Term 1 classes commence from Monday January 28 and the staff and I would like to take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to the new students commencing classes with us this term – and to welcome back our established students for another 10 week term of on-camera classes.
Thanks to all those who attended the Studio Christmas party on December 8. We had a good turnout again and with over half of the advanced teen class in attendance, it was a very lively party indeed! There was plenty of food and drink to go around and to the delight of the children Santa made an appearance (legend Paul!) and to top off a great night everyone had a good laugh at the 2012 Bloopers Reel.
Party hard and don’t stop till you drop!
2013 MASTERCLASS PROGRAM
The advanced adult Neo-Noir film acting masterclass was the first of the new courses added to the program for 2013. A small select group of students were invited to attend, with two students slated for each role on a first-come-first-served basis. The students who completed the course – Tony Dreise, Sonya Plummer and Paul Millett – learned a great deal about the importance of physical performance and non-verbal communication. The course produced the short film Bullet with Butterfly Wings, which is summed up neatly in the film’s logline: “A gangster’s girlfriend want out. But you can’t run from who you are or what you know.” Tony, Sonya and Paul were an ideal cast for the film: each turning in solid performances and noticably increasing their screen acting technique. For a storyboard layout of production stills from Bullet with Butterfly Wings please refer to the Photo Gallery page.

Bullet with Butterfly Wings DVD slick
Other new masterclasses and seminars coming up this year include, Hollywood How To – a seminar and Q&A Session designed for our established actors to help them successfully navigate the LA Hollywood pilot season; Seminars and Q&A Sessions with leading Australian directors and actors; Salvatore Coco’s new Screen Performance Intensive; and much much more. Stay tuned!
TERM 1, 2013 MASTERCLASSES
Masterclasses slated for Term 1 are the Armoury for Actors full day course at the Botany Pistol Club in early March with tutor and Film Armourer Tony Garland. Also upcoming this term – depending upon tutor availability – are American Accents and Dialects with tutor Bill Pepper and the Screen Test-Casting Process with tutor and casting director Kari Harris. Course fliers will be distributed once tutors, dates and times are locked in.
CLASSIC FILMS ON DVD
One of the many good things about being an actor is the cool homework. Every actor worth their salt studies quality films from every era of cinema in an effort to broaden their knowledge. Below are a small selection of films that are well worth tracking down…

Kalahari Bushman Xi and his tribe have no knowledge of the world beyond. They are living well off the land and the gods have provided everything they need: until one day a glass Coca Cola bottle is thrown from the window of a small plane and lands unbroken amongst them. However, unlike everything they have had before, there is only one bottle to go around. This exposes the tribe to a hitherto unknown phenomonen, property, and they soon find themselves experiencing feelings and emotions they have never known before. Xi then sets off alone on a quest to find the edge of the world so he can throw away the bottle and dispose of the evil thing forever. On his travels he encounters Western Civilization for the first time. The film is a funny, poignant moral tale and was a huge international hit in the early 1980s. Well worth seeing!

Classic British noir film remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, performances and musical score. The final shot of the film – shot in real time with no jump cuts or dissolves – influenced filmmakers worldwide and is a nod to Italian neo-realist cinema.

The film, based on a true story from The Stolen Generation years, traces the journey of three young Aboriginal girls stolen from their tribe by white authorities in 1931 as they escape the Moore River Native Settlement in Western Australia and follow the rabbit proof fence for 9 weeks and 2,400 kilometers; while being pursued by a white authority figure and a black tracker. Along with Dead Calm (1989) this is one of Noyce’s great directorial achievements.

A fantastic experience for the entire family, and the film which launched DeCaprio’s international acting career. DeCaprio plays Leo, Depp’s mentally retarded younger brother, and he knocks the role out of the park!

Quite simply one of the best westerns ever made. A satiric comic tragedy which sees 102 year-old Jack Crab (Hoffman) relate his amazing life story from his deathbed – from child kidnap victim of the Cheyenne indians and subsequent acceptance as a full member of the tribe (leading to Crab being the only white survivor at the battle of Little Big Horn: Custer’s Last Stand.) This is one of the very few American films to portray the indians in a positive light as the true guardians of the west. But these events are only a small part of Crab’s fascinating and sprawling life story. If you haven’t seen this film, then rest assured, it will blow your mind!

CLASS SCENE DVDs
If you would like an edited copy of your on-camera scenes then see me in class or email me and I’ll organise it for you. Class scene DVDs are $40 per term’s work, or the same price for a 5 scene compilation of your favourite scenes from current and previous terms. Class scene DVDs are not only an effective way to archive your work, but also make for good home study.
With Christmas and New Year now behind us and the 6 week summer semester break coming to an end, the staff and I look forward to another productive and dynamic year of classes – the school’s 25th year of training and nurturing Australian talent – and we’d like to wish you a happy, healthy and creative 2013!
Alan Nurthen
Director