- Monday Night Program I 8 Weeks I 7pm - 9pm I Commencing 15th of February, 2016
- Tuesday Night Program I 8 Weeks I 7pm - 9pm I Commencing 16th of February, 2016
- Wednesday Night Program I 8 Weeks I 7pm - 9pm I Commencing 17th of February, 2016
2015 was an incredible year at Film & Television Studio International. With industry guests including Jo Porter (Fremantlemedia Australia Head of Drama), Imogen Banks (creator, writer and producer of Multi-Award Winning Television Series Offspring; Puberty Blues; Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo, and Tangle, and Producer of mini-series Gallipoli; Party Tricks; Dangerous and The Beautiful Lie), Jason Herbison (Series Producer, Neighbours) and Amanda Crittenden (Series Producer, Wentworth - Series 1, 2 and 3), we took our 8 Week Screen Acting Programs to another level. We are proud to say that there is not another acting studio in the country that comes close to Film & Television Studio Internationals illustrious group of trainers. At our studio we get straight to the point by going directly to the source of Australia's film & television, and that of course lies with the shows Creators, Heads of Network, Heads of Drama, Executive Producers and series Producers. These industry professionals are the decision makers and we are delighted to welcome two more incredible industry veterans who will be joining us in Term 1, 2016: Foxtel's Head of Drama, Penny Win and Show Creator/Producer/Director/writer Andrew Prowse.
Foxtel promoted Penny Win to the new role of Head of Drama, a reward for her work in commissioning The Kettering Incident, Devil’s Playground and Deadline Gallipoli. Penny was commissioning editor for drama as well as channel manager of Foxtel’s SoHo and showcase. Foxtel Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh said Penny's promotion is a “resounding endorsement of her skill and commitment to providing our subscribers with unique and distinctive Australian stories. Foxtel’s upcoming drama slate has never been stronger, and this new role sees her responsible for expanding the portfolio of home grown dramas to complement our international drama supply, particularly our exclusive partnerships with HBO and BBC.” Foxtel invests more than $20 million per year in original Australian drama under the 10% quota applying to drama channels.
Andrew Prowse also works at the very forefront of the industry and is one of our most celebrated directors and series producers. Andrew has been the driving force behind many projects including INXS-Never Tear Us Apart; Underbelly Squizzy, Fat Tony, Rush, Farscape, Wildside, The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Heartbreak High, All Saints, McLeod’s Daughters, Ultraman and Monarch Cove), and has worked for the most influential productions houses in Australia and overseas. He is a creative powerhouse who admits his fascination for acting began when he was working as an editor. He would often ask himself: ‘Why don’t I believe what I am seeing?’ and it was this question that lead to a greater collaboration with actors. Andrew believes that acting is much simpler than actors allow it to be and that directors and actors often get in the way of the script.
He believes that, “It’s about not acting and keeping it simple. Acting is all about being unselfconscious and committed to what you want, to achieving a simple goal. Character has nothing to do with what you (the actor) are doing. Actor’s instincts come from within them so they need to pay attention to each other and focus on the goal they are trying to achieve. Ultimately the director is the facilitator. It is the job of the director to instill confidence in actors about what they are doing. The actors then have to own it so the role becomes theirs.”
We are so excited to have Penny and Andrew join us in Text to Screen-Test (Term 1, 2016) where they will impart their wealth of industry knowledge and critique our actors work.
Text to Screen-Test is facilitated by two of Australia's most loved actresses, Simone Buchanan and Pia Miranda. Simone's Monday evening program is open to actors of all levels and experiences. Her Tuesday evening class is for graduates and by invitation only. Pia Miranda's Wednesday evening class is also for graduates and entry is by invitation only.
Text to Screen-Test has been meticulously shaped to guide and encourage students to work on their specific areas requiring development, whilst bringing forth their strengths when screen-testing for prime time drama. Simone and Pia will work with actors both individually and as a company, assisting students to POP from moment one of an audition. Scenes are assigned to students each week (one week prior to their next class) along with an outline on the course content and prep work for each session. For actors who participated in previous terms, they have another opportunity to work in this ongoing manner with our outstanding trainers & special guests. Continuing across the terms ensures stability in training & rehearsal, and consistency in terms of the guidance & feedback offered, with scenes selected to target specific areas of weakness and strength. The studio also welcomes actors to the program who have not participated in previous terms as they can begin this process, leading to a stronger understanding of the requirements of screen testing.
In the final weeks, students will be able to put their hard work into practice during their one-on-one screen testing session with Penny Win and Andrew Prowse. This is an incredible opportunity for our actors to meet and greet Penny and Andrew, and to showcase their scenes to working professionals who are at the very top of their respective fields.
