ABOUT

Founded in 2003 by Hallie McKeig, Filmbites has been in Perth for 20 years. We teach Screen Acting, Filmmaking, Animation and Game Design all across Western Australia.

Our mission is to impart a passion and appreciation of the arts, arming the students with real tools which they can then take with them to keep creating their own stories outside of class.

Our instructors are specialised Screen Professionals with a passion for working with youth, and our courses and curriculum are tailored towards kids and young people. We strive to make our classes supportive and inclusive environments, where we can have fun with and explore the arts without judgement, envy or competition.

While many of our students have gone on to work in the industry – our students and alumni have landed major roles on shows like The Rings of Power, H is for Happiness, The Wilds, Sweet As, and One of Us is Lying, and gone on to direct films shown in festivals around the world – many more have gained important life skills, such as confidence, creativity, and teamwork, as well as a love of the screen arts.

 

Head of Acting Shanta Surendran, Founder Hallie McKeig and CEO Tim Green photographed at the 2024 Premiere Night.

CORE STAFF

Tim Green

Director
Tim Green (Film-making, Green Screen VFX & Beginner Acting) has been making movies for longer than he could remember. He got his first video camera at eight and never really stopped. He started training at Filmbites in 2008, graduated from Murdoch University with a Bachelor of Media in Screen Production in 2015, and completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Media Production in 2016. He has directed numerous short films, including Bodhi which was selected to screen at Cinefest Oz, and worked in the photography, production sound and editorial departments on a variety of projects.

Tabbetha Marshall

Head of Communities
Tabbetha has a strong passion for Film as well as for working with children. After graduating from SAE with a Bachelor of Film in 2021, she helped create the Swan Perth International Women In Film Festival to support women in film locally. Tabbetha has worked on various productions across a range of mediums including music videos and TV series. Her work has won awards at Catchlight Film Festival and WA Made Film Festival. Before beginning her work in Film, Tabbetha studied early childhood development and worked with children for many years. In 2022 Tabbetha became an Instructor at Filmbites for Screen Acting and Filmmaking and now has taken the role of Community Projects Officer.

Shanta Surendran

Head of Screen Acting
Shanta Surendran is Filmbites’ Head Acting Coach. She has trained actors since 2005 and has worked with both youth and adults at a range of levels from beginner to elite. Shanta is the creator, writer and head trainer of the acting curriculum. She also trains adults as part of the core training team at Nicholson’s Academy of Screen Acting. Shanta was also one of the key training team for the Diploma of Screen Acting at FTI which trained 2015 Heath Ledger Scholarship Winner, Cody Fern. In addition to acting training Shanta has worked with Jane Norris Casting as an acting coach. Shanta‘s students have achieved many levels of success in their acting from confidence to self discovery to honing skills to success in industry. Industry outcomes have included entry into high caliber acting schools in Perth, the eastern states and internationally. Her students have also had success in getting high level audition call-backs and short lists (both nationally and internationally), as well as winning roles on commercials, web series, TV series and feature films.

Grace Stevenson

Head of Production
Grace Stevenson (sometimes credited as Grace St Ives) is a Producer and Filmmaker currently living and working on Whadjuk Boodjar in Perth, WA. Grace enjoys bringing all sorts of stories to life whether it be as goofy as the boy who thinks he’s a goose, or to the heights of a mind-controlling cult kidnapping your family. Grace is drawn to the wacky and wonderful escapism which comes with the creative arts – working in; visual art, animation and film to create a vibrant and over-saturated final product. Ever-conscious of protecting her actors and crew Grace is known for being a time-watcher, stickler for safety, and devoted follower of the all-mighty ‘procedure-driven practices’. Not to sound too much like a party animal.