Screen Actors Workshop Acting Classes

Acting Lessons Sydney

  • Home
  • Classes and Courses
    • Part-Time Classes
    • 20 Week Full Time Intensive Screen Acting Show Reel Course
    • Master Class Program
    • Dynamic Video Production Techniques for Entrepreneurs
    • Sports Media Training
    • Private Tuition
    • Kids Holiday Film Acting Workshops
    • FAQs
    • Products
  • Services
    • Show Reels
    • Video Production
    • Facilities Hire
  • Tutors and Facilities
  • About
    • School History
    • Student Testimonials
    • Industry Testimonials
    • Alumni
    • National, State and Local Small Business Awards Success
  • News
    • Student News
    • Newsletters
    • The Acting Blog
  • Class Scenes and Master Class Films
  • Photo Gallery
  • Contact Us

August-September 2014 Newsletter

Hello everyone. Term 3 classes end Saturday 20 September and Term 4 classes commence from Tuesday 7 October, after the two week Spring semester break. The Monday Extension class returns 13 October.

During Term 3 we have been working on techniques to free students from the blocks that are holding them back performance-wise. Usually people are blocked from achieving success by an ingrained fear of failure, which in turn leads to a lack of confidence. However, the deeper the understanding you have of yourself, the better the actor you become. To understand what makes other people tick (when researching a role) you must first know and understand yourself.

This eliminating the blocks approach has led to some truly outstanding scene work this term, and it has been extremely satisfying to see the personal growth in so many of our students. In a lot of cases, what has been holding people back is neatly summed up in the picture and caption below…

10547474_945903888768448_7272041396696770700_n

ONDAY EXTENSION CLASS

There are numerous benefits to be gained by attending the Monday Extension class, particularly for those students desiring to move up the ladder to the Thursday Advanced class as soon as possible.

The extension class gives Intermediate level students access to an advanced curriculum, along with the opportunity of working with advanced students who attend the class as additional training each week.

The Monday class runs in blocks of 9 week terms – not 10 weeks as per every other part-time class – and commences on the second week of each term after students have completed their regular class the week before. Students are also welcome to attend drop-in classes at this level of study.

So if you’d like to fast track your skills, then try a term in this class or book some drop-ins. You will benefit greatly from the extra effort; as did Allira Peters from the Wednesday class when she paved the way for a move to the advanced class by recording a couple of scenes with advanced students Trevor Shipton and Paul Millett this term.
Allira benefited from the opportunity by developing a more natural performance style. Check out the scene below featuring Allira, Trevor and Paul…

FILM ACTING MASTERCLASS

Would you like to perform a challenging role in a short film, have it screened on the award-winning Dark Carnival short film program and be seen by a couple of hundred thousand Sydney siders? If so, then this course is for you! The masterclass runs over one Tuesday evening and the following two consecutive Sundays on 11, 16, 23 November.

Contact Us for further information and a course flyer

FREE ACTOR RESOURCE

Greg Apps, one of Sydney’s most experienced and respected casting directors has an excellent resource available for actors. Simply sign up with your email address to gain free access to the site. Check it out at…www.theauditiontechnique.com

STUDENT NEWS

This term has seen our students continue a solid run of professional work, winning some tough auditions and then delivering the goods on-set or on-stage.

PangrumTiangbangloung_Model3Well done to teen graduate and private tuition student Pangrum Tiangbangloung who won Best Monologue, Best TV Commercial, and Actor of the Year in her age group at the 2014 IPOP! awards in Los Angeles.

Also a standout at this year’s IPOP! International Performing Arts competition was advanced teen student Samantha Picello – who in the age group competition under Pangrum’s – won Best Monologue. Outstanding work girls!

