The Actor & The Director

THE ACTOR & THE DIRECTOR with Logie and multi-award-winning writer, director and show creator Nicholas Verso, whose work has been recognised by the AACTA Awards, Australian Directors’ Guild, Austin Film Festival and the prestigious Peabody Awards. A practical hands-on screen acting program exploring the creative relationship between Actor and Director.

In Studio I 6 Week Program

Commencing September 16, 2026 I 6:30pm – 9:30pm I $531 + GST

Working directly with Nicholas Verso, actors gain valuable insight into what directors look for in performance, how they approach a scene, how they communicate with actors, and how performers can respond instinctively and effectively to direction.

Throughout the course, actors will explore the director’s perspective, understanding story, tone and the wider creative vision, while discovering what makes a performance compelling on screen. They will develop the ability to make strong, specific choices while remaining open, flexible and highly directable.

Through practical scene work, actors will examine objectives, relationships, stakes, subtext and behaviour, learning how to identify the dramatic shifts within a scene and bring bold, considered choices to the material. Particular attention will be given to the art of taking direction, translating a director’s language into playable action, adjusting quickly between takes and remaining emotionally connected while exploring different choices.

The course will also examine the actor/director collaboration: balancing preparation with spontaneity, bringing your own creative instincts into the work, building trust with a director and knowing when to hold onto, or let go of, a choice.

Actors will develop a deeper understanding of performance for camera, including close-ups, wide shots and coverage, eyelines, continuity and adjusting performance for the frame while maintaining spontaneity across multiple takes.

Working directly with Nicholas through rehearsal, blocking, coverage and multiple takes, actors will experience the demands of a professional screen environment and develop the confidence to deliver truthful, flexible and camera-ready performances.

Ultimately, The Actor & The Director is about understanding what happens on the other side of the camera, and becoming the kind of instinctive, collaborative and highly directable actor that directors want to work with again.

Commencing Wednesday 16 September 2026. Places are strictly limited. Course materials will be provided upon application.

NICHOLAS VERSO is an Australian writer, director and showrunner known for his distinctive storytelling across film and television, often exploring themes of youth, identity, mental health and queer culture. 

His breakout short film The Last Time I Saw Richard won the AACTA Award for Best Short Film, establishing Verso as a powerful new voice in Australian cinema. His debut feature Boys in the Trees premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and went on to screen at major festivals including Toronto, Busan and Sitges, winning Best Feature at the Austin Film Festival. 

Nick has since built a prolific career in television as a writer and director. His credits include acclaimed series such as Nowhere Boys, The Unlisted, Itch, In Our Blood, Grace Beside Me and Swift Street. In 2023, he created the ABC horror-comedy series Crazy Fun Park, which won the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Children’s Program and an Australian Directors’ Guild Award for Best Direction. 

In 2025, Nick created, wrote and directed the Stan series Invisible Boys, based on the acclaimed novel of the same name, which premiered at #1 on the platform and received multiple AACTA nominations.

A Churchill Fellow, Verso has also participated in prestigious international programs including the Berlinale Talent Campus and the Binger FilmLab Directors Coaching Programme in Amsterdam. He continues to develop premium film and television projects both in Australia and internationally.