CARMEN DUNCAN SCHOLARSHIP

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With numerous award-winning credits to her name, Lisa Duff’s producing career spans over 20 years.  Her feature film credits include producer of feature films Last Train to Freo, Last Cab to Darwin starring Michael Caton and the Academy Award® nominated Jacki Weaver and Unindian, the first feature film financed by the Australia India Film Fund, starring Brett Lee and Tannishtha Chatterjee. 

Lisa was producer of the critically acclaimed documentary Sexing the Label for SBS and theatrical release in Australia, The Future Makers for Discovery Channel and a number of short TV dramas and documentaries for Australian broadcasters, including drama Road for SBS and Leah Purcell’s short drama Aunty Maggie & The Womba Wakgun for the ABC’s series The New Black.  

Lisa has completed a Masters thesis on the impact of the global film industry on Australian film making culture and has a Juris Doctor degree. She worked as a Senior Production Investment and Development Manager at Screen Australia for 5 years overseeing feature film and TV drama projects and is currently the Head of Scripted at EQ Media Group.

The Film and Television industry is a family business for Tony, with both his father Calvin and grandfather Jack being accredited cinematographers. From a young age Tony knew he wanted to work in the family business. Starting in the camera department at Panavision Australia then moving up through the camera department to become a director of photography. In his career as a DOP Tony has had many career highlights including winning best cinematography at the worlds largest short film festival "Tropfest". Tony has also won multiple Australian Cinematographers Society awards for his work in commercial and drama. After 5 years of shooting Australians highest rated drama "Home and Away" Tony turned his mind to directing. After a successful attachment on Home and Away Tony went on to direct 35 episodes of "Home and Away" and more recently moved to another Australian classic drama "Neighbours" with his most recent episode becoming the highest rating episode in several years both in Australia and the UK. Tony is currently developing a series created by well known Actors "Brenton Thwaites" and "Tai Hara".

Kim is the founder of 16th Street Actors Studio. She is known and respected as one of Australia’s most esteemed acting teachers.

Kim began her career as an actor in film receiving an AFI Best Actress nomination and has worked for all major television networks and theatre companies across Australia including Nimrod, MTC and QTC.

Kim has also worked in theatre in the United States, including touring Broadway productions, and in repertory theatre across the United Kingdom.

Kim was a student at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), Sydney, The HB Studio (NYC), The Atlantic Theatre School (NYC) and is a graduate of the Drama Centre, London. Kim received a prestigious Churchill Fellowship and has trained under some of the most highly regarded acting teachers in the world including Yat Malmgren & Doreen Cannon in London, Uta Hagen in New York and Ivana Chubbuck in Los Angeles. Kim is now accredited to teach the innovative Chubbuck Technique.

“Acting is the most intimate of The Arts. Acting is a craft that requires respect and dedication and is learned and refined over years of practice. In a world that is obsessed with the cult of celebrity, actors must be reminded to do what is required to be a great actor. They must be willing.” – Kim Krejus

Sydney born and Darwin raised, Asian-Australian, Tsu Shan, is a multiple film, business and community service award winner.  An Optometrist turned Actor/Writer/Producer, she is passionate about bringing awareness to issues that matter through telling provoking stories. She was selected as one of Screen Producers Australia’s “Ones to Watch” in 2018 and awarded the Charlies Grant Residency with AiF in 2021. Tsu Shan holds a Graduate Certificate in Creative Producing at AFTRS and a Master in Public Health.  

She is the producer of romance drama feature UNSOUND about deaf culture and pride.  It was nominated for 'Best Indie Film' at the AACTA awards.  It won ‘Best Australian Feature Film’ at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and 'Best Fiction Feature' at the ATOM Awards.  Internationally, it was selected in competition for the UNICEF Award at the 32nd festival for Children and Youth in Vienna and the UNESCO-Gandhi Medal at the International Film Festival of India, among others.

Tsu Shan's latest screenplay  BLIND LOVE was semi-finalist in the WeScreenplay Diverse Voices competition and quarter-finalist for ScreenCraft's Film Fund.    She continues to develop her slate across TV, Features and Online formats to create unique and bold stories with underlying social impact thematics.

