It’s been a long and arduous year, my friends with many twists and turns. We have seen many changes in the industry which has affected many of us in different ways. For one, it was the end of the training department at the Film and Television Institute, which was a sad day not just for Fern and me but also for Perth.

I know I can speak for Fern, when I say that FTI was one of the best places we’ve worked at. We had a blast over the years, we would witness the fruits of our labour when we see and hear about the success of our students in the industry. This made us proud and gave us a little strut in our stride, knowing we had something to do with that. FTI was a place where students could come and chat about their next big project, be taught by professionals in the industry and tell their stories. But now this has all changed. The training department has left the building. The fat lady has sung her last note and the clapper board as CLANGED shut for the very last time – its a wrap!  The echoes of students chatting in the hallways, rehearsing their lines and discussing final cut, is now a thing of the past – Sshhhhhh.

With two of FTI’s head lecturers now “unemployed” we thought to ourselves – what now? Do we find another job? Do we go back to freelance work? But the question we kept asking ourselves was, “What do we do best?” This question eventually led to the idea of starting a brand new training Academy. Why not? We are good at what we do – probably the best. This can be an Academy where the rules can be twisted, screwed up and thrown out, once and for all. An Academy where the serious actor can tread a path of self-discovery and face the honest truth by teachers who aren’t afraid to passionately yell critique like an army drill sergeant. A place where training methods can be designed for each class without fear of falling outside the lines of the “Education System“. We finally have no red tape – no rules. A relief. In fact, the harder we push our students, the better – right? Isn’t this what the serious actor wants? Hard and honest critique? If not, then tough!  If you are wanting to be mollycoddled and receive confidence boosters with little taps on your back so you can forget your 9-5 day, then I say, this isn’t the right school for you. There are plenty of other acting workshops and schools for that, where the craft of acting is only a hobby. WE ARE NOT THAT KIND OF SCHOOL. Acting is a serious business to us and we take it seriously.

It’s funny that as teachers and mentors, this form of hard disciplinarian-type training is the reason for our success in the industry.  Oh yes my friends, the chatter engines are all go and the chinese whisper machines are buzzing in Perth. The phones have been ringing and the in-boxes are glowing – the movement has begun.  NASA is here. Yes, you now are aware that this Academy is for the actor who is serious about their craft and it seems, serious actors are talking.

We do realise, however, in every journey there has to be a starting point; the beginning. The very first step. We are not saying, if you are a beginner then don’t apply. We are simply asking that you take the craft of acting seriously. Every great actor we now know, once decided to take that fearful leap of faith into the abyss. We now read about them in tabloid magazines and watch them on our televisions sets. We say, “Living truthfully in an imaginary circumstance comes so easy to them. They got lucky! ” Bullshit! The talent you are witnessing is a result of years of hard work, continuous training and sticking to the craft when everything else is falling by the wayside. Sticking to the craft when everyone close to you is saying, “give it up and get a real job!” So much so, that even we begin to question our motives for acting in the first place. Let me tell you, It’s those that push through the hard times and put in the hours of training, we eventually read about and see on the big screen – never forget that. It has nothing to do with luck. Luck is when talent meets hard fucking work – plain and simple!

I often say when you try and please everybody in life, you end up pleasing nobody – especially yourself.

So do yourself a favour, if you think you are ready to take that fearful first step into a journey that will test you mentally and physically yet be the most rewarding experience in your life –  then the ‘Nicholsons’ Academy of Screen Acting’ is your place of choice.

Who knows, we might even make an actor out of you.

Wayne Nicholson.