Course Dates

Perth Actors Collective (PAC) has been training WA actors and filmmakers since 1993. We recognise that there is an increasing need for screen-ready actors in Perth with the Perth Film Studio likely to require a greater number of actors who are screen-ready and competitive on a national level. PAC launched in 2021 the PAC Advanced Studio in Perth and it has grown in popularity due to its unique collaborative and supportive coaching for actors and filmmakers. The Studio nurtures and extends their craft skills by practising these on a regular basis in a year-long program of fortnightly workshops. Our studio helps skilled creatives come together to inspire and collaborate with a like-minded ‘tribe’. Actors and filmmakers are coached by a team of award-winning WA industry professionals.

Structure:

Acting sessions are the heartbeat of this studio. Commencing Monday February 3 PACAS will hold 22 fortnightly evening sessions (avoiding public holidays) on Monday evenings throughout 2025. These sessions provide a space for members to receive constructive coaching on characters or scenes of member’s choosing. Actors rehearse together in their own time and when their scene is ready, it is brought into session where two moderator coaches provide feedback and workshopping suggestions, manage feedback from the other members present and offer guidance for further exploration. Our moderators are award winning experienced professionals in theatre, film and television. Moderators for 2025 include Annie Murtagh-Monks (acting coach/casting director), Ben Young (film & TV director/writer), Caroline Brazier (actor/acting coach), Kelton Pell (actor/acting coach), Renee Webster (film & TV director/writer); Dr Michael McCall (director/actor/lecturer); Dr Andrew Lewis (director/actor); Maziar Lahooti (film director/writer) and Joel Jackson (actor/acting coach). Regularly before sessions moderators will also teach various necessary craft skills for actors and directors. We incorporate filming of scenes during at least one third (7) of the 22 sessions to enable honing of screen acting and directing skills in members.

Members can choose their own material – classical, contemporary, adaptation, scene from film, television or play script, monologue, short story or stand-up comedy routine. Members can also write their own material. Actors are free to choose their own scenes and scene partners. However, at times they may be given suggestions of suitable material from a coach which could extend their skills further.

At each fortnightly session held at Backlot Studio up to 10 actors will perform (e.g., total of 5 scenes). Full Members elect to choose which sessions they would like to perform at. Sessions can be booked in advance to fit in with work or life commitments.  Guidance and coaching are given by two moderator coaches at each session and the work is commented on by members present at the session. Filmmaker members of the Studio can choose to direct one of the scenes at sessions and receive feedback. Full Members do not have to perform or even attend every session but are able to attend whenever their work schedule permits. This Studio is advanced and at a higher level than other PAC courses so the feedback from moderators will be totally honest, constructive and designed to stretch actors. Those who crave this should apply for Full Membership. Selection of Full Members is by our panel of industry professionals who are coaches in PACAS.

Associate Members are invited to attend all 22 (or 11 if half yearly) sessions to watch and observe the workshopping for a low membership fee. Associate members comprise actors, filmmakers, and writers who have previous experience or training. Associate actor members can volunteer to be reserves and will have the chance to perform and receive feedback when Full Members become unavailable due to work or illness. Associate Member directors can choose to direct a scene at each session and receive feedback and coaching.

Membership Eligibility:
All members of PACAS (both Full & Associate) will be invited to become members after passing successfully through a selection process requiring submission of a CV and showreel or self-tape. Membership in the studio is offered on a yearly or half yearly basis and is subject to annual application and renewal. To ensure the level of excellence of the Studio, eligibility for membership is selective and strictly based on the skill level of the actor or filmmaker as selected by the Coaching Panel. Invitations to join the Studio in 2025 as a Full Member will be offered to the most skilled actors who have applied by the application deadline of 5pm Tuesday December 31, 2024. Note a $50 deposit is required to accept an offer of membership with membership fees due in full by January 22, 2025.

There are four types of Membership: *directors or writers must also have industry experience and provide CV and showreel when applying.

Annual Full Membership: entitles actor to attend all 22 fortnightly sessions & networking throughout 2025 and perform regularly at these to receive feedback & coaching. Cost $1200 (plus GST) Limited number.

Half Year Full Membership: entitles actor to attend 11 fortnightly sessions & networking in the first half of 2024 and perform regularly at these to receive feedback & coaching. Cost $750 (plus GST) Limited number.

Associate Membership Full Year: entitles an actor, director* or writer* to attend any or all 22 fortnightly sessions & networking throughout 2024 who can give feedback/ direct*/ act as reserve. Cost $495 (plus GST)

Associate Membership Half Year: entitles an actor, director* or writer* to attend any or all 11 fortnightly sessions & networking in the first half of 2024 who can give feedback/ direct*/ act as reserve. Cost $350 (plus GST)

NB: Membership Fee to the Studio provides professional development and is therefore claimable as a tax deduction for professional actors & filmmakers.

