BASEMENT CO-LABS
The Basement Company has been running since 2005 giving emerging artists opportunities to gain professional level skills and experience.
ABOUT
With help from Mercury Energy, Centrepoint are bringing you another year of one-off intensives with industry professionals from New Zealand AND Australia! These intensives are FULLY FUNDED so you don't have to spend a cent to get inspired by, be challenged and learn from the best. From making props to voice over, from teching to devising - we have a little something for everyone!
HOW TO TAKE PART
In 2025, thanks to our generous funder Mercury, the course is FREE to Manawatu students aged 15 to 18.
Any questions please contact hello@centrepoint.co.nz
PROPS AND SFX MAKEUP - SANIT KLAMCHANUAN and DARREN MOSHER - February 22, 2025 (Props) and May 17, 2025 (SFX makeup).
AUDITIONING FOR SCREEN - LIZ MULLANE AND RACHEL BULLOCK - March 8, 2025.
ADVANCED ACTING - JOEL TOBECK - May 3, 2025.
STAGE COMBAT - ALLAN HENRY - June 7, 2025.
DEVISING - BEN ASHBY AND NADIYAH AKBAR - July 12-13, 2025.
TECH - TALYA PILCHER - August 2, 2025.
ACTING VOICE - TESSA LIVINGSTON - October 11, 2025.
SUPPORTED BY
PROPS AND SFX MAKEUP - SANIT KLAMCHANUAN and DARREN MOSHER
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Darren A Mosher is a Special Effects engineer that has worked in the Film, TV and Theme Park industry for over 25 years. He is known for his work on films such as the Avatar films, Star Wars films, Avengers , Ghostbusters and Alien Romulus. He hosts a mentorship for Young Adults in the Arts, which is hosted virtually for students around the world and provides consultation to theme parks and themed entertainment installations worldwide.
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Sanit Klamchanuan is also known as Spicythaidesign in the cosplay world and is known for infusing his Thai culture into his costumes and unique original designs. He has been working at Wētā Workshop since 2013 as a costume designer in the Costume Specialty Props department. He specializes in the production of foam prototypes and has worked on films such as Power Rangers, Ghost in the Shell, Mulan, Thor: Ragnarok, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Avatar: The Way of Water and The Creator.
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Special FX: No previous experience required (latex allergies should be noted in advance)
Gross out or impress your friends and family! Whichever you choose; join us as we walk you through the basics of special effects wounds. Starting with basic, household products and working up to professional silicone, we will show you the process of creating a variety of wounds and FX gags. As always, there will be time for plenty of questions about the process or your favorite movie scenes and how the effects were made.
Prop Making using Recycled Materials: No previous experience required
Choose your weapon and create! Join us as we walk you through the process of designing, creating and painting your prop weapon in a day of fun and creativity. Using recycled materials, we will show you how you can create a variety of props and weapons and then you will make your own using precut patterns, (under expert guidance) to take home and defend your house! There will be time for plenty of questions and even a chance to learn about making your own patterns.
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Like many Casting directors Liz started her career as an actor, training at the NZ National Drama school in 1984. She fell into casting after working as an actor in Peter Jacksons zombie horror film “Brain Dead” when he asked her to cast his film “Heavenly Creatures” which launched Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey’s careers. Since then she has worked with Peter on all his projects from “The Frighteners” starring Michael J Fox, to The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and onto King Kong, The Lovely Bones, The Hobbit and Mortal Engines.
Liz has worked on many films and television productions both small and big budgets including “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”, ‘Bridge to Terabithia”, “Pete’s Dragon”, “The Waterhorse” “Avatar”, “30 Days of Night”, “The Meg”, “Yogi Bear” and many more.
Liz is a member of the Casting directors division of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - The Oscars.
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I started casting 35 years ago after an internship at TVNZ. Since starting my Casting journey I have been involved in casting for high end TV commercials , TV Dramas and Feature films this journey has involved working with established actors and starting the careers of new actors who have gone on to international recognition.
I have worked on many projects Television and film productions including “Out of the Blue“ , “Under The Vines“ , “The Meg“ ,“Mortal Engines“ , “The Justice Of Bunny King“, “Wanted“ ,“ My Life Is Murder“
I have a passion for recognising existing actors and discovering new actors and supporting a forever growing film industry in Aotearoa.
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The audition process from beginning to end: Learn how casting is approached to how actors are selected for auditions.
Industry expectations: Explore what auditioning and acting for screen is all about and what professionals expect. How stage acting differs to screen acting – how to adapt.
Performance tips: How to maximise your chances in the room
Character development, improvisation and script analysis: Work on scripted scenes from past projects cast by Rachel and Liz. Learn by doing.
You will also have the chance to ask questions about the industry and how to get started.
AUDITIONING FOR SCREEN - LIZ MULLANE AND RACHEL BULLOCK
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One of Australasia’s most experienced and respected actors, Joel’s skillset embraces voice work, radio, improv, Theatresports, dance and choreography.
Two dozen film roles from whimsical comedy to intense drama and horror; and a television career that has seen him move comfortably between New Zealand, Australia and the U.S in a variety of genres.
