What we do
Our Mission
Our mission is to help people realise their dream of becoming a professional actor in film and television industries all over the world. Everyone should have affordable access to the training and information they need to have a realistic opportunity to become a "Star". Our mission is also to use this training to help people to develop their confidence and communication skills in a happy and positive environment.
What We do
Screen Actors Australia trains actors of all ages and levels of experience for the screen . We do this across a network of studios in metro and regional Victoria. Classes are held both in weekly and a variety of short course formats. All class work is designed to be fun and energetic as well as challenging each actor to build their confidence to act in a scene.
The Screen Actors Australia method is simple, effective and unique to us. It has helped thousands of actors of all ages, ethnicities and abilities to reach their dream of working on the screen as an actor.Most importantly all our actors have enormous fun, make friends for life and build their confidence through becoming good actors.
Some have gone on to be in the main cast of leading Australian Dramas such as "Neighbours" and "Home and Away", play lead roles in childrens drama series, be in themain cast of movies and play the guest roles in many TV dramas. Many have become presenters on Australian TV. One of our young adults has this year been offered a two year scholarship to the prestigous Stella Adler Acting Institute in Los Angeles.
Teaching MethodThe Screen Actors System trains actors by exploring drama using both improvisation games and scene work. All our sites are equipped as multicamera TV studios which allows us to use video replay to fast-track student performances.
Each class is structured into three stages:
- Half an hour of improvisational exercises that relate to a certain aspect of method acting technique
- An hour of blocking and shooting the scene of the week
- Half an hour of replay and discussion of the actors work.
Actor's performances are scored each week and are totalled at the end of each term. Actors and their agents can monitor their scores on line at any time. Winning actors are given awards in the final class.
Each actor has their own DVD. It gives them a record of their work. Actors are encouraged to review their DVD at home at the end of each term.Short courses are also scored and recorded in each students record.
These scores and written comments are can be reviewed on line by actors and their agents.
Classes are held for Tots, Kids, Teens and adults. All actors are divided into classes of similar levels of experience .
The Screen Actors Approach to Acting
Method acting is a highly influential system of dramatic training developed over years of trial and error by the Russian actor, producer, and theoretician Konstantin Stanislavsky.
He began with attempts to find a style of acting more appropriate to the greater realism of 20th-century drama than the histrionic acting styles of the 19th century.
American-born Lee Strasberg further developed the Stanislavsky method. Known as the chief American exponent of method acting, Strasberg encouraged actors to use their emotional experience and memory in preparing to "live" a role.
This technique is now known as "Method Acting" and is widely use by stage and screen actors throughout the United States.
"They have this fundamental commitment to subtext-driven real performance with lots of intention. They're not acting; they're really there" (SAA Director John McGlynn, 2000).
The Screen Actors Studio training is designed to make actors more credible in realistic, natural situations rather than playing larger-than-life characters.
It also about getting this type of performance in shape quickly with a minimum of effort and in a way that will allow actors to quickly change their performance as required on set by a director.
It is mostly about finding the fun in the work. We encourage actors to approach acting as something that is enjoyable and a positive aspect to an individual’s life not life itself.
Casting Showcases
The Studios regularly run general auditions at all locations with independent Casting Directors and Casting Directors from major television drama series.
These 'Casting Showcases' allow the students to regularly experience the audition process and also give the Casting Directors an opportunity to observe the actors' development.
Short Courses
The “Screen Acting Boot Camps” allow actors to work in the studio for a whole of week while rapidly developing their acting technique. It gives actors the understanding of what it is like to work as a guest role artist in a drama series.
They explore lots of improvisation techniques, work on monologues and multi handed scenes and look closely at working in the Chromakey and TV Commercial environments. It also allows the actor to fully prepare before the end of the week audition with a major Casting Director.
“Get The Edge” one day courses run on Sundays throughout the year and focus intensively on different aspects of the actors' craft.
These cover areas such as the audition process, shooting on location,working in Chromakey, TV Commercials and Voice Over.
We also run a three day “Film Makers Bootcamp” where actors can take on the role of director and learn about the film and Television drama process from the directors perspective.
This also helps many actors make the transition to a career behind the camera. It also helps improve the quality of short films produced by many of our actors at school or for competitions and festivals.
Our Website
The Screen Actors Website is an informative source of knowledge about the industry and things that are happening at our network of studios, great marketing tool for our members, and a fun and entertaining aspect of the members involvement with Screen Actors.
Our NEWS SECTION is constantly updated with who is doing what at each of the studios and bulletins about industry issues.
Our COURSES section allows actors to see what is on offer at the various studios in the network. It also allows students to enrol themselves directly into courses.
This guarantees them priority where places are limited.
The STUDIO WEBCAMS section allows students at any studio to see what is happening on set in other studios in our network.
The MY ACTING STUDIO section allows each member to access their Screen Actors Email and Web Blog. These two features are free to anyone enrolling in any course at Screen Actors.
The Web Blog is new feature that is a fun extra marketing tool. It works along side actors online resumes to help them win auditions.
It also directs Producers and Casting Directors to their agent. All Web Blogs must be approved by Screen Actors before they go online and are constantly monitored.
The MEET OUR ACTORS section allows industry professionals to browse our actors Web Blogs and contact their agent without having access to actorsr private contact information.
The NEWSLETTER section allows actors to register to receive a free monthly newsletter full of information that will help them further their career and fun stuff that will help keep them up to date with what is going on with their friends.
Course Director - John McGlynn
John trained as an actor at 'The Mill' theatre at Deakin University from 1976-8 and as a Television Director at the Australian Film TV and Radio School.
He lectured in film and television at Monash University and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. He has also worked as a TV Commercials director at HSV Channel 7 Melbourne and as a freelance Director in California, Hong Kong and Australia.
John has had an extensive career spanning 25 years in the film industry as a producer and director. He has won many awards including 'Penguin' and 'Moby' awards in Australia, as well as awards in both the US Industrial Film and Video Festival and the New York festivals.
John was also worked extensively in the production of childrens drama series. Beginning as location scout on the childrens period drama series "Saturdee" he went on to be first assistant director on the children's television series 'Pugwall'.
He also trained with AFTRS and the Seven network to direct Multi Camera Television drama.
Instructors
Every studio in the Screen Actors network is operated by a manager who is trained in our unique training system.
These managers spend an extensive period working in our master studio so they can deliver the training that has helped thousands of actors launch their careers.
They are constantly training with our course director and industry experts to keep developing our system to keep it at the leading edge in Australia and the world.
All our staff have up to date Working With Children checks in line with Australian Government policy regarding training of children.
Throughout the year Freelance TV directors, Casting People and well known actors spend time teaching at each of the studios.
As actors progress from beginner to advanced and then master class levels they are matched up with instructors who can keep furthering their development as actors.
The studio policy is to keep a constant flow of highly qualified professionals currently working in the TV industry coming into the classes. This ensures both that actors are working with the people they will meet on set and also that they are exposed to the latest thinking at the leading edge of the industry.
Fees
Fees for on going training are paid monthly via direct debit. Students can cancel their payments at any time by giving 30 days written notice. The fees are:
- Screen Actors : 11 Monthly payments of $125.50
- Screen Teens : 11 monthly payments of $105.50
- Screen Kids : 11 monthly Payments of $95.50
- Screen Tots : 11 Monthly Payments of $45.50
Fees for short courses vary and can be paid by cash, cheque, credit card, money order and can be added to a members monthly direct debit. If you are interested in comming to acting class the call the studio nearest you or our main office and you will be invited to come for a free assessment to see if our acting program is right for you.