Part-Time Program
IMMERSIVE PROFESSIONAL SCREEN ACTING PROGRAM
32 WEEKS | 2 NIGHTS A WEEK | 192 CONTACT HOURS
An accessible screen acting program for those who can’t commit to full time study
The TAFTA Part Time Program is designed for emerging and established actors looking to take the next step in their careers whilst still balancing work, study, auditions, and everyday life. With classes running just two evenings a week, students receive practical, hands-on training focused specifically on film & television, working in front of the camera with a range of experienced working industry professionals in a supportive, creatively-driven environment.
Across four terms, students develop their craft, deepen their understanding of the industry, and graduate with professional screen material, practical audition experience, industry knowledge, and the confidence and tools to pursue a career in Film & Television. TAFTA programs have trained actors including Chris Pang (Crazy Rich Asians, Charlie’s Angels), Eliza Taylor (The 100, Neighbours), James Frecheville (Animal Kingdom), Jesse Spencer (House, Chicago Fire, Neighbours), Teressa Liane (The Vampire Diaries, Neighbours), Ella Newton (Harrow, Dangerous Animals), Harry Popple (Itch, The Imposter, Crazy Fun Park), and Lauren Esposito (The Conjuring 2, Love Child).
Structure
Mid-year intake commencing on the 4th of August
Class Days: Tuesday and Thursday
Time: 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Ages 17+
Schedule
Whether you're taking your first step into acting or ready to elevate your craft, the TAFTA Part Time Program is designed to prepare you for the professional screen industry. Train two nights a week with working industry professionals while maintaining your work-life balance, and graduate with two professionally produced on-location showreel scenes, advanced screen acting skills, industry knowledge, and the practical understanding of both performance and on-set technical requirements needed to work confidently in film and television. Many TAFTA graduates have gone on to secure representation with leading agents and build successful careers across Australia and internationally. Take the next step in your acting journey and develop the skills, confidence and industry readiness to pursue a career on screen.
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Begin with an in-depth introduction to character development. Learn how to interpret scripts and bring written characters to life through thoughtful and truthful performance.
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Explore how your physical presence supports storytelling. This module focuses on movement within the frame and teaches you how to work effectively with the camera to enhance your on-screen performance.
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Develop the tools to break down a script and uncover the subtext behind each scene. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of intention, motivation, and the emotional beats that drive a performance.
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Get to know your character from the inside out. So you can make clear, honest choices that read on camera. You'll learn how to find your character's motivations, emotions, and relationships, and bring them to life in a natural, grounded way.
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Emotion’s, a unique emotional technique developed by John Orcsik. This method teaches you how to access and portray a full range of emotions authentically, without placing strain on your mental and emotional well-being.
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Next, you'll begin your accent training with US Accent. In today’s increasingly global industry, a strong and believable American accent is a vital skill. Starting from square one, you’ll learn proven techniques to develop and sustain an authentic U.S. accent.
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Get Set offers essential insights into the fast-paced environment of life on set. You’ll learn how to adapt quickly, meet professional expectations, and navigate the dynamic nature of working on a film or television production.
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The Business of Acting, a hands-on session with John Orcsik that explores the practical side of an acting career. You’ll gain valuable knowledge about industry standards, representation, networking, and the business strategies necessary for long-term success.
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This module challenges you to apply all the techniques developed throughout the course. Advanced Scenework pushes you to expand your emotional depth, character work, and on-screen presence through complex scenes and elevated performance expectations.
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In Group Scenework you will be put into groups of 4 or more actors. You will then learn how to stay present in the scene and make sure you don’t disappear in the background or the craziness of the scene.
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With the craziness of this career it’s important to expand your knowledge more then just acting. Script Writing will offer insight into the writing and development side of the industry. You’ll gain hands-on experience with scriptwriting and pre-production, learning what it takes to bring a concept from idea to camera-ready.
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In Casting, you'll work directly with a casting director to understand the casting process and what professionals in the industry are truly looking for.
