About

Founder & Acting Coach​

 

Emma Monk is an Australian-born actor, producer and acting coach with an extensive international career spanning Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Bollywood.

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Trained at Screenwise in Australia, Emma was awarded a scholarship to study at Stella Adler and TVI Studios in Los Angeles. She further honed her craft in sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade and improvisation at The Groundlings.

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Her on-screen work spans film, television and international projects, with performances recognised for their versatility across both comedy and drama. Alongside her acting career, Emma is passionate about storytelling that amplifies underrepresented voices, particularly around LGBTQIA+ experiences, mental health and social issues.

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Emma founded TrueSCREEN Acting Studio to create a supportive, professional training environment where actors can develop real-world skills and confidence. Since launching, she has coached actors now working across major film, theatre and television productions. She has also worked as an on-set acting coach for many screen projects.

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Known for her direct, practical approach and commitment to authentic performance, Emma is dedicated to helping actors bridge the gap between training and industry.

Founder

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Desi is TrueSCREEN Acting Studio's friendly neighbourhood expat: a lover of tacos, strong coffee, good design and any dog within petting distance.

Originally from the US, Desi came to Australia with Emma in 2018, beginning their creative partnership in Newcastle. She's since worked across the creative industries in sales, administration, casting, talent management and design.

 

After deep self-reflection (and many long conversations with Emma), Desi made the leap to focus on what she loves most: running East End Talent, her boutique talent agency. ​

She also supports TrueSCREEN behind the scenes, helping with administration, social media, and workshop coordination.

Through her work as a talent manager, Desi stays deeply connected to the industry and brings that current knowledge of casting practices, trends, and professional expectations directly to TrueSCREEN students.

 

Desi is passionate about creating supportive, inclusive spaces where artists can do brave work and helping actors feel confident, informed and prepared, both in the room and beyond it.

Acting Coach

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Dane has worked in the film industry in a variety of different roles over the last decade (Actor, assistant director and talent agent).

 

He has worked as an actor in Aus, NZ, Can and the US. 

 

Currently he is in Post Production for a pilot he created with Phoebe Tow (Agent Alan).

 

He has a BA in Creating and Performing Arts, represented Australia in LA at the World Championships of Performing arts and spent years training with some of the best coaches in Australia and the US. 

 

His method in acting teaching is to create a fun and safe working environment to expand as an artist while staying grounded in their work. 

Acting Coach

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Jarrah has been acting and performing since she was a teenager. She’s studied acting at Sydney Theatre School and the Royal School of Speech and Drama in London, and also has experience working on professional sets.

 

Jarrah comes from a background in theatre and voice, regularly appearing in shows with Newcastle Theatre company and other companies. 

 

Jarrah’s experience working in schools makes her fun and engaging when working with our younger actors. She loves working one to one with our students, tailoring lessons to suit personal goals and learning styles.