To open the current newsletter, some thoughts from Ryan Gosling and Meryl Streep…
Term Dates
Term 2 classes complete on Saturday 27 June.
Term 3 classes commence from Tuesday 14 July.
Due to an increase in operating costs – effective from 1 July 2015 – there will be an 8% increase in term fees applicable from Term 3.
For a full listing of new fees please refer to the Part-Time Classes and Fees page on our web site.
Revolver Films Studio Hire
On Friday 5 June, Revolver Films hired the studio while shooting a comical Fosters Beer TVC for UK television.
The company set up a playback and rough cut editing facility in Studio 1, an extensive costume department in Studio 2, and a chill space in the green room. There were so many trucks and so much equipment that the crew’s vehicles littered the surrounding streets. It was great to watch them work and a pleasure to host them for the day… And a long day’s hire it was – from 6:30 am to 9:30 pm!
Six days after the Fosters TVC shoot, advanced adult student Logan Webster hired the studio to hold auditions for his as yet untitled comedy-horror film.
1st AD Mona Bagherpour and Logan Webster (writer-actor)
High Time
The short film High Time has been delivered to TVS and is now awaiting its premiere screening on the network. Date and time to be confirmed once I hear from Garfield Barnard, Head of Programming at TVS.
Well done to the cast, Laura Tate, Jess Grosbard, Samantha Picello, Trevor Shipton and Juvahn Victoria for their strong performances and commitment to the project.
The Pedder File
The Pedder File has been submitted to the Heart of Gold International Film Festival, held annually in Gympie, Queensland. The Pedder File screened repeatedly during 2013-2014 on both Anthology of Interest (TVS) and on the award-winning short film program Dark Carnival (Foxtel 183) The film was well received when screened on the above programs and I’m looking forward to seeing how it fares on the festival circuit.
Well done to the cast, Paul Millett, Jessica Robbins, Lydia Dyhin and Tayla Brown.
While we’re on the subject of TVS and community television, and the important voice it gives to independent filmmakers, here’s a word from my old mate Nigel Honeybone on the subject…
The word in the industry – and the fact of the matter – is that Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has not only decreased funding to the ABC and SBS, but is now intent on moving community television online: thereby freeing up the highly valued 6th broadcasting licence. Word has it that Rupert Murdoch has his greedy eye on the coveted prize. So for the sake of free and independent broadcasting, please follow Nigel’s sound advice and write to Minister Turnbull!
Armoury for Actors Master Class
The Armoury course was held on Sunday 14 June – and literally it was a blast!
This was the first time we ran the course at its new location, the former Old Sydney Town near Gosford, and it proved to be ideal.
Course participants Niki McComb, Kerry Housea, Trevor Shipton, Mona Bagherpour, Ronnie Scott and George Reid learned a great deal about the safe handling and discharge of a wide range of weapons, and how to incorporate that knowledge into a realistic performance when acting with firearms.
Armourer Tony Garland on set with actor Jack Thompson for the film, Feeder.
Thanks once again to tutor-armourers Tony and Teri Garland from Stockade Armoury Services for another great day and a highly instructive and fun course.
SF3 Film Festival
SF3 is Australia’s first smart phone film festival. All entries must be 6.5 minutes duration or less and must be shot on a smart phone or tablet.
The school is a sponsor of SF3 and will also be represented on the industry judging panel. If this sounds like an interesting challenge then download an entry form at www.sf3.com.au and start putting your film together!
Student News
Mona Bagherpour’s career is certainly on the up and up. A small speaking role as a young solicitor in the award-winning short film Misinterpretation and the lead role in the school’s short Refugee, led to an audition and a subsequent call back with leading Sydney casting director Greg Apps for the lead in a controversial new television series. Then it was on to a featured extra role in the film The System, which led to the lead role in a funded sci-fi short, Egregore. Very well done Mona!
Mona Bagherpour in The System
Mona in quite a bind in the sci-fi short, Egregore
Logan Webster (actor-writer) and Mona Bagherpour (1st AD) – yes, Mona certainly gets around! – are currently casting Logan’s second feature film. The project, a comedy-horror film in the vein of Scream, is currently untitled and it follows on from Logan’s first feature, the horror film Lead Me Astray, in which he played the antagonist Alpha.
Logan Webster as Alpha in the film Lead Me Astray
It was great to see two of our master class tutors performing in the two-part mini-series Catching Milat. Salvatore Coco (Screen Acting Intensive tutor) played detective Mark Camenzuli, while Movement tutor Natalia Ladyko played Simone Schmidl.
Melbourne based actor Malcolm Kennard was chilling as Ivan Milat. A well produced and thought provoking program about a dark page from our recent past. Congratulations to the 7 Network for commissioning a truly shocking Australian story and for supporting local drama production.
Earlier this year I was approached by Laundry Lane Productions via Warringah Council to cast 4 actors from the school’s talent pool for an online recycling video. Trevor Shipton played Dad, Meredith Cox was Mum, and two of Meredith’s children, Tyger and Mia, played the couple’s children.
Trevor Shipton
Meredith Cox
It was a demanding shoot which involved an advanced stop-motion filming technique. The cast had to hold their positions and facial expressions for 20 seconds or more for each individual shot. Although thrown in at the deep end with this strange and unfamiliar type of recording, the cast performed admirably and the feedback I received from Laundry Lane Productions was very encouraging indeed. The producer told me that they don’t use actors very often, but whenever they did need actors again they would contact the school immediately.
Tyger Cox
Mia Cox
Well done Trevor, Meredith, Tyger and Mia. You did us all proud!
Films on DVD
St Vincent (USA: 2014) Directed by Theodore Melfi. Starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy and Naomi Watts.A young boy whose parents have just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy and hedonistic Vietnam War veteran who lives next door. St Vincent is a crowning achievement for Murray and the supporting cast are exceptional, particularly Naomi Watts as Vincent’s crazy Russian “girl friend.” Watts Russian accent is flawless, and her cheeky performance will stay with you. St Vincent is a rollercoaster of an emotional ride that will have you laughing and crying and finally cheering for the importance of modern extended family values.
Highly recommended by critics and audiences alike.
Class Scene DVDs
If you would like an edited copy of your past terms scenes on DVD, or a compilation of your favourite 5 scenes from current and previous term’s, then see me in class or email me and I will organize it for you. Class scene DVDs are $50-00 per term’s work (5 scenes) or the same price for a compilation.
To wrap up the May-June newsletter, Term 2 has been extremely busy at the school and the standard of work has risen across the board in all classes. A lot of fun has been had over the past 10 weeks and a lot of important lessons learned.
Have an enjoyable winter semester break and I look forward to working with everyone again during Term 3.
Alan Nurthen (Director)