Acting For Screen Classes
Acting for screen courses, focusing purely on camera technique, styles and approach to text with small class sizes and professional equipment.
A variety of courses and classes are held and are dependent on my availability. As a working actor & director, I run workshops where I can - due to this, they are booked up quickly.
Sessions that are held weekly are booked in blocks of three. Week One, we rehearse your scene, Week Two we shoot your scene and Week Three we watch and put feedback into practice - then rinse and repeat.
I also offer one day longer courses, so please double check that you are clear on what you are booking.
To find out more, please see the FAQs & testimonials below the booking section. To book a block, please use the booking system below to confirm your place.
Highlights
Scenes
Testimonials
Sam’s workshops feel like Brighton's best kept secret for screen actors - classes full of invaluable lessons, a safe space to play and make mistakes, the best scripts, and a professionally filmed scene at the end of it. Sam is a fantastic teacher. I can’t recommend his classes highly enough.
- Harri
“I have been to various acting for screen workshops before and I’ve learnt more in one class with Sam than I have throughout the course of the other ones I have done. I have also learnt technique that I’ve not been taught before and it has changed the acting for screen game for me - this was apparent from the first class with him.”
- Paris
I really enjoyed the sessions. I really wanted to find something in Brighton that explored screen acting and never found it till now. I love that each block is made of 3 sessions as you get straight into it from the very beginning. Having done theatre bits previously where you take a long time to prepare with rehearsals and acting activities it was great to be put in a situation where I was thrown into it, really gave a taste of, what I believe, is the real thing.
- Lucia
Sam’s class delivered way more than I expected. His passion for the craft and attention to detail are infectious. He has an astute directors eye, and can very quickly hone in on what is or isn’t working in a scene, and give you the tools to fix it. Both on the technical side of things and on the acting.
His three session block of lessons includes, tailored scripts, textual analysis work, character development, technical skills for screen work, rehearsal, shooting, feedback sessions. Feedback along the way, as well as a longer session at the end of the block. You also receive the footage of your scene and an email with more in-depth feedback.
I am simply amazed at how much time, effort and dedication he puts into the course. I’ve been acting for over 20 years and have done many, many acting courses. One thing that stands out about Sam’s teaching is his ability to create a very relaxed, fun and safe environment. He makes it feel like a safe place to play, and more importantly to make mistakes, without fear of embarrassment. Any mistakes are very quickly shaped into positive and constructive feedback. He has a remarkable ability to get better performances from actors, in a really kind, fun and positive way.
I finished the first block of three lessons, so inspired, and I’m fired up and ready to begin the next block.
- Jacqueline
“Sam is an incredible, capable teacher. I have learnt so much in a block of 3 sessions. It was absolutely amazing and helpful to grow as a screen actor and increase all the knowledge you need to perform confidently in front of a camera. And the footage is a awesome! Highly recommended!”
- Juna
Would definitely recommend this course for any actors serious about refining their screen acting skills. Through dissecting the text, filming and watching back performance, I was able to pinpoint specific areas for improvement and existing bad habits in myself and others work. Sam’s constructive feedback and keen eye for detail has enabled me to target these areas, understand what works and what doesn’t and carry his advice into future screen work. His directing skills were also thorough and clear and I would certainly work with him again. Excellent value, what are you waiting for!?
- Atlanta
“I highly recommend working with Sam! I’ve taken numerous acting for screen classes elsewhere but Sam’s constructive teachings and hands on approach have been the most helpful to me. He is organised and passionate, and I can’t wait to continue learning from him.”
- Wa’ad
I learned more in the 3 weeks with Sam, than I did from 2 years at uni
- Shell
'Sam is a fantastic teacher, who gives you the proper time and care to explore and grow your acting skills. Incredibly professional and passionate. Highly recommend these classes!'
- Simon
About Me
I’m Sam Cartwright, a working actor, writer and director living in Brighton. I trained for three years at the Institute for Contemporary Theatre and graduated with a 1st in Performing Arts.
I have been making professional actors showreels and teaching Acting for Screen regularly for over two years now. I’ve been teaching actors who are complete beginners all the way up to professionals who’ve been in the industry 40+ years. Alongside teaching my own workshops I have also taught Acting for Screen on the BA Acting Degree at the Institute for Contemporary Theatre and Northbrook, as well as BN1 Arts and Apollo Theatre School.
I’m also a professional headshot photographer and videographer, specialising in actor’s headshots and showreels. I write each showreel for each of my clients and have a huge script database of my own scripts. I have also written and directed my own short film, What Happened, currently doing the rounds at film festivals, but so far has been nominated for Best New Film at the International Feel the Reel Film Festival. My second short film is currently being written. I’ve also worked for Rah Rah Theatre Company, a well established theatre company who’ve been touring work for over 20 years. I mainly spent my time casting their productions and marketing their shows.
As a writer and director my plays have been nominated for multiple awards and my productions have been toured around the country. My first production which I wrote and co—directed, a TIE ensemble piece, My Headmaster is a Troll!, toured around primary schools in the South East. My next play, Now I’m a Big Boy, performed around Brighton with a small cast of young professionals and was all about the grey area surrounding sexual consent as well as a teenage coming of age comedy. It was met with reviews ranging from average to pretty awful - but we had fun making it! Finally, a one-woman show which I co-wrote, directed and produced called The Art of Caring, was a huge success and performed around Brighton as well as at the Camden Fringe, before stopping it’s tour due to covid. The Art of Caring was a sellout success with glowing 4 & 5 star reviews as well as being nominated for Best New Writing and Best New Play at the Brighton Fringe. I’m currently working on writing my own one man show called Manchild.
As a professional actor, I’m currently represented by one of the UK’s leading co-operative agency, Rogues and Vagabonds. Some of my previous screen work includes working with Channel 4 on comedy-drama Gundi, Mark Davis (editor for The Crown, Peaky Blinders) on his latest feature film, The Dark Channel, appearing in music videos for Jess Glynne and Will Young, a national TV commercial for Go Daddy, short films with critically acclaimed directors such as WIZ and Edilberto Restino (BAFTA director), work with educational film creator Pukka Films on films for the British Police Force and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Agency as well as a featured part in the TV pilot, Tales from the Cell, directed by international director Harry Caughty and playing opposite Jamie McKenna.