Classes return week commencing Monday 7 October and I look forward to working with our established students again, along with the new students joining us this term.
And what better way to commence classes than with sound words of advice from Harrison Ford and Edward Norton (click on photos to enlarge)
FILM ACTING TECHNIQUES MASTERCLASS REVIEW
The Film Acting Techniques masterclass held over the last weekend of September was a fun and challenging shoot. Participants Paul Millett, Tayla Brown, Jessica Robbins and Lydia Dyhin certainly followed Ed Norton’s above advice, delivering committed and passionate performances based on solid preparation. The resulting strong performances combined with good picture and sound will make for an interesting and highly watchable short film and I’m looking forward to the editing process.
SCREEN TEST/AUDITION PROCESS MASTERCLASS
Next up on the masterclass program is the essential Screen Test/Audition Process masterclass. We can certainly teach you how to act to a professional level in class but it’s an entirely different process to successfully audition for dramatic acting roles. This masterclass will give you skills and the edge you need to impress casting directors and win speaking roles. The last time we ran this masterclass with tutor/casting director Kari Harris, Kari concentrated on auditioning for television commercials. This time around, Kari will be concentrating on winning 50 worder dramatic roles. (For dates, times and further information please refer to course flyer attached to newsletter link email.)
Tutor Kari Harris working with the students
MONDAY EXTENSION CLASS
Due to popular demand we resumed the Monday evening extension class last term and the participating students – Tayla Brown, Jozsef Kleiner, Mona Bagherpour, Ashwai Muo and Adam Meoli – got the class off to a great start. The final filming sessions of the term involved a difficult multi-setup two scene exercise which the participating students knocked out of the park. If you’d like to fast track your skills by attending an additional class each week then the extension class is the perfect vehicle for you. The class commences on the second week of each term and runs in blocks of 9 week terms.
Advanced adult students take note! Any advanced adults desiring to shoot extra scenes in this class receive a 30% discount for two classes – for a combined fee of $50 as opposed to the standard two class drop-in fee of $75.
24/7 YOUTH FILM FESTIVAL 2013
The 11th annual 24/7 Youth Film Festival was a resounding success and the school is proud to be an ongoing sponsor of the event. It’s great to see our students becoming involved with the festival and some of our advanced teen students certainly made their mark this year, with Zoe Salatnay, Elana Carnevale and Georgie Walker-Powell winnning Best Use of Sound for their film The Final Project. Georgie also won the Best Actress Award for her outstanding performance in The Final Project; while Serae Kopra and former student Olivia Eastwood won the Most Original and Creative award for their thought provoking film Pause. Pause involved a detailed story told without dialogue and utilising physical action only. When you consider that all films have to be completed within a strict 24 hour timeframe, the results are very professional indeed – and with over $10,000 in prizes up for grabs the competition is fierce. Well done Zoe, Elana, Georgie, Serae and Olivia and I look forward to seeing what you come up with next year!STUDENT NEWS
It was good to see advanced adult graduate Ian Nicholson playing a detective in Series 1, Episide 1 of Malcolm Naden: Australia’s Most Hunted. Standing at 190.5 cm, Ian makes for an imposing cop! Well done mate and great to see you on television again.
Well done to Junior students Julia Manias and Natalie Theodore for making the semi finals of Australia’s Got Talent. These two young singing/acting dynamo’s created a minor sensation and I wish them all the best for the semi’s.
Natalie and Julia in their “Sgt Pepper” outfits.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery and a return to class for adult student Drew Smith who broke his toe late last term. After breaking my right hand three months ago, I can sympathise with Drew and can certainly relate to what he’s going through.
FILMS ON DVD
The Company You Keep (2012: USA) Directed by Robert Redford. Starring Robert Redford, Shia LaBeouf, Julie Christie and Susan Sarandon. Political action thriller revolving around the radical anti-Vietnam War dissidents the Weather Underground. After changing his identity and hiding from the FBI for over 30 years, Jim Grant (Redford) must find his ex-lover Mimi (Christie) the only person who can clear his name, before the FBI catch him. Top notch performances combined with a decent script and Redford at the helm provides for a good night of thought-provoking entertainment.
Drift (2013: Aust.) Directed by Morgan O’Neill and Brett Nott. Starring Sam Worthington, Xavier Samuel, Myles Pollard and Lesley-Ann Brandt. This multi-award winning film tells the story of two brothers at the genesis of the modern surf industry in the early 1970s. Set in W.A. around the Margaret River area the film features beautiful locations and some great surfing sequences. Most narrative films involving surfing are an embarrassment to serious surfers, but Drift is the exception, as character, story and the noble sport of surfing are handled realistically. Sam Worthington’s character is loosely based on the legendary George Greenough, a Californian kneeboarder who made Australia his home in the late 1960s and who pioneered fin design and tube riding techniques. Drift is highly recommended for surfers and non surfers alike.
The Paperboy (2012: USA) Directed by Lee Daniels. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, John Cusack and Nicole Kidman. This heavy adults only thriller ticks all the boxes and Kidman, ditching her plastic Hollywood film star persona for indie cred, delivers a dynamite performance as sex bomb Charlotte. If Kidman somehow fails to raise your blood pressure then Cusack as sweaty psycho killer Hillary van Wetter is guaranteed to give you nightmares!CLASS SCENE DVDs
If you would like an edited copy of your past term’s on-camera scenes on DVD then see me in class or email me and I’ll organise it for you. Class scenes DVDs are $40 per term’s work or the same price for a 5 scene compilation of your best scenes from current and previous terms.
Welcome back for another 10 weeks of screen acting classes and I look forward to working with our established students and with the new students commencing classes with us this term.
Alan Nurthen (Director)