SCREEN ACTORS RETREAT
THE
presented BY FIZZ & GINGER FILMS
Connect to Your Creativity: Transformative Retreats for Actors, Screenwriters & Fledgling Filmmakers
Location & Accommodation
Nestled in the South Norfolk countryside, Starston Hall sits beside an ancient woodland in nearly 5 acres. The vast skies and open fields that surround us, invite you to take a moment to stop, breathe, ground and expand. We are only 20 minutes away from Diss train station with regular direct connections to London Liverpool Street (1hr 30min).
We offer people who are coming to partake in our retreats the opportunity to stay an extra day or two either side in order to explore the area. The vibrant city of Norwich is 30 minutes north and we are 40 minutes away from the beautiful coastal town of Southwold, not to mention the delicious Flint Vineyard just 15 minutes away!
Accommodation is offered in either double or shared twin 5 meter bell tents. Each bell tent is set up with raised beds, soft flooring and all bed linen in provided as well as fire pits and solar charging banks, although we do encourage people to take the time to switch off from their phones as much as possible. There is a large shared bathroom with walk-in shower on the ground floor of the main house. Groups are kept small with a maximum of 10 people staying at any one time.
Classes & Courses
Evening Masterclasses
Screen acting 101
Evening classes are 2hrs long and take place once a week at Starston Hall. Our Screen Acting Masterclasses run over a ten week course and cover all the fundamentals of screen acting. These classes are designed for people who are not necessarily working professionally as an actor but who have had some previous training or have had some acting experience.
If you are a complete beginner but have always wanted to explore acting, please email us directly via the Contact Us Form below.
For more information on other evening classes please visit CreativeScreenRetreats.com
Weekend Retreats
Acting for screen:
Weekend Retreat
FLEDGLING FILMMAKING: FOR ACTORS
Our weekend courses offer a blissful retreat away immersed in nature, whilst offering people the flexibility to study around their day to day commitments.
Our Acting for Screen: Weekend Retreat is aimed at professional actors and recent graduates wanting to have the opportunity to expand on their craft, hone their skills or learn new techniques. The 'art' of visual storytelling is explored over an intensive long weekend that gives Actors immersive developmental practice whilst benefiting from being surrounded by nature in a retreat setting.
Our Fledgling Filmmaking course offers the chance to learn hands on how to make a short film. Over four weekends participants will work together to produce and shoot a short film, whilst learning about the various aspects involved in the pre-production, production and post-production of filmmaking. If you are an actor who has always wanted to make your own short film, this is a great springboard!
Occasionally we require professional actors not taking part in the Filmmaking course to be cast in the Retreat short films. If you are a professional actor wanting more on set experience please email us directly.
For more information on other weekend retreats offered at Starston Hall visit CreativeScreenRetreats.com.
5 Day Retreats
Screen Acting
stage 1
stage 2
Stage 1 is a 5 Day version of our Acting for Screen 101 classes that run over ten weeks. This intensive course covers all of the fundamentals of screen acting as well as working with breath and body connection.
Stage 2 is another 5 Day Retreat that is designed for professional actors already working in the industry wanting the space and time to explore new challenges, discover a deeper way of listening to their own creativity and reconnect to the joy of their craft.
For information on our other 5 Day Screen Retreats visit CreativeScreenRetreats.com
Additional Work
Movement
Yoga & quigong
Breath & Body
connection
Reiki
The Retreat is not just a place to train, but a place to connect, create, and rediscover your voice as a storyteller. That is why we offer additional elements and practises including body and breath work that help support an individual's creative exploration.
We believe that an important part of connecting to your creativity involves not only the learning aspects of the Retreat but also the community and support that comes with it. After completing a course we want to make sure that people feel they can receive ongoing mentorship as they continue on their creative paths.
We recognise that being a creative can be a tough, exhausting and at times deflating vocation. But it can also be extremely cathartic and creativity can play an important role in the healing process. That is why as part of some of our longer retreats we also offer Reiki sessions.
Our Story
Fizz and Ginger Films is an Independent Film Production Company created and run by us, husband and wife team Matthew and Tori Butler-Hart. Together we have worked in the film industry for over twenty years as producers, writers, directors and actors. And co-wrote the book Full To The Brim with Fizz, Ginger and Fierce Determination: A Modern Guide to Independent Filmmaking.
Although our love for filmmaking has not dwindled and our ambition to tell exciting, captivating and entertaining stories remains, we have recognised that there is a very evident gap in screen education and the training actors receive at leading drama schools.
Graduates are entering the industry ill-equipped to create work for themselves and inadequately trained to cope with the fast paced, challenging nature of our industry. We believe that it is important for creatives to experience a deeper sense of connection and community alongside learning, in order for them to feel supported in their work and encourage the storytellers of our future.
And that is how we came to creating The Screen Actors Retreat and Creative Screen Retreats! It is our mission to help elevate screen performances and film production training by giving actors and creatives the technical and creative tools required to thrive in this competitive industry.
We are offering flexible, modern, and inclusive training retreats that bring authentic, professional screen performance and film production education to actors and creatives of all levels and ages – with a focus on accessibility, relevance, and ongoing mentorship from professionals currently working in the industry.
Key Highlights
Fundamentals of Screen Acting
Connection to Nature
Professional Development
Visual Storytelling
Professional Mentorship
Holistic Elements
Testimonials
"It was without a doubt the hardest term and the one I have learnt the most!Thank you Matthew for pushing us to grow."
Espe.
"Thank you so much Matthew, I've learnt so much. I loved how free of judgement your teaching was, it really made it a safe environment for me to try different ways of acting and to grow my skills."
Tegen.
"It's been fantastic, by far the best term yet. Not only learning about how to work on camera but you encouraged us to work on physicality and timings. Hugely valuable knowledge you've passed on to us which will stand us all in good stead in the future."
Sherief.
Contact Us
For all inquiries and bookings regarding retreats and classes please fill out the contact form and we'll get back to you asap!