STF Spark Series: Directing Actors with Karen Davitt

Join theatre and screen actor, director and writer, Karen Davitt, in a two-part Spark Session on Directing Actors! 

Part 1 - Thu 4 Aug, 3-6pm

Part 2 - Fri 5 Aug, 3-6pm

A director’s primary responsibility is creating and executing the creative vision of a project. A ‘director’s vision’ or ‘creative vision’ is a director’s view on how the project should look and feel to the audience. Some of their tasks include: 

• Auditioning and casting actors 
• Rehearsing and staging the project 
• Providing feedback to actors to achieve creative vision 
• In some cases, working with the playwright to ensure their vision aligns with the intention of the writing 
• Collaborating with design team to execute vision in design elements 

• Collaborating with marketing and publicity team to ensure show is marketed in line with their vision 

This two-part Spark Session will combine directing skills for stage and screen, focusing on the relationship between directors and actors. You will work in groups to direct and stage (or record) a short piece. 

About Karen 

Karen Davitt is a graduate of the VCA Melbourne University Drama School, and the Lecole Phillippe Gaulier in London. She has a career that spans over twenty years featuring work in film and television as an actor as well as work as a writer, director, filmmaker, musician, latex creature creator, and creative producer.  

Her roles in television and mini series include Stark, Mercury, Wildside and lead roles in the long-running series Blue Heelers, and Skirts. Her film roles include Ned Kelly, Quigley, The Ripper, and A Dancing Foot and Praying Knee. 

Karen has created written and directed large scale live and filmed projects including Subterrain for Melbourne International Festival, and Pants on Fire for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2021, her collaborative short film Lovely Day was awarded an AFI and Yoram Gross Award. 

Karen has extensive teaching/lecturing experience and continues to teach into the acting and directing courses at VCA Film and TV, VCA Drama, Federation University, La Trobe University, 16th Street, Film and TV International, Toi Whakaari, and Royal Court London, amongst others. 

She has taught a range of topics including classical text, naturalism, improvisation monologues and mask work, and specializes in teaching acting to camera and actor/director workshops. 

Health and Safety 

We strongly recommend you wear a mask, maintain a distance of 1.5 metres, and practice good hygiene when attending workshops in STF Spark Series.