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Scene Selection is where we personally help select the right scenes for your end of program Showreel, which will lead us in to Showreel Week. Where your selected scene will be professionally filmed on location, giving you a polished, industry-standard piece to use as a calling card for future opportunities.
Meet the Teachers
John Orcsik: John is an actor, writer, director and the founder of The Australian Film & Television Academy (TAFTA). With over five decadesof experience across film, television and theatre, his credits include Number 96, The Sullivans, Ben Hall, and over 550 episodes of Cop Shop, where he also wrote several episodes. His extensive career also includes roles in Home and Away, Neighbours, Zoo Family, The Dr Blake Mysteries and New Gold Mountain. John continues to mentor emerging actors through TAFTA, sharing his unique “Emotions” technique anddecades of industry experience to help performers develop authentic, camera-ready performances.
Mick Preston: With over two decades of experience across screen and stage, Mick Preston is an accomplished actor and teacher trained in New York under Uta Hagen, who selected him to appear in Acting Class by Uta Hagen. His credits include AMC’s Preacher, Apple TV’s Shantaram, and The Legend of Ben Hall. Holding a Bachelor of Education, Mick is known for his grounded, generous approach and for creating a supportive yet challenging environment for actors to grow.
David Willing: David Willing is a writer/director based in Melbourne Australia. David studied Film & TV at Deakin University and his graduation film Disintegration received the highest honours and screened at Longford Cinema along with the MUFF and Eyecandy film festivals. He has written 10 feature films with his debut feature 'Surrogate', a paranormal horror, having it's World Premiere at Sun Theatre on April 2022 and has since amassed more than 5 millions views online. In 2019 he launched Screenplay Method’s 1 Step-A-Day Screenplay, an online Screenwriting resource he developed after 15 years experience teaching 1000’s of Screenwriters and Filmmakers.
Osamah Sami: Osamah Sami is an award-winning Australian actor, writer, comedian and TAFTA alumnus. He recently starred in the Sundance Film Festival Opening Night and Audience Award-winning film Shayda, earning his second AACTA Award nomination for Best Lead Actor. He is also the co-writer and star of the Sydney Film Festival Audience Award-winning hit Australian romantic comedy Ali's Wedding. Osamah went on to play Salim Bayati in ABC’s Savage River, created and starred in the ABC and Matchbox Pictures series House of Gods, and has also appeared in City Homicide, Jack Irish and Separated at Birth.
Tyler Coppin: American born and raised Tyler Coppin is one of Australia’s earliest coaches of the US Accent having started during the 80’s wave of Aussie actors to Hollywood. Today he continues to train many of the actors of our young and exciting generation. A few of his past clients are Heath Ledger, Madeleine Madden, Melissa George, Joel Edgerton, Magda Szubanski, Ben Mendelsohn, and Mavournee Hazel (Piper Willis from Neighbours). Actors and students love working with Tyler because of his passionate, warm and thorough approach that gets them the results they want.
Simone Buchanan: After playing Debbie Kelly for many years in Australia's 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, BlueHeelers, Water-rats, All Saints, Pacific Drive, A Country Practice, and Upper Middle Bogan, Her film credits include: High Country, My Brilliant Career, with Sam Neal, Patrick, alongside Rachel Griffiths and Charles Dance, Boar, starring alongside Hugh Sheridan and John Jarratt and most recently, The Girl at the window with Radha Mitchell.
Colin Budds: Colin is a veteran Australian film and television director with over 40 years’ experience across local and international productions. With more than 55 projects and hundreds of hours of television to his credit, Colin has directed iconic series including Home and Away, Neighbours, H2O: Just Add Water, Mission: Impossible, The Saddle Club, The Flying Doctors, Sons and Daughters and Prisoner. Known for his strong storytelling instincts and actor-focused approach, Colin has recently directed a number of feature films for the international market through Hallmark and Jaggi Entertainment, including Aussie At Heart, A Vintage Christmas, Romance at the Vineyard and A Melbourne Match.