Awards include NZ Film & TV Awards 2021 Best Actor for Black Hands; Most Outstanding Performance By an Actor at the Australian Subscription Television & Radio Association Awards, and in 2019 a Best Actor nomination for Alibi, an innovative non-linear drama for TVNZ On Demand.
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Take your craft to the next level in this dynamic co-lab designed for experienced actors. Dive into advanced techniques, character development, and emotional authenticity. Participants will explore the nuances of performance that elevate storytelling. Perfect for those looking to refine their skills and deepen their artistic practice.
ADVANCED ACTING - JOEL TOBECK
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Actor. Performance capture artist. Goofball dad. Massive nerd and most recently, the man behind King Kong and the Cocaine Bear. A Stage Combat practitioner/tutor since 1999, Allan has been involved in various stage and screen productions for even longer. Allan is a tutor for all ages and is a constant supporter of the next generation of talented young people Aotearoa has to offer.
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It's crash time! Come along and learn some skills and techniques that will give you a strong foundation in action based work for stage and screen! Throws, falls, flips and slams! All while keeping yourself and your scene partner safe.
STAGE COMBAT - ALLAN HENRY
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Director, Producer. Ben graduated from Toi Whakaari, The NZ Drama School in 2020, and became the Artistic Director of Long Cloud Youth Theatre. Ben specialises in devised theatre, He created 8 devised theatre projects with Long Cloud, winning the 2021 Wellington Theatre Award for “Artistic Leadership” and the 2022 “Emerging Artist” award from Performing Arts and Young People Aotearoa (NZ national awards). As a screen actor he has featured in TVNZ’s The Panthers and Wellington Paranormal. Ben migrated to Naarm in April 2023, and is currently producing comedy for Token Events and teaching at St Maritn’s Youth Arts.
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Choreographer, Nadiyah Akbar, (she/her) is a contemporary dancer born and raised on Eora Land (Sydney) Nadiyah is a graduate of the New Zealand School of Dance (2017-2019) and spent two years dancing for Footnote New Zealand Dance, Aotearoa's longest-running contemporary dance company, frequently touring nationally. Nadiyah has performed in Berlin with Sam Coren, as part of the B12 Festival. She frequently tours with Australian choreographer Joel Bray Dance's 'Considerable Sexual Licence', has presented her solo work 'Freestyle In Shades Of Yellow' at the NZ Fringe Festival as well as performing in 'Modals of Lost Opportunity' with InPlay Projects at the Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2023. Most recently Nadiyah has travelled back to Aotearoa to perform 'Belle - Performance Of Air' by Movement of the Humans at the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts.
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Running into the Sun is an international theatre project, The professional version debuted at Melbourne Fringe 2024 and won the prestigious Best in Theatre award. Co-directors Ben Ashby and Nadiyah Akbar are connecting young artists around Aotearoa and Australia and asking them; how does it feel to look at the state of the world right now? Ashby and Akbar will work with workshop participants to create moments of physical theatre full of fear, rage and importantly hope for the future.
Participants can expect to gain skills in how to translate an idea into performance, how to layer movement, text and music and discussions examining what is the role of a young artist in the world right now? There will be an invited, informal showing at the end of the weekend to friends and family.
DEVISING - BEN ASHBY AND NADIYAH AKBAR
TECH - TALYA PILCHER
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Talya is a graduate from Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School’s technical production course. She has since worked in the entertainment industry doing lighting, staging, pyrotechnics, and event management for the last 20 years. Her recent project highlights include lighting design for Centrepoint Theatre’s productions of That Bloody Woman, Shortland Street – The Musical, Misery, and the development season of Two Guitars.
When she's not working on theatre projects, she can be found working behind the scenes on TAB Trackside broadcasts around the lower North Island, collaborating with Lola and Friends and The Boom Boom Room Burlesque, tutoring lighting at Feilding High School, and developing and lecturing the new New Zealand Certificate in Entertainment and Event Technology (Level 4) for UCOL | Te Pūkenga.
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Focusing on the basics of light rigging, learn about lighting systems and their uses.
ACTING VOICE - TESSA LIVINGSTON
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The In-House Vocal Coach and Bookings Agent at BigMouth Voices, excels in Demo Reel Production, Audition Management, and provides comprehensive Accent and Voice Coaching for the agency's talents. Tessa is the newest tutor addition to 'The Voice Academy', and prior to this she has developed online courses focused on Vocal Stamina, Projection and Health.
With a rich professional background spanning roles as a speech pathologist, vocal coach, voice-over artist, actress, podcaster, and content creator, Tessa brings a wealth of expertise to her multifaceted career. She is the creator of ‘The Good Talkers Podcast’, an entertaining and educational podcast dedicated to the lives of voice over artists. Her commitment to excellence underscores her reputation as a dynamic professional in the realm of voice and performance arts.
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Learn how to use your voice to its full potential and spend the afternoon in the recording studio recording a piece for a show reel. Fun character voices, accents and using your voice to its fullest with confidence!
