Film & Television Studio International

Training screen actors

1800 FILMTV [1800 345 688]
enquiries@filmtv.com.au

NYC 10-Day Acting Intensive

TRAIN WHERE THE INDUSTRY TRAINS – New York City.

An Exclusive 10-Night/11-Day Acting Intensive in the Heart of Manhattan.

This is a high-level, professional development program for serious actors wanting to refine their craft. Train at HB Studio, the most respected (and one of the original) acting institutions in New York City – where generations of Oscar award-winning talent have developed their technique. Alumni include screen legends such as Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Anne Bancroft, Faye Dunaway, Liza Minnelli, and Barbra Streisand. Many modern technique masters including Susan Batson (Susan Batson Technique) and William H. Macy (Practical Aesthetics Technique) are also alumni of HB Studios. This is where their technique training began – with Herbert Berghof and Uta Hagen.

Over five intensive days, you’ll work with master instructors on the craft of truthful, emotionally connected performance — in the very environment where some of the greatest actors in film and theatre have trained. The experience culminates in a curated Meet & Greet/General Audition/Go-See with a New York casting director, agent, and manager.

The program includes 10 nights of 4-star accommodation in Upper West Side, placing you in the heart of New York’s cultural and creative landscape. Outside the studio, you’ll take part in exciting events such as an NBC Studios tour, attendance at a Broadway and an Off-Broadway production, and welcome/farewell sit-down dinners. Return airfares, Daily breakfast and return airport transfers are included, and your time in NYC is supported by Craig and Dominique McMahon, offering mentorship and on-the-ground guidance throughout.

This is an immersive and professionally driven experience. Entry is strictly limited to ensure focused, high-impact training. If you’re ready to train where the industry’s best have trained (and be seen by those who shape it), apply now. Places are extremely limited.

Immerse yourself in Uta Hagen’s Approach to Acting, in the artistic home where Uta taught her legendary Professional class for more than 50 years.

Experience the depth and value of Uta Hagen’s Object Exercises and Scene Study process. Led by HB Studio faculty who trained directly with Uta Hagen, we will explore the infinite potential of the exercises in the actor’s practice, and apply the same rigorous values to scene work. Through participation and discussion, we see the individual talent revealed and released through this approach.

The Uta Hagen Institute’s Hagen Lab is an intensive, five-day program where artists from around the world come to continue their professional development. The program is designed to serve actors who wish to explore and expand their understanding and experience of Uta Hagen’s approach to acting.

“In my studio, we teach the truth.” ~ Herbert Berghof

HB Studio Alumni – Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

The Extremely Practical Exercises found in Uta Hagen’s world-famous Books, Respect for Acting and A Challenge for the Actor, probe the depths and height of human behaviour.

They offer the actor a structure for lifelong practice exploring the dynamic interaction between sensory/emotional experience and the creative imagination. They hone the actor’s ability to actively live through the circumstances of the play and the character’s dilemma. When the work becomes a part of the actor’s process, unpremeditated truthful behavior replaces cliché and easy sentiment in performance. The actor grows to honour an authentic, present and intuitively responsive self in the role while making imaginative choices that serve the play.

Upon registration, you will be given guidelines on how to prepare for the workshop. Rehearsal outside class is required.

“…An organic transference of oneself to the role, the development of a new “I” who is alive in the world of the play, involves a creative process which is not a willy-nilly, loose way of working that depends solely on intuitive or elusive inspiration. On the contrary, it is a process which, however slow and painstaking, can be structured in an orderly way over which the actor has control, although no part of it is mechanical… It is a true challenge of one’s diligence and one’s talent. This process is to me like the drafting of a musical score in which the actor composes the character’s theme, orchestrates it, defines the phrases, individual beats, and the arrangement of the notes he will eventually play with spontaneity at each performance, putting to use his finely honed inner and outer techniques.” – Uta Hagen, A Challenge for the Actor © 1991, by Uta Hagen, All Rights Reserved.

Uta Hagen, HB Studio in Greenwich Village, NYC – then and now.

5-Day Acting Intensive

Meet & Greet: Sun, Aug 2, 2026, 12-3pm
Lab Sessions: Mon – Fri, Aug 3-7, 2026, 9:30am-5pm
Wrap-Up: Fri, Aug 7, 5-6pm
Location: HB Studio, 120 Bank Street, Greenwich Village, NYC

Daily Schedule:
• 9:30am-10:25am Vocal Warm-up
• 10:30am-1:00pm Technique
• 1:00pm-2:00pm Lunch
• 2:00pm-4:30pm Scene Study
• 4:30pm-5pm Discussion

Faculty

Co-Executive Director, Programs: Francesca Ferrara

Program Director & Scene Study: Mark Nelson
Program Founder & Acting Technique: Carol Rosenfeld
Voice Warm Up: Theresa McElwee

Required Texts: Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen and Acting and Living in Discovery by Carol Rosenfeld

Alumni roster includes:

NEW YORK CITY I 10 NIGHTS/11 DAYS AUGUST 2026

Eddie Redmayne & Jessie Buckley in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club.
Hotel Belleclaire. A historic architectural Landmark Hotel in the heart of the Upper West Side.

