Acting Masterclass: Maya Stange

Saturday 03 August, 11.45pm – 1.15pm; ACMI Studio 1

Fresh from working together on the MIFF Premiere Fund-supported Galore, actress Maya Stange and director Rhys Graham explore the unique relationship and dynamics between an actor and director. Presented by MIFF Accelerator, the session explores how actors choose their roles and collaborate with directors and how directors gain the trust and openness required of the actor. To what extent does the actor and/or director create the character? How do both navigate the dynamics and dramas of auditions, script read-throughs, rehearsal rooms and on-set?

Stange, who was AFI/AACTA-nominated for her role in Garage Days and In a Savage Land, has acted opposite the likes of Russell Crowe, Rufus Sewell, Mark Ruffalo and Richard Roxburgh in film and TV. Some of her other credits include indie film xx/xy, TV movies The Great Mint Swindleand Wicked Love: The Maria Korp Story, and TV series such as Tricky Business and Rake. An Accelerator alumnus, Graham, whose narrative drama feature debut Galore world premieres at MIFF 2013, also directed a chapter of MIFF Premiere Fund-supported The Turning (which world debuts at MIFF 2013) and previously directed feature documentaries Murandak: Songs of Freedom and Words from the City.