Australian Director Rod Hardy moved to Los Angeles in 1992. Directing Lies and Lullabies the traumatic life story of Susan Dey & Piper Laurie awarded the Scott Newman Award (founded by Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in memory of their son). He's garnered Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for movies of the week & mini-series from Grounds for Murder for CBS, starring John Ritter & Henry Winkler, Marjorie Rawlins’ novel remake, The Yearling, for CBS with Jean Smart and Peter Strauss and Robinson Crusoe with Pierce Brosnan and Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Michael Caine. Rod also directed successful Turner Network Television adventure-drama Two For Texas, starring Kris Kristofferson, Tom Skerrit and Scott Bairstow garnering prestigious Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Award. His work includes HIGH NOON for TBS, X-Files series 8, JAG series 7 for Belisarius Productions / CBS, Robbery Homicide Division for Producer Michael Mann, The Practice for David E Kelley Productions, Touching Evil for producers Bruce Willis/ Arnold Rifkin and Battlestar Gallactica for the Sci-Fi channel. Also included in his repertoire, The Mentalist starring Simon Baker, DollHouse for producer Joss Whedon and FOX, Covert Affairs with Piper Perabault, Burn Notice with Jeffrey Donovan, and Make It Or Break It for The Family Channel. Mental for FOX, shot in Bogota, Colombia, and Persons Unknown NBC, shot in Mexico City.

His theatrical feature DECEMBER BOYS was winner of the Giffoni Film Festival Award 2008. Released by Roadshow/Warner Bros, it starred Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame and Teresa Palmer.

Judi Levine has had an extensive producing career in feature films, television mini-series and documentaries, and has been associated with award-winning film projects since her first short feature PLEAD GUILTY, GET A BOND won an AFI award for Best Screenplay in a Short Film.  Levine produced the award-winning feature film THE SESSIONS starring Oscar-winner Helen Hunt, and Oscar-nominees John Hawkes and William H. Macy. A highlight of Levine’s career, the film won numerous international awards including Audience Awards at the Sundance, San Sebastian and Mill Valley Film Festivals, a Sundance Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Cast, and acting nominations and awards at the Independent Spirit, Golden Globe and Academy Awards.  In 2017, Levine was a co-producer on the WWII drama THE CATCHER WAS A SPY starring Paul Rudd, Paul Giamatti and Guy Pearce which premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and opened across the US that same year. 

Levine recently completed the romantic comedy FALLING FOR FIGARO starring Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald due for release in 2021, and is currently producing the comedic drama HOW TO PLEASE A WOMAN, in Perth, Western Australia. 

While Levine has a number of projects in development through her company Such Much Films, she also tours with the seminars JUMPSTART HOLLYWOOD, aimed at helping aspiring artists find an easier path to establishing themselves in Hollywood. 

Casting Director, Filmmaker and Fashion Designer. Meisner Expert Acting Coach. Achievement in Casting’ Award by the Casting Guild of Australia, the premiere of my second film, Matrimony, was sold out in Melbourne, and following this, was invited to be headlined Subvrt magazine’s ‘Playhouse Grote3k’ Film Festival. 

During the last ten years Faith has consulted with many major US television networks, including ABC US, Fox, Universal, HBO, Starz, Sundance Channel which has resulted in Australian actors being cast in leading roles for US television and international.“A life in film has provided me with the most outstanding gift and that is to “do what I love” and to share my day collaborating with the most inspiring range of talent across all sections of the Film Industry”.  I am priviledged”Features include:  Buckley’s Chance (Dir: Tim Brown, Bill Nighy’s first film in Australia), Strictly Ballrom, The Crossing, Russell Crowe’s first feature film, Peter Pan (PJ Hogan, Australian casting,  Paperback Hero, Alexandra’s Project (Dir:  Rolf de Heer) Crush, Lapis Lazuli (German – Lead Boy), Acolytes and Cactus (Dir Jasmin Yuen Carrucan)  which launched David Lyons into an International career and  Gabriel which  also launched Andy Whitfield into an International career).  More recently, 33 Postcards (Dir Pauline Chan), The King is Dead (Dir Rolf de Heer). Healing (Dir:  Craig Monahan) The Merger (Dir Mark Grentell) Better Watch Out (Dir Chris Peckover Osirus Child (Dir Shane Abbess) Gabriel (Dir Shane Abbess) Infini (Dir Shane Abbess) Cabin in the Woods (Cast Anna Hutchison out of Aust Evid Dead (Dir Fede Alvarez) The Sum of US (Dirs Kevin Dowling & Geoff Burton, Satellite Boy (Dir Catriona McKenzie)Tele-moves include:  Junction Boys (US) creating a breakaway career for Ryan Kwanten in the US and casting Ewan Leslie in his first screen role. Invincible (Icon Productions) Disappearance (US). Carlotta (Dir Sam Lang) , Blood Brothers (Dr: Peter Adrikidis, Television series include: Spartacus, Legend of the Seeker, Which Way Home (HBO) Kangaroo Palace, Four Day Revolution (out of the Phillipines) In television series:   Blue Heelers (10 seasons) Water Rats (6 seasons) Stingers (4 seasons) Out There (2 seasons), Two Twisted, Rain Shadow, Blood Brothers, Sea Patrol – Season 1, Upside Down Show, Out There, Good Cop Bad Cop, The Battlers, Mortified, Going Home (improvised series)

