FAQ

Enrolling is a commitment to the full course, not a week-to-week or drop-in arrangement — once you're in, you're committing to the full term and its full cost, so it's worth being sure before you sign up. Full details are in our Terms & Conditions and your enrolment agreement.

It's very important that once you commit, you attend every session. If you're not in class, your scene partner misses out on your collaboration and it holds back your progress mastering screen acting. It's also important to set aside time between classes to keep doing your own private work on the scene.

The course is scheduled on weeknight evenings from 6pm, so it won't interfere with daytime work commitments, and every session is compacted to maximise what you get out of the time spent.

For the Screen Craft Intensive course, you need some degree of screen acting experience or training — this can include having completed short courses at other institutions.

You'll be asked to submit an example of your work: a scene you've filmed professionally, a self-tape you've made in the past, or a piece you shoot on your phone for the purpose of your application. You'll then be invited for an intake interview.

If it turns out you're not ready for the Screen Craft Intensive, you may be offered a place in Foundation and matriculate from there.

Foundation itself needs no experience at all — it's designed for actors just starting out as well as those with some experience who need more practice acting on a professional film set.

All participants need to be over 18 years of age.

Without a compelling Showreel, it's very difficult to book work as a screen actor at all. Training at JJ Splice equips you with the technical, craft and creative skills to put yourself in serious contention for real roles in film and television, and gives you the finished scenes to prove it.

JJ Splice has worked with actors since 2012, and we're proud of what our students have gone on to do. We can't guarantee where your career goes, but we can guarantee you'll leave with the tools and the proof of work to give yourself a real shot.

In Phase 1, you're assigned a script and a scene partner — working with material and a partner you didn't choose is itself part of the training. By Phase 2, you've had the chance to get to know your cohort, and you take the lead: researching and proposing your own script based on what you specifically want your second scene to demonstrate.

We recommend studying the screenplay supplied to you and beginning to learn your lines before the course starts. The more grasp you have of the dialogue, the easier it is to rehearse and shoot your scene.

In both courses, you must have all your lines learned by week 3.

You'll work with RED Digital Cinema cameras, the same system used to shoot Oscar-winning motion pictures, alongside wireless lapel microphones and professional studio lighting. This ensures your Showreel scene looks completely cinematic.

During the multi-cam shoot, we work with two cameras — one for each actor — and switch live between both, the way soap operas and sitcoms are filmed.

During your Showreel shoots you work single-camera over multiple set-ups, shots and takes, the way cinematic motion pictures are captured.

The maximum class size is 8 people. In the unlikely event that 6 of the 8 spots aren't filled before the first day of the course, it may be postponed until a future date.

You'll be sent your own professionally filmed, edited and post-produced Showreel scenes and monologue, downloadable in high definition and yours to use to promote your acting work.

You'll also get your own mini-website showcasing your work from the course, with a short bio and headshot that you supply.

Most weeks, you'll also have access to the workshop footage filmed in class as part of your training — often high-quality studio footage that becomes a useful reference point for analysing your own work.

To keep the room a place where every actor is free to take risks, we ask that you don't share workshop footage beyond the group, except with the express permission of anyone else featured in it and the teacher.

There may be other intakes in the future. Sign up to be notified when new dates are announced.

When you enrol, you'll be invited to the class WhatsApp group, which becomes the primary means of communication between students and the teacher. We've found WhatsApp messages have a much greater chance of reaching everyone than emails, which can get buried in an actor's inbox.

Yes — social media is an important tool for actors to showcase their work and build their professional profile. We just ask that you check with anyone who may be featured in your photos before posting, and we'd love you to tag @jjspliceartists on Instagram.

That's absolutely possible. JJ Splice also offers standalone showreel production, separate from the Academy. Head to jjspliceartists.com.au to see the showreel packages on offer.

You can pay for the course upfront and receive a discount — 10% for the Screen Craft Intensive, 5% for Foundation — or pay weekly: $209 per week for the Screen Craft Intensive, $187 per week for Foundation, charged to a credit or debit card on file.

Because the Screen Craft Intensive's curriculum, scene pairings and production schedule are planned around a confirmed cohort of 8, enrolling is a commitment to the full course: if you withdraw part-way through, the full remaining balance for the course stays payable. If we're able to fill your place with another paying student, we'll credit any remaining balance back to you as a credit note.

Full terms are set out in our Terms & Conditions and your enrolment agreement, which we'd encourage you to read closely before signing.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Afterpay, Zip Pay, Apple Pay and cash.

If, after your intake interview with the teacher, you decide the course isn't for you, simply contact us within 24 hours of the interview and you'll receive a full refund. After 24 hours it isn't possible to refund any payments you've made.

The studio is five minutes' walk from Central Station — the train, light rail or bus are your easiest options. Street parking is free after 5pm but limited, so we'd suggest public transport where you can.

Unfortunately, at the moment the basement studio isn't wheelchair accessible and students need to be able to use the stairs. We're working on a wheelchair-accessible option for future intakes.

Sometimes we use flashing or strobing lights, so if you have photosensitivity issues please let us know up front. Occasionally we use fog machines for lighting effects — this is non-toxic theatrical fog.

As a general rule, please wear closed-toe shoes in the studio to maintain a safe working environment around our equipment. Large bags aren't allowed in the studio — we ask that you leave these upstairs in the green room before entering the basement studio. All you need in the studio is your script and a pencil, both of which are provided.