FAQs

WAA is an online acting school for children, teenagers and adults, where students are taught by professional actors in an online setting.

We aim to be the best online performing arts teaching experience for kids right across the world - from the remotest parts of the Top End, Tassie or Broome, through to small towns in Queensland or South Australia, through to Sydney's North Shore and bustling Melbourne. We also teach students from New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and all over Canada - all online!

Wherever you are, if you have an Internet connection and an imagination, WAA can be the acting school for you!

We opened during March of 2020, initially as a response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. What we found was there are hundreds of passionate students all around the world who do not live close to suitable in-person training, so we exist for them :). (or anyone who'd like to give our classes a go!)

We almost always have classes (as well as private coaching) running, check available class times [here]. We run Mini Terms year round!

We teach online acting classes to children who are 7 right through to college students and adults.

You sure can!!! They're right here: Testimonials!

Because our classes are small, we've found our students generally have the best experience by grouping them into three brackets:

• WAA Juniors - 7-10 years old (children 7 turning 8, through to 10)

• WAA Middles - 11-13 years old (children 10 turning 11 through to 13)

• WAA Seniors - 14+ years old (teenagers 13 turning 14 through to to 17/18)

• Private Coaching (all ages)

If you're unsure what group your child should go into or want to see if they can go into a different group, just email us [email protected], call 0410 305 433 or click here to book a call.

Yes! We have students from all over Australia - the Top End through to Victoria, Perth through to South Australia. Often our classes will have students from different regions and timezones which is always fun and interesting for the group. We're even international with students from outside Australia.

WAA is committed to being the BEST online acting experience for young people around Australia.

Zoom has a feature called ‘Breakout Rooms’ which allows our teachers to break students into small groups (usually pairs) and switch between the sessions to provide coaching and monitor progress. It’s actually super easy! Read more at: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206476093-Getting-Started-with-Breakout-Rooms

Our head teacher and WAA founder is Riley Nottingham, you can read more about his career here, here[6] and below.

Since 2016, Riley has taught thousands of students at various schools, aged 5 through to 18, and adult classes:

• Working Actors Academy

• APO Arts Academy (Children & Adults)

• Stage Left

• Centre Stage

• Stage School Australia (VYT, YABC & Beginners on Stage)

• Coach Music Academy (Children & Adults)

Riley and WAA's style of teaching is based off our experiences of the tangible tools a working actor needs to be effective and powerful in rehearsal, on stage or on set:

• being in the moment

• being connected

• the application of heart, body and mind to a scene.

Recent actor or producer credits include:

* Thank God You're Here

* Junior MasterChef Australia

* Beauty & The Geek

* Metro Sexual

* Australian Survivor

* The Mole

* The Weekly with Charlie Pickering

* Hamish & Andy’s ‘Perfect’ Holiday

* Gilligan’s Island: The Musical

* True Story with Hamish & Andy

* Married at First Sight

* Toybox

Just email us at [email protected], or better yet book in a call here! If you can't wait, text or call 0410 305 433. Speak soon!

Lots of things! **LIKE...**

• Have fun

• Make lifelong friends

• Develop line learning techniques

• Improve enunciation

• Improve sight reading skills

• Practise cold reads

• Learn to self-devise stories

• Learn how to deal with nerves and anxiety

• Develop communication skills

• Increase confidence

• Improve active listening Skills

• Learn to analyse a script

• Learn theatre, film and television terminology

• Understand the business of acting

• Practise portraying truth in imaginary circumstances

• Learn to make and accepts offers in improvisation

• Develop physical and vocal character choices

• Develop ability to act on impulse

• Learn about how to get an agent

• Learn about the casting process

• Network with other young performers from all over Australia

• Practise thinking thoughts in character

• Practise being present/in the moment

• Learn the power of the ensemble

• Practise taking creative risks

• Explore different emotions in performing

• Create and understand objectives/goals in a scene

• Create and understand motivation in a scene

• Learn about stakes within a scene

• Learn about setting up and overcoming obstacles

• Learn about using tactics in a scene

• Learn about emotional substitution

• Practise giving yourself the right

• Practise being a generous performer

• Learn to be adaptable

• Develop a positive mindset

* gasps for breath *… Phew!! For more info, book an enrolment call today!

We have students from all over Australia, and often our classes will have students from different timezones which is always fun and interesting for the group.

Student numbers vary and the classes are always small enough to allow for one on one attention to students, so generally no bigger than eight to 12 students. This allows for genuine bonding, teamwork and friendships to form.