Renown Acting Coach with Hagen Teacher Training Program with Carol Rosenfeld at HB Studio, NYC; Plus 16th Street Actors Studio  and AAFTA, Co-developed and co-produced two LA and NYC workshops with Oscar, Tony and Pulitzer prize winning writer/director, John Patrick Shanley. Co-produced and directed one of his short plays right here in Hollywood. Founding Co-Artistic Director and Head of Talent in charge of casting/training now defunct Australian Theatre Company.  Program Director Short+Sweet Hollywood Latino. 

Born in Chicago and raised between Chicago and Boston.  Attended Deerfield Academy (’01), Tufts University (’05) and Suffolk University Law School (’08).  Passed the Massachusetts Bar Exam in 2008.  Went to law school knowing he wanted to rep talent.  Moved to Los Angeles in late 2010 worked at ICM and CAA from 2011-2015.  He transitioned to management in 2015 by moving to Industry Entertainment and has been there ever since.  Actors/Icons worked with include, Christopher Walken, Jamie Foxx, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, RZA, Laura Linney, Holly Hunter, Bobby Cannavale, James Spader, to name a few. 

As a child, Peter lived in Europe, Asia and South America before settling in Southampton, New York. After graduating with a business degree from Boston College's Carroll School of Management, Peter moved to Los Angeles. Over the course of his career, Peter has worked with some of the most acclaimed artists in film, television and theatre and has developed a reputation for identifying and cultivating exciting young talent and understanding the increasing global presence in the industry. Peter joined Echo Lake in October of 2015.

Caitlin got her start as an assistant to Ronna Kress (Moulin Rouge!, Fury Road) before becoming an Associate with Warner Bros. Feature Casting. At WB she worked under EVP, Lora Kennedy (Tombstone, Argo), and SVP, Kristy Carlson (Wonder Woman, Man of Steel) for four years until she moved to Australia for a year where she continued her career in casting with Thea McLeod (Pawno, Neighbours). After moving back to California, Caitlin has worked as an Associate Casting Director at Automatic Sweat for the past two and a half years alongside John Papsidera (Dunkirk, Westworld (HBO)). Her most recent credits include Venom, Lost in Space (Netflix), The Oath (Sony Crackle), and Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone (Paramount TV) starring Kevin Costner. To see her list of credits, please check her IMDb!  Some of her film credits include Frankenweenie, The Lucky One, Happy Feet 2, and Man of Steel. She has also overseen the casting of various Warner Bros. projects, including Argo, Cloud Atlas, and Winter's Tale, Fury Road, 300: Rise of an Empire, All You Need Is Kill, and This is Where I Leave You. 

Menik Gooneratne is a Sri Lankan-Australian actress and writer whose body of work has grossed over $500 million worldwide. Born in London, Menik spent her youth travelling to developing countries with her father’s UN work in combating climate change. While living in Papua New Guinea, her passion for the arts was ignited when at age 4, she was cast in the coveted role of “Wild Boar” in her kindergarten's Easter play. Aside from “Wild Boar", Menik is best known for her roles as rebel fighter Sathya in the Peter Jackson sci-fi epic MORTAL ENGINES, Swarmina in Oscar-nominated LION and her 111-episode run as PRIYA KAPOOR on the iconic Australian series NEIGHBOURS. 

