Lachlan Galbraith, pictured far right in Puberty Blues, Network Ten.
Graduates from the full time acting programs at Sydney’s Actor’s College of Theatre and Television (ACTT) are making waves with castings in several big budget upcoming Australian productions.
Lachlan Galbraith is one such student. The 2013 Advanced Diploma of Stage and Screen Acting graduate has been invited back to reprise his role of Matty for Season Two of hit Network Ten series Puberty Blues.
‘Working on these big shows really gives me a sense of comfort, knowing that I’ve finally found what I love to do and can be getting paid for it. Being treated as a professional actor and having those types of work related responsibilities and standards to uphold, is something that I take pride in and thrive off,‘ said Galbraith.
For the young actor, Puberty Blues has been one of the most wonderful experiences to date. ‘Not only do you feel like you’re a part of creating something magical, but you feel like you’re part of a big family. Everyone is so nice and genuine, its hard to say goodbye when you don’t know if you’ll all be coming back for the next season.’
Despite acting from a very young age in television commercials, short films and local productions such Home and Away, Galbraith wanted to further develop his professional skills with additional training and decided to enrol at ACTT. ‘I chose ACTT at first because of the locality. Being so centralised in the city it seemed the perfect choice,’ he said.
‘But after growing up within the ACTT community I’ve come to realise it’s so much more than that, and that I couldn’t have chosen any other college. The atmosphere when you walk through the door is so playful and full of creative energy, with everybody smiling and wishing you a lovely day. ACTT was a second home for the three years of my training, I will never forget it.’
The three-year program, designed to ensure students enter the industry with the highest level of preparation includes extensive training in acting and the core principles of acting, movement, voice, singing and dance. Practice during the course extends to theatre, stage and screen ensuring actors graduate with the versatility required for a successful and diverse career.
Galbraith says his training at ACTT, which grounded in the Eric Morris technique, a system derived partly from the Lee Strassburg method, has indeed formed the perfect foundation to establish a career and tackle Hollywood in the not too distant future.
‘Starting with Eric Morris [technique] at ACTT was the best decision I made. The style of teaching has really made me open emotionally as an actor and as a person, being sensitive and responsive to the right material, and finding a true connection to the work. These are the gifts I’ve taken away with me from ACTT,’ he said.
In the meantime Galbraith’s plans for Hollywood might need to go on hold, with a very busy schedule including a casting in web series Bloom. Directed by Timothy Nathan, Galbraith said that it’s been interesting working alongside different styles of filmmaking and upcoming artists.
The Advanced Diploma of Stage and Screen Acting commences on 3 March with positions still available.
For more information, including selection criteria, application requirements and fee schedules visit the ACTT website.
