Commenced London's Dance & Drama Institute - 1966

Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts -

While here in Australia, I was not looking for just another acting school. I was tired of teachers giving me the same critique over and over again…” sure Fern, that was great…..next?” I was looking for “no! let's try that again!” I wanted the same rigorous and passionate training I was given in the UK.

In 1999 Make Believe Entertainment Co. Pty Ltd was founded. Short film productions, assisting media students and acting courses were it’s main aim. This allowed me to write and develop five different levels in intensive screen training for the actor.

My 7-year background in personal development here and in Singapore helped me to create these courses. I firmly believed that in order to become the best I could be, it was of paramount importance to have a good sense of self! Longevity was the key. How? Actors must be internally strong, confident, and able to make important decisions in our industry. To understand the importance of the “craft”. To realise that acting was so much more than lines and performance. To learn how to create, use their imagination, and build presence! To learn respect, humility, and be ready, willing, and eager to work hard.

I wanted to create a course that I myself would want to participate in.

In 2009 whilst working as the training registrar for The Film & Television Institute in Fremantle I wrote and developed Perth’s first nationally recognized course, the Diploma of Screen Acting specific to the screen actor. I found that actors were not scared to work outside their personal boundaries and wanted to push themselves beyond their comfort zones to be the best they could be! Unfortunately, a full-time course such as this was not accessible to all.

Since this time, I have written and developed two other nationally accredited courses. A Certificate II in Screen Acting & Personal Development for Filmbites Youth Film School which will be accessible to all public and private schools in WA along with an Advanced Diploma in Screen Performance, a one-year full-time course.

Since NASA's inception, my brother Wayne Nicholson and I have had the privilege of being invited to teach at the famous FrenchWoods in New York State, the elite camp for celebrity children. This particular journey showed me what we needed in terms of training and more importantly what was “missing”.

I have, over the last year, received many requests from actors all throughout Perth and Australia to consider opening a school, so others would have access to this form of training. Hence Nicholson’s Academy of Screen Acting was born!

I am a dedicated trainer with a tremendous amount of passion! I love the craft and have the utmost respect for it. I call a spade a spade. I shout, rant and sometimes rave….all for the good of the actor!! I love all who I work with. I trust that all students who have the same drive and passion will allow me to assist them in making this journey an exciting one!

It’s my mission to share and explore with as many of you that are just as passionate about this craft as I am. It’s not just about the techniques and skills that are required to be a successful actor, it’s about you, about your personal journey, and gathering “life skills” on the way. I love what I do and do what I love!!

NASA looks forward to working with you!!

— Fern R Nicholson

1961-2020