Online Acting for Film Modules for Teens

NYFA

Online Acting Classes for Teens

Build Acting Skills for Film and TV

Acting for film is a craft that requires confidence and imagination, traits that successful actors use to deliver compelling performances. In the Online Acting Workshops at NYFA, teens aged 14-17 can work on developing core acting skills, learning new techniques that help actors compete and creatively thrive in the contemporary world of acting. Studying under the guidance of our faculty, consisting of professional, experienced actors, students learn how to tap into their strengths in film and television acting through a variety of hands-on projects and exercises.

Our online acting workshops each cover a different component of film acting. Students may take the workshops individually, but many students choose to take all three workshops and gain a full spectrum of skills. These programs are currently offered during the academic year on the weekend.

Module #1: Monologues Class

To deliver a memorable monologue, actors must make thoughtful, playful, and surprising choices that keep an audience engaged. During our Monologues online acting class, students learn how to bring a monologue to life, learning how to truthfully act under imaginary circumstances.

Module #2: Fundamentals of TV & Film Auditions Class

One of the most important skills to develop as an actor is how to deliver a strong audition. During NYFA’s Fundamentals of TV & Film Auditions Class, students learn and practice the fundamentals of crafting material for on camera TV and Film auditions. Throughout this hands-on online acting class, students learn what to expect during auditions and how to perform in a professional audition setting.

Module #3: Exploring Forms of New Media Class

Over the last decade, self-generated content has become more and more valuable to actors. Throughout our Exploring Forms of New Media Class, students explore forms of creative content including web series, online videos, and sketches. Students learn how to write and shoot their own work with materials that are available to them at little to no cost. The class culminates in a sharing of self-written and produced short form videos.

Program Details

The online acting classes are available on Saturdays. The Saturday class runs for four consecutive Saturdays. Students may enroll in all three classes. Students may also select and complete classes individually. Students are not required to complete one class to attend the next. To learn more about class times and tuition, visit our workshop program details page.

Online Acting for Film Modules for Teens

Location	Program Start Date and End Date	Tuition
Online	September 20, 2025 – October 11, 2025 January 24, 2026 – February 14, 2026	Module One Tuition:$ 325 Program Duration: 4-Weekends
Online	October 18, 2025 – November 8, 2025 February 21, 2026 – March 14, 2026	Module Two Tuition:$ 325 Program Duration: 4-Weekends
Online	November 15, 2025 – December 13, 2025 March 21, 2026 – April 18, 2026	Module Three Tuition:$ 325 Program Duration: 4-Weekends

Location

Program Start Date and End Date

Tuition

Online

September 20, 2025 – October 11, 2025

January 24, 2026 – February 14, 2026

Module One

Tuition:$ 325

Program Duration: 4-Weekends

Online

October 18, 2025 – November 8, 2025

February 21, 2026 – March 14, 2026

Module Two

Tuition:$ 325

Program Duration: 4-Weekends

Online

November 15, 2025 – December 13, 2025

March 21, 2026 – April 18, 2026

Module Three

Tuition:$ 325

Program Duration: 4-Weekends

Online Documentary Filmmaking Workshop for Teens

NYFA

Online Documentary Filmmaking Workshop for Teens

Learn How to Make a Documentary Film

Documentary filmmaking is a strategic craft that requires compelling cinematography, expert interviewing skills, and a strong non-fiction narrative. In NYFA’s online documentary film classes for teens, students aged 14-17 learn these core elements under the live supervision and guidance of experienced industry professionals. We currently offer three workshops that are designed to be standalone programs that may be taken individually. Many students choose to take all three workshops and gain a full spectrum of skills.

In these innovative workshops, students learn the techniques to create films, unique videos for social media channels, as well as content for the web, providing hands-on training and experience in visual storytelling and content creation.

