As a kid, Damon Manns used to daydream about epic medieval stories starring himself and his beloved beanie kids. That, along with performances he did for his family, showed an early love for acting.
While most of us dream of becoming actors as kids (I’m still holding out hope), many of us don’t actually make it. So, how do people like Damon actually hit the big time?
We had a yarn with Damon, a graduate from Actors Centre Australia who is now starring in Netflix’s Thai Cave Rescue, about what it’s like to become a legit actor and how the hell to make it there.
PTV: Congrats on the Netflix gig! Can you tell us a bit about how you were cast?
Damon: “I auditioned in the first round for another character. This was in peak Covid times so it was a self-tape — which is just recording yourself at home with a reader. I didn’t hear back until maybe a month later when they called me back for a different role. That was the second round.
My third and final round was a week later, with one of two directors working on the show. We had a brief chat about the role, the importance of the story, and what would be involved, and that was kind of it. A few days later my agent called me and asked if my passport was still valid because I was going to Thailand — the next week.”
What was it like filming on set in Thailand?
“My very first day on set, we had to film a reaction shot to a certain moment in the story. Our characters had to be shocked, which was incredibly fitting because my first day on set was inside the actual cave itself, surrounded by about 300 extras and 100 crew members (some were half submerged in cave water with cameras and equipment). I was genuinely shocked at where I was, what I was there to do and the level of belief everyone had in each other. Besides the actual cave itself, the sets that were created in the jungles in Thailand were MASSIVE. In my head I was there, back in 2018 trying to save those kids — you were immediately put in the world.”
Looking back, what helped prepare you for being out in the industry?
“There are many techniques and tools that I learnt during my time at Actors Centre Australia. That is a long list. But I think some of the most important to me was learning self-management and self-care. How to overcome daunting moments and allow your nerves to be used in a positive way so that you can just do the work.
There are so many things that you learn about the craft at ACA, but most importantly I learnt things about myself. They set up challenges, which if you looked at on paper can seem quite daunting, but in reality they don’t do this without nurturing and providing the necessary support for you to rise up to those challenges. You’re taking your leap of faith with them.
I’m good friends with a lot of my teachers from ACA and still ask them questions I might have being out in the industry. You don’t stop learning in this field of work and they never stop teaching.”
Can you tell us a bit about working with the other actors on Thai Cave Rescue?
“We were in Thailand during the middle of the pandemic and lived there for around five months together. We had to keep in close circles because of Covid, so I really mean it when I say we were a family. We spent nearly every day with each other on and off set. We all supported each other immensely and inspired each other all the time.
There were some veterans like Rodger Corser and Damon Herriman AKA little Damon (I know he wouldn’t mind me saying that). They both were like my crazy uncles who gave me so much advice, love, support, laughs and were absolute professionals.
The Thai cast taught me so many lessons and were also my family. Rum, Bloom and Boo were among those names. I can’t go without mentioning Conor Merrigan Turner. His character and mine directly work together within the story. A lot of the crew had made fun of the fact that even when we weren’t in a scene together (which was rare) that we were still FaceTiming each other about what moment we had just shot.”
What other steps can help actors get to where you are today?
“It’s taken me up until now to have some sort of understanding of what ‘getting there’ truly is. But honestly, I think it’s the never-ending struggle we deal with in thinking we belong there in the first place.
Sure, I’ve done A LOT of auditions where I got good practice at embracing rejection, but ultimately, for new actors, it’s about treating yourself with respect and having responsibility for your talent — doing classes where you can, watching people that inspire you. Everyone’s different but when I watch an impactful movie, listen to wonderful music or watch an interview with someone I love, it gives me great motivation.
Reading I think is very important because you imagine characters in a way you would probably audition for them. But also, you’re reading scripts all the time. It’s important!
Another step I would say is voice, voice, voice. You don’t realise how much an actor’s voice makes a difference until you see some of them in interviews and you’re like ‘huh?’. I owe a lot of my character on Thai Cave Rescue to my voice teachers at ACA.”
If you want to follow in Damon’s footsteps and give acting a crack, applications to Actors Centre Australia’s Bachelor of Performing Arts – Stage and Screen are open for 2023 now. Start running lines, my friends!
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Domestic course code: BAPEASS18 International CRICOS: 109434B
