The Instinctive Actor. Acting Masterclass in Sydney with John Batchelor
The Instinctive Actor
A six‑week masterclass in Sydney with John Batchelor (Sea Patrol, Underbelly: Razor), drawing on over three decades of experience across film, television, and stage. Learn to act without overthinking, respond truthfully to your scene partner, and let your instinct lead.
Register your interest below.
Over six weeks, actors learn to quiet the analytical mind and work from instinct instead. The class is built around one simple idea: read and respond.
Led by John Batchelor, the masterclass is built to sharpen instinct and build truthful, connected work through rigorous scene study. As the course progresses, that instinctive work is brought to the camera, so the responses you develop hold up on screen.
The Philosophy
What excites me about the modern actor is watching them excel with centuries upon centuries of written texts. In order to do so takes skill and unknown abilities that actually lie innate inside us. The exciting thing is discovering your own innate skills when in response to another human. Read and respond, it’s that simple. John Batchelor
What to Expect
Course Details
Train with John Batchelor
John Batchelor is a NIDA‑trained screen and stage actor best known for his role as Chief Engineer Andy ‘Charge’ Thorpe across all five seasons of Sea Patrol, sold to more than 170 countries, and as Wally Tomlinson in the acclaimed Nine Network series Underbelly: Razor.
His screen work spans Red Dog, The Secret Daughter, Doctor Doctor, Home and Away, Rake, Harrow, Reckoning, and Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, alongside an extensive body of theatre with the Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, the Melbourne Theatre Company, and Queensland Theatre, including Storm Boy, Holding Achilles, and Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra and Twelfth Night.
A two‑time Matilda Award winner, John brings decades of professional experience and a deep belief in instinct, response, and the innate skills every actor carries inside them.
Who Is This Masterclass For?
This course is designed for actors with prior training or on‑set experience who are ready to work at a deeper, more instinctive level.
It’s best suited to actors who want to get out of their heads, respond truthfully to a scene partner, and trust the innate abilities they already carry. This is a focused professional room for actors ready to challenge themselves through rigorous scene work and strong direction.
If you’re completely new to acting, this may not be the right starting point.
Strictly Limited to 12 Actors
The class is intentionally kept small to ensure every actor receives meaningful feedback, real time on the floor, and space to do deeper work.
Places are offered via application and kept deliberately small.
Register Your Interest
This is an upcoming masterclass with John Batchelor. Dates and application details will be confirmed soon.
If you’d like to be first to hear when applications open, register your interest below.