Hanna Cormick

  

Hanna Cormick is a professional actress who works in a variety of fields including screen, stage, interdisciplinary art and Mask. She is a graduate of the NIDA Young Actors Studio and Charles Sturt University’s Acting (Screen & Stage) degree. She is a founding member of the acclaimed interdisciplinary arts group Last Man To Die. Recent performances include the nationally touring THE LAST MAN TO DIE with Last Man To Die, GEESE with Shadow House PITS, PLAY (BY PLAY) for You Are Here and her solo devised work (OR) for JUMP, performed in Australia and Indonesia.

Hanna Cormick is currently being mentored by Ida Bagus Anom as part of JUMP, the Australia Council’s national mentoring program for young and emerging artists. www.jumpmentoring.com.au

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A Samurai Pizza Cat.

When did you know you would work in the arts?
I woke up one day and just knew.

How would you describe your work to a complete stranger?
I hook myself into electronics and get controlled by sounds and images, or I go into trance and become possessed by spirits and gods- sometimes I’m in movies too. Although usually I just say I’m an actress and don’t describe anything- other people tend to introduce it in whatever way they feel comfortable with.

How hard is it to be authentic in the arts nowadays?
Simultaneously easy and difficult- there are more opportunities to work outside of boundaries and to explore new platforms and styles made accessible by technology, which I find very exciting. However, it can sometimes be hard to find your own voice amongst what other people or artists think you should do- and everyone has an opinion.

Is there a mission to your work?
To make people feel. To open and expand possibilities, to raise questions- not to answer them and not to explain things.

What's your background - are there studies that prepare you for this?
I am a graduate of Charles Sturt University’s Acting for Screen and Stage degree with Distinction and Honours Class 1, as well as the NIDA Young Actors Studio. I am about to begin full-time study at École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. The mentorship through JUMP has also allowed me to learn and grow so much as an artist.

What's the first thing career related you usually do each day?
Breathe.

Can you describe an "average" working day for you?
There’s no such thing as average. Some days I’m up at the crack of dawn on location for a shoot, some days I spend all day and evening rehearsing for theatre, some days I sit carving Masks for hours and hours, some days I get wired up and turn my performer’s body into an interactive art computer with Last Man To Die. When I’m in Bali with my mentor I usually carve for seven hours or dance for two, and spend the rest of the day soaking up the culture and performances.

What else do you do to pay the bills?
Movement lecturer at the Canberra Academy of Dramatic Art.

What's the one thing - piece of equipment, toy, security blanket, – you can't work without?
My moleskin diary

What gets you fired up?
Maybe too many things- I’m a little fiery.

Who in the industry most inspires you?
My collaborators- particularly my partner filmmaker/writer Pete Butz, and my Last Man To Die collaborators percussionist Charles Martin and visual artist Benjamin Forster. The solo work they all do is really, really exceptional.

What in the industry do you despair about?
Close-mindedness and arrogance

What is the best thing about your job?
Performing

What’s the worst?
Instability (although that can also be wonderful in a way)

What are the top three skills you need in this industry?
Intelligence, an Open heart, Diligence

What advice would you give anyone looking to break into the field?
It’s equally demanding and rewarding- you have to give a lot of yourself to get a lot out of it.

How do you know when you missed the mark?
If I don’t risk anything

Which of the below phrases best suits your career development to date and why?

a. "The road to success is always under construction. "
b. "Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor."
c. "Success is best measured by how far you've come with the talents you've been given. "
d. "No one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourself."

A & B. The construction must occur from within the chaos.

When do you know you’ve made it?
There is no “made it”, only the never-ending ascent. It’s like dragging a boulder uphill through treacle, but I would never swap it for anything else. I think if I ever did reach the top of that hill, I’d just look for something else to climb.