Actor training program

Formation du comédien
Program type Initial Training
Degree Bachelor's
Domain(s) Arts
Discipline(s) Drama
Teaching language(s) French
Place Paris

PSL host school

Description
admissions
Curriculum

The three-year actor training program is notable for its high technical and artistic standards, its increasingly broad scope for free, independent study and its encouragement of creativity that is grounded in the realities of the changing world around us. The curriculum is designed to give students the tools to develop their practical, technical and theoretical knowledge and define their artistic personality.

Learning outcomes

The first year of the program is devoted to acquiring and reinforcing basic principles of acting. Students are taught the disciplines that are integral to the art of acting: reading, diction, interpretation of texts, interpretation for film, practice in warm-up methods, dance, singing, mask acting, clown performance, theoretical instruction, etc. Students will gradually combine these elements to build their persona as a person and as an emerging actor.
The second year continues in the same vein as the previous year, providing a more in-depth grounding in basic principles while giving students the opportunity to experiment with various acting approaches and techniques. The weekly courses in dancing and singing and the theoretical courses are supplemented by master classes lasting one to three weeks, devoted to artistic research, aesthetics or a specific discipline. During the second semester, weekly courses are combined with a full 18 hours per week of interpretation classes, which culminate in the public performances given during the Journées de Juin. Optional courses are offered for both first- and second-year students (film techniques, singing).
The third year features short internships and is primarily focused on theatrical creation, during workshops led by guest artists or teachers at the school. These workshops are conducted over a period of time under the same conditions as a professional production. The workshops lead to public performances and may take place off campus and in many cases outside Paris, in partnership with a regional theater or festival. By becoming immersed in the activity of a creative or broadcasting organization, students come in contact with the various facets of a theater’s organization (technical and administrative matters, public relations).

Who should apply?

The actor training program is a highly selective undergraduate curriculum, committed to equal opportunity and a diverse pool of talent.
The admissions committee is especially interested in the following qualities in an applicant: talent and intensity of vocation; quality of artistic and human commitment, the ability to evolve, particularly in a group setting; imagination and creativity; physical and vocal capabilities.

  • Comprehensive, top-level artistic training based on weekly courses grouped into four areas (interpretation, technical instruction, general and theatrical culture, preparation for a career in acting) coupled with a variety of projects (internships, master classes and workshops) led by teachers or guest artists.
  • Numerous partnerships that allow for learning outside the university campus through immersion in an artistic or broadcasting organization.
  • An international perspective, with partnerships that give second-year students the opportunity to spend three weeks abroad and take part in European theater festivals. The Conservatoire is a member of E:UTSA (Europe: Union of Theatre Schools and Academies), whose primary objectives are to foster artistic dialogue among acting students from different countries and support young creativity.
  • Les Rendez-Vous du Conservatoire: These monthly events, free and occasionally open to the public, are designed to serve as forums for conversation and networking. They showcase a highly eclectic roster of guests and eschew artistic insularity.
  • Radio Conservatoire: Students have the opportunity to view theater performances and offer their commentary afterward before an audience, in a program hosted by actor and journalist Arnaud Laporte.
  • PSL Week, hosted each year by CNSAD–PSL and La Fémis. Over a five-day period, nearly 200 students take part in more than a dozen workshops designed to introduce them to new art forms (puppetry, animation, virtual reality, drawing, etc.). The workshops are conceived and led by teachers or guest artists.

Prequisites

High school diploma and a year of intensive preparatory training in a recognized course of study.

Opportunities

Every 2019 graduate of the actor’s training program found employment upon completing their education.
Various career opportunities are available throughout the industry, including theater, film and television, to students who hold France’s professional acting degree (Diplôme National Supérieur Professionnel de Comédien(ne)).
The Conservatoire offers a variety of support resources, including the Jeune Théâtre National (JTN), a professional integration organization funded by the French Ministry of Culture that offers guidance and support for students for three years after they finish their education, and Rue du Conservatoire, the student and alumni organization.

Admission process

Based on competitive entrance exam or validation of prior experience

Degree delivered

Students who complete the three years of study receive the Diplôme National Supérieur Professionnel de Comédien (DNSPC).
The DNSPC may be combined with a Bachelor’s degree conferred by Université PSL (CPES - Multidisciplinary Undergraduate degree).

Teaching location

CNSAD–PSL: 2 bis Rue du Conservatoire, 75009 Paris

Bachelor's year 1

  • Weekly courses: Dance, Voice, Mask Acting, Clown Performance, Stage Combat, Acting in English, History of Theatrical Forms, Interpretation (second semester), etc.
  • Short internships
  • PSL Week
  • Optional activities
  • Film techniques, exploration and

Bachelor's year 2

  • Weekly courses
  • Master classes
  • Interpretation course
  • PSL Week
  • Optional courses
  • International exchanges

Bachelor's year 3

  • Creativity workshops, led by guest artists, teachers at the school or students
  • Internship in entertainment law
  • Internship in dubbing
  • Internship in acting for radio

Contact

Head of the Bachelor's program: Grégory GABRIEL

gregory.gabriel@cnsad.fr


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