Networking
In addition, all members of PACAS are invited to attend free private networking to be held prior to each session throughout the year with visiting or local leading industry professionals.

Dates of Sessions 2025
22 Mondays commencing at 6:30pm (networking from 6pm): (note some avoidance of public holidays)

Feb 03 & 17, March 03, 17 & 31; April 14 & 28; May 12 & 26; June 16 & 30;

July 14 & 28; August 11 & 25; Sept 08 & 22; October 06 & 20; November 03 & 17; December 01,
and End of Year Party: December 08.

How to Apply for Membership of PAC Advanced Studio:
Send your application ASAP and not later than 5pm Tuesday December 31, 2024 to href="mailto:courses@perthactorscentre.com.au">courses@perthactorscentre.com.au and include your CV OR link to your Showcast/CN/or IMDB page AND include a link to your showreel. If you don’t have a current showreel you can send links to 2 self-tapes.

Please don’t forget to include the following:

Your name…………………………………….  Age…………………………
Email address………………………………………………………………….
Mobile number……………………………………………………………….
Are you are applying for: full membership……… associate membership ……. or either?……….
Half year or full year?………… Do you have an agent? If so, which?………………………………….
Are you applying as an actor …….. director…… writer……..
Have you included link to: CV…… IMDB/other page…… Showreel …….or Self-tapes……

Note: If you know of an advanced actor or filmmaker who would benefit and possesses the required skill level for our studio feel free to share this with them. For further information email href="mailto:courses@perthactorscentre.com.au">courses@perthactorscentre.com.au

The best way to improve your acting skills is to immerse yourself in this intensive weekend where you will learn essential current screen acting practice in front of the camera and flex your creative muscle. Take your skills to the next level as your industry professional tutor, Annie Murtagh-Monks inspires you and reveals techniques to improve your working process.

Feedback: “It was an pleasure attending your course last weekend. I found the course very helpful — I was very nervous to get back into acting after a few months break (felt like a lifetime), and you did an excellent job of settling me back into it. I loved how you involved the breathing and visualisation techniques to go hand-in-hand with the acting techniques. The balance you provided with the anecdotal stories and what you were teaching allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of what I was learning. I also really liked how you still provided the one-on-one feedback despite there being a group of us — I’ve found that’s what other courses have lacked, so thank you!” Charlotte Robertson

“Thank you so much for an awesome weekend! I found this PAC course very insightful and found it helped me approach screen acting and characterisation from another perspective which was very refreshing. It was amazing being surrounded by a group of supportive, like minded people and i felt comfortable and encouraged the entire weekend. I loved the way the weekend operated it was very efficient and we were able to cover a lot of theory and also had the chance to put the theory into practise. I would totally recommend the course, I had a fabulous weekend.” Olivia Colvin

Taught by award winning casting director and acting coach Annie Murtagh-Monks. Annie has cast 42 major film & television projects shot in WA and been acting coach on 16. Productions she worked on include Japanese Story, Last Train to Freo, Drift, Claremont Murders and most recently hugely successful Runt. She supported the early careers of several internationally successful WA actors and helped cast them in their first screen roles. These include Heath Ledger, Melissa George, Isla Fisher, Emma Booth and Jai Courtney. She founded Perth Actors Collective and PAC Screen Workshops which have helped to train WA actors and directors since 1993. Annie has been nominated for the 2024 CGA Best Casting in a Feature Film for Runt.

This weekend intensive is suitable for those aged 16 years and over. It will run on Saturday & Sunday from 9am – 4:30pm each day at The Backlot Studio, West Perth. PLACES LIMITED & OUR COURSES ALWAYS FILL UP FAST, SO ENROL NOW.

Weekly evening course for those wanting to improve their speaking voice, gain confidence in presenting to a group and learn how to deliver voice overs for commercials, documentary narration, video games or web. Wednesday evenings in Scarborough from 6:30pm-9:30pm over 5 consecutive weeks with the final lesson earlier in a professional recording studio. Taught by experienced voice and acting coach Annie Murtagh-Monks. Suitable for those 16 years and older.

“Super excited to announce I’ve secured voice over artist work for a radio station! I’d like to thank PAC Screen Workshop as I gained a myriad of skills, and learnt so much from doing the PAC Voice Over Course. I highly recommend booking yourself in for any of Annie’s courses!” – Liv Richardson

Our PAC course sell out fast so don’t miss out on a place, enrol now.