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THE SEATTLE SAG/AFTRA/AEA CONSERVATORY
Dedicated to enhancing the craft and careers of union performers.
2004 - 2005 WORKSHOPS
All workshops are at the AFTRA/SAG office 4000 Aurora Avenue, Suite 102 Seattle 98103-7853
unless otherwise noted. Call the coordinator for each workshop to sign up .
No more membership fee or general sign up for the year. There will be an individual charge and sign up for each workshop. All union performers are invited to attend.
NEXT WORKSHOP OFFERINGS
Coming soon
No seminars are scheduled in the fall of 2006, however AFTRA is working on a New Member Orientation and the Broadcast Staff is honing a skills workshop on basic broadcast announcing.
Other AFTRA seminars to come
Coming Soon
Check back at this page for the rest of the season
PRESENTER BIOS
Steve Salamunovich, CSA: One of Seattle's principal casting directors, working in Los Angeles and Seattle since 1984, now
head of Complete Casting and a member of the Casting Society of America. Steve brings a diverse background to his work. He began his professional life as a musician performing and recording as a vocal soloist with such groups as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Opera Company, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the soundtrack of “The Godfather” and the Disney recording of “It’s a Small World”. As a studio drummer, keyboardist and vocalist he has worked with numerous artists and can be heard on the last three releases by recording artist, Michael Tomlinson with whom he still tours and records.
His casting career began in Los Angeles in 1984, and five years later he moved to Seattle and founded Complete Casting. He has worked with such Academy Award-winning directors as Milos Forman and Bernardo Bertolucci. Television credits number well over two thousand projects including the series Simon & Simon, Ferris Bueller and In Living Color as well as CLIO-award winning commercials and feature films. In 1992, he was granted membership in the Casting Society of America. He is a frequent guest speaker and facilitator to numerous professional groups and acting workshops and has frequently appeared on television as a specialist in the field. In addition he has prepared many public and private figures for live and televised appearances.
George Wing: One of Seattle’s most prominent and steadily employed professional screenwriters. His most recent work “50 First Dates” starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, is screening everywhere. Another of his screenplays, “The Flying Smiths”, was selected for a Shooting Scripts reading by thewarrenreport. George is a member of WGA and is always working on several projects. George wrote “Helium”, a romantic comedy for Warner Brothers. His protagonist, Michael Volant, becomes lighter than air when he falls in love. Michael does not discover his unique buoyant characteristic until his early 20’s, when he falls in love for the first time. He works as a stonecarver in New York City, in the business which has been owned by his Italian-American family for generations.
Meg Richman: after graduating from UC Berkley with an MFA in film, became a founding member of Neoteric Productions, a Seattle film cooperative. After spending time in LA as a script analyst, she became a screenwriter and WGA member and went on to write and direct her own feature, “Under Heaven” (now on video as “In the Shadows”) here in Seattle. In addition to raising her young son, she continues to make a living as a screenwriter in Seattle, writing and adapting MOW’s and other screenwriting assignments. She’s currently working on her own project, a ghost story called “Etta and Daze”, which she plans to direct.
SUE Corcoran: Earned her producing and directing stripes in the commercial and industrial milieu, especially and regularly at Microsoft Studios. She directed and performed in her first feature, “Gory, Gory, Hallelujah”, a wild motorcycle road trip flick best described as a horror/comedy/musical/feminist/ satire with a surprise gory big kick finish. Yes, really all of these. Lloyd Kaufmann of Troma Studios said: "I LOVED THIS FILM! Brilliant! Destined to be a cult classic. The Von Piglet Sisters are courageous, talented and totally original!"
Brian McDonald: began working in film as an assistant camera operator at an animation studio in Seattle at age 15. He then spent time doing special effects animation for commercials, industrial films and feature films. He has worked on make-up effects crews for several films, and additionally he has contributed to several comic strips and books. A sought after instructor and consultant, McDonald teaches story-construction classes and workshops such as Lucasfilm’s story seminar program. He both wrote and directed the multi-award-winnng short film WHITE FACE which ran on HBO and Cinemax. His recently completed feature film INHERITANCE is amassing interest from major distribution companies.
Valerie Mamches: Valerie is a working actor, director, acting teacher and audition coach. Her work is a
synthesis of the world's best methodologies of the craft of acting. Dick is a working actor with over a half century on stage,
radio and camera. He starred this year in two locally produced feature films, and is currently directing for the stage. He
specializes in creating the character. Together they will, in the first session, critique your prepared audition pieces and
coach you to the best you can be. In the second session you will work with new audition or monologue pieces to uncover
what works best for you.
Gary Austin: Member of The Committee in SanFrancisco and founded The Groundlings in Los Angeles.
Gary conducts his own workshops in L.A. New York, Seattle and Chicago and teaches with Lindsay Crouse at U.S.C.
and for The Apple Circus in New York and Second City in Chicago. "Gary changed my work as an actor. He made me a better
rehearser as well as a better actor." - Helen Hunt.
Dick Arnold Co-founder with Susan Connors of the Conservatory, Dick has over a half century on stage,
radio and camera. He starred this year in two locally produced feature films, and is currently directing for the stage. He
specializes in creating the character.
Tom Hammond: A former Army Officer and Ranger who brings a military level of discipline to his work as an actor. In his popular
workshop he will record your short monologue, analyze your performance and offer astute suggestions. He will then record your
improved performance so you will have the work to bring home and look at.
Colleen Patrick: Oscar-nomnated Writer, Director and producer, Colleen has written several award-winning screenplays.
She teaches "Breaking Into Film/T.V. at N. Seattle C.C. Colleen has a highly technical approach to training actors.
John LoPresti: An actor, director & producer, and 1st A.D. who has produced and directed several short films
