To open the current newsletter some thoughts from Naomi Watts…
And from Morgan Freeman…
As we enter the final weeks of Term 1, it’s worth mentioning again that we do not observe public holidays during term – therefore classes are running this Thursday evening (24 April) and on Easter Saturday (26 April.)
Term 1 has been a great start to the year and I’m looking forward to tutoring the students to new heights as the year progresses.
The new students who have joined us this term have progressed rapidly and are working hard to achieve the results they desire. Well done one and all!
Term Dates
Term 1 completes on Saturday 2 April.
Term 2 commences from Tuesday 19 April.
It would be greatly appreciated if all students returning to their nominated class for Term 2 post a $50-00 deposit to secure their position.
Not only do deposits help the school stay afloat over the semester breaks but a deposit also leaves you with less to pay when classes return.
Monday Extension Class
We will be running the extension class again next term, commencing from Monday 25 April (another public holiday!) The class runs in blocks of nine week terms, as opposed to all other classes which run in blocks of ten week terms.
The Monday class is ideal for students who want to shorten their time to certificate level by fast tracking training via an additional class each week.
The class runs on a unique stand alone curriculum and is an effective stepping stone to the advanced level classes on Thursdays.
The curriculum is suitable for students aged 16 years to adult.
The extension class can also be attended as your only class each week if the other class time slots don’t suit your schedule.
Edit Suite Upgrade
Due to increasing maintenance and repair costs to our DVCPRO edit suite, the school has upgraded to the Adobe Premiere Pro CC system.
The DVCPRO system (pictured below) has served the school well over the past five years. And in a way I’m going to miss it.
Even taking Murphy’s Law into account (“What can go wrong, will go wrong!”) we encountered more speed bumps than expected during set up, but thanks to the exceptional Premiere technical service hotline and the school’s IT tech Peter Schlat, we’re finally up and running.
Even though the set up took far longer than expected, Peter’s dedication and expertise was vital in getting the system sorted and running properly.
I now have a big backlog of editing to complete, but the speed of the Premiere program means it won’t be long until I’ve cleared the backlog and catch up with the current workload.
To those students who have been patiently waiting for class scene DVDs, show reels, and the completion of master class films they starred in, thank you again for your patience and understanding. It’s been much appreciated during the long set up process.
Prufrock & Company Update
Director Greg Perano’s second feature film Prufrock & Co is currently filming again and even though we’re a way off yet, the end of production is in sight.
The film is now shooting at the new location of Irrawong Reserve at North Narrabeen.
A new group of featured actors from the school have been added to the extensive list of established cast members and Greg is impressed by the new talent’s attitude and professionalism.
Below pic is director Greg Perano along with photos of some of the established actors and some of the new featured talent from last Monday’s shoot…
The film is shooting on selected Monday evenings and will soon commence production again on Sundays.
I’m looking forward to seeing the finished film as the footage I’ve seen so far has been spectacular.
Well done to all those involved!
Student News
Alumni Jemma Eggins and her fellow cast members continue to dazzle American audiences on their national tour of major U.S. cities in Woody Allen’s smash hit musical, Bullets Over Broadway.
Below: The famous Pantages Theater in Los Angeles and a publicity shot featuring Jemma (standing front center)
Meanwhile alumni Paul Millett is performing in the play Table Manners (Paul featured top left in publicity shot)
For performance times and bookings call 9982 7364 – or go to the Elanora Players web site at www.elanoraplayers.com.au
Former student Bobby Babin has been no slouch either, performing in numerous short films.
The in-demand Mr. Babin is currently playing the role of a bagman in a new Netflix series set in the 1920s.
TV Series on DVD
Better Call Saul (USA: 2015) Show runner Vince Gilligan. Starring Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn.
Better Call Saul is a spinoff prequel to the multi-award-winning Breaking Bad series. Set in 2002, Better Call Saul follows the story of small-time lawyer James “Jimmy” McGill (Odenkirk) six years before his appearance on Breaking Bad as the newly invented Saul Goodman.
If you are a Breaking Bad fan, then the critically acclaimed Better Call Saul is well worth a look.
Films on DVD
The Martian (USA: 2015) Directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Matt Damon.
A member of the crew on a manned mission to Mars (Damon) is lost in a fierce storm and presumed dead. This Ridley Scott epic explores man’s will to survive and his creative use of technology as a means to an end. The film features a tour-de-force, virtual solo performance by Damon, and his ingenuity, and will to survive against all odds, is truly inspiring.
Class Scene DVDs
If you would like an edited DVD of your term’s class scenes then see me in class or email me and I will organize it for you.
Class scene DVDs are $50-00 per term’s scenes and are a beneficial means of improving your technique and performance via further home study.
I’ll be spending most of the two week semester break working between the office and the studio and I plan to clear the backlog of editing during that time (and hopefully get a day or two off into the bargain!) Once the backlog is cleared then I’ll be editing the new DVD orders during the first weeks of Term 2.