Program Overview

Hosted at the legendary HB Studio in Greenwich Village, this experience offers rigorous actor training built on the foundations of Uta Hagen’s technique, taught by HB’s most senior faculty.

Itinerary Overview

Day 1: Saturday, August 1, 2026

Arrival in New York City

  • Private airport transfer from Airport to your Upper West Side accommodation
  • Settle in and explore your neighbourhood
  • Evening: Welcome Dinner with Craig and Dominique McMahon and fellow participants

Day 2: Sunday, August 2

Orientation & Welcome

  • 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Official Meet & Greet at HB Studio
    • Program overview, introductions, and Q&A with faculty
  • Evening free for rest or personal exploration

Days 3–7: Monday to Friday, August 3–7

Uta Hagen’s Acting Lab at HB Studio
Location: HB Studio, 120 Bank Street, Greenwich Village

Daily Schedule

  • 9:30am – 10:25am: Vocal Warm-Up – Theresa McElwee
  • 10:30am – 1:00pm: Acting Technique – Carol Rosenfeld
  • 1:00pm – 2:00pm: Lunch Break
  • 2:00pm – 4:30pm: Scene Study – Mark Nelson
  • 4:30pm – 5:00pm: Group Discussion

Thursday, August 6

  • 5:00pm onwards: You will take part in a curated Meet & Greet/General Audition/Go-See with a New York casting director, agent, and manager.

Friday, August 7

  • 5:00pm – 6:00pm: Program Wrap-Up at HB Studio

Day 8: Saturday, August 8

  • NBC Studios Tour
  • Free time to explore. We will supply an extensive list of suggested highlights
  • Evening: Attend a Broadway Production

Day 9: Sunday, August 9

  • Free time to explore the city, visit museums, or enjoy a day of personal sightseeing
  • Evening free for rest or personal exploration

Day 10: Monday, August 10

  • Off-Broadway Theatre Production
  • Live TV Taping (Options include SNL, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and more)
  • Evening: Farewell Dinner and celebration with Craig and Dominique McMahon and fellow participants

Day 11: Tuesday, August 11

Departure

  • Private transfer to Airport
  • Return home

Required Texts

To fully engage with the training, please bring the following books:

  • Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen
  • Acting and Living in Discovery by Carol Rosenfeld

What’s Included

  • Full Uta Hagen Acting Lab at HB Studio
  • Meet & Greet/General Audition/Go-See with Agent, Manager & Casting Director
  • 11-day itinerary / 10 nights of 4-Star accommodation in Upper West Side, NYC (twin-share)
  • Daily breakfast
  • Welcome and Farewell Dinners
  • NBC Studios Tour
  • Tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows
  • Round-trip airport transfers (JFK ↔ Manhattan)
  • On-the-ground mentorship and support from Craig & Dominique McMahon

Program Investment

AUD $11,900 (GST Inclusive)
Includes return flights from Melbourne to New York City, all training, accommodation, cultural events, scheduled meals, and transfers.

Payment Options

  • Pay in full
  • Or secure your place with a deposit of $1,000 (GST Inclusive)
  • Remaining balance payable in weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments over a 6 month period.
  • We can also arrange an alternative personalised and confidential payment plan for you. Please contact accounts@fimtv.com.au to discuss your options.

Participant Responsibilities

  • Hold a valid passport.
  • Obtain an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) visa waiver via https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov. This is a straightforward online application, typically processed within 24 hours. The current application fee is USD $21, payable at the time of submission.
  • Arrange travel to and from Melbourne Airport
  • Cover meals not included in the itinerary
  • Be punctual and fully engaged in all scheduled sessions and events
  • Respect accommodation guidelines and maintain personal property security

Please note: We are not liable for missed flights, classes, schedule changes, or lost/stolen belongings.

August 2026.

If you wish to be considered for a placement, please email us directly at enquiries@filmtv.com.au. We will then arrange a time for you to interview with our Artistic Director. This interview also provides an opportunity to discuss the program in detail and address any questions you may have.

Placements are strictly limited to 14 participants, with rolling admissions commencing February 2026. As places will fill quickly, we recommend applying as early as possible to avoid missing out.