Smartphone Cinematography Workshop

The fundamental elements of cinematography, such as exposure, lenses, focus, and movement, can be applied to any camera. In our Smartphone Cinematography Workshop, students are introduced to the principles of photography as applied to the moving image. Using their phones, loaded with Filmic Pro, and a selfie stick, students are able to learn all that is necessary to begin to shoot documentaries from anywhere in the world. The program will also explore the fundamentals of documentary camera work, strategies specific to shooting with a smartphone and of shooting an interview on a computer screen.

The Interview Workshop

To conduct a successful interview, an interviewer must build rapport with a subject while asking interesting and productive questions. In this documentary filmmaking class, students learn how to conduct interviews in person and via Zoom, exploring aesthetic concerns including eye-lines and composition, as well as how to connect with subjects and keep them engaged. In addition to learning how to interview, the skills acquired in this workshop prepare students for presentations, public speaking, and creative collaboration.

Nonfiction Storytelling Workshop

The foundation of any documentary film is a cohesive, intriguing, non-fiction narrative. In the Nonfiction Storytelling Workshop, students explore the basic elements of dramatic narrative, learning to apply them to real life stories by constructing and telling a story from their own lives. The storytelling techniques from this workshop help students create compelling documentary skills, and are easily transferrable to other forms of long-form writing.

Program Details

Each documentary filmmaking workshop is a total of six hours, offered over four consecutive Saturdays. Students are not required to complete one workshop to attend the next, and may choose to complete one, two or all of the workshops. To learn more about class times and tuition, visit our workshop program details page.

Tuition

Dates

Online 3D Animation Modules for Youth

NYFA

Online 3D Animation Modules for Youth

Study 3D Animation Techniques at NYFA

In our online 3D animation workshops, students study the twelve basic principles of Animation introduced by the Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas in their 1981 book The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation. As these principles of animation cover the visual storytelling process in everything from movies to video games, students learn how they can be applied to everyday objects and characters.

While the workshops are designed to be standalone programs that may be taken individually, many students choose to take all three and gain a full spectrum of skills. Module one must be completed prior to taking module two and three. These programs are available for youth aged 10-17.

Module #1: Squash and Stretch Workshop

In this workshop, students will learn squash and stretch, the first principle of animation. It introduces the notion of how a change of shape such as a squash pose to a stretch pose gives the illusion of gravity, weight, mass, flexibility and life into animation. Without squash and stretch, the animation is rigid and stiff to the motion.

Class 1 – Introducing Maya’s interface, hotkeys, graph editor,
Class 2 – Bouncing ball exercise
Class 3 – Bouncing ball squash and stretch exercise
Class 4 – Light and heavy bouncing ball exercise

Module #2: Anticipation, Follow Through and Overlap Workshop

The Anticipation, Follow Through, and Overlap Workshop teaches students the two of the principles of animation. Anticipation which introduces the character getting prepared to perform an action. It prepares the viewer for what’s about to happen. The second principle we will cover is follow through and overlap. This principle helps to render movement more realistically by obeying the laws of physics. Students will learn how to make a pendulum swing and an object jump.

Class 1 – Pendulum exercise
Class 2 – Finishing the Pendulum exercise
Class 3 – Lecture & Jump exercise
Class 4 – Finishing the Jump exercise

Module #3: Walk Cycles Workshop

Students will combine what they learned from squash and stretch, anticipation, follow through and overlap lessons into their walk cycle. Students will learn how to make a character move and walk in their own stylistic ways.

Class 1 – Blocking walk cycle: Hips and Legs
Class 2 – Continuing with blocking walk cycle: Hips and Legs
Class 3 – Polishing walk cycle: Hips and Legs
Class 4 – Finishing the walk cycle

Program Details

In our Online 3D Animation Workshops for Youth, students will need a Microsoft or Mac laptop or desktop computer with a minimum of 16 GB and a three button external mouse. Students will also be downloading a few free/discounted educational software for this program. The course teacher or camps director will reach out to in the few days leading up to the program with specific instructions on how to download these programs. Students must take module one to take two or three.

To learn more about class times and tuition, visit our workshop program details page.