A FUTURE film star with strong links to the Collie area has been cast in an award-winning screenplay.
Presley Massara is young, charismatic and ready to thrill audiences worldwide with his part in Lee Chambers' bestseller The Pineville Heist.
Presley's dad grew up in Collie with his parents and seven siblings, so finding time to visit the town was important to him.
"I love coming down to Collie and catching up with Nan and the rest of my family," he said.
Acting for Presley began at a young age when he appeared in a few small commercials after starting out in the modelling world.
He then took a short break, returning to the stage three years ago, this time with an itch for theatre and film experience.
"My first acting experience was really scary but once you get to know what you're doing and the people you're working with it gets better," he said.
What sets Presley aside from other fame-thirsty teenagers is his down-to-earth, practical attitude and of course, being from Collie, his exceptional work ethic.
He understands the importance of finishing school with good grades and appreciating the value of all his subject matters - his favorite being music.
"I've been doing music for a long time and the teachers at Perth Modern are really good we have a huge music building where I enjoy playing the harp and piano," he said.
"My acting normally happens during the school holidays, there has been one occasion when I missed some classes so the teachers gave me homework and I caught up on any extra stuff when I returned.
"School is really important to me and I'm excited to be heading to Trinity College in Perth next year."
Passing year 12 with a good grade is Presley's main focus at the moment and once school is completed he will be able to concentrate more on his acting.
However this did not stop him from jetting off to Los Angeles in the school break to work on his acting skills.
"This year I attended an American Academy of Dramatic Arts course which has campuses in Los Angeles and New York," he said.
"I joined in with the Academy's Conser vatory for Young Actors course with fellow under 18 arts students from around the world, which was an amazing experience and a great way to meet people."
Whilst Presley was in LA at the camp he caught up with Lee Chambers, the author of The Pineville Heist.
Presley and Mr Chambers had been introduced previously in Perth by a mutual friend from the Perth Film Network, Debbie Thoy.
"Lee and I met up for some good old Los Angeles ice cream, where one scoop is the size of four," he said.
After the catch-up Presley found himself in a screen test for The Pineville Heist and posing in a photo shoot for the book cover.
"The screen test was shot with Priscilla Anne-Forder who is a very talented actress from Perth, and it went really well so they agreed to cast me for the movie," he said.
"The part I play is undecided yet and dependent on funding but in the screen shot I played the main character Aaron Stevens, it would be really exciting to be cast as Aaron."
"His character is very deep and because it's a thriller a lot of the scenes would be me running away from guns and hiding with a crowbar, which could be really exciting."
The acting schedule for The Pineville Heist begins next year and will be an intense 10-week filming period for Presley.
"I will be travelling to Canada next June to film, the ten weeks include rehearsals so it's a get in, get out, quick turnaround situation," he said.
"Then after Pineville, who knows, hopefully something else will come up and I'll be able to continue working with Perth's talented actors and actresses."
To find out more about the production of The Pineville Heist go to indiegogo.com/projects/the-pineville-heist.
