Thea McLeod of McLeod Casting is one of Australia’s most prominent casting directors with a wide breadth of work ranging from international films to television. Thea has a passion for discovering and nurturing the next generation of A-list actors from Australia and beyond.

Thea spent eleven years in the UK where she was both an actress and a casting director, gaining much experience on an international level for film, television, and commercials. Since her return to Australia, she has been the resident casting director for Neighbours over the past 12 years. Other television credits include the highly acclaimed Better Man for the SBS network, the controversial telemovie Schapelle for Channel Nine, based on the fascinating story of Schapelle Corby and her trial, and UnderBelly Files: The Man That Got Away for Screentime, which was a part of the highly successful crime series Underbelly, plus City Homicide for the Seven Network, and What Ever Happened to That Guy for Foxtel. She has also cast many successful Australian feature films including Pawno, Spin Out, Lie with Me, Emo The Musical, Summercoda, Blinder, What If It Works, The Menkoff Method, and Measure for Measure.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:

Acting Performance Studio is thrilled to welcome Thea McLeod back to the studio! This workshop is designed to help students learn about the casting process and audition techniques, enabling them to deliver their best performances in any casting audition throughout their acting careers. Thea will guide students on how to make a lasting impression with their self-tapes and what casting directors seek in audition scenes.

WORKSHOP OUTLINE:

During the workshop, students will perform a short scene for Thea, who will provide direction and feedback. Students will then incorporate this feedback into a second take. After all scenes are performed, there will be a Q&A session with Thea, offering invaluable insights into the casting process for the Australian TV and film industry.

PREPARATION:

A scene will be sent to you 5-7 days prior to the workshop. Students are expected to have memorized their lines and prepared their scenes as they would for an audition.

REFLECTION:

Actors are encouraged to bring a USB so APS can upload their audition footage on the day. This will allow students to review their performances and further improve their audition techniques.