As the Artistic Director of the Howard Fine Acting Studio, Howard Fine has built an unshakeable reputation as the most gifted acting teacher in the business today.

Beginning his career in Los Angeles in 1985 by privately coaching students in his living room, Howard has gone on to receive recognition for his teaching when, in 2006, he was named ‘Best Acting Teacher in Los Angeles’ by BackStage Magazine in a one time only poll. Since then, Howard has established studio in both Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia.

During his 30-year teaching career, Howard has personally coached Hollywood stars including Oscar winners Jennifer Connelly and Jared Leto, Oscar nominees Brad Pitt, Michelle Williams, Bradley Cooper and Selma Hayek, Golden Globe nominees Simon Baker, Rosanna Arquette, Brooke Shields and Mark Harmon and Emmy winners Kim Delaney, Sela Ward and Michael Chiklis. In addition to this, Howard has also worked with literally hundreds of actors including Chris Pine, Carla Gugino, Malin Akerman, Gerard Butler, Will Smith, Justin Timberlake, Dwayne Johnson, Val Kilmer and Amy Smart.

As a lover of the craft of acting, Howard is one of the few elite acting experts who have devoted their primary career to perfecting the teaching and coaching of professional actors and his outstanding reputation is the product of his remarkable expertise. In 2008, Howard published his book ‘Fine on Acting: A Vision of the Craft’ in which he outlines his approach to and philosophies on acting, which closely reflect those of his mentor and close colleague Uta Hagen. ‘Fine on Acting’ is now taught in many leading colleges and universities.

Philip Hayden - Studio Director

Philip Hayden is the Director of the Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia. Philip is extremely proud to champion the work of Howard Fine and the HFAS faculty, having led the organisation (in conjunction with his business partner Patrick Constantinou) since it began in 2011.

Philip graduated from drama school in 1999. Since which time he has been a career actor, theatre maker, producer and director. Amongst many television, film and theatre appearances Philip has performed leading roles on London's West End and in numerous national tours, in the hit Stan show Romper Stomper, been a semi regular on children's television for the BBC and for award-winning Australian theatre company Red Stitch.

Outside of performing Philip is also one of the founders and Directors of the Poppy Seed Theatre Festival. A pioneering festival designed specifically to support mid-career and emerging theatre makers in Melbourne.

Marilyn McIntyre - Technique & On-Camera

As a member of the Howard Fine Acting Studio faculty, Marilyn McIntyre specialises in teaching Scene Study, Foundation and Personalisation. Marilyn developed the Personalisation program at Howard Fine’s request, as a way of helping actors harness their personal experiences to bring their most authentic selves to their work.

Marilyn studied at HB Studio in New York, with Michael Shurtleff and was also a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Actors Workshop. In Los Angeles, Marilyn had the privilege of studying with Uta Hagen, and is featured on Uta Hagen’s ‘Acting Class’ DVD, performing Hagen’s tenth object exercise: Historical Imagination, in which she plays Charlotta from the Cherry Orchard. She has also trained with esteemed director Anna Bogart and leading members of the SITI Company, as well as holding a Master of Fine Arts (Penn State University) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (University of North Carolina School of the Arts).

Marilyn is a multi-award-winning actor, whose credits include leading roles on and off Broadway as well as in Los Angeles, where she garnered multiple Ovation, LA Drama Critics Circle, LA Weekly and BackStage Garland awards, and several nominations for her work with companies such as Rogue Machine Theatre, VS. Theatre Company, Matrix, Open Fist, Deaf West and Interact among others. Most recently she made her fourth appearance in Rogue Machine’s ‘Around-the-Clock’ play festival. Her film and television credits include ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, ‘Cold Case’, ‘Watch Over Me’ (series regular), ‘Judging Amy’, ‘LA Law’ ‘X-Files’, ‘Shuffle’, ‘Heaven’s Rain’, ‘On Holiday’, ‘The Ring Two’, the hit short ‘George Lucas in Love’ and many more. Most recently she worked opposite Brenda Vaccaro in the independent feature ‘30-Love’.

In addition to the Howard Fine Acting Studio, Marilyn also teaches at the Los Angeles SAG-AFTRA Conservatory at AFI, and is the coordinator of the acting program for Elon in LA: ‘Climbing the LAdder’ at Elon University. She has taught at California State University-Northridge (CSUN), the Old Globe/University of San Diego MFA Program, University of Southern California, University of Texas-Austin and Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy, among others.

David Coury - Creator of SFA

David Coury is the vocal director at the Howard Fine Acting Studio, where he specialises in teaching his self devised Singing and Speech for Actors and Vocal Lab programs, which are designed to empower actors through speech and voice work.

