Acting for Screen & Digital Media

In its selection of students and lecturers, the degree programme has an international focus. During your studies the HKB offers you the opportunity of completing exchange semesters and work experience placements in Switzerland or abroad.

The MA programme is part of the Master Campus Theater CH, a cooperation of the four Swiss theatre programmes at university level in Bern, Lausanne, Verscio and Zurich.

Since our master’s degree programme is integrated into a university which teaches a wide variety of art forms you also get the opportunity to network across disciplines during your studies in Bern.

In this module you learn

• to act in front of the camera 
• to master various acting techniques that facilitate acting in front of the camera
• to work with your voice and body

In this module you learn

• to dub
• to do vocal and creative work with a microphone
• to acquire the basics of acting with digital technologies such as motion capture and green screens
• to use digital tools in theatre and act as a performer in such settings

In this module you learn

• to know and understand the technical and artistic aspects of film as a medium, through film analysis and historical contextualisation
• to get to know the dramaturgy and function of screenplays
• to read screenplays for your own acting work

In this module you learn

• acquire basic skills in working with camera, sound, lighting and editing equipment.
• to shoot and edit scenes yourself
• to collaborate in smaller teams across multiple disciplines

In this module you apply the skills and knowledge gained in the other courses:

• In cooperation with various cooperation partners, you  shoot scenes or short films (trying out the interplay between directing and acting)
• In the course of the programme, you will create and present a showreel.

This module focuses on professional networking:

• Workshops on casting, e-casting, agencies etc. prepare you for a career in this area.
• Meetings with experienced actors, directors, casting directors and agencies will provide insights into the field

The MA thesis consists of a practical film or media project and a written reflection.

You can consolidate your skills in various elective courses, such as:
-    Podcast
-    Hosting
-    scriptwriting (writers rooms) 
-    guerrilla filmmaking

Kai Ivo Baulitz is an actor, acting coach, and writer. Following theater engagements in Bochum, Wuppertal, and Göttingen, he appeared in numerous film and television productions directed by Margarethe von Trotta, Sönke Wortmann, Kai Wessel, and Markus Imboden, among others. He also teaches (film) acting and directing as a guest lecturer at institutions including the Folkwang University of the Arts, the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, and the Bern Academy of the Arts. Baulitz is an award-winning playwright whose works have been featured at various festivals.

Patrice Goodman is a Canadian actress known for her lead role in the comedy series Sunnyside, for which she and the ensemble received a Canadian Screen Award. She has also appeared in popular series such as The Handmaid's Tale, The Umbrella Academy, and Slasher. Goodman teaches Meisner Technique and acting at institutions like Armstrong Acting Studios, Toronto Film School, Mallorca Film School in Spain, and the Munich Film Academy in Germany.

Giles Foreman is a leading acting coach in the UK, US, and Europe, specializing in realism on stage and screen. Known for his methodical approach, he emphasizes Yat Malmgren/Laban Technique, also called character analysis or movement psychology, and has introduced this technique to actors in London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Zurich, Berlin, Vienna, Munich, Madrid, Rome, and Cairo. Recently, he was awarded a special honor by the Swiss Film Academy for his work as a film acting coach.

Nora Fingscheidt is a German film director and screenwriter. From 2008–2017, she studied Directing at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, graduating with her documentary Ohne diese Welt, which won the Max Ophüls Prize and the First Steps Award in 2017. Her first feature film, Systemsprenger, won the Berlinale’s Alfred Bauer Prize in 2019 and received international acclaim. Her latest film, The Outrun, starring Saoirse Ronan, premieres in Swiss cinemas in November.

Marcy Goldberg is a Swiss-Canadian film and cultural studies scholar. She teaches at several Swiss art universities, moderates panels and talks at various festivals and cultural events, and works as a freelance journalist, translator, and media consultant. She is a regular guest on Eric Facon’s Kultur-Stammtisch talk show and occasionally appears on Sternstunde on Swiss television.

Corinna Glaus is one of Switzerland’s foremost casting directors and owner of Glaus&Gut Casting. She studied ethnology and began her career as a dramaturge and assistant director at various German state theaters before moving to Swiss film in 1980. Glaus has cast numerous Swiss films and was awarded the Swiss Film Prize in 2004. She is a member of the Swiss Film Academy, European Film Academy, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Marianne Oertel is a speech professor at Bern Academy of the Arts. Having lived in various European countries, she brings a multicultural approach to her work. Oertel speaks German, English, Swedish, Russian, and French and understands Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, and Swiss German.

