Master Your Craft · The SDA Method™
Go deeper.
Bring your
character to life.
Learn the SDA Method™ with Derek Barr. Add a new layer each week and discover a more organic, truthful way into your character.
One payment. No membership required.
12 months of course access · 12 weeks of live support.
YOUR CRAFT
Go beyond your first choices
There’s more to the character.
There’s more in you.
You know the words. You have ideas about the scene. But how deeply do you know the life behind them?
Across twelve weeks, Derek guides you through the SDA Method™. You’ll work with one scene and one character, adding another layer every week until the work feels more organic, connected and truthful.
Introduce one new module each week. Practise the exercises daily. Give each discovery time to become part of the character.
All modules are available from the start. Stay faithful to the weekly sequence, returning to current and earlier teaching whenever it helps.
What you’ll develop
Go beyond
your first choices.
Give your preparation the time and depth it deserves. Build a process you can bring back to every new role.
- ↗
A clearer way into a scene
Know what to explore and how to bring each discovery back into the work.
- ↗
A more specific character
Develop circumstances, relationships, physical life, voice and needs one layer at a time.
- ↗
More attention in the moment
Practise listening, connection and responding to what is happening in the scene.
- ↗
A dependable practice
Build consistency through guided exercises you can return to each day.
- ↗
A way to see your development
Keep your first recording and compare it with your final take, noticing what has changed.
Depth comes from the daily work
One scene.
A new layer each week.
A more truthful performance.
The SDA Method™ · Course breakdown
Twelve weeks.
Every layer matters.
One new module each week. Daily consistency on the exercises. The same scene throughout.
Build your foundations
Prepare your chosen script and self-tape setup. Begin the Actor’s Warm-Up and Stillness work.
Begin the Core
Explore Read → See → Tell, concentration and camera awareness.
Actions and activities
Develop Core Phase Two, Physical Actions, Daily Activities and the On-Set Sequence.
Circumstances and senses
Explore the circumstances and sensory world that make the scene specific.
Moments and expectations
Discover what has just happened, what comes next and what the character expects.
People and places
Give relationships and environments greater detail and personal meaning.
Objects and music
Develop Core Phase Four and explore the significance of objects and music.
History and the look
Explore past events, relationships and a look that belongs to the character’s life.
The animal and the voice
Develop the character’s physical and vocal life through the Animal and Voice work.
Needs and attention
Explore what drives the character and where your attention lives in the scene.
Interrogation and text analysis
Work through the six-part Interrogation and explore the text in greater depth.
The final take
Bring Line Learning and Life Experience into the full process. Complete the modules, record your final take and use your included Week 12 working opportunities.
“Derek literally takes you by the hand and walks you through how to become a really good and truthful actor.”
“A passionate, supportive and inspiring teacher with techniques that bring so much depth and life to a role.”
These actors describe their experience of training with Derek and The Acting Masters. Their comments are not specific to this standalone twelve-week course.
Included in your $297 programme
The support to stay with the work.
- 01 / LEARN
Twelve modules. One connected process.
Twelve modules of recorded teaching, with a clear sequence for developing the same scene and character.
- 02 / PRACTISE
Make the work part of your day.
Choose from ten scenes. Return to guided audio, process guides and practical worksheets alongside the relevant lessons.
- 03 / KEEP GOING
Build your Morning Momentum.
Join Morning Momentum throughout your first twelve weeks, supporting focus, daily consistency and practical action.
- 04 / PUT IT TO WORK
Bring your final work into the room.
In Week 12, after completing all modules: one Self-Tape Review, one 10-minute Zoom Audition and one 15-minute Performance. The TAM team oversees eligibility and arrangements.
Master Your Craft · The SDA Method™
Give your craft
the depth it deserves.
Twelve weeks of focused work. A preparation process to return to. The chance to discover how much more is there.
One payment. No recurring subscription.
Loading secure purchase…
Purchase and learn through The Acting Masters website. No TAM Membership required.
12 months of course access
Recordings and resources from your purchase date.
12 weeks of live support
First 84 days; final working opportunities in Week 12.
Is this suitable if I have trained before?
The programme is for actors who want to explore a complete preparation process with greater depth and consistency. If you already have experience, bring it to the work and give yourself room to discover something new.
What if I am newer to acting?
Begin with the welcome and foundations, and follow the teaching in order. Choose the level of guided audio that supports you. Contact the team if you would like help deciding whether the programme fits your starting point.
Do the modules unlock weekly?
All twelve modules are available immediately. Introduce one new module each week and practise its exercises daily. Revisit current and earlier teaching freely.
Do I need to choose a different scene every week?
No. You choose one scene and one character from the course collection and keep them throughout. Each module adds another layer to the same work.
How long do I have access?
Recordings and course resources are available for 12 months from purchase. Live support runs for the first 12 weeks, or 84 days.
When do I submit or book my working opportunities?
In Week 12, after completing all modules. Your allowance is one Self-Tape Review, one 10-minute Zoom Audition and one 15-minute Performance. The TAM team checks eligibility and helps coordinate arrangements. Contact us if a suitable Week 12 slot is unavailable.
What if I need more time?
You can continue revisiting the recordings and resources during your 12-month access period. The live support period remains the first 84 days; contact the team early if timing may be difficult.
Is this the same as TAM Membership?
This is a standalone course with a defined twelve-week practice sequence and included live support. TAM Membership is a separate ongoing subscription across Craft, Mind and Business. You do not need both to take this course.
Stay curious. Stay consistent. Stay with the work.
There’s more in you.
Discover it in the work.
Take the time to discover who they can become—and what you can bring to the performance.