Aleksei Vanamois
Aleksei has a visual flare but also likes to get all the other senses involved when creating projects. This is what bought him to film making.
Andrew Bettridge
Andrew can’t remember a time when he didn’t know who Alfred Hitchcock was. From an early age, he was obsessed with films and their effects on the audience.
Andrew has a keen interest and knowledge of all thing ‘film’.
Ashleigh Cummings
Ashleigh Cummings was born in Saudi Arabia. She began to take an interest in acting at the age of 12 after being inspire by Leonardo DiCaprio in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” and Dustin Hoffman in ‘Rainman”. Ashleigh studied dancing, singing and acting at Brent Street School of Performing Arts in Sydney, 3 years before joining Participate FA in 07. Ashleigh loves experiencing events and emotions through her characters which she brings to life through her acting. Ashleigh hopes to one day affect people and inspire a passion for acting in others as DiCaprio and Hoffman did for her.
Ben Richardson
Benjamin grew up in Arcadia in the Hills District NSW. At the age of 22 he started writing a sitcom. It was during this time he established that screenwriting was his passion and that he would pursue a career in the film industry. Seven years on he co-wrote his first screen play ‘Green Fire Envy’. Benjamin also co-directed the feature film, as well as acting as Steinar, the sleazy pharmacist. After graduating Participate FA Ben looks forward to starting a production company called ‘Reign Films’ with Mike Kristin. They plan to make a short for the next Trop Fest festival. However, Ben will also keep studying to better his skills as an actor and director. In 2008 Ben hopes to get his original sitcom idea off the ground, among other projects.
Catherine Neasbey
From an early age, Catherine has been passionate about the film industry, aiming to work as a line producer on many future productions.
Catherine enjoys communicating with cast and crew and organizing the day to day running of events.
Chester Ferro
After finishing high school, Chester began studying Graphic Design, however he was still undecided about his future goal. After a few months of studying Chester decided to work instead, whilst thinking about his future. Growing up, Chester enjoyed watching music videos and had always dreamed of making video clips. Chester developed his love for film making through filming birthday parties where he would turn the footage into a ‘work of art’. He also began to make random videos with his friends, where he posted them on the web. Today Chester films for many events, weddings and club promotions. Chester hopes to direct his own feature film in the future.
James Peniata was born in Sydney in 1989. He decided to concentrate on acting as a profession after he finished five years of drama classes in high school. He joined with Sinacori Agencies after graduation and scored his first role in a commercial promoting the Mtv urban arts awards within his first month. James has also worked on over 20 short films in action, horror and sic fi genre. He is currently studying acting at Participate FA where he is working on his first feature film ‘Green Fire Envy’. James’s dream is to become a well accomplished actor and to be able to support his family while doing what he loves. He fantasies about buying a home in Tokyo, LA and Sydney.
Jessica Lytton
Jessica Lytton began acting in high school thinking that the performance aspect of film was what she wanted to do. However it wasn’t until she was Yr 9 that she realized directing would be her true ambition.
John Clark
John's lust for film began when he first saw Citizen Kane when he was 10 years old. He personally got his first taste of filmmaking at fourteen, filming school events and entering short film competitions. John has just completed his HSC this year and will be attending the SydneyInternationalFilmSchool in March of 2008. John is currently ‘Head Editor’ in the Participate FA editing team, which means John coordinates and directs his team of editors to shape the mere 1's and 0's captured by the film crew into a thrilling, moving and poignant film. John has a thirst for knowledge about the creative and technical side of filmmaking and wishes to attain an Orson Wells level of respect in the film community for creating artistic, experimental and expressive films using creative stories and innovating film techniques.
Leigh Murray
Ever since he can remember Leigh has wanted to part of something that made people feel an emotional connection, this desire led him to fall in love with movies and inevitably film making.
Magali Gillon
Flying in from Montréal Canada just to partake in this year’s class shows you just how serious Magali is about her film career. Having already had many roles as casting and production assistance back home Magali was interested in a Producers credit in a feature film. “Green Fire Envy” was also inspired by her original idea earlier on in the year.
Marnie Huxley
Marnie was placed more than 350kim away from Sydney just after she was accepted into Participate FA, but this has not stopped her travelling every weekend to classes and locations. Marnie loves being put to the test and working in the stressful situations that being on the production side of filming causes. Maintaining a happy and helpful manner and will to do what it takes to get the job done, what Marnie prides herself on while on a film set.
Moises Arteaga
Moises Arteaga was born in Chalatenango in 1985. He moved to Australia with his family in 1988 after the Salvadoran Civil War.