In addition to his private practice in LA, David has established himself as a world leader in the field, having worked with many leading professionals in the entertainment industry and corporate world, including actors, broadcasters and Top 40 recording artists such as Leona Lewis. David demonstrated his transformative techniques on ABC’s ‘Extreme Makeover’, when he helped a rapper with a cleft palate overcome a speech impediment that had plagued him for twenty years. As well as this, he has appeared on ‘American Idol’, and worked with MTV, NBC, Fox, TV Guide Network and ‘E!’.

Sarah Hallam - Technique & Scene Study

Sarah Hallam is an established actor, director, teacher and acting coach.

Sarah is based in Melbourne and holds Canadian, British and New Zealand citizenships and is available internationally. She graduated from the Howard Fine Acting Studio full-time course in 2012 and was handpicked by Howard Fine to become the first Australian teacher of his technique.

As an actor, Sarah has worked consistently in film and television for over twenty years, appearing in shows such as Foxtel’s Wentworth (Season 5, 6 & 7), Neighbours, Rush, City Homicide, Blue Heelers, Canal Road and Stingers. Sarah recently shot the lead role in the award winning film “The Funeral” which is currently circulating the international film festivals and just won all the awards at the One Shot International Film Festival in Florida. On stage, Sarah has toured with Arena Theatre Company and most recently performed in Tea With Chekhov – A Jubilee, Killer Joe, The Centenarian and The Truth is Longer Than a Lie.

Sarah has also worked behind the scenes in Casting for over two decades with Australia’s top casting directors and across all the mediums (TV/Films/Pilots/TVCs/Reality Shows) including casting Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Canal Road and international productions such as Spartacus and The Pacific.

She also loves working as a director and completed her director’s attachment on Southern Star’s Rush (10 Network) and then was contracted to direct the Webisodes for the show. Other directing credits include an award winning short film, the Australian Premiere Stage Show of TOYER by Gardner McKay, Brendan Cowell’s first play MEN, Australian Premiere Stage Show BIG AL by Brian Goluboff and BLACKROCK by Nick Enright. Sarah also worked on the Music Video with band 'Speed Orange' (nominated for Best Music Video Award at the Atom Awards) on the “Ballard of You, Me & Donnie McGee”.

“To say Sarah Hallam owns the stage is an understatement; she chews it up, spits it out, knocks it out of the ballpark and then runs a home run all in time for the half time show. Not a look, gesture or nuance is wasted.”

~ Darby Turnbull – TheatrePeople.com.au

“The play moves very quickly, is suffused with violent energy and is directed tightly but brilliantly by Sarah Hallam, a young theatrical veteran whose done it all; Acting, Teaching, Casting Director, Film, TV, Stage Theatre Production and Film Directing - and evidenced from her handling of MEN (Stage Play by Brendan Cowell) - a thorough professional”

- 3MBS, Theatre Arts Weekly, Peter Green

Sass Pinci - Vocal Work

Sass is a Melbourne based Actor, Singer, Musician and Vocal Coach. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist and trained classical and contemporary singer, she has worked as a Soloist, Session Musician, Composer, Voice Over Artist and actor for over 20 years.

After studying classical voice with Brian Hansford at The University of Melbourne, Sass spent many years teaching vocal technique and is a passionate advocate for vocal health. Performing recording and touring from a young age, Sass understands the demands placed on a performing artist and believes in cultivating a strong and healthy instrument that is geared to work with authenticity and flexibility.

On completion of our Full Time Program in 2017, Sass was handpicked by David Coury under his mentorship to join the faculty of Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia.

Leonardo Canales - Alexander Technique Expert

Leonardo graduated from the School for F.M. Alexander Studies, his background in theatre brought him into the Alexander Technique in 2014 from Chile. Leonardo has extensive experience working with a large number of people across many art forms in finding ease of motion. Leonardo has been professionally trained as an actor and subsequently studied Vocal Performance and Choreographic Theatre with PanTheatre School in Paris and Contemporary Dance in the Laban Centre in London. His lessons incorporate dynamic elements from Theatre and the scientific point of view of the Alexander Technique.

Leonardo’s theatre career spans numerous productions in various places around the globe. He performed across South America and Europe in “Der Deutsche Mittagstisch” (“German Supper”). He was a Vocal Performer in The Choreographic Theatre Piece called “Tropiezos” Directed by Enrique Pardo (PanTheatre). He also Directed “Lo que es posible hacer con Alguien” (“What is possible to do with Somebody”), that started as a Residency with Kim Theatre in Berlin, Germany. In Australia Leonardo has performed in “Jugar con Fuego” (“Playing with Fire”) a Theatre production of The Spanish Theatre Company Melbourne.

