ABOUT THE ZBS CURRICULUM:
At ZBS, we view acting as a martial art—a lifelong, self-study and application that’s rooted in self-awareness, application and service. All of our classes meet industry demands at the highest level and result in actors with a distinctive artistic voice, that are grounded, successful and vital contributors to today’s cultural conversation. All of the classes include some element of meditation and self-development work.
Placement: It is generally recommended that if you are new to the studio you take ZBS CORE, as you will develop an understanding of the overall ZBS philosophy. If you are interested in skipping CORE and enrolling immediately in other levels, please e-mail a reel and resume to info@zakbarnett.com.
CORE
The Core Class is an On-Camera Audition Class that focuses on five television genres: single-cam, multi-cam, procedural drama, serial drama, and hybrid/streaming. It simultaneously introduces the ZBS Whole Self Approach, which focuses on the Core Experiences: the energetic states that precede emotion—things like fear, loss, joy, presence, etc. This system of self-awareness, and how it relates to the material and the actor’s instrument, becomes the foundation for the work at ZBS.
For Young Kids, Kids, Teens, and Adults.
WHOLE-SELF IMPROVISATION
Rooted in a deep exploration of the Core Experiences, the Whole Self Improvisation Class is different than any improvisation class in the city. With the focus on working through artistic blocks that limit an actor’s range, creativity, and emotional risk, this course has you living and playing on the edge of your comfort zone—and then gently nudging you beyond it. This class will be using improvisation as a tool to deepen the actor’s imagination, text analysis skills, and emotional flexibility.
Participation in this class is by audition or invitation only. To be considered, send in a reel or a recent self-tape and resume to info@zakbarnett.com.
For Kids, Teens & Adults.
CRAFT
The Craft Class now goes off-camera and focuses on the actor’s interdependent systems of creation: Physicality, Voice, Imagination, Relationship, and Language. After exploring each of these access points to the actors’ instrument, an actor begins to use the full range of what their instrument offers in both audition and performance scenarios.
Participation in this class is by audition or invitation only. To be considered, send in a reel or a recent self-tape and resume to info@zakbarnett.com.
For Kids, Teens & Adults.
ZBS LABS
ZBS Labs is a laboratory for actor-driven content. Students will work on developing and workshopping their original work through an investigation of the studio’s three primary tenets: spirituality, entertainment, and activism. The process will expand the actor’s skill set, empower an expanded sense of possibility in their lives and careers, as well as work to define a specific sense of clarity and purpose in their work as both actors and content creators. The complimentary readings/viewings will look at the cultural impact of actor/creators with a distinctive artistic voice.
This class is currently on hiatus.
ON-CAMERA
The On-Camera Class focuses on four vital elements of On-Camera Work: Self-Tape, In-Room Audition, Testing, and On-Set. It simultaneously introduces the next step in the ZBS Approach—a seven-step process to becoming a character, all the while empowering students to design their own process within the framework of the approach.
Participation in this class is by audition or invitation only. To be considered, send in a reel or a recent self-tape and resume to info@zakbarnett.com.
For Kids, Teens & Adults.
ZOOM-BASED ADVANCED AUDITION
This class focuses on navigating the new and ever-unpredictable world of zoom-based auditioning. The class will ground the actor in both zoom-specific approaches to auditioning, as well as be a great overall workout that works cross-genre with constantly changing obstacles. Prepare to strategize, adjust, and be surprised/surprise us as you work to sharpen your audition chops for the exciting and unexpected world of zoom-based auditioning!
Participation in this class is by audition or invitation only. To be considered, send in a reel or a recent self-tape and resume to info@zakbarnett.com.
For Teens and Adults.
ADVANCED ON-CAMERA
The Advanced On-Camera Class has a similar focus on growing an actor’s talent from the inside out and accessing the material through unpredictable means, but it focuses it through the lens of On-Camera Scene work. Scenes will be rehearsed, shot, and edited by the class. This class is also complemented by a study of great performances and a book study, which looks at those performances in the context of their larger cultural relevancy.
Participation in this class is by audition or invitation only. To be considered, send in a reel or a recent self-tape and resume to info@zakbarnett.com.
For Teens & Adults.
ADVANCED SCENE STUDY
The Advanced Scene Study Class focusses on growing one’s talent from the inside out. Now that you have learned numerous tools and processes over the course of the curriculum, this course challenges you to forget what you know, by entering the material from a deeply creative and unpredictable entry point. The course is complemented with a book study, focusing on the work of great acting teachers, playwrights, and directors, to give the actor a greater sense of their lineage.
Participation in this class is by audition or invitation only. To be considered, send in a reel or a recent self-tape and resume to info@zakbarnett.com.
For Adults.
MASTER
The Master Class alternates between craft, scene study, and on-camera audition. The focus is on creating a link between the actor’s personal development and their acting work, thus resulting in performances that are at once completely alive and unpredictable. Class is complemented by a book study and simultaneous commitment to outside personal practices like meditation, journaling, etc.
Participation in this class is by audition or invitation only. To be considered, send in a reel or a recent self-tape and resume to info@zakbarnett.com.
For Kids, Teens, Young Adults, and Adults.