NEWS: JULY 2008
Hi Everyone,
I knew I’d leave some people out last month.Sorry!!!! Donna van Leeuwen had auditions for Carla Cometti, Rush & Very Small Business managing to win a role on Very Small Business. Gillian Emmett in Sydney got the lead role in an Independent feature, Line in the Sand. Jonathan Viehl also got a role on Satisfaction playing a Cop. Sacha Joseph got a part in the new Working Dog production of a new satire called The Hollow Men, Jing-Xuan Chan got a part on Dirt Games, Alicia Attwood landed a two episode role in Neighbours, her first professional gig and a huge double hit in the one week for Andrew Carter who got a role on City Homicide and Rush. Martin Copping also got a role on Rush.And someone told me they saw Jemma Gawned on City Homicide.
And of course how could a monthly newsletter go by without mention of Osamah Sami. Yep, he’s done it again! This time scoring the lead male role opposite Claudia Karvan in the telemovie Saved. A fantastic couple of months for Tafta and it’s great to see that not just Tafta’s “old hands” keep getting roles but exciting new names are cropping up every month.
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The National Actors Intensive was a resounding success with all the teachers saying that the group was of an extremely high standard overall. I will share with you a fantastic letter I got back from one of the participants.
G’day John
I just wanted to write and tell you how much I enjoyed the course. I don’t mean to sound cheesy but it was really one of the most unbelievable experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve been having a bit of a rough trot of late and I’ve also been a bit disillusioned about acting. I still had the fire but it was sort of smouldering...however, after this course- it is back and burning brightly!! I came back to work yesterday and everyone said I looked completely refreshed.
Every single coach you had, offered such valuable advice and the multiple perspectives were so good to add to my acting toolbox. Since coming home I have typed up all the notes and written a list to follow to retain this energy I emerged with from the course. Every single coach encouraged us to follow our dreams and I think being in Perth I have been conditioned to think that I am being unrealistic about wanting to pursue a career in acting. I cannot express what this course did for me on a very personal level, other than to say –I think I got my mojo back!! Haha! Seriously, it is an unbelievable feeling to have that flame reignited and get some direction again in my life and I appreciate very much what your course did for me. In terms of criticism- I have none. I have been done over in courses before but this one is in a different league all together. It was perfectly crafted in terms of order of teachers and the personal approach each teacher took was exceptional. The diversity of the way each session was coordinated meant that although the hours were long they were very stimulating. Obviously if we are committed to the intensity of the course and willing to fly across the country for it we were willing to invest our energy into it. I think the teachers appreciated our passion and I was also inspired by my fellow classmates and felt very close to the group. I watched as everyone soaked up the advice and every single person took on board direction and made a concerted effort to fuel it into their performances.
On a personal level, I felt I made an extensive journey. I had been so caught up in my troubles and insecurities for so long that I forgot the essential basics to acting. On discovering them again, thanks to the direction of all you teachers, I developed my skills and by the end I was on an absolute high as I could see and feel a huge difference. When I delivered my monologue to Barbara Leane I felt like everything just made sense. I know this all sounds very wanky but I was just overwhelmed by this course and I felt the need to let you know as I’m sure it was very difficult to organise. I also wanted to say cheers to you for dropping me at Rove Live. It was actually a great show, they had the Edgerton brothers on the show and it felt cyclical to watch such genuine, normal people who have done a lot in this crazy, crazy industry. When you get a chance I would love to grab the emails of our tutors as I didn’t have my resume/headshot to give to most of them. Cheers so much John, you definitely deserve a huge thank you for organising such a wonderful experience. Ta mate, Bec Bignell
I called Bec and asked her if I could include her email in this newsletter and the reason I’m doing it is because IT’S SO POSITIVE and an affirmation of what we are all about and why we keep trying. Ultimately if we really give it our all, love what we do, don’t get bitter or desperate, we will succeed to enrich our lives no matter what the ultimate outcomes of our efforts are.
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Courses & Workshops - Melbourne
SPEAKING AMERICAN with David Man
This is really two courses:
Part A is for six sessions(three Sundays) and this deals solely with mastering the GenAm accent and is in essence a dialect class.