Frank SteadGraduate Frank Stead has continued to carve out a successful career in front of the camera, both in TV drama, feature films and television commercials. Frank’s no slouch and has recently been expanding his acting skills by performing in a successful play and most recently, in a musical, The Yeomen of the Guard. Between treading the boards, Frank also appeared in a lucrative ANZ TVC filmed at Strickland House in Vaucluse. As Frank knows only too well, to sustain a long term career in this industry you have to be multi-skilled.
DSC03287Congratulations to Junior student Julia Manias, who won the role of one of the princesses in the Sydney Theatre Company production of the musical, The King and I, currently performing at the Sydney Opera House. Professional theatre is pretty much a closed shop in Sydney and Melbourne and very difficult to break into: not so for Julia, who at only 9 years of age, pushed the door open and casually strolled onto the stage. Congratulations and very well done Julia!
Lance AlaalatoaSports manager, former rugby player and coach, Lance Alaalatoa is currently featured 100% in a high rotation Samsung TVC in which he plays a rabid All Black’s fan. Lance and his two fellow performers were recently featured on the cover of MX magazine. The TVC has a comic bent and Lance’s antics are fun to watch. All good Lance. But what are your Wallaby mates going to think when they see you playing an All Black’s supporter? Could get ugly mate!
Not one to rest on his laurels, Lance has just wrapped another gig performing 100% in a Toyota Hi-Lux TVC.
Lead Me Astray PosterCongratulations to advanced adult student Logan Webster for his performance as the antagonist Alpha in the upcoming indie horror film, Lead Me Astray. Logan said he really enjoyed playing the role – as physically demanding as it was – and said he learned a great deal during production. Once they met, the director said Logan was his first and only choice for the role. Lead Me Astray also features former advanced student Tim Page. Well done Logan and Tim and I can’t wait to see the film!
FILMS ON DVD
Dallas Buyers ClubDallas Buyers Club (USA: 2013) Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto.
McConaughey plays real life aids sufferer Ron Woodruff in this engaging dramatization of Woodruff’s struggle to find a cure for the deadly disease. Woodruff’s quest sees him change from a homophobic redneck to a more open-minded and caring individual. Forced into facing his own mortality, Woodruff began smuggling unapproved drugs into Texas from Mexico when he found them to be effective at improving his symptoms. Woodruff then distributed the medicine to fellow sufferers by establishing the Dallas Buyers Club, while facing opposition from the Food and Drug Administration. If you haven’t yet seen this film, then don’t put it off any longer as it’s one of the best films you’ll see this year. Winner of 3 well deserved Academy Awards, including Best Actor for McConaughey and Best Supporting Actor for Leto.
All is LostAll is Lost (USA: 2013) Directed by J. C. Chandor. Starring Robert Redford.
This survivalist film is based around a man lost at sea somewhere in the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean, when his yacht collides with a wayward shipping container. With virtually no dialogue the film is a tour de force for Redford who gives an impassioned performance as the old man lost at sea. Redford, the sole cast member, and performing almost all of the water stunts himself at age 77, shines in what is an extremely physical but also an intellectually demanding role. This is nail-biting cinema at its very best!
WadjdaWadjda (2012: Saudi Arabia-Germany) Directed by Haiffa al-Mansour. Starring Waad Mohammed, Reem Abdullah.
Wadjda, an 11 year-old Saudi girl living in the capital Riyadah, dreams of buying a green bicycle she passes every day in a shop window on her way to school. Winner of numerous international film awards, Wadjda is a heartwarming film suitable for the entire family. The tactics Wadjda uses to acquire her dream bike so she can race her young male friend, expose the male-dominated, misogynistic world of Saudi Arabia where women have few rights and little freedom of expression. In this restrictive society, Wadjda proves herself to be a feisty young girl with a beautiful heart and a strong determination. Open yourself up to the wonderful world of foreign cinema and join Wadjda on her quest. You will not be disappointed.
CLASS SCENE DVDs

If you would like an edited copy of your on-camera scenes from this term then see me in class or email me and I will organize it for you. Class scene DVDs are $40-00 per term’s work and are a beneficial means of improving your acting via further home study.

To wrap up the August-September newsletter, I’d like to wish everyone an enjoyable Spring semester break and I look forward to working with you again next term.

Regards,
Alan Nurthen Director

Click Here To Contact Us
Screen Actors Workshop - Sydney
Studio: 0410-659-269

Latest Posts

Tyre Kickers

Every couple of class terms or so, we run into a time wasting “Tyre Kicker.” Tyre Kickers are the term we use to describe fearful people. The type of person who wants to do something different and exciting but whose fear of failure prevents them from doing anything meaningful. This type of person will book […]

Getting Started

You’ve got an agent now. They like you. You like them. Then you get your first job. It’s an extra bit. Standard issue starting point. You turn up to the set. Don’t be nervous. You’re undergoing training and you were picked to be on-set. Relax. Have a look around. Take it all in. Do what […]

Wooden Acting

When an actor’s performance is described as “wooden,” what does that mean? Basically it means that the performance is forced, in other words, the feelings and emotions are “acted,” not felt. Good acting is living in the moment and truthfully experiencing what the character is feeling emotionally from moment to moment. Wooden acting can be […]

Finding the right acting tutor

The first step in commencing your budding acting career is to find the right acting school and, most importantly, the right acting teacher for you. If you want to learn stage acting then you have a wide choice of institutions. If you want to study screen acting, the choices are limited. But the most critical […]

Truthful Acting

Truthful acting means just that. It means don’t ACT for the camera but instead have an experience! Feel what the character is feeling from moment to moment and immerse yourself fully into the role. The camera is a great bullshit detector and if you’re “acting” then the camera will immediately read the performance as phony […]

Copyright © 2022 · Screen Actors Workshop · All rights reserved. · Disclaimer