Moises then grew up in Sydney’s Liverpool. During high school, he enjoyed classes such as Art, Music and Drama. He joined Participate FA as a writer, sound engineer, boom operator music/sound production team, and even make-up.
Moises looks forward to starting his own recording studio ‘Industrial Trance’ and writing, directing his own screen plays.
Claudeine Aad
While Claudine’s interest in acting is old, she has never had the opportunity to put it to the test until now. Claudine is also involved with the production side of film making for the first time.
Jessica Arapi
Jessica has previously studied acting with, and performed for FAME talent. Jessica’s journey includes 5 short film credits, as well as performing on stage in Melbourne. At only 16 years of age Jessica has put her foot in the door and views Participate as a way of achieving to bigger things in the film industry.
Morgana Davies
Morgana is a 14 year old actress. This is Morgana’s first experience with acting and she is loving what she is learning at Participate. Morgana likes to spend her free time with friends, going to the movies, shopping, photography and parties. Morgana loves being with people and Participate FA is like all her favorite things put into one. She is extremely interested in a career in the film industry.
Ryan Somerfield
In 2003 Ryan Somerfield joined the world of film making winning two major awards with his first ever short film (including People’s Choice for the Best Film) at the inaugural 24/7 Youth Film Festival. He has been making films ever since. In 2007, Ryan started his own business as a freelance Cinematographer and Steadicam Operator. Ryan has produced multiple short films, winning 3 national awards.
Timothy Kho
Timothy has a desire to get as much experience as he can in each department of film making while on set of his first feature film. Timothy’s main focus is video editing as he has had a passion for it for years. He looks forward to making more feature films in the future.
Ricardo Rosa
Ricardo believes Participate FA is the concrete that will cement his future endeavors within the entertainment industry and establishing himself as a professional film actor. Ricardo hopes to eventually combine all his creative outlets.
Kate Grgich
Kate is a proud member of the M.T.V. generation saying that music plays a huge influence in her life (not surprisingly as her father has a music studio in their own home)
Kate is an all-rounder in film making as she enjoys working behind the camera and in the editing studio.
Vincent Andriano
Finishing in the top 2 percent for art in his H.S.C. Vincent decided to transfer his skill from the canvas to writing form. Vince also enjoys transforming the film set and has a creative flare for costume design.
Thomas McQwell
Croatian born Thomasprides himself on having an eye for detail. Thomas is particularly interested in lighting design where he enjoys taking an empty space and recreating those magically moods.
Thomas Tesoriero
At the age of 21 Tom discovered a confronting gritty knack for creative writing whilst recovering in a phsyc ward in Sydney's inner west. Along with Dj'ing and producing music Tom use's much of his life experience as inspiration for shaping his thoughts and feelings into creative pieces of art. After co-writing this years feature film he took the helm as one of Participate’s hard working producers where he uses his business skills to help make it all possible. The coming 18 months are going to busy for this self described workaholic as he starts the early stages of pre production on his own feature film.
Sebastian Kade
At only 16 Sebastian has already had experience as a video editor, creating his own projects. Sebastian loves taking individual clips and putting them together to tell a story.
Jose Carillo
Jose prides himself on putting everything he has into his emotional performances as an actor.
Jacqui Murray
Jacqui’s first love is acting but since attending classes at Participate she has found there is so much more involved in film making. Jacqui has discovered a love for Directing. Being able to see things both from a production and performance stand point is something that Jacqui enjoys doing.
Tracey Maxwell
Tracey Maxwell was born in New Zealand with Maori heritage, however she has been living in Australia for the majority of her life. Tracey’s passion for acting has always been strong. Her desire to act has become more intense since involving herself with Participate FA and the recent production of ‘Green Fire Envy’, to which she plays Trixie. After being on her first ever film set she knows this is EXACTLY what she wants to do and become. Tracey will continue to seek out opportunities to learn and grow as an actress, whether it is learning on the ‘job’, or taking more acting classes. Tracey hopes to one day be recognised as a professional actress and dreams of walking along side the A listers on a massive Hollywood production premiere.
Michael Kristen
Michael Kristen was born west of Sydney. Growing up, he enjoyed sports and recreation which influenced him later in life to get into film making. During high school Michael studied visual arts and photography, with his art works being selected for ArtGallery’s throughout the Paramatta district. Michael is now a freelance cameraman where it has taken him throughout Australia. He started his own business as a camera man, which he will return to once his feature film has premiered at Participate. Beyond Participate, Michael looks forward joining his business with fellow class mate Ben Richardson, together with a massive amount of experience behind them. They will freelance around the world as cameramen, making films.
art of multimedia