Part B is about the thorough consolidation of the accent through extensive GenAm scene work from American movie scenes to episodic TV scenes and Sit Coms. This will run for ten sessions. (Five Sundays)
Part B Cost: $440.0 Commencing Sunday 3rd August!!!!
PART A has been completed and a couple of people cannot go on to Part B as they are going overseas etc which leaves us with some available spaces.
Part B will commence on Sunday 3rd August.
Call or email to book now BUT only if you have done a Speaking American dialogue course with either Bruce Shapiro or David in the past. You cannot participate in Part B unless you have a basic grounding in GenAM.
Because of the time frame it is possible to do some private lessons with David to bring you up to speed prior to commencing Part B.
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Also TOM McSWEENEY will be joining us for his workshops in both Sydney (March) and Melbourne (April). Book now. I will send out a separate email in the next few days.
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MELBOURNE COURSES
LET’S NOT FORGET THE STANDARD COURSES...
Ultimate Screentest Course #1 commencing 16 August is booked out.
Ultimate Screentest Course #2 commencing 20 September is the FINAL screentest 2 for 2008 - some places still available (5).
Ultimate Screentest Course #3 commencing 25 October is the FINAL screentest 3 for 2008.
**Improv US Style with Mick Preston
A new course will commence on Thursday 28th August – BOOK NOW!
Mick has been a regular teacher at Tafta for over a year now.
He was long time student of the legendary UTA HAGEN in New York. Back in Australia after 10 year in the US he is a welcome and extremely talented addition to the teachers at Tafta.
If you want to find out more about Mick just google.
WE RAN TWO IMPROV COURSES WITH MICK LAST YEAR WITH GREAT SUCCESS!
EMOTIONS #1
I wasn’t going to do another EMOTIONS #1 class until later in the year but I’ve had several enquiries this week so I will do just one more – possibly the last Em #1 for this year. It will commence on Wed 6th Aug, BUT because of some restrictions I have ( Adelaide, Sydney & Queensland trips), the course will run over these dates:
Wed 6thAug, Wed 13th Aug, Wed 20th Aug, Thurs 21st Aug, Wed 28th Aug, Thurs 29th Aug, Wed 3rd Sept, Thurs 4th Sept
(If we need it we can always chuck in a Sunday)
If this suits please call or email me. There can only be 8 participants
DAVE CAMERON
award winning Actor & Director will join us to conduct a four elements course. We’ve had to put him on hold because he had to direct two episodes of City Homicide but post production is completed and he’s now available. Details of this course are being worked out by the two of us and we will let you know as soon as the format and contents have been settled. LIMITED NUMBERS.
David will be an exciting addition at Tafta and is a testament to our mission of giving you only the best teachers possible.
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SYDNEY COURSES & WORKSHOPS
Ultimate Screentest Course #1 (SYDNEY) – We have had to put ULTIMATE SCREENTEST COURSE #3 back for a couple of weeks because I just could juggle all the time frames. My apologies to the Sydney people who have booked into this course but it will now commence 9.00am Sat 23rd August. The Casting Directors for this course are TBA. They will be finalized in the next 7 days. Cost $495.00
Character for the Screen (SYDNEY) – will commence on Sat 29th November and will run for 10 x 3hr sessions over 7 days. Cost $495.00
Dave Newman (Christine King Casting) and Faith Martin (Faith Martin & Assoc)
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The National Actors Intensive (SYDNEY) – December 4th to the 8th 2008
NB: This is over half booked out!!!!!!
If you want any further information on any of the above Sydney courses please email us on tafta@westnet.com.au or telephone on 03 9702 5702
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QUEENSLAND COURSES & WORKSHOPS
The National Actors Intensive on the Gold Coast in September is completely booked out. There are only 5 places remaining in the Brisbane Intensive.
We don’t expect these to last long.
For further enquiries call us on 03 9702 5702 or email at tafta@westnet.com.au
We are also planning workshops in Adelaide & Perth before the end of the year
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“Stay in the loop and you won’t get lost”
another old proverb
May you all have a great 2008!
**** NEW PHONE NUMBER ****
Just a reminder of our phone number ...
03 - 9702 5702
