• SUNDAY NIGHT I 8 Weeks I 7:00pm - 9:00pm I Commencing 10th of February, 2019
• TUESDAY NIGHT I 8 Weeks I 7:00pm - 9:00pm I Commencing 12th of February, 2019
• THURSDAY NIGHT I 8 Weeks I 7:00pm - 9:00pm I Commencing 14th of February, 2019

Film & Television Studio International takes Ongoing 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 our illustrious group of trainers and industry guests.  Our studio is renowned for going directly to the source, and that lies with the Show Creators, Heads of Network, Heads of Drama, Executive Producers and series Producers. These industry professionals are the decision makers and we are beyond thrilled to welcome to our studio, Senior Casting Director Lou Mitchell from Maura Fay Casting & Associates (Melbourne and Sydney).  Maura Fay the company is 25 years young. For those years, as now, they have been at the very forefront of Australia’s film and television industry.  Lou is currently casting (nationally) for upcoming new television series The Reef.

Text to Screen-Test has been facilitated by some of Australia's most celebrated actors over the years.  Term 1, 2019 is no exception.  Neighbours Director & Patron of Film & Television Studio International Simone Buchanan is back in studio, together with Wentworth's leading man Bernard Curry.  Australian TV icon Scott Major will also join us this term.  After working as an actor for over three decades, Scott is now one of the series directors on Neighbours, and has just recently directed the first season of hot new Network Ten Drama Playing for Keeps, which is now going into its second season.  An incredible line-up of trainers and special guests, to say the least.  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, Bernard and Scott 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 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.

On the last week of term, students will be able to put their hard work into practice during their screen-testing session with one of Australia's leading Casting Directors, Lou Mitchell.  This is an incredible opportunity for our actors to meet and greet Lou and to showcase their scenes to working professionals at the very top end of their fields.  What a fantastic way to kick start an incredible year of training at Film & Television Studio International.

NB: Previous industry guests include but are not limited to: 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 (Executive Producer, Neighbours), Amanda Crittenden (Series Producer, Wentworth - Series 1, 2 and 3), Foxtel's Head of Drama, Penny Win (The Kettering Incident, Devil’s Playground and Deadline Gallipoli), and Show Creator/Producer/Director and writer Andrew Prowse (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); Television Producer Ian Collie (ABC TV Rake, starring Richard Roxburg and US Version of Rake, starring Greg Kinnear; Jack Irish, starring Guy Pearce, Marta Dusseldorp, Aaron Pedersen, Roy Billing, Shane Jacobson, Don Hany and Diana Glenn; The Principal, starring Alex Dimitriades, Aden Young and Mirrah Foulkes; 2013 feature Saving Mr Banks, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson); and Australian film director and producer Tony Rogers, best known for directing the Tropfest and AFI award winning comedy Wilfred (starring Damian Walshe-Howling and Angus Sampson); producers Kristen Souvlis (Lightening Point, H20: Just Add Water) and Todd Fellman (Mental, Bait 3D, A few Best Men); Producer Tracey Robertson (Secrets & Lies, The Stange Calls, SLIDE) and Director Jovita O'Shaughnessy (Neighbours, Wonderland); Television Producer Natalie Lynch (Neighbours); Tony Ayres (Multi award-winning Show Creator/ Show Runner/ Executive Producer/ Writer/ Director and a founding member of Matchbox Pictures), Executive Producer Leigh McGrath (Hoodlum Entertainment); Senior Casting Director of Mullinars Casting, Nathan Lloyd; Jo Martino (Award-winning Prime Time Show Creator and Television Producer); Casting Director Amanda Mitchell (Mitchell Casting, Sydney); and Prime Time Show Creator / Television Producer Judi McCrossin (The Wrong Girl; The Secret Life of Us; The Time of our Lives; The Surgeon; Beaconsfield; Tangle; and Ship to Shore).

The inimitable Maura Fay formed Maura Fay Casting in 1987. She was a tour de force in the industry and a great one for spotting talent and networking between actors, producers, networks and studios. She was at the forefront of film and television during the time that Australia became a global influence during the 1990’s, aggressively seeking relationships in the United States allowing creative business people to see the wealth of talent and opportunity in Australia. She worked out of Sydney but opened the Melbourne & Queensland offices in 1989. Then, as is now, the company had a presence at each of the major studios on the east coast – Fox Studios in Sydney, Docklands in Melbourne and Warner Roadshow in Queensland. Maura sadly passed away in 2001 but she left behind the integrity of her business acumen, her joy and passion for the job and her effervescent personality. Maura’s sister Ann Fay had worked with Maura for many years and continues her legacy today. Alongside Lou Mitchell, Marianne Jade and Leigh Pickford, Maura Fay Casting continues to work today as one of the most creative, exciting, successful casting companies in Australia.

Maura Fay Casting are passionate about their work and have nurtured and helped shape some of Australia’s finest talents. They are a dynamic group of people that work across all mediums – film, television, stage, musical theatre, TVCs – and continuously seek to provide the best talent Australia can offer. They have long associations with all facets of the industry both in Australia and internationally, most notably Los Angeles, New York and London.

