When I began in the film and television industry in 1978 ,having graduated NIDA, the norm for actors was to learn on the job .
When I began teaching screen skills in 2003 it was the same.
It's a lovely irony.
The extent of our TV training at NIDA was two weeks at the ABC at the end of 2nd year and then again in 3rd year . We were given scenes from a production entitled "My Pot Plant's Turning Blue " in 2nd year and some from the play "Don's Party" in 3rd year . Fortunately we were working with directors of the calibre of Peter Fisk, Paul Thompson and Michael Carson. There was even a day out on the old location set from "Rush" with an armourer, guns and real blanks. The highlight for me was firing an Owen gun (couldn't handle the shotguns, they had too much kick).
Then, we were released onto the unsuspecting sets of the productions of the times. Crawfords dramas in Melbourne, Grundy's in Sydney, ABC mini series, films funded under the 10 BA tax concession and the soaps.
I do clearly remember the occasional slur 'Oh yes, that's right, you're Naida trained' . Seems it may have been more a hindrance rather than a help. I began to wonder even then where else it was possible to learn about the screen.
It was easy to learn on the job because there was a lot of work to be had. The multi camera TV studio was widely used and there was time for rehearsal even for the smaller roles on the dramas. Sitcoms like 'Kingswood Country' and 'Hey Dad!' allowed a guest actor to spend a week with the cast , director and writer in church hall in Balmain before recording in front of a studio audience,
I can remember my first encounter with a television camera in studio. I had a small part in 'The Oracle' , an ABC drama with John Gregg as a radio personality. We had rehearsed (in a hall or rehearsal room ) but this was my first day on a set. As I stood waiting , this large creature on a hydraulic pedestal swished silently towards me, reared up and the head bounced a bit at my eye level as it looked straight at me with one large eye. It was a living, breathing alien. And I realised that I needed to make very good friends with it.
On the job was the way everyone learned and experience is the best teacher.
These days , though, the opportunities are fewer and the budgets are tighter. The norm (for a guest role ) is to arrive on set , have a camera rehearsal and then shoot it. Even the main cast are lucky to get a read through at some stage before the shoot ,with everyone present and engaged and uninterrupted by wardrobe calls , publicity or pick ups. Time is tight and the stress in the air even tighter.
So, given that NIDA got it's TV studio up and running for the very first time three weeks ago, how do we need to be teaching our actors to prepare for a career on screen?
When I began teaching screen skills in 2003 it was the same.
It's a lovely irony.
 |
| NIDA 2nd Year ABC TV excersise 1977 FRONT ROW L TO R: Michael Carson. Lewis Fitzgerald. Katrina Foster,Linda Cropper,Di Smith, Robert Giltinan, Stephen Doric,Peter Fisk BACK ROW L TO R:John Howard,robert Grubb,Therese Kirk, Phillip Abdullah,Andrew James,Tony Mahood,Penny Cook,Bill McCluskey, Peter Cousens , Martin Sharman. |
Then, we were released onto the unsuspecting sets of the productions of the times. Crawfords dramas in Melbourne, Grundy's in Sydney, ABC mini series, films funded under the 10 BA tax concession and the soaps.
I do clearly remember the occasional slur 'Oh yes, that's right, you're Naida trained' . Seems it may have been more a hindrance rather than a help. I began to wonder even then where else it was possible to learn about the screen.
It was easy to learn on the job because there was a lot of work to be had. The multi camera TV studio was widely used and there was time for rehearsal even for the smaller roles on the dramas. Sitcoms like 'Kingswood Country' and 'Hey Dad!' allowed a guest actor to spend a week with the cast , director and writer in church hall in Balmain before recording in front of a studio audience,
I can remember my first encounter with a television camera in studio. I had a small part in 'The Oracle' , an ABC drama with John Gregg as a radio personality. We had rehearsed (in a hall or rehearsal room ) but this was my first day on a set. As I stood waiting , this large creature on a hydraulic pedestal swished silently towards me, reared up and the head bounced a bit at my eye level as it looked straight at me with one large eye. It was a living, breathing alien. And I realised that I needed to make very good friends with it.
On the job was the way everyone learned and experience is the best teacher.
These days , though, the opportunities are fewer and the budgets are tighter. The norm (for a guest role ) is to arrive on set , have a camera rehearsal and then shoot it. Even the main cast are lucky to get a read through at some stage before the shoot ,with everyone present and engaged and uninterrupted by wardrobe calls , publicity or pick ups. Time is tight and the stress in the air even tighter.
So, given that NIDA got it's TV studio up and running for the very first time three weeks ago, how do we need to be teaching our actors to prepare for a career on screen?
