about.
Those who have aspirations in the creative arts are often not able to find employment or generate an income for themselves, as they lack the basic knowledge, skills, and tools which will help them to have sustainable careers.
The Actor's Toolbox saw the light in 2016 when Chanelle de Jager & Martin Venter teamed up with various industry professionals to bridge the gap between tertiary education and building a career. After hosting multiple workshops, the Actor's Toolbox is now a registered NPO and PBO whose objective is to provide training, guidance, and tools to aspiring actors and creatives, which will equip them and give them the skills to launch and sustain their careers by inter alia:
-
Drawing upon the skills of successful artists with established careers to train, guide, and nurture young actors and creatives from poor socio-economic communities;
-
Opening doors to opportunity for employment by providing networks;
-
Ensuring that the standard of the training is up to date with the current industry standards; and
-
Giving those who cannot afford formal education in the creative field free access to workshops, training, and support.
​
The Actor's Toolbox's 5-day workshop is the heart of the NPO - participants can attend these workshops for free! And there's another workshop on the way: The Writer's Toolbox is tailormade to fit a writer's needs and will be launching during the last quarter of 2020.
​
The Actor's Toolbox is also broadening their horizons with skill-specific short courses (American Accent, Improv, Casting, etc) to make part of their self-sustainability. These workshops are hosted at affordable rates and contribute to the longevity of the Actor's Toolbox NPO.
NPO board.
Click on the images below for more information
Chanelle de Jager (Director) worked as a full-time actress for Franz Marx Films for the first five years of her career. After a working holiday in the UK in 2004, she studied Film and Television at the Motion Picture Academy whereafter she gained extensive experience in documentary filmmaking. She rooted herself in Cape Town in 2009 where she continued to work as an actress and casting director. Some career highlights include Outlander (with Caitriona Balfe) and The Widow (with Kate Beckinsale). She joined forces with Martin Venter in 2015 to open the doors to Typecast Casting Directors.
Martin Venter (Director) is a writer, actor, voice artist, and casting director from Cape Town. With over 13 years' experience in the entertainment industry, Martin has been in multiple stage productions, films, and commercials with extensive experience in Radio & Voice Work. A firm believer in never-waiting-for-the-phone-to-ring, Martin co-wrote (amongst other things) an internationally award-winning short film with Chanelle de Jager (Konneskies), whereafter they opened the doors to Typecast Casting Directors. Martin's recent work is a starring role in Suidooster (South African soapie), Til Death Do Us Part for the Discovery Channel, and voice-over work for the popular South African show, Gebroke Harte.
Frank Malaba (Director) is an actor, playwright, and a published poet. He was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and currently resides in Cape Town, South Africa. He has performed on stage and television in both countries. He has a passion for using poetry, storytelling, and theatre as a method of healing for both himself and others. His poetry has been presented both at home and abroad. In 2014 Frank was recognized by Mail & Guardian's 200 Young South Africans as an Achiever in the category of Arts & Culture.
Schané van Zijl (Director) is a Financial Advisor affiliated with attooh! Financial Wellness. She has been in the financial industry for 10 years and in this time has held various roles at some of the most prominent Insurance Companies in South Africa. Schané now specializes in Life and Disability Assurance, Risk Planning, Investment Savings and Planning, Healthcare Planning, Pre- and Post-retirement Planning, Short-term Insurance, Discovery Insure, Corporate Employee Benefits, Wellness, and Vitality benefits, Corporate Benefits and Investment Management.
Hein Ungerer (Director) is a graduate of the University of Pretoria in South Africa and he has spent more than 30 years in filmmaking and television broadcasting. He started off his career in radio broadcasting and moved to television where he held a number of positions as executive producer, investigative journalist and news reporter. His main interest lies with social justice issues affecting people and animals. He has won several awards for his work. He also has a long career of training in factual and documentary filmmaking. He is currently the head of training at a film school in Cape Town South Africa.