Nathalie Antonia: Nathalie is an award-winning writer, improviser and comedy performer with experience across the UK, Australia and the U.S. She has written for BBC Radio 4’s The Skewer, Have I Got News for You and The News Quiz, trained at UCB and Second City, and performed across the UK and internationally. Now based in Melbourne, Nathalie runs the sold-out improv show No Scripts Given and teaches her unique approach to improvisation, helping performers build confidence, find their voice and take creative risks.
Roz Hammond: Roz is one of Australia’s most accomplished comedy performers, with over three decades of experience across television, film and live performance. Her credits include ten seasons of the ABC’s Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell, The Micallef Program, Full Frontal, The Librarians, and iconic Australian films including Muriel’s Wedding and The Dish. A respected writer and performer, Roz brings her expertise in character, comedy and storytelling to help actors develop confidence, versatility and their own unique comedic voice.
Nick Kozakis is an award-winning director, editor, and co-founder of Visible Studios, with experience across feature films, television, and music videos. His recent feature film Kick On is currently in post-production, starring Markella Kavenagh (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) and Nikolai Nikolaeff (Stranger Things), following his acclaimed feature Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism, which screened at MIFF and Sitges, winning the People's Choice Award for Best Film. Nick directed Tones and I's global hit Dance Monkey and won the 2024 ARIA Award for Best Video for Dance With Me. Known for his energetic, practical, and collaborative approach, Nick brings his real-world directing experience into the classroom, helping actors build confidence, authenticity, and a stronger understanding of the director's process.
Showreels
A strong showreel is a crucial part of any actor’s professional package and essential for getting noticed by agents and casting directors. As part of our Part Time Program, you'll graduate with a polished showreel.
The program concludes with two on-location scenes, professionally shot to industry standards. These final scenes not only elevate your portfolio but also give you an authentic on-set experience, working under the guidance of a respected, working film & TV director.
Throughout the process, TAFTA’s professional instructors will support and mentor you, ensuring that your final showreel is something you’re proud to present to the industry. You'll also gain insight into the technical and collaborative aspects of production, helping you better understand the film and television workflow. Each student will be required to be present on set to experience the technical aspects of being on set and working in film and TV.
You’ll receive your showreel in formats ready for Casting Platforms or your personal website, everything you need to launch your professional career with confidence.
HOW TO APPLY
Click “Apply Now” and fill out the form - it only takes 10 minutes!
Please contact us if you have any questions about the application process on 0435 992 092 or enquiries@tafta.com.au
What makes TAFTA different?
ON-CAMERA TRAINING FOCUS
Almost all of your training at TAFTA will be done in front of a camera - either in the studio or on location.
You will learn to find comfort in front of the lens, increase camera awareness, and practice the power of stillness, conveying a story with just a look, or even making wild physicality authentic and believable on screen.
You will get copies of all your footage every class so that you can assess your own performance in playback, and monitor your growth as an actor.
THE MODERN ACTOR
At TAFTA, we strongly believe the modern actor needs to be a multi-hyphenate, to create and capitalise on all opportunities in the industry.
At TAFTA we facilitate learning in other aspects of the Film & TV Industry. You will learn skills including screenwriting, producing, content creation, and crewing, so you can take your career in your own hands and aren’t waiting for the phone to ring.
On top of that, we encourage our students to explore other ways of being creative. Many of our alumni have gone on to write, produce, direct, and star in award-winning short films, plays and films!
THE LIFE OF AN ACTOR
TAFTA not only arms actors with the craft required to become a professional performer in the industry but also aids in developing personal strengths and the mental capacity to handle the hardships of the industry.
Working as an actor is a fulfilling, exciting, and rewarding career, but there will be many challenges along the way. With a team of actors behind the scenes at TAFTA, we will be there to support you every step of the way.
Upon graduation you are part of the TAFTA family - our door is always open if you need guidance along your acting journey.
“The incredible amounts of knowledge that I have learnt have been insane and I owe so much to TAFTA. TAFTA, you have taught me everything about the craft, from on-set etiquette, learning to be comfortable in this industry, how to audition and self-tape and I don’t know where I would’ve started without you!”
— LILLY VAN DER MEER | Xanthe Canning on ‘Neighbours’