Director's Workshop in Sydney with Ben Young, director of Hounds of Love, Extinction and Scrublands: Silver

Sydney
The One Day

Director's Workshop

With Ben Young

Sunday 15 November 2026 · 10am to 4pm

Applications Open

A one day screen acting workshop in Sydney with award‑winning writer and director Ben Young, whose credits include Disney+'s The Artful Dodger, Binge's Run, Hounds of Love, Netflix's Extinction, Devil's Peak and Stan's Scrublands: Silver. Work on original, unproduced material from Ben's own projects, with direction from one of Australia's busiest film and television directors.

Places are strictly limited to 14 actors.

Apply Now
Director Ben Young, leading the director's workshop in Sydney at The Actors Workout

Spend a full day in the room with a working director. This workshop is built around how directors actually work with actors: the notes they give, the adjustments they need, and what makes an actor someone they want back on set.

Led by Ben Young, director of Hounds of Love, Disney+'s The Artful Dodger and Binge's Run, the day is spent working on original, unproduced material from Ben's own projects, scenes that haven't been made yet, with Ben directing you on camera.

What to Expect

WORK ON ORIGINAL MATERIAL
Work on scenes from Ben's own upcoming projects that haven't been filmed yet. There's no existing performance to copy, just you, the script and the director.
SCENE WORK ON CAMERA
Work your scenes on camera with Ben directing, with notes and adjustments take after take. This is the heart of the day.
TAKING DIRECTION
Learn to absorb a note and turn it around in the next take, adjusting to a director's vision while staying true to the character.
FLEXIBILITY AND RANGE
Shift your choices quickly when the direction changes, without losing the truth of the moment.
FINDING IT ON THE PAGE
Break down brand‑new material with no reference point, building the character from the script alone.
Q&A WITH A DIRECTOR
Ask Ben about the industry, working on Netflix, Stan and Disney+ productions, and directing international productions in the US.

Workshop Details

Format One day intensive, working original unproduced material from Ben's projects on camera
Date Sunday 15 November 2026
Time 10:00am to 4:00pm (including a one‑hour lunch break)
Class Size Strictly limited to 14 actors
Investment $395 + GST
Location The Actors Workout, Ultimo Studio

Train with Ben Young

Ben Young is an award‑winning writer and director who began his career in front of the camera at the age of 12. After completing a BA at Curtin University in 2003 and an MA at the WA Screen Academy in 2005, he went on to direct music videos, commercials, fashion films and television drama.

His feature debut, Hounds of Love (2016), won numerous awards worldwide, including at the Venice Film Festival. His second feature, Extinction (2018), starring Michael Peña and Lizzy Caplan, premiered on Netflix. He later directed two episodes of Netflix's Clickbait (2020) and the season finale of Amazon's The Wilds (2021). That same year, he helmed the feature Devil's Peak, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Wright, Jackie Earle Haley and Hopper Penn, which reached number three on Hulu's most popular films list in the US.

In 2023, Ben directed four episodes of Population 11 for Stan and three episodes of The Twelve for Foxtel. In 2024, he directed the full season of Scrublands: Silver for Stan. Most recently, in 2025, he directed the first two episodes of season two of The Artful Dodger for Disney+ and four episodes of Run for Binge, where he also serves as executive producer.

The Artful Dodger season two artwork, a Disney+ series directed by Ben Young, featured in his Sydney director's workshop at The Actors Workout
Run series artwork, a Binge original series directed and executive produced by Ben Young, featured in his Sydney director's workshop at The Actors Workout
Hounds of Love poster, a film written and directed by Ben Young, featured in his Sydney director's workshop at The Actors Workout
Extinction poster, a Netflix film directed by Ben Young, featured in his Sydney director's workshop at The Actors Workout
Devil's Peak poster, a film directed by Ben Young, featured in his Sydney director's workshop at The Actors Workout
Scrublands: Silver series artwork, a Stan series directed by Ben Young, featured in his Sydney director's workshop at The Actors Workout

Director's Showreel

Ben Young director showreel 2026

Who Is This Workshop For?

This workshop is designed for actors with some level of training or on‑set experience who are ready to work at a professional level under a director. It is not a beginner course. If you're newer to screen acting, our On‑Camera Foundations course is the better place to start.

The workshop is best suited to actors who want strong direction, honest feedback and the chance to sharpen how they respond to notes on camera. The presence of a director is not a guarantee or promise of employment.

Places Are Limited

The day is intentionally kept small to ensure every actor gets real time on camera working scenes with Ben, with meaningful direction and adjustment. Places are strictly limited to 14 actors.

Complete the form below to apply for a place. While you wait to hear back, our weekly classes and other masterclasses are always running. See what's on.

Apply Now

This workshop is for actors with some training or on‑set experience, and places are strictly limited. Complete the form below to apply.