Australian and International actors who have appeared in Maura Fay Casting projects include: Simon Baker, Benjamin Bratt, Bryan Brown, Rose Byrne, Helena Bonham Carter, Russell Crowe, Judy Davis, Michael Douglas, Robert de Niro, Joseph Fiennes, Isla Fisher, Kick Gurry, Martin Henderson, Paul Hogan, Stephanie Jacobsen, Hugh Jackman, William Hurt, Nicole Kidman, Christopher Lambert, Heath Ledger, Rob Lowe, David Lyons, William H. Macy, John Malkovich, Julian McMahon, Debra Messing, Poppy Montgomery, Olivia Newton-John, Frances O’Connor, Alex O’Loughlin, Miranda Otto, Teresa Palmer, Guy Pearce, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Roberts, Richard Roxburgh, Brooke Shields, Greta Scacchi, Yvonne Strahovski, Donald Sutherland, Magda Szubanski, Rachael Taylor, Anna Torv, Jack Thompson, Naomi Watts, Michael Weatherly, Andy Whitfield, Sam Worthington, Ethan Hawke, Aden Young, Billy Zane, Clive Owen, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Richard E Grant, Rachel Griffiths, and Charles Dance.

Maura Fay Casting continues to introduce upcoming stars to national and international feature films, television series and pilots through close collaborations with noted industry leaders. The experienced Casting Directors have a proven track record with an eye for new talent.  We are so excited to welcome them to our Melbourne studio.

After almost 25 years of working as an actor, BERNARD CURRY continues to be one of Australia’s most versatile performers.  While currently starring in the leading role of Jake Stewart in Foxtels flagship drama, Wentworth (commissioned for another series in 2019), Bernard started off appearing in over 170 episodes of Neighbours as Luke Handley. After departing from Neighbours, Bernard worked solidly on projects such as CrashBurn; Stingers; Flipside; and The King, before landing the leading role of Nate Perrott in Out of the Blue.  Bernard then went on to star in Packed to the Rafters; Satisfaction; and over 420 episodes of Home & Away, playing Hugo Austin. Bernard’s US career began in 2012, with roles in NCIS, Ravenswood, Pretty Little Liars and Once Upon a Time.

After playing Debbie Kelly for many years in Australia's most successful and longest running sitcom Hey Dad, Simone went on to star alongside Deborah Lee Furness in internationally acclaimed feature film Shame.  Simone has also starred in many television dramas including Neighbours; McLeod's Daughters; Blue Heelers; Water Rats; All Saints; Pacific Drive; A Country Practice; Sons and Daughters, and many more.  In addition to Shame, her film credits include: Forced Entry; Push; The Man from the High County; Doctors and Nurses and My Brilliant Career.  Most recently, Simone starred alongside Rachel Griffiths in feature film Patrick, and Upper Middle Bogan for the ABC.  Her film Boar, in which she stars alongside Ernie Dingo, Hugh Sheridan and John Jarratt, has just been released in cinemas, nationally.  In 2018 Simone completed her Directors attachment on Australia's longest running serial drama, Neighbours, and is now one of the regular Directors on the show for 2019.  There is no end to her talents as an actor, director and trainer, and we are incredibly proud to have her as our Patron.

SCOTT MAJOR'S acting début was playing Murray on Home & Away in the 1990s. He joined the Neighbours cast for a brief period in 1993 as the original Darren Stark and then was a part of the Heartbreak High cast as Peter Rivers from 1994–1995. In 1998 Scott appeared in All Saints- Season 2. In 1999 he was cast in the Aussie film Envy (titled as The New Girlfriend in the United States). Two years later he featured in the iconic film adaptation of He Died With A Felafel In His Hand.  Scott also played the part of Tom Morgan in the Australian drama, Always Greener, which was shown on the Seven Network between 2001 and 2003. He also wrote, produced, directed and starred in his own play called Both Sides of the Bar at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  Scott then went on to guest star in the BBC soap Doctors and the second series of Love Soup, a BBC comedy starring Tamsin Greig.  He now resides in Melbourne and began appearing in Neighbours from July 2008 as Lucas Fitzgerald. In 2013 Scott left the show to persue his passion for Directing. He is now part of the directing team on Neighbours, and has just finished directing the highly anticipated new Aussie drama, Playing for Keeps, for the Ten Network, which aired in late 2018.  A second season has been slated for 2019.

To enrol, simply book via our website.  It will automatically be sent to enquiries@filmtv.com.au. We will then process your application. If you send your application form and all placements have been filled we will be in touch to notify you.  If you have any further queries, please don't hesitate to contact us directly on 1800 FILMTV (1800 345 688).

*All applications are processed on a first in first served basis.  Once your placement has been confirmed, you will recieve a full week by week breakdown on what to expect from your program, together with further course materials which are sent to you via email.

Melbourne Studio I 390 Clarendon Street I South Melbourne I VIC 3205 I www.filmtv.com.au