sendak (filmmaker, The Netherlands)

for more info: contact me

IN DEVELOPMENT:

planned educative projects

PREPPING THE ACTOR ON SET (new)

Exploring the ways to prep your actor on the film set.
for more info: contact me

PLAYING DARK CHARACTERS (new)

Guiding actors and directors how to approach a dark characters of screenplays.
for more info: contact me

STAGING A FILM SCENE (updated)

How a director can use staging a scene as a creative tool while working with actors.
for more info: contact me

WHAT YOUR AUDITION NEEDS (updated)

Teaching actors/directors how to prepare for audition and casting situations.
for more info: contact me

NEW LECTURES / MASTERCLASSES:

1. DOUBT & INSPIRATION


A lecture on how asking questions leads towards useful creative thought and how creative sparks can be organized, combined and harvested.

for more info: contact me

2. THE PHYSICAL APPROACH


A lecture advocating more physical approach towards acting and directing promoting deep collaboration between actor and filmmaker.

for more info: contact me

3. MAKING IT TOGETHER


A lecture about what it takes directors to collaborate artistically with their actors. An independent lecture that combines with  "The Physhical Approach".

for more info: contact me

4. USING ACTION VERBS


A lecture exploring the use of action verbs in film directing an acting, giving a better understanding in depth of what behavior is and how it is made.

for more info: contact me

“ (...) writing, painting, photography, dance, architecture, there is an aspect of almost every art form that is useful and that merges into film in some way.” — Sydney Pollack 

PRICING

ACTING/DIRECTING WORKSHOPS

from $1400*

PER PROJECT

  • a minimum of 60 teaching hours
  • educational material send by email
  • student guidance by WhatsApp
  • educational material sent by email

    • includes final presentation

  • * can be adjusted to your needs
BOOK NOW

BODY BEFORE EMOTION

from $1800*

PER PROJECT

  • min 60 teaching hours
  • educational material send by email
  • student guidance by WhatsApp
  • educational material sent by email

    • includes final presentation

  • * can be adjusted to your needs
BOOK NOW

IDEA DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

from $1200*

PER PROJECT

  • a minimum of 40 teaching hours
  • educational material send by email
  • student guidance by WhatsApp
  • educational material sent by email

    • includes final presentation

  • * can be adjusted to your needs
BOOK NOW

LECTURES / MASTER CLASSES

from $180*

PER LECTURE

  • 1 hour
  • beamer needed
  • includes summary hand out
  • includes marketing material

    • Q&A included

  • * can be adjusted to your needs
BOOK NOW

* displayed prices are without VAT and any possible additional charges (such as facilities and materials)

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Fedor is an independent filmmaker from Amsterdam (The Netherlands). In 2003 he graduated from The Netherlands Film Academy (bachelor in film directing - fiction) and in 2016 he received a master's degree researching idea development and the creative collaboration between actors and filmmakers.

Raised in an artistic family he acted in street theatre groups as a child, and starred in a feature film when he was 11 years old. As an adult he continued behind the camera and developed directing various shorts films and cinematic concepts.

Apart form teaching Fedor has worked as a filmmaker, illustrator, designer, composer, photographer and actor. In recent years he collaborated with acting schools, film festivals, and Dutch and international film industry networks such as Filmpeople and Nisi Masa.

He is influenced by film industry icons such as Judith Weston, Mark Travis and Sandford Meisner and participated in various acting and directing workshops.

"I am so delighted with the creative possibilities of mind and of artistic collaboration. I like to advocating a more concrete physical approach for film actors and film directors. And I also teach an exciting sensory approach, which can apply to our idea development and the presentation of film stories." - Fedor Sendak.


LIST OF COLLABORATIONS (EDUCATIONAL):

► Guest teacher at The Academy of Theatre and Dance
(Amsterdam University of the Arts)

► Various collaborations with The Netherlands Film Academy (AHK)
 (icw with Filmpeople)

► Teacher at Media College Amsterdam (Ma)

► Teacher at faaam
(film actors academy amsterdam)

► Body Before Emotion Workshops
(in collaboration with dancer/performer Sara Alba)

► Lectures and workshops in various countries:
Amsterdam (The Netherlands),Sofia (Bularia), San José (Costa Rica), Belgrade (Serbia), Bogotá (Colombia) and Cali (Colombia).


EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Master of Arts: FILM, Bachelor Film directing (fiction) The Netherlands Film and Televison Academy (www.filmacademie.nl) 2003. Directing Actors Workshops: Mark Travis (US) directing actors for film – at Binger FiIm Institute Amsterdam (2012), Rutger Hauer Workshop (2003, Netherlands Film Academy) Mijke de Jong (NL) directing actors for film – at AHK (2012), Ruud Schuitemaker (NL) directing non-actors for film – at AHK (2012), Gerrard Verhage (NL) directing actors for film – at AHK (2001), Marcelle Meuleman (NL) directing actors for film – at AHK (1999). Acting experience: Het Werktheater (NL), Dogtroep (NL). Cinema: The Good Hope (feature film by Guido Pieters). Casting: Egofixe (2003, with Oi Mundo Casting), Popje (1998), Tattoo (2001).


► Download CURRICULUM VITAE (English) 

► Download CURRICULUM VITAE (Spanish) 

"A film is — or should be — more like music than like fiction. It should be a progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, the meaning, all that comes later." — Stanley Kubrick

WHAT STUDENTS SAY:

Matthieu:

“You were very generous in your way of sharing with us and taking care of us. Everything was very well prepared and you created a very good working atmosphere." 

Maria:

"You made us move around and feel the space with freedom to experiment. After that experience you gave us plenty of time and there was enough space to try with no way to fail.”

David:

"I enjoyed all my discoveries and I gently came across my own difficulties. The exercises on trust and personal communication were very welcome, The warm ups were excellent.”

An-Mari:

“I became more open to explore, even if I never was that physically oriented. I found the classes and exercises very liberating and insightful. I discovered I can do the things you showed us.”

Fedor Sendak. Teacher.

teaching actors and filmmakers

CONTACT:
WhatsApp: +31 6 5069 0404 
Email: focusoutwards@gmail.com 

© Fedor Sendak 2016-2022 - teaching actors and filmmakers