WAA runs on Mini Terms that act s 5 week focus blocks. No matter what Term you join us in, our classes are different every week (that's what keeps them fun and challenging!) and generally consist of check ins and check outs, focus activities, improvisation activities, teamwork activities, scriptwork and of course games!

When young people take ownership of their own learning, it generally leads to much better outcomes; this is the core of our ethos of performance-based learning. Our students constantly come up with ideas (guided along the way by our teachers) and create a story and performance of their own by applying the skills they’ve learned.

• Students are equals

• Students are free from judgement

• Students are heard

• Students work to make their fellow performers look good

• Students strive to be in the moment as much as possible

• Students focus on the work

• Students give themselves permission to leave the day at the door (especially important during COVID-19 madness!)

• Students learn there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ ways to act, just ‘interesting’ and ‘more interesting’

• Fun is mandatory!!!

There are occasional extra rehearsals for extra passionate students! There’s no extra cost.

Every mini term consists of your regular weekly classes, as well as extra rehearsals and events like industry Q&A and mindset talks.

This is all included in your child's mini term price. Find out more here.

Certainly!

Whilst we focus on the craft of acting, performance and confidence in class, we find a lot of students have questions about the industry. Therefore at least four times a year we hold a dedicated Q&A session for current students, their families and friends to participate and discuss the industry. Hosted by Head Teacher Riley Nottingham topics include, but are not limited to:

• What 'success' looks like

• How to pursue a career as a professional performer

• How film/television projects are funded

• Musicals VS film/tv VS immersive theatre, etc.

• How the casting process works

• How to get an agent

• What an agent or manager does

• Headshots

• Showreels

• What the entertainment or arts industry is like in Sydney and Melbourne VS other parts of Australia

• What it's like working as a producer on Junior MasterChef, Married at First Sight, Survivor, Love Island, True Story with Hamish & Andy, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering, etc.

• Performing in a live studio setting

• Performing and creating sitcoms

• How to get into production roles

• The Pitching Process behind film/TV

• Opportunities for content creators through Netflix, Stan, etc.

• Self-Taping for the USA

• Time Management for performers

And of course… whatever questions YOU ask!

We know our students love performing and guess what - our teachers do too! We are always working up to a performance, usually at least four times per year. Family and friends can watch what their children have created!

We are very strong advocates of performance-based learning – in fact, it’s the bedrock of our approach!

Sometimes! Each performance is different but often, multiple groups come together in the additional rehearsals to put their skills into practice, collaborate and create something special for family and friends.

Haha, good question! Not SUPER loud, but a medium level. Acting involves a lot of listening and reacting to what's being given to you by a scene partner.

Our term focusses on learning skills to apply to the creation of a self-devised screen-based performance which is specifically tailored to our audience – in this case, the camera lens of a smartphone, iPad/tablet or computer. So a loud scream that crackles everyone's mics isn't going to be on the cards TOO often :).

P.S. Lots of students live in apartments, we know it’s a consideration!!!

Inclusivity is one of our core values at Working Actors Academy, so if your child has any learning difficulties or just has a particular challenge with something (like reading or being shy around others, etc.) just let us know! Our teacher will always tailor lessons around the individual needs and abilities of all students whilst keeping a fun and positive environment.

We do do (haha, do do!!!) some reading (usually short two or three person scenes) but we go through scripts as a group and will tailor the material based on the students' ability level. Nobody ever has to read if they don't want to!

You'd be surprised how quickly even the newest of students learn to use the platform! (even the 7 year olds!) Our teachers are also experts at providing in-class tech support.

We prefer parents/guardians not to be actively involved in class (just like would happen in an in-person environment) buheret you are welcome to be nearby should they have any issues!

We teach students as young as 7.Please call us 0410 305 433 to discuss any concerns or questions, or book a call here.

WAA specialises in providing the best online acting experience for kids around Australia - pandemic or not!

Whilst we (and most students) agree that there is nothing like real, in-person human connection, there is actually a heck of a lot of fun, learning and friendships that can be formed in our online classes.

Our staff are also very experienced at dealing with all manner of phone and internet connections.

Just read our testimonials, email [email protected] or call us 0410 305 433 to find out why young people from inner city, remote or rural Australia love WAA's online acting classes!

We would be surprised if you didn’t still have unanswered questions! Online performing arts classes are a new thing for a lot of people and we LOVE answering questions and talking about how we can work with your budding performers. Please call us on 0410 305 433 or email [email protected], OR better yet fill out the enrolment form here and our teaching staff will give you a buzz at your convenience.