As a writer she has been developing numerous projects including an adaptation of the novel “The Wedding Season” by Melbourne author Su Dharmapala. She has been mentored by award winning writer/director Gurinder Chadha OBE and Paul Mayeda Berges (BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, BLINDED BY THE LIGHT) for this project and her script was shortlisted for the 2020 Sundance Development Lab.

Tarik Kanafani was born in Washington D.C. and grew up spending many years in the Middle East and North Africa where he gained life experiences and perspectives that he values today in his approach to the job. With a love for TV, Film and Acting, he immediately pursued a career as a representative shortly after high school. Starting off at a young age working for and learning from Hollywood veterans Bonnie Liedtke and Thor Bradwell, who helped to launch the careers of many movie stars in their young age, he then moved on to the William Morris Agency (and eventually through the transition to WME) where he spent 5 years working with the top players and actors in the industry. To gain the experience of the actor’s perspective, Tarik took a one year hiatus from WME to work on the production of a large movie franchise where he studied the ins and outs of a film set/production.

Tarik has been at Silver Lining Entertainment since its inception in 2014.

Kanica Suy is a seasoned professional with twenty years of experience in the entertainment industry. Her main focus has been working with talent to develop and grow their careers. Previously, she worked at 3 Arts Entertainment, Endeavor Talent Agency, Al Burton Productions, Telepictures Productions and others. She was also a manager at Authentic Talent & Literary Agency, when she left to form her own company. In 2018, Kanica launched Cultivate Entertainment with a diverse group of clients that includes Dayo Okeniyi (Greek Freak for Disney+, Sobini Films’ Emperor, NBC’s Shades of Blue), Bella Dayne (BBC/Netflix's Cursed and Troy: Fall of a City), Claudia Doumit (Amazon’s The Boys, Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, NBC’s Timeless), Jay Ali (Amazon’s Carnival Row, CBS’ Magnum P.I., Marvel/Netflix’s Daredevil), Max Carver (Warner Bros.’  The Batman, MTV’s Teen Wolf), Mika Abdalla (Hulu’s Sex Appeal, Awesomeness TV/Netflix’s Project MC2), and Francesca Eastwood (Universal Pictures’ Old, SXSW’s M.F.A., Sundance Film Festival’s Outlaws & Angels). She is a producer on several film and television projects in various stages of development. Kanica has a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of California Los Angeles and a Master of Fine Arts in Psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles. She is also an alumna, active board member and mentor of Inner-City Filmmakers, a non-profit organisation aimed at helping low-income and minority youth learn and procure jobs in the entertainment industry. 

Chelsea, originally from Carlsbad, CA, has been working in representation for over 6 years and is a voting member of the Television Academy. She graduated from Vanguard University of Southern California with a BA in Theatre Arts. Chelsea began her representation journey in New York City Chelsea, originally from Carlsbad, CA, has been working in representation for over 6 years and is a voting member of the Television Academy. She graduated from Vanguard University of Southern California with a BA in Theatre Arts. Chelsea began her representation journey in New York City working at Take 3 Talent Agency. While there, she worked with talented youth in film, TV, and Broadway. In 2015 she moved back to Los Angeles and began working at Innovative Artists Talent and Literary Agency on developing exceptional, young talent. After Innovative, Chelsea knew she wanted to make the move to management as she loved developing and discovering the next emerging stars. In 2017, she transitioned into talent management, booking her clients several series regular roles, including High School Musical: The Musical: The Series(Disney+), OutMatched (FOX), and The Big Show Show (Netflix) to name a few.

Over the years Chelsea has developed strong relationships with casting, and agents alike. She enjoys growing and fostering relationships with talent and helping them grow into successful well-rounded actors and people.

