Film Agencies Support ‘Seeing More of NZ Actors on Screen'

30/3/12

Film Agencies Support ‘Seeing More of New Zealand Actors on Screen’

Film New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission have been delighted with the positive response to the “Seeing More of NZ Actors on Screen” series, a collaborative project offering free seminars to professional actors and industry professionals.

The series run in Auckland and Wellington was devised and presented by Film New Zealand Board member and international acting coach Miranda Harcourt with leading New Zealand casting director Tina Cleary, and focused on New Zealand actors working on international productions.

Gisella Carr, Film New Zealand’s Chief Executive, says industry support for the series has been extremely positive, with more than 200 attendees over the four seminars.

“The response has been overwhelming with the workshops oversubscribed. These seminars are a perfect vehicle for both Film New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission to nurture local talent for the international market.

“The success of our screen actors is somewhat of an untold story, but more than two decades of international production have seen local acting talent underpin productions such as Xena and Hercules, Spartacus, Lord of the Rings, Tintin and now The Hobbit to name but a few.

“As an industry we are committed to seeing our local talent flourish by equipping to make the most of these opportunities,” Carr says.

Featuring additional input from prominent casting directors Christina Asher, Stu Turner and Andrea Kelland and insights from writer Rachel Lang and director Jane Campion, the popular seminars also included workshops on improving actors’ American accents with renowned accent coach Jacque Drew.

Acclaimed actor Tandi Wright was among those who attended. "Acting is like any other job in that the more you practice, the better you get... It's very difficult to be brilliant in isolation. Workshops with seasoned professionals like Miranda and Tina are so valuable for performers. They help us hone our skills, test ourselves and keep us match fit. We'd love to see more of them!"

Miranda Harcourt says the feedback shows how these practical workshops are in high demand across the industry.

“We had more than 200 actors attend and we turned away just as many. We had some very experienced actors from films and shows like LOTR, The Almighty Johnsons, Nothing Trivial, and many new actors too.”

Actors have since emailed, texted and facebooked us in response with comments like "entertaining and inspirational," Harcourt says.

An important component of the seminars was the screening of actors’ recent audition and recall tapes for the Jane Campion production Top of the Lake.

“This was really valuable material, as actors never get to see other auditions. Many thanks to the great support and buy-in from Philippa Campbell, Jane Campion and the actors who allowed us to show their work”, Harcourt says.

ENDS

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