• expressive acting potential at a professional level
• ability to develop a role/character/scene independently
• recognisable potential for acting in front of the camera
• ability to reflect on artistic processes and oneself
• contextual knowledge in the field of film and cultural criticism
• ability to engage in dialogue and criticism

The teaching and working language of the Master in Acting for Film & Digital Media is English. The languages of acting are German or English.

An active command of the English language at level B1 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages is a prerequisite for participation in the degree programme.

Foreign nationals must have valid travel documents recognised by Switzerland; frequently, a visa will also be required. Immediately upon accepting their place of study, international students also have to apply for a residence permit and submit proof of the necessary financial means to support themselves. Moreover, they have to take out health insurance before the start of their studies. Please make sure you are fully informed about the specific entry requirements for your country.

For the first round, we would like applicants to submit a letter of motivation, an application video (e-casting), the application form and the additional documents listed in it.

The application video should include the following content:

• About-Me (a short personal introduction), max. 1.5 to 3 minutes.
• Two scenes, of which one can be written by the applicants themselves. Please give the scenes titles so that the source is clear. Max. 3 minutes for each scene.

In the About-Me video, the applicants must be seen alone and in a full-body view. In the scenes, a view of the head or upper body (medium close-up or medium shot) is sufficient. The video does not have to be a perfect film, a webcam or mobile phone camera will do.

The application video must be made available to the admissions committee via YouTube or Vimeo (please provide the link in the application form). It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the video can be played or that the link can be viewed.
Please note: Videos via Dropbox, We-Transfer or similar platforms will not be accepted.

If the examiners give you a positive assessment, you will be sent an e-mail inviting you to the second round.

The aptitude test determines the admission to the programme.

It consists of a practical examination and an aptitude interview. The aptitude test examines competences in the areas of body, speech/voice, acting potential, reflection potential and contextual knowledge.

Practical part

The basis for our work here is:

• Guided body-voice training.
• With the invitation to the aptitude test, applicants are given a role to work on, which is then presented and rehearsed in the test in front of a camera.

The jury of the pre-test may set further preparatory tasks for the aptitude test.

Aptitude interview

The aptitude interview is based on the letter of motivation and the results of the practical test. Important parameters in the interview are the applicant's motivation, previous professional experience (if any), job profile and their ability to reflect.

Dates Aptitude test

The dates for next year's admission will be published here in due course.

The costs for the programme comprise application, tuition and examination fees plus the cost of course materials and excursions.

* The fee for both parts of the examination (see above) is CHF/EUR 50.– and must be paid via invoice. If the student passes the examination and accepts a place at the university, the matriculation fee of CHF 100 and the aptitude test fee of CHF 150 are due. If you have any questions, please contact the secretariat for your degree programme.
** If the application leads to matriculation, the matriculation fee is covered by the application fee.
*** International students are defined as persons of foreign citizenship who at the time of obtaining their university entrance qualification were domiciled under civil law neither in Switzerland nor the Principality of Liechtenstein.

There is also a fixed fee for materials whose amount depends on the degree programme as well as additional costs for teaching materials, specialist literature, supplies, etc.

Are you trans? Would you like to be addressed differently from what is stated on your official documents?

When you register, you can enter your everyday first name and the (binary) gender you identify with and upload the application form for students and aspiring students. This will allow us to address you correctly during the application process.

Further information and application form

The location of the theatre division at Zikadenweg features over 3,000m² of work and performance spaces, including three adjustable stages (main, studio and rehearsal stage) equipped with professional theatre technology. 9 large project spaces are available to students as rehearsal and work studios. A dance and movement studio, several video editing suites, a workshop, a prop and costume store, as well as a theatre library provide an excellent environment for intensive theatre studies.

In addition to the infrastructure on site, students have access to the facilities at other HKB locations. The MediaLab is the skill and service centre for audio-visual design and photography at HKB. Workspaces and studios are fully equipped for production and available around the clock. Our MediaLab team offers courses and training in photography and videography. They are happy to help answer content-related and technical questions from students and lecturers alike. The multimedia library is the specialist library for the areas of design and art, conservation and restoration and the Y Institute (Institute for Transdisciplinarity). It is open to members of the HKB community and the public. 35,000 items are available in the open access library.