Mike Gillespie is a native of Boston, Massachusetts, where he attended The University of Massachusetts Amherst and received a bachelor’s degree in Communications. Upon graduating, Mike decided to follow his dream of being in the entertainment industry and moved to Hollywood starting his career in publicity for The Jim Henson Company. After leaving the publicity world, Mike found his true calling in talent representation and worked at one of the biggest talent agencies in the world, United Talent Agency for 5 years; starting in the mailroom and becoming a talent agent. During his time at UTA, Mike realized he loved the personal relationships with clients, as well as packaging films and decided that management was his true calling. After leaving UTA, Mike Gillespie was instrumental in starting Intellectual Artist Management. The company quickly became one of the top management firms in Los Angeles and soon merged with music powerhouse Primary Wave Music where Mike has spent 7 years at both firm grow into a full service media company. Mike Gillespie is known for his taste in discovering new talent and building their careers in the Film and TV space as well as across all Entertainment platforms.

Mike has produced 7 films; SUGAR MOUNTAIN starring Jason Momoa, the Crime Thriller THE LOOKALIKE with Justin Long, WHEN THE STARLIGHT ENDS starring Sam Heughan, the indie drama BROKEN GHOST as well as the historic drama ROBERT THE BRUCE, the atmospheric thriller, MINE GAMES and the Australian Sports Drama, BLINDER.

Lisa Robertson most current coaching credits include: Alexis Bledel for her Emmy Award winning role in THE HANDMAID’S TALE (Hulu); Logan Browning's NAACP Best Actress nominated series lead role in DEAR WHITE PEOPLE (Netflix) and also THE PERFECTION opposite Alison Williams; Ashleigh Cummings opposite Ansel Elgort in THE GOLDFINCH and her television lead roles in NOS4A2 (AMC) opposite Zachary Quinto and WESTSIDE (NZ).  Lisa also coaches lead and supporting roles in PEN15 (Hulu - Emmy nominated); THE L WORD: GENERATION Q (SHOWTIME); GOD FRIENDED ME (CBS); AMERICAN PRINCESS (Lifetime); Ron Howard/Brian Grazer's, MARS (NatGeo); WARRIOR (Cinemax); and MORTAL ENGINES. A protégé of acclaimed acting coach, Larry Moss, other favorite coaching credits include: MUNICH (Steven Spielberg); RENDITION, (Chopard Award for Breakout Performance at Cannes); Eddie Izzard’s series lead in THE RICHES (on-set) as well as OCEAN’S THIRTEEN (on-set), VALKYRIE; and the feature, TENDERNESS (on-set) starring Russell Crowe. Also, THE TWILIGHT SAGA; THE PACIFIC; THE STONING OF SORAYA M (title role, Mozhan Marno); BOSS; BROTHERHOOD; THE OC (numerous roles); THE SHIELD; THE SOPRANOS; POST GRAD (Alexis Bledel). She was James L. Brooks casting coach for SPANGLISH. Her full list of credits runs to the hundreds. As a writer/director Lisa was selected for the prestigious AFI Directing Workshop for Women. Her short film, COMMERCE, won numerous festivals, qualified for Academy Award consideration, and is a top 50 All-Time Bestselling Drama Short on iTunes. With her feature screenplay, COMMERCE, based on her short, she received Film Independent fellowships in Screenwriting and Directing. Her script also received recognition in the Academy Awards' Nicholl Fellowship and the Page Awards. Lisa now mentors directors in FIND's feature film Directing Lab. This year, she also advised alongside Liz Hannah (THE POST) in the AT&T HELLO LAB filmmaker incubator. 

BIO COMING

Matthew Barry began his career in New York City. His father is Broadway playwright P.J. Barry. He was off-Broadway at the Roundabout Theatre when he was just 8 years old and on a CBS TV show by 13. The big break came when he starred in Academy Award winning director Bernardo Bertolucci's controversial film “Luna.” Matt studied at The Actors Studio and with Uta Hagen at the famed HB Studios. After years of acting in film and television, begged director Barry Levinson for a behind the scenes job in casting. Twenty years later he know’s what it takes to “make it” and does whatever he can to help along the way. He’s discovered or given breaks to: Amanda Seyfried, James Gandolfini, Rachel McAdams, Dakota Fanning, Ryan Philippe, Olivia Wilde, Michael Rapaport, Steve Zahn, Don Cheadle, Lucy Liu, Jason Ritter and many others. He’s taught workshops in Sydney and Melbourne Australia, New York, Chicago, London, Detroit, North Carolina, Miami, Dallas, Sacramento, Oklahoma, San Francisco and Toronto. He enjoy’s passing on my knowledge to help others achieve their dreams.

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