Jimmy James Eaton - Improv

Based in Melbourne, Jimmy James Eaton is an award-winning star in Australian comedy and acting. Jimmy is a dynamic, versatile live performer and writer, with one of the sharpest minds on the scene. He has wowed fans throughout Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Japan. Recently he has appeared on Channel 7’s Slide Show, ABC TV’s It’s A Date and ABCs Fresh Blood’s Written It Down web series. In addition he has hosted and written for ABC TV, Channel V and NOVA Radio. Jimmy has lent his voice to the animated feature film Maya The Bee and soon to be, Maya The Bee – The Honey Games along with numerous TV and radio advertisements. Jimmy has been crowned Australia’s 'Best And Fairest' improviser, as well as being named National Australian Theatre Sports champion. In addition he has been a National Raw Comedy finalist. He was the co-founder and Artistic Director of the live improvised comedy show, The Big HOO-HAA Melbourne and creator/head writer on the live sketch comedy show Impro-Sketch.

" ✮✮✮✮✮... An absolute joy to watch" The Funny Tonne

"✮✮✮✮1/2 ... An hour of laugh out loud." The Herald Sun

"✮✮✮✮ ... This kid is very funny... pure charm." The Age

“A very huggable, very funny fellow...Jimmy James consistently does amazing stuff with his mouth-hole that makes me laugh out my mouth-hole." Tim Minchin.

Scott Major - Television Director

Scott is an actor, director, producer and writer. He has worked extensively in television, theatre and film around the world for the last 29 years. Scott has performed leading television roles in Heartbreak High, Wildside, Neighbours, Always Greener and Late for School, amongst others. Film credits include Envy, He died with a falafal in his hand, Trench and The Heartbreak Kid. He founded Bathroom Floor Productions in 2004 and his recent theatre work includes All The Intimacy, Both Sides of the Bar, The Fellatio Monologues, Death in a Box: one pussy's tale, The Subtle Art of Flirting, Closer, Terminus and Salt. Scott is currently a director for Neighbours (for whom he was given the honour of directing their prestigious one-hour special in 2017) and Channel Ten's Playing For Keeps (due for release in late 2018). Scott is also co-founder and director of the Poppy Seed Theatre Festival.

Karen Ludwig - Solo Performance specialist

Karen Ludwig performs, directs and teaches in New York and Los Angeles.

Her first feature film was Woody Allen's Manhattan in which she played Meryl Streep's lover, since which time she has worked with numerous stars including Kevin Costner and most recently Zac Efron. She has performed numerous hit productions on Broadway, has had regular roles in leading television programs such as Law and Order and produced the famous Uta Hagen Acting Class DVD. Uta Hagen was Karen's long-time friend, colleague and mentor.

Karen regularly directs in New York, where she is based and performs her own one-person shows outside of her numerous teaching and coaching commitments.

Sally McLean - Shakespeare

Sally McLean is an award-winning actor, director, writer and producer whose screen projects have been officially selected for over 70 film festivals around the world and received over 25 awards. A graduate of The Actors Institute, London (UK), she has appeared in numerous lead, support and guest roles in mainstream film and television, both in Australia and the UK and over 30 theatrical productions. Her work behind the camera began with the BBC in London before forming her production business Incognita Enterprises under the Honorary Patronage of Oscar® nominated actor, Sir Nigel Hawthorne. She has played Shakespeare professionally in both Australia and the UK and is currently Creator/Director of the multi award-winning web series Shakespeare Republic, starring Nadine Garner, Michala Banas, Alan Fletcher, Christopher Kirby and Dean Haglund, among others, now entering its third season, as well as developing several other Shakespeare projects within the Shakespeare Republic universe. Known for her work with bringing Shakespeare firmly into the 21st Century, while remaining authentic to the texts, she has been invited by Independent Schools Victoria to bring her style of working with Shakespeare into Victorian high schools as part of an official curriculum package based solely on her work - aimed at both teachers and students, and was recently invited to contribute a chapter for a new international Shakespeare academic collection of essays about adapting his work in the modern age, due for publication in late 2019. Her work with Shakespeare Republic has been referenced in the Arden Shakespeare series of books and also been the basis of panel presentations at various academic conferences in Australia and the USA. Sally is currently on the Advisory Board for Melbourne WebFest, has been a regular Jury Member for the AFI, AACTA and ATOM Awards and continues to work in the Australian